BUYINGGUIDE
140 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | OCTOBER 2019PINOT NOIR
95
Brewer-Clifton 2017 3D Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita
Hills). The brand’s telltale aromas of pure red
fruit and earth recall a wild strawberry plucked from
a field of minty sagebrush. Rounded red-currant,
pine-needle and redwood-frond flavors power the
fresh palate, which is delightful and delicious. —M.K.
abv: 14.5% Price: $6595
Storm 2016 Donnachadh Vineyard Pinot Noir
(Sta. Rita Hills). There’s an extreme purity
of black-raspberry fruit on the nose of this bot-
tling by South African Ernst Storm, yet also earthy
mineral-laden layers of slate and soil. The sip is
taut, elegant and acid-driven, offering just enough
raspberry fruit to balance the bay leaf, thyme and
earthy soil flavors. It’s refreshing and goes down all
too easily. —M.K.
abv: 13% Price: $5595
Storm Wines 2016 Presqu’ile Vineyard Pinot
Noir (Santa Maria Valley). Raspberry-com-
pote, bay leaf, juniper and blood-orange-rind aromas
make for a richly layered yet light and bright expres-
sion from this vineyard on the western edge of the
appellation. The palate is loaded with sagebrush and
crisp raspberry, riding a gravelly texture into a rocky-
flavored finish. —M.K.
abv: 13% Price: $5594
Landmark 2016 La Encantada Vineyard
Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). For full review
see page 127.
abv: 14.2% Price: $5594
Samsara 2015 Cargasacchi Vineyard Pinot
Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). This vineyard is
reportedly slipping out of production, which is a
shame given bottlings like this. Aromas of cracked
green peppercorn, underripe raspberry, bay leaf and
singed rosemary are intriguing as can be. The pal-
ate is earthy and herbal with thyme and sagebrush,
yet awash in tangy red-plum-skin flavors. Editors’
Choice. —M.K.
abv: 14.1% Price: $5894
Samsara 2015 Kessler-Haak Vineyard Pinot
Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). Concentrated aromas
of dried cherry and red currant meet with a rocky
minerality and a wild sagebrush herbal quality on
the nose of this bottling. The palate is more impres-
sive, with roasted cherry tomatoes, blistered plums
and strawberries, grilled fennel, thyme and tarragon
flavors making a magical combo. —M.K.
abv: 14.5% Price: $5894
Samsara 2015 Melville Vineyard Pinot Noir
(Sta. Rita Hills). Boysenberry, thyme, dust
and gamy meat aromas show on the nose of this
bottling from the former owner Chad Melville’s
family estate. Big and powerful flavors pop on the
palate, including baked sour cherry, but they are cut
by juniper berry and tarragon and lead to a spicy
finish. —M.K.
abv: 14.1% Price: $5894
Storm Wines 2016 Duvarita Vineyard Pinot
Noir (Santa Barbara County). There’s an
immense amount of energy in this bottling by Ernst
Storm from a vineyard that’s west of the Sta. Rita
Hills. The nose offers intense boysenberry, lavender,
violet and a touch of game, while the acid-driven
palate combines that pure boysenberry fruit with
marjoram and dried tarragon flavors. —M.K.
abv: 13% Price: $5594
Walt 2017 Clos Pepe Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita
Hills). Powerful aromas of black cherry,
tobacco, clove, chocolate and oak are heavy but
pleasing on this bold style of Pinot Noir. The lush,
delicious and potent palate delivers more of the
same, with black-cherry and tobacco flavors sprin-
kled with crushed nutmeg and vanilla. —M.K.
abv: 14.8% Price: $75SYRAH
95
Samsara 2015 Turner Vineyard Syrah (Sta.
Rita Hills). The nose on this single-vineyard
expression of cool-climate Syrah is extremely pun-
gent and savory, offering bay leaf, thyme, charred
beef, lavender and nose-tickling cracked pepper
aromas. The palate is peppery as can be, lifting
the dark boysenberry-jam flavors that slide toward
eucalyptus and a touch of caramel on the finish: a
journey of a wine. —M.K.
abv: 14.1% Price: $4894
Stolpman 2017 Estate Grown Syrah (Ballard
Canyon). The Stolpmans play up the cool-
climate aspects of Ballard Canyon in this bottling,
offering crumbled violets, black-pepper and under-
ripe boysenberry aromas on the nose. The palate
sizzles with acidity, delivering fresh berry, pepper
spice, thyme and fennel pollen flavors. —M.K.
abv: 14.1% Price: $3093
Samsara 2015 Zotovich Vineyard Syrah (Sta.
Rita Hills). Concentrated aromas of black-
berry syrup are lifted by pepper, gamy meats and a
touch of oak on the nose of this bottling. Rich black-
plum and black-currant flavors meet with charred
meats, white pepper, rosemary and violet on the
palate. —M.K.
abv: 14.5% Price: $4893
Sunstone 2017 Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley).
Aromas of asphalt lead into roasted coffee,
caramel and fresh boysenberry on the layered nose
of this bottling. The palate is delicious with flavors of
boysenberry pie in vanilla-spiked crust, with pinches
of lavender erupting toward the finish. —M.K.
abv: 14.5% Price: $7092
Comartin 2016 Tierra Alta Vineyard Syrah
(Ballard Canyon). Clean and broad aro-
mas of purple flowers and blueberry fruit meet with
toasty oak and roasted meats on the nose of this
single-vineyard expression. The palate is concentrated
with black-cherry and vanilla flavors, lifted with lay-
ers of bay leaf and more herbal elegance. —M.K.
abv: 14.4% Price: $4592
Koehler 2016 Reserve Syrah (Santa Ynez Val-
ley). Rich aromas of caramel-glazed boysen-
berry and toasty oak smell much thicker than the
medium-bodied frame that’s evident in the glass
on this wine. The palate balances roasted coffee,
blackberry-paste, star anise and nutmeg flavors into
a delicious sip. —M.K.
abv: 14.4% Price: $5091
Koehler 2016 Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley).
Nose-filling aromas of plush blackberry and
red fruits combine with oak and caramel on the rich
nose of this bottling. The palate’s texture grabs hold
quickly, pushing flavors of roasted strawberry and
plum along with peppery spice. —M.K.
abv: 14.5% Price: $3591
McKinney 2017 Spear Vineyard Syrah (Sta.
Rita Hills). The cool-climate aspects of this
newer vineyard come through on this bottling,
which starts with aromas of freshly trampled hibis-
cus, blackberry, roasted beef and bloody rust. The
palate’s initial impression of boysenberry pie picks
up cracked pepper and game as it opens. —M.K.
abv: 14% Price: $65RED BLENDS
93
Happy Canyon Vineyard 2015 Barrack Brand
(Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara). Fresh
cranberries, a hint of blackberry and crushed river
stone make for an accessible yet elegant nose on this
blend of 80% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5%
Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 5% Petite Verdot.
The palate is subtle, smooth and balanced, with pol-
ished hints of blackberry, gravel and herbs. These
qualities will intensify with time, so drink from
2020 through 2035. Cellar Selection. —M.K.
abv: 13.5% Price: $4992
Happy Canyon