Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Margerum Sybarite Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Sauvignon Blanc – Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Crafted from Margerum’s top Sauvignon Blanc vineyard sources in Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Sybarite is a more textural and layered interpretation of the variety. Rather than emphasizing overt tropical fruit, it focuses on elegance, persistence, and a refined sense of place.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon zest, white peach, grapefruit, subtle melon, fresh herbs, and delicate floral notes unfold over a beautifully mineral core with hints of citrus peel and wet stone.

Mouthfeel
Silky and beautifully balanced with gentle acidity, remarkable texture, and a graceful, lingering finish. Precision and finesse take center stage rather than sheer intensity.

Food Pairings
Halibut, grilled sea bass, Dungeness crab, oysters, sushi, roasted chicken, fresh goat cheese, or creamy seafood risotto.

Verdict
An elegant, terroir-driven Sauvignon Blanc that favors balance and sophistication over exuberance. Complex, expressive, and a wonderful reminder of the remarkable quality emerging from Santa Barbara.

Did You Know?
A previous vintage of Margerum Sybarite Sauvignon Blanc was selected to accompany the blue crab course at a White House State Dinner hosted by President Barack Obama in honor of Singapore’s Prime Minister in 2016—a testament to the wine’s refinement and food-pairing versatility.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is one of those Sauvignon Blancs that quietly changes expectations. It isn’t driven by punchy acidity or explosive tropical fruit—instead, its elegance, texture, and remarkably delicate finish make it one of the finest American expressions of the variety I’ve tasted. Another compelling reason why Santa Barbara continues to impress me as one of California’s great wine regions. — 6 days ago

Paul Mason

9.1

One of the best Merlots made in The USA — 5 years ago

with Todd

Neal Ferry

9.0

Great, I have been Sutcliffe for at least 25 years doesn’t disappoint in BBC any matter, excellent example of Colorado wine — 5 years ago

with Tom

ESF

9.3

Just wowza: recall drinking this stuff back in mid-90s and it seems like they are one of the few classic Zins still cranking out outstandingly priced vino... this stuff was dense & fairly hi octane - shy nose until well over hour of decant, then strutted sublime full spectrum red fruit culminating in a sweet spiced raspberry / rhubarb pie w/vanillin accents. Suave viscous saturated extracted but never cloying, absolute stunning execution w/very long life ahead. — 7 years ago

Chris B.

9.0

Probably the best Bordeaux-style wine I’ve had from Santa Barbara and at $25, a total steal. Juicy plum on the tongue, gravel in the mouth, Kalamata olives up the nose... these disparate elements add up to some complexity and the tannins are just beginning to hit their stride. — 7 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.2

In magnum... — 8 years ago

Heather S

9.2

Found this lovely vinyard in southern Colorado last summer. Beautiful spot. Love the wine. — 8 years ago

Doug Powers

9.2

Rich red fruits, despite the 15% ABV, this smells and tastes like a cool climate Syrah (my vague recollection was that 2008 was a cooler year, though this vineyard usually produces the ripest and most high-octane Syrah in the Tensley stable), nice balance, lingering finish, very fine!’ — 4 months ago

with Jim

Steven Beishuizen

9.1

On the nose, this is very fresh black cherry... On the palate, that cherry plays alongside big, juicy, thick-skinned black plums. Something earthy here... Dried sage? The finish has some complexity in that here I taste a few more things like licorice root including its "bark" like what Dutch people chew. The tannins throughout I find wonderfully balanced with the fruit here. I really like this one. — 5 years ago

Kenneth Hargreaves

9.3

Great central coast Syrah from Michael Larner in Ballard Canyon. This area is overlooked snd should not be. This is a delicious, rich snd nuanced Syrah that you will enjoy. Get it if you can — 5 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.5

Nose is graphite and lavender. Maybe some rose petal.

Palate is rehydrated dried roses. A hint of old burgundy water on hot brick.

As this opens some cherry liquor.

This bottle is like drinking old Burgundy or Bordeaux in its twilight. Very interesting. Some beauty. Some echoes of beauty. I have no idea what the average of 10 bottles would taste like.

Still a thing of beauty.

Bought from fass selections. — 6 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

I have always loved this vintage of Rudd’s JC made by Ramey. This is a classic older Cali Cabernet made in a Bordeaux style showing dark cherry, red & blackberry, cassis, leather, mocha, graphite, tobacco leaf & rose petal. — 7 years ago

David L

9.3

14’ Jonata Flor . 90% SB 10% Semillon Alc 15.2.
Pale gold in color. The palate is full of apricot, honey, lemon custard. Racy citrusy notes run through the palate. Moderate acidity with a great finish. Tasting much different then it did just a year ago.

Pairing perfectly with the crabcakes/fish tacos/Lemon Pizza at Kesté NYC😋 @ADAM STROMFELD Thank you for the six pack. You’re the man! — 8 years ago

Brad Jensen

9.4

Nose of lavender, dark chocolate, silky dark red fruits, vanilla notes, uncrushed black pepper, pine bark, plum and driveway tar. Silky palate, medium to full bodied, that starts with ripe red fruits and evolves into slightly smoky flavors, with dark red berries, pencil shavings, more baked pie crust than pure vanilla, tobacco and tannins that grip lightly, but dance in the background of a dry, slightly hay like finish that lays meaty on the palate for quite a while. — 5 months ago

Jan de Weerd

9.3

An expressive Cab with vibrant red fruit of cranberry, pie cherry and currant and a punchy, lingering finish carried by fine grained, well integrated tannins. At the end of this month we will be telling the story of this hidden gem in Idaho. One of the early pioneers in the PNW together with some, now, legendary winemakers in Washington state. Hells Canyon found a perfect spot right here in southwest Idaho over overlooking the Snake River. Stay tuned by subscribing on www.spokenwines.com/#news-1 or our YouTube channel @Spoken-Wines — 2 years ago

with Tammy

George Hesse

9.0

Will brought this in. Very nice!! — 5 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

Clean, dry, surprisingly light in color for the age... who the hell drinks 8-year old SB. The wine is smooth, silky, balanced...displaying ripe quince, pineapple, kiwi notes...no sign of grass or gooseberry. Elegant food wine. Ok, still not my fav grape, but delicious foil for Shaking Beef and Chicken Gyozo. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Earlier this week, a rep for Crown Point wines hosted a tasting to show off a few of their newer releases. New to me, they are out of Santa Barbara and have the duo of Adam Henkel (former assistant winemaker at Harlan for 8yrs) and Philippe Melka (who came on starting with the ‘15 vintage) making the wines.


This wine is their Estate Selection, which is 73% cab, 16% malbec and 11% merlot. I believe this was the first vintage for this wine. It sports a very soft profile and is made in a riper style. Aromatically it smells of baked boysenberry, fig and mixed berry pie with milk chocolate chips. The ABV is around 15.2% and it shows here. Extracted on the palate with chocolate covered dark fruits, baking spices, nutmeg and Andes mint. — 7 years ago

with Clare and Weston

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.3

Woodward Canyon has gained a national reputation for producing high quality Chardonnay. This great new release, the 2017 Woodward Canyon ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay, is sourced from a host of great vineyards across the state. The wine was aged in a small percentage of new French oak prior to bottling. Ironically the wine was bottled on my birthday in May, 2018. The nose takes on a ton of appeal with roasted pineapple, toasty oak, Pink Lady apple and brioche aromatics. The palate shows a wonderful tension, astringency and richness. Gravenstein apple, brioche, and Meyer lemon creme brûlée flavors all strut their stuff in the glass. This is a gorgeous wine that has some good cellaring potential. Drink 2019-2029-
93 — 7 years ago

Gene Buonviri

9.0

Dark Red, Bold, Fresh, Smooth, Complex & Savory. Rich aromas of Cherry, Blackberry. Pepper & herb finish. Hope I have an opportunity to open another 2015 bottle in 3-5 years. — 8 years ago