2015 Angeli already coats the palate and delivers immediate gratification. Beautiful red-purple-blue fruits burst from the nose and linger all the way through the finish, harmonizing with a fine tannin structure. Bottled relatively young, we aim to capture a fresh profile that floats above the lush underlying depth and opulence. The wine pops with robust flavor upon release, but should hit its true prime in 5-10 years.

In every wine we make, our goal is to combine ripe richness with savory liveliness – interesting wines that coat the palate and leave one yearning for more. In 2014, not only did we nail this balance, but the exquisite tight-rope of fresh red fruit and deep ripe yumminess are palpable upon release. No need to wait for tannins to soften or the mid-palate to flesh out, Angeli is a wow wine right out of the gate.
In one of our best vintages to date, Angeli already flaunts its pedigree as the best wine of the vintage

Pure fresh strawberry and watermelon give way to a touch of stone and earth. Sweet tart candy with an alluring freshness. In the mouth, a touch of saline and flint add a savory edge to the soft, voluptuous texture.

Juicy yet complex and savory. If you don’t like this wine - I give up. We continue to take pride in the relevance of this wine throughout the world. Throughout Northern Europe, the US, and even to Asia; sommeliers and customers seize on Estate Grown Syrah for its upfront joyful drinkability coupled with the underlying bonus of a more serious layer of iron, meat, and menthol that unfurl and reward those that cellar the wine just a couple years. A strong showing even following the past three great vintages, this wine proudly carries the Estate Grown Syrah torch forward.

The dark density of the wine compliments the bright fruit profile bursting with tangerine and fresh red fruit. While the 2014 Estate Syrah certainly reflects the warmth of the vintage, the wine still shows a lively tartness that indicates a long life ahead of it.

The ability to combine bright, lively fruit with pleasurable richness has become the signature of Ballard Canyon Syrah. 2014 showcases this middle ground – not jammy or gloppy like a warmer climate Syrah – but not austere and hollow like many young cold climate Syrahs.

Just a baby now, the primary flavors will surely unfurl into more complex, seamless layers. While the ideal drinking window begins around 2018, our leap forward in winemaking methodology allows for early enjoyment as well.

In the winery, just before bottling, Kyle, John, Sashi, and I conducted a comparison tasting of the 2012, 2013, and 2014 wines. While the 2012 and 2013 vintages have evolved beautifully and are approaching their respective heights of juicy deliciousness, the 2014 is already there!
Ripe, pure, and intense red and purple fruit packs into the dense wine - whipped cream over strawberries and touches of vanilla.

From appearances alone - the darker, intense hue of black-cherry red in the glass – the 2013 Grenache makes a statement. For those who have followed our Grenache saga, the 2013 walks the tight-rope between vervy 2012 austerity and voluptuous 2008 monstrosity. A core of intense, fresh berry fruit dominates the nose, front and middle palate and already couches the firm tannin on the finish. While the wine packs a punch there is also a sense of balance & liveliness.

Deep, glossy violet and lavender perfume cushions spice-driven African coffee and cocoa. Purple layers channel and cushion laser-focused red energy that promises to live on for at least twenty years. The mellow weather, gentle extraction technique during fermentation, and then a patient 21 months in barrel plus 9 months in bottle prior to release combine to make 2014 a benchmark for this Reserve Syrah bottling.

Palate of honeysuckle, poached pear drizzled with Caramel, and ripe golden pineapple backed with yummy umami notes of nori and sea brine. A deep toasty profile compliments brioche and Crème Brulee flavor. The dessert motif continues with a lingering vanilla bean ice cream on the finish, but amazingly enough, this wine is fermented dry, without detectable residual sugar. Prepared to be blown away.

In its youth red toned Sangiovese fruit shines through the aroma and palate, dominating the darker, meatier Syrah notes. Syrah’s presence can be detected by subtle roasted meat and herb flavors. Young and sharp upon popping the cork, the 2014 La Croce begins to open up with a few minutes open or better yet, decanted.

Pure, precise nose of deep, ripe red fruit backed up by a hedonistic coating mouth-feel which slowly melts across the lasting finish. Hints of chocolate malt and raspberry liqueur combine to make 2013 the most delicious La Croce bottling since 2008, perhaps even rivaling the 2005. The wine maintains a vervy high-toned quality that sings a note above more savory leather, charcuterie, and forest stream minerality.

2015 La Cuadrilla bursts with red fruit backed with subtle spice and tannin. Finely balanced, the wine rewards the palate with both pure pleasure and sophistication. A nice earthy-mineral note provides a check to the scrumptiously accessible front palate.

Poached Pear and caramel with hints of hazelnut and honey. Coating mouthfeel screams for cheese or a decadent dessert.

A happy wine that pairs perfectly with mellow afternoons and good moods.

Bursting with vibrant energy, the Carbonic Sangiovese is a light-hearted wine meant to drink cold. Firm, crunchy cherries, red grapefruit with loads of acid and a popping tannin structure that makes the wine extremely food friendly.

