Zaca Mesa Santa Ynez Valley Syrah 2012
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2010-
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Zaca Mesa is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a family-owned and operated winery dedicated to the production of distinctive, single-vineyard Rhône-style wines on the Central Coast.
As a pioneer of California Rhône wines, they aim to create wines that showcase the distinct characteristics of their Santa Barbara County vineyard, taking special care in and out of the vineyard to keep quality first and foremost.
Just 25 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the vineyards sit in the sweet spot between a cool and warm climate. The location and elevation give them the ability to grow dynamic, balanced Rhône grapes like Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier. At Zaca Mesa, they believe great wine begins in the vineyard. They are dedicated to crafting high quality estate-grown wines that showcase the layered nuances of their unique, high elevation vineyard site in Santa Barbara County’s beloved Santa Ynez Valley wine country.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.
A wide selection of grapes is planted here—more than sixty different varieties, and counting. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.