Sourced from the original block of cool-climate California Syrah grafted by Rhône Rangers Bob Lindquist and Randall Grahm in 1986, X Block, and the wines it produces, are one of a kind. Resplendent in royal purple and only beginning to mature, a more inviting Syrah is hard to come by, as the feral qualities classic to this site tumble out of the glass with smoked game and iodine, followed by dusty red and blue bramble, coffee beans and tapenade. The wine is light on its feet, tension coursing through every drop, and yet soft enough to deliver this bolt of energy in a velvet glove, all in the service of texture and balance.

Vineyard Note
Bien Nacido’s X Block is a testament to California wine history. In 1973 it was planted to Riesling on its own roots in a pergola training system, all popular choices at the time. Once Riesling fell out of favor and Santa Barbara Syrah began gaining traction, Bob Lindquist of Qupé and Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon grafted these vines in 1986 and 1987, producing from them the first true cool-climate California Syrah. They remain among the oldest Syrah vines in the state, and given their age, unique training and own-rooted vinifera purity, are perhaps the most special.