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2021 Stolpman The Great Places August James Stolpman Syrah

Removed from a professional wine storage facility; Purchased direct from winery

Ends Sunday, 7pm Pacific

RATINGS

96+ Jeb Dunnuck

...has Hermitage-like notes of red and black fruits, leather, ground pepper, and smoky, meaty nuances. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Syrah with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, building, polished tannins, and a great finish...brilliant stuff...

95Vinous / IWC

Dark blue fruit, spice and lavender open first...super-expressive and full of nuance...

95Wine Enthusiast

...meticulously farmed...brings a ton of complexity to the glass, starting with aromas of seared lamb and scorched earth as well as acai, violet and lavender...palate is intense with tarry, gamy flavors of charred meat, as thyme and lavender provide an elegant lift. The acidity is pumping hard, and the finish is minty.

94The Wine Advocate

...bursting with gregarious aromas of boysenberry, blackberry candy, grilled beef, milk chocolate and violet. The full-bodied palate has a surprisingly understated core of perfumed fruit framed by finely chalky tannins and fresh acidity, and it has a long finish with a flourish of spicy accents.

PRODUCER

Stolpman

Stolpman Vineyards was founded in 1990 when Tom and Marilyn Stolpman bought 220 acres on the Central Coast above Santa Barbara. Tom Stolpman is an attorney with a practice in Long Beach, California, but he and Marilyn were long time wine collectors who wanted to be involved in the wine industry. For several years the couple grew grapes which were sold to Sine Qua Non, Ojai Vineyards and other area producers. But in 1997 the Stoplmans started producing their own wines and today about 90% of the grapes grown on their 152-acre vineyard goes to make their own Stolpman wines. Stolpman produces Syrah, Roussane, Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc. It also has limited plantings of Grenache, Viognier, Petite Sirah and Chardonnay. Stolpman’s Rhone-style blends earn ratings in the low- to mid-90s. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called Stolpman “one of the up-and-coming estates in the Santa Ynez Valley…Stolpman should be a name to reckon with for many decades to come.”

REGION

United States, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, Ballard Canyon

Santa Ynez Valley AVA is home to more wineries than any other area in Santa Barbara County. The appellation was established in 1983 and it includes a total of 76,800 acres, of which 1,500 acres are vineyards. Chardonnay is the dominant grape in this appellation, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. The appellation runs east and west with temperatures and microclimates changing significantly from warmer in the east to cool by the time the district gets close to the Pacific Ocean. In recent years Rhone-style wines have been successfully made here, and vineyards now are also planted to Syrah, Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache, Mourvedre and Marsanne.

TYPE

Red Wine, Syrah (Shiraz)

This grape is grown in milder climates and produces a medium-to full-bodied wine. It is also known as Shiraz, but should not be confused with Petit Sirah, which was developed by crossing Syrah with Peloursin.

VINTAGE

2021 Stolpman The Great Places August James Stolpman Syrah