This syrah comes from two vineyards on the eastern side of Sta. Rita Hills. The Patterson Vineyard is planted on a high elevation, north-facing slope, overlooking the Santa Ynez River. The soils are mostly clay loam with a substratum of sandstone. The Casa Cassara Vineyard also lies high above the valley, but faces south-east on clay and limestone soils.

The Sta. Rita Hills syrah is always our most forward wine with aromas and flavors of macerated red and blue fruits, cloves, and lavender. This wine is more spirited than our other cuvees, and finishes with hints of blood orange, licorice, and palo santos.

The Patterson Vineyard is a new planting. The young vines here in combination with the clay soils help give this wine its fruit forward character. Younger vines also produce more robust grape clusters, with larger berries and thicker stems, imbuing the wine with generous aromas and flavors. The east side of the Sta. Rita Hills is also less windy and therefore the fruit ripens more quickly, giving the wine a touch more alcohol.

We recommend opening this syrah on the earlier side to enjoy its freshness and concentration of fruit and gentle tannins.