#santaynezvalley
Lieu Dit
Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Franc 2013
Soft, smooth, supple. Drinking beautifully right now, especially with a slight chill. #cabernetfranc #santaynezvalley — 10 years ago
Brander
Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Brander vineyard, planted in 1975, is a quiet legend in the Santa Ynez AVA. The vineyard specializes in Bordeaux style wines, with major grape varietals consisting of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Sauvignon Blanc tends not to age well, so drink them within ~3 years of bottling. Warmer climate examples, typical of CA, tend towards grapefruit and tree fruit flavors and typically balance the young juice with high acid. This one was quite crisp and refreshing! ~$17 | #brander #sauvingnonblanc #santaynezvalley
On the eyes: Pale yellow with a hint of green, star bright, clear, med stain, med tears, no floc, gas present.
On the nose: White peach, ripe honeydew, lychee, perfume, and wet chalk. Med alcohol.
On the tongue: Med+ acid, med tannin, med alcohol, med body, effervescent in the mouth. White peaches, ripe honeydew, guava, orange blossom, chalky undertones, perfumed finish. Very nice balance. — 10 years ago
Carlson
Trois Fleurs Santa Ynez Valley White Blend 2013
Have been silent for a few weeks and am back-logged, (will load previous ratings soon!). BUT - I picked this up at Whole Foods because it was an interesting blend: 50% Gewürztraminer, 25% Chenin Blanc, 25% Sauvignon Blanc. Seemed like a bit of a local Germanic-Alsace adventure. Winemaker Chuck Carlson sources these grapes from Curtis Vineyards (Santa Barbara County), where he is the winemaker, for his namesake vintage. This is a great crisp late summer white if ice cold! ~$21. | #santaynezvalley #chuckcarlson #whiteblend
On the eyes: Light straw yellow, star bright, no stain, med tears, no gas/floc.
On the nose: Unripe green apple yielding to high minerality with hints of citrus zest and floral notes of lily and rose. Low alcohol.
On the tongue: Med- alcohol, med- tannin, med alcohol which gives rise to a great balance with a nice round mouthfeel. There is high minerality, green apple, and honeydew as well as rose and honeysuckle. Not overly complex - drink it cold! It gets flabby when room temp. — 11 years ago
Cebada Vineyard
Estate Grown Santa Ynez Valley Pinot Noir 2014
If your not a fan of red fruits then you may want to skip this Pinot Noir. However, take a chance and you will find a lush array of cherries, raspberry, (after winning a debate with friends) Cranberry and something like a radish. odd I know but rather tasty. #California #santaynezvalley #SantaBarbaraCounty #pinotnoir — 8 years ago
Foxen
7200 Guillermo Grosso Sangiovese 2014
Holiday vino! This little beauty came in my last shipment from Foxen, one of my favorite producers in Santa Barbara county. The Guillermo Grasso is Foxen’s take on a new world Tuscan - a 50:50 Sangiovese (Faith Vineyard)-Cabernet Sauvignon (Vogelzang Vineyard). 22 months in French Oak - 40% new - gives this wine a hefty punch of tannin and body. While the Vogelzang Vineyard is well known for producing wonderfully complex Cabernet, I’m not as familiar with Faith Vineyard - however a quick Google search shows that the Vineyard, located in Santa Ynez, specializes in Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc on a 7 acre plot. Though Foxen recommends cellaring this one for a few years to mellow out - I’m drinking it early. Paired with fish tacos. ~$35 | #foxen #santaynezvalley #supertuscan
On the eyes: Deep, concentrated blood red, bright - but hazy (unfined and unfiltered), med+ stain, med+ tears, no gas.
On the nose: Strawberry, cherry, rose hips, pencil shavings, tobacco, and a bit of earthy funk. Med+ alcohol.
On the tongue: Med+ acid, med+ tannin, med+ alcohol, full body, firm and tight. Red currants, raspberry, floral high notes, cigar box, and worn leather. A bit cloying and rambunctious - it would benefit from a year or two in the cellar, but still very yummy! Decant it and enjoy! Merry Christmas! — 8 years ago
Two Shepherds
Saarloos Vineyard Grenache Blanc 2013
ripe bananas, mango, pineapple. stone fruits and hint of minerality. #santaynezvalley #grenacheblanc — 10 years ago
Stolpman Vineyards
Estate Grown Ballard Canyon Syrah 2012
Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com
Really good. A more #french approach to #Syrah a new direction for #santaynezvalley #moorman #winemaker violets and lavender on the nose fresh and soft tannins. — 11 years ago
Firestone Vineyard
Santa Ynez Valley Merlot 2010
Picked up this one at Albertsons on a lark and popped it a week ago. Firestone winery was the first estate winery on the now famous Foxen Canyon Trail, established in 1972. The Santa Ynez Valley offers gravelly loam with rocky subsoils that impart great mineralty and distinct finishes. You can drink this one now if you find it, but it should drink well for the next couple of years. Decant for a hour to enjoy it fully. ~$20 | #firestone #merlot #santaynezvalley
On the eyes: Opaque, Deep Rusty Ruby with Med Stained Tears. No Gas, Evidence of Tartaric Crystals.
On the nose: Very Heady Aromas of Big Stewed Cherry with Tobacco and Smoke, American Oak, Med Alcohol.
On the tongue: Med Acid, Med+ Alcohol, Med+ Tannin, Ripe Cherry and Mulberry rounded out with Cola, Tobacco, and Oak. Med+ Body, Med Complexity and Good Finish. — 11 years ago
Brave & Maiden Estate
Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com
Intense aromas coming from this #sbcountywines #sbcounty floral and sweet peas. High acidity and a long tangy tangerine finish. #sauvignonblanc #santaynezvalley — 8 years ago
Koehler
Reserve Syrah 2013
Balanced body, but a little too much residual sugar. Nice sweet treat. #koehler #syrah #santaynezvalley #santabarbara — 10 years ago
Zaca Mesa
Santa Ynez Valley Syrah 2009
From one of the best wineries in the #solvang & #santaynezvalley — 11 years ago
Kita
S'ALAPAY Camp 4 Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
The 2012 Kitá S'Alapay red blend was very aromatic upon opening. Lots of fresh black cherry mixed with raspberry and a hint of tar. It drank nicely with a combination of currants, olives , some licorice, raspberry and spice. Moderate tannins have it a pleasant finish. The merlot, cab franc and touch of cab blend for an enjoyable glass of wine overall. #kitáwines #santaynezvalley #seminolehardrockhollywood — 11 years ago
Lieu Dit
Santa Ynez Valley Chenin Blanc
One of my TOP TEN WINE EXPERIENCES OF 2014. Simply love this wine! Medium straw, light yellow color; dried apple and mineral in the nose, understated and persistent and eerily deductive; medium bodied; dry, medium acidity, well balanced; tart apple flavors, some slate; medium finish. An amazing dry chenin blanc made in a style unheard of in American winemaking circles. (Best Served: 2014-2017) (Tasted: August 25, 2014, San Francisco, CA) [Sourcing: Vineyard planted in the early 1980's on very sandy soils in the Foxen Canyon district] [Winemaking: Tank fermented, transferred to neutral wood for the winter, racked back to tank for a few months prior to bottlng] [Eric Railsback-Winemaker] #whitewine #cheninblanc #santaynezvalley #centralcoast — 11 years ago
MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET
Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com
The flavours and aromas are a strange blend between #châteauneuf and #calipinot for me. Medium+ intensity of aromas. Blood, garrigue and sagebrush. Citrus and red currant. It has surprisingly tangy acidity and yet lacks the polished and balanced finish one would expect for the price of this wine. It also lacks mid palate weight/concentration. I’m not familiar with the vineyard, but it seems like the winemaker wanted to control the alcohol and the ripeness of #santaynezvalley and either harvested early or directly added water. The finish is long #gsm #blend #californianwine #sbcounty #sbcountywines — 7 years ago