Today marks a blog milestone: I am posting the last wine from 2020! Now we can really put 2020 in the rearview mirror – and my wine tracking and number sequencing just got a heck of a lot easier. More importantly, it is my first wine from Santa Maria Valley AVA! Traveling south – virtually, anyway! Someday…
About Santa Maria Valley AVA from Santa Barbara Vintners: “The often foggy and windswept Santa Maria Valley is the northern most appellation in Santa Barbara County. The region’s first officially approved American Viticultural Area (AVA) enjoys extremely complex soil conditions and diverse microclimates. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are two varieties which especially benefit from the ocean’s influence and are this AVA’s flagship wines…Other great varieties such as Syrah and Pinot Blanc grow amazingly, too.”
About Cambria Estate Winery: “For 30 years, the Jackson family has sustainably farmed and passionately tended our remarkable Santa Maria estate. Barbara Banke and Jess Jackson’s daughters, Katie Jackson and Julia Jackson, grew up among these vines. Drawn to the grit and beauty of winemaking, Katie and Julia continue the family business. Together with Barbara Banke’s keen knowledge of the industry and incredible business sense, Katie’s passion for sustainability and the land, and Julia’s creative backbone and dedication to empowering communities, the women of Cambria shape who we are today.” They primarily produce fine Pinot Noirs and a range of whites, with the Syrah being the single exception.
2015 Cambria Syrah Tepusquet Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley AVA, 13.9% ABV, $30** (#251*)
Winemaker Notes from wine.com: “The 2015 Tepusquet Syrah has a deep purple color with concentrated raspberry, black berry flavors and aromas of cured meat and mocha. The wine is medium bodied with balanced tannins that contribute to a round smooth texture. A long finish is accompanied by nice acidity with nuances of dark berry fruit. This wine is a classic cool climate Syrah with good structure and true varietal characters. Pair with baby back ribs with Tepusquet Syrah BBQ Sauce.”
**We found this wine on the K&L Wine Merchants’ web page (SKU #1483394) for $15 (now out of stock). Nicely rated at 94 points by Vinous, with adjectives including “powerful,” “dense,” and “inky.” You can read the full review here. The 2017 vintage is the current release, listed for $32 on Cambria’s website here.
My Review: Purplish-red in color. Vanilla and dark berry/cherry on the nose. Juicy in flavor with deep berry flavors with a touch of mint. December 2020
*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.
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