Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Sanguis “Bossman” Syrah 2021
Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Bossman is Sanguis’s bold and expressive Syrah, led by Matthias Pippig’s vision of terroir-focused winemaking. The 2021 blend composition is 83% Syrah, underpinned by 10% Grenache and 7% Viognier—a structure that balances Syrah’s powerful core with aromatic lift and texture. 

Aromas & Flavors
Expect dark, plush layers of blackberry, plum, and pepper, brushed with floral tones from the Viognier and savory nuances from the Grenache. The overall experience is rich, complex, and deeply aromatic.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied yet elegantly structured. Fine-grained tannins and precise acidity make it both powerful and graceful, with a refined and resonant finish.

Winemaking Notes
Crafted with a portion of whole-cluster Syrah from John Sebastiano, co-fermented with its supporting varieties. The wine is vinified on native yeasts and aged extensively in seasoned and new French oak, allowing for depth and integration.   

Food Pairing
A powerful match for hearty fare like grilled lamb, wild mushroom ragout, or grilled vegetables with bold sauces. Its composed intensity pairs beautifully with impactful flavors.

Verdict
Sanguis “Bossman” Syrah 2021 is a commanding yet nuanced red—richly concentrated and impeccably balanced. It’s a stellar showcase of Syrah’s potential when guided by both artistry and terroir. Cheers! — 10 months ago

Kim Schott Jones Watt

9.8

Outstanding.
Suggested by John at Bird and Jim In Estes Park CO — 8 years ago

William Hughes

9.3

Consistent with other notes I read. Strawberry, rhubarb, cranberry and a dash of white pepper. Some tannins from whole clusters and wonderful acidity! I usually turn to John Lockwood for Syrah, but he sells me on any wine he produces. Real finesse! — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.1

@Delectable Wine
This is the 2015 Enfield White Wine "on Skins" Brosseau Vineyard.

Fun tasting at Weygandt Wines with John Lockwood. The second of four wines being poured. Definitely unfiltered and medium to deep yellow. A little floral on the nose with some dirt and honeycombs. Love the mouthfeel and texture, balanced tannins (5.5/10) and acidity (6/10). Dark citrus notes with some hay. Packs a punch with a medium plus body. Just as John says "this wine is like rock and roll". A slight zing in the long finish. Drink till 2020.

This wine is made up of 60% Chenin Blanc and the rest of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier. Aged for 16 months in neutral oak on the lees. — 9 years ago

William Hughes

9.4

Lemon curd, wisteria, post-rain walk in the woods, and apple pie. High quality apple pie, for sure! John Lockwood makes killer juice. — 9 years ago

Pierre Arneaux

8.9

Yum. Had it with John Kelly chocolates, 5 year gouda, Delish. Caramel-y and nutty. — 10 years ago

Drew DiMatteo

9.3

When I heard Levi Dalton interview @John Lockwood of @enfieldwineco there was the same excitement in his voice as @Hardy Wallace about discovering special vineyards. It was destiny that they'd make a wine together. Now I get to be the excited one. #PinotNoir #Mourvèdre #ChaloneAVA #MontereyCounty #AntleVineyard — 10 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

The 1976 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate from Clos du Val is the most interesting of all the wines. The estate was founded by John and Henrietta Goelet in the early Seventies when the couple challenged recently graduated winemaker Bernard Portet to create a Bordeaux-inspired estate in Napa. Clos du Val attained global recognition when its inaugural 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the wines poured blind by Steven Spurrier at the epochal The Judgement of Paris, so this bottle of 1976 was one of their earliest bottlings that, incidentally, came directly from Clos de Val’s apparently meager reserves. It is very elegant and perfumed on the nose, typical old school, classic Napa Cabernet in all its unfettered glory, beautifully defined with wilted rose petals and a light fish scale element. Supple, very pliant tannins define the palate. There remains ample freshness and poise, a fine silver thread of acidity and a clove-tinged, rounded, exquisitely balanced finish that would surpass practically every other Bordeaux from this vintage. Outstanding. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2024)
— 2 years ago

Bobby Gilbane

9.3

@John Lockwood dude the ‘16 is absolutely killer right now. — 7 years ago

Ian Staub

9.6

An astoundingly beautiful and elegant California Cab from cool climate Pinot territory. Aroma is high-toned with notes of fresh sweet flowers, crunchy red and black fruit, and minerals. Pyrazine is present from 25% whole clusters, but it contributes white fruit and floral notes rather than strong vegetal character. Only 10% new oak provides some structure, depth, and softens the tannins without obscuring the beautiful fruit quality and this wine’s sense of place. Crystalline acidity is vibrant from the first sip through the long finish. Tasted with winemaker John Lockwood. — 8 years ago

Marc Miller

9.1

Drinks like a Chablis. Good acid, linear, clean, not much oak or malos. Wonderful on a summer night. — 9 years ago

with Carrie

Steve Anderson

9.2

John Fogarty might have been happier to be stuck in Lodi if he had this. Stellar Zin. — 9 years ago

Robert Lim

9.2

I'll echo the consensus - a lovely, elegant expression of Napa terroir in a Syrah. Vanilla notes give way to spiciness - fruit is at a balanced concentration with silky tannins. Vegetal tobacco notes from stems. Wish I bought more. John is an absolute rock star. 2012 vintage — 10 years ago

Kirk F

9.3

Delicious. First time with this and pinot from this vineyard. — 6 years ago

William Hughes

9.4

Superb! Earthy and savory with some real stuffing to age well for another 10-12 years. John Lockwood crafted this sensation with hillside grapes growing 380 meters above the Pacific. Cool climate Syrah I want to drink a whole lot more often. — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Clos Du Val, French for "small vineyard estate of a small valley," was founded in 1972 in the now legendary Stags Leap District by Franco-American entrepreneur John Goelet. Aromas berry fruits and pepper notes. Flavors of ripe complex red and black berry fruits, vanilla and cacao. Fully integrated tannins, well balanced, lingering ending with espresso tones. Great value. — 8 years ago

Barb Pedersen

9.0

John DeRinzy bought at Co-op on sale $6.99. Nice wine for the price — 9 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.3

@TheSkip this will be right up your alley.

Fun tasting at Weygandt Wines with John Lockwood. The last of four wines being poured.

Deep ruby red. Layered nose with iron from the get go with some spices, and dark red berries, a nice savory backend as well. Medium tannins (6.5/10) and medium plus bodied. Complex palate with lavender, black cherries, black olives and twigs. Solid acidity with dark gravel in the dry lingering finish. Definitely more of a Northern Rhone style Syrah. Drink till 2026

This wine is made up of 100% Syrah. 100% whole cluster and aged in neutral oak barrels (225L) for 12 months. Only 13.5% alcohol. — 9 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.2

#Falltacular. Nice to meet John Lockwood. — 9 years ago

William Hughes

9.3

John Lockwood is producing one of my favorite domestic Chardonnay. Lemony, stony, some peach, and a hint of thyme. Hardly a note of oak. — 10 years ago