Current Release
2019 Syrah, John Sebastiano 750ML
This dramatic hillside site lies on the eastern border of the Sta. Rita Hills and is one of the coolest sites planted to Rhone varietals in all of California. We pay extra to have our carefully selected hillside blocks farmed organically. Each block contains a different clone and rootstock combination (470 on 5BB, Estrella and 383 are own rooted). Soils range from clay-loam to almost pure sand. The cool wind and fog at this site provide for an extremely long season. These grapes produce a dark, intensely aromatic wine, with cool black and blue berry fruits, great freshness, mineral lift and solid structure for aging. We have made a single vineyard Syrah from this site since 2013, as the alluring aromas and flavors simply had to be showcased on their own.
A blend of three separate blocks and clones (470, 383, Estrella), each of which was picked separately in multiple passes as ripeness developed. The grapes were fermented separately in 1.5-ton, open top fermenters (85% destemmed; 15% whole cluster) by native yeasts. At dryness, we drained the free run juice and gently pressed the remaining berriesnd pressed the , pressed and transferred to French oak barrels (228L barriques and a few 400L barrels), 15 percent new, with various coopers (Sylvain, Ermitage, Seguin Moreau) and toast levels (M, ML, M+). The wine undergoes spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrel and no additional sulfur is added (there is a small amount added to the juice the day of harvest/processing) until ML was complete in April, 2020. The wine was ultimately aged on its lees for 9 months before selection and blending, then the blended wine returned to barrel for an additional 8 months before bottling. The wine is fantastic in this cooler, more elegant year. Drinkable now, it will improve for 7-15 years or longer.
Extremely Limited. 380 cases produced.
A blend of three separate blocks and clones (470, 383, Estrella), each of which was picked separately in multiple passes as ripeness developed. The grapes were fermented separately in 1.5-ton, open top fermenters (85% destemmed; 15% whole cluster) by native yeasts. At dryness, we drained the free run juice and gently pressed the remaining berriesnd pressed the , pressed and transferred to French oak barrels (228L barriques and a few 400L barrels), 15 percent new, with various coopers (Sylvain, Ermitage, Seguin Moreau) and toast levels (M, ML, M+). The wine undergoes spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrel and no additional sulfur is added (there is a small amount added to the juice the day of harvest/processing) until ML was complete in April, 2020. The wine was ultimately aged on its lees for 9 months before selection and blending, then the blended wine returned to barrel for an additional 8 months before bottling. The wine is fantastic in this cooler, more elegant year. Drinkable now, it will improve for 7-15 years or longer.
Extremely Limited. 380 cases produced.
Wine Profile
| Vintage | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Varietal | Syrah |
| Size | 750 ml |