The Santa Barbara highlands vineyard is high altitude and hot. This translates into ripe, concentrated, and delicious fruit. I would have made 128 cases instead of 127, but I ate about 50 pounds of the fruit before it was even off the vine! Well, maybe not 50, but you get the point...

The wine spent 15 months in Neutral and one year old French oak, so it has limited oaked character. The color is between dark red and purple. On the nose I get Blackberry jam, blueberry pie filling, purple flowers, black pepper, and olive tapenade.

The palate is generous with notes of raisin, blackberry tea, Applewood smoked bacon, strawberry, forest floor, earth, mushrooms, chocolate, and chalky tannin.

127 Cases produced

Other Current Wines

• 2006 South Mesa Syrah 'Elevage Reserve'
• 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon 'Elevage Reserve'
• 2006 Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay
• 2006 Cargasacchi Jalama Pinot Noir
• 2006 Le Bon Climat Vineyard Pinot Noir
• 2006 Calmant Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir
• 2006 SB Highlands South Mesa Syrah
• 2006 SB Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon