Clendenen Family Vineyards

Rancho La Cuna Syrah Viognier

9.243 ratings
9.211 pro ratings
Santa Barbara County, Central Coast, California, USA
Syrah, Viognier
Lamb, Turkey, Squash & Root Vegetables, Chicken, Pork, Nuts & Seeds, Hard Cheese, Soft Cheese, Shellfish, Quinoa, Mushrooms, Chili & Hot Spicy, Fish, Herbs, Asian Cuisine, Veal, Potato, Shellfish, Crab & Lobster, Quinoa, Farro, Brown Rice, Onion, Shallot, Garlic
Top Notes For
Austin Hohnke

Drinking youthfully. Medium ruby in the glass with extremely floral aromatics. Full on the palate with perfumed berries and spice. Great structure.

Drinking youthfully. Medium ruby in the glass with extremely floral aromatics. Full on the palate with perfumed berries and spice. Great structure.

Jan 7th, 2018
Sipping Fine Wine

On a trip to CA we visited AuBonClimat and tasted their wines, including some of Jim Clendenen's special wines. Classic grapes of the Rhone Valley, the blending if these grapes complement each other. Dark Berry aromas with a fragrant nose of spice. On the palate blackberry and dark cherry fruit flavors with notes of licorice and smoky oak. Soft tannins, well balanced gives this wine a pleasant lingering finish. Tasting Sample.

On a trip to CA we visited AuBonClimat and tasted their wines, including some of Jim Clendenen's special wines. Classic grapes of the Rhone Valley, the blending if these grapes complement each other. Dark Berry aromas with a fragrant nose of spice. On the palate blackberry and dark cherry fruit flavors with notes of licorice and smoky oak. Soft tannins, well balanced gives this wine a pleasant lingering finish. Tasting Sample.

Oct 15th, 2016
S Butterfield

Sommelier Flask Fine Wines

9.6

Oh yeah. This is my jam. Just gorgeous wine. Viogner really lift the aromatics into another level. Spice, pepper, cherry briar patch, subtle perfume, a meadow of wildflowers. As it opens a creamy silky core of ripe red fruit and lush tannins seduce the mouth like a femme fatale. The prickly acids give it a balanced backbone. Delicious long finish with acid burst. Almost sweet, not sappy. Like a great dark comedy.

Oh yeah. This is my jam. Just gorgeous wine. Viogner really lift the aromatics into another level. Spice, pepper, cherry briar patch, subtle perfume, a meadow of wildflowers. As it opens a creamy silky core of ripe red fruit and lush tannins seduce the mouth like a femme fatale. The prickly acids give it a balanced backbone. Delicious long finish with acid burst. Almost sweet, not sappy. Like a great dark comedy.

Jun 20th, 2016
Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

9.0

Well balanced, food friendly Viognier. Not extroverted and that's appreciated.

Well balanced, food friendly Viognier. Not extroverted and that's appreciated.

Aug 8th, 2015
Cameron Scott

Delicious blueberry and bacon with cherry compote. Deeply elegant with short tannic structure.

Delicious blueberry and bacon with cherry compote. Deeply elegant with short tannic structure.

Jul 13th, 2014
April Schlanger

Awesome and HUGE! Even better after a long day with kids, an icky rainy day and a trip to build a bear. A gorgeous bouquet with a masculine edge and fruit that becomes more expressive as it opens. The finish rocks. Long briary fruit tones with spice and warmth.

Awesome and HUGE! Even better after a long day with kids, an icky rainy day and a trip to build a bear. A gorgeous bouquet with a masculine edge and fruit that becomes more expressive as it opens. The finish rocks. Long briary fruit tones with spice and warmth.

Jan 8th, 2014
Brian Donegan

Côte Rôtie de California! Pretty, garriguey, smoky, and steak "au poivre-y".

Côte Rôtie de California! Pretty, garriguey, smoky, and steak "au poivre-y".

Dec 29th, 2013
Gary Westby

Champagne & Sherry buyer K&L Wines

9.0

Great earthy Syrah with lots of soul! The star of out So Cal tasting!

Great earthy Syrah with lots of soul! The star of out So Cal tasting!

Jun 2nd, 2013
Vin d’Ottawa

Big, blackberry jam and peppery. Holds and holds.

Big, blackberry jam and peppery. Holds and holds.

Jul 5th, 2023
Niall Huffman

Blackberry jam, cola, chocolate, pepper, smoke.

Blackberry jam, cola, chocolate, pepper, smoke.

Apr 12th, 2020