2019 Ledge Vineyards Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 11 Estrella Clone Syrah

Ledge’s debut vintage was a 2009 Syrah, but its history goes back to the 1970s, when Mark Adams’ parents bought 40 acres in Templeton, south of the city of Paso Robles, to raise cattle. Adams grew up on the ranch and one of his childhood friends was Justin Smith, now the award-winning winemaker at Saxum Vineyards. Adams worked at James Berry Vineyard and Saxum before returning to the family property in 2003 to start his own label. He soon started planting vineyards of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, leading to his first Ledge harvest in 2009. Ledge makes Rhone-style wines, and they’ve won accolades since their first vintages. Wine Advocate’s Jeb Dunnuck has called Ledge “an upcoming estate I’ve been raving about for years now…Mark likes plenty of whole cluster, and isn’t afraid of a touch of funk either. His wines always show lots of character and are highly recommended.”

Santa Barbara County is not an AVA, but a region just south of San Luis Obispo that includes the Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley appellations. Wine has been produced in the area since the 18th century when Spanish missionaries planted vineyards. It wasn’t until the 1990s, however, that producers focused on growing premier grapes for fine wines. During the 1990s more than 10,000 acres of vineyards were planted, and today there are nearly 20,000 acres of vineyards. The region received a big bump in recognition and prestige when the popular film “Sideways” was shot there in 2004. Because the region is affected by maritime weather, it is relatively cool climate makes it ideal for Chardonnay. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and an increasingly adventuresome number of varietals are also grown successfully in Santa Barbara County.

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.