Inky dark, Originals Syrah is tightly wound, strong and lively. It will certainly enjoy a long life in the cellar and reward those with the patience to wait. If opened prior to 2018, please make sure the grill is hot and a ribeye is nearby: this bad boy needs protein.

The dark core dives into lushness but is brought back with a chalky, savory finish. These old vines tell the story of a life spent rooting deep into solid Limestone through up-front, aggressive minerality. Perhaps the most savory Syrah we have ever made, this wine should be consumed over a long evening, allowing time to discover new complexities with every sip. A meditative process hopefully yielding revelation.

Dense, alluring purple fruit dominates the nose with a nice touch of violet, red plum, and sage on the periphery. Rich and full bodied, the wine packs many layers as it coats the mouth. At first the wine comes off as full bodied and ripe, but then shows red pomegranate brightness towards the finish. Already showing great – who doesn’t love deep dark and delicious? 2015 Para Maria once again drinks way above its pay grade.

Extremely bright and refreshing, the pale salmon Rose comes off bone-dry and zesty. Para Maria shows light and pure, straight-forward and delicious, with just a flare of exotic lychee, star fruit, and jasmine. A lively tangerine peel spray softly feathers the palate though the finish.

The nose shows a ripe purple-black core with just a hint of zesty tangerine to make things interesting. The wine is dense enough to reward the most ardent teeth-stained Petite Sirah fanatics.
The limestone-driven minerality reigns the beast in enough to retain its place at the dinner table rather than be sequestered only for desert.

Ripe aromas of baking spice and blueberry pie waft above earthiness, dried straw, and a firm tannic structure. Secondary flavors of coffee and meatiness offer complexity and the wine certainly benefits from its time spent evolving in barrel and bottle. A unique combination of Old World maturity and gaminess paired with a largess only achievable in the New World.

As of the 2013 Ruben’s Block Syrah release, the fresh red fruit has evolved towards more seductive ripeness while still possessing a liveliness across the palate. The deep, round, fragrant red fruit gets beautiful backing from soft sage and fennel character in the darker core with hints of star anise and forest floor.

Fresh and deep red fruit shine above the carbon, mineral backbone of the well-structured, extremely age-worthy wine. Compact and exciting, Ruben’s Block Syrah packs a walloping amount of dynamic energy into a light weight frame - the power of an all-American V8 combined with the agility of Europe’s finest sports car.

Due to the high density plantings, no tractors can fit within the high-density rows. With every vintage, we see the positive effects of such low-impact, hand work. The block exudes healthiness. Subsequently, the wine carries vibrant, high-toned energy throughout the nose and palate.

Because each head-pruned vine tasks itself to ripen only a few clusters, Ruben’s Block ripens 2-3 weeks before any other Syrah. The result is phenolic ripeness at much lower alcohol. Ruben’s Block Syrah carries a much more elegant, old-world mouth-feel due to less glycerol, but complex flavors stemming from the low vine yield are tightly stuffed into the lightweight package. Because of this, much like traditional Cote Rotie, Ruben’s Block Syrah takes years to unfurl and open. We release an extremely limited portion of this wine three years after harvest. The rest is held for further maturity.

A nose full of black cherries seamlessly transfers over to the palate. A finessed, floating mouthfeel creates soft, luxurious textures. Elegant yet full-bodied with a fine, lasting finish. 2013 Sangio degli Angeli effortlessly struts a smooth sophistication – one that we could never have constructed, but instead, awaited our discovery lying in the cold of our barrel room.

Everything about this wine is pretty and opulent. The red spectrum of color goes from deep red to Bordalesque velvet to shimmering rose around the rim.

Piercing red fruit singed with dried herbs on the nose. Robust, wild strawberry-cherry flavors in the mouth explode. The lasting, robust red-fruit finish envelopes the signature Sangiovese tannin and keeps delivering perfumed fruit long after swallowing. The wine possesses the raw power to be one of Stolpman’s all-time best Sangiovese bottlings. Watch this wine evolve through 2020 and have a long, happy life thereafter.

Crisp, yet smooth and already enticingly pleasurable, the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc fits the bill for a fresh, pure-driven white. Over the coming months after release, the Sauvignon Blanc gains further weight and texture, with Limestone-driven chalk beginning to shine through the wine’s fruit purity. For now, a primary spectrum of meyer lemon, fresh lemonade, and lemon custard shine in a concentrated yet softly balanced body. Surely the ultimate Ceviche wine.

A nose of fresh flowers and tangerines spring from the young wine around a core of fuzzy pear. In the mouth the wine coats long and smooth, cleanly finishing with notes of orange blossom and firm yellow peach. The wine has an addictive crunchiness that differentiates it from most other Viogniers. The texture speaks of the 50 degree night when La Cuadrilla hand-picked these taut grapes early in the season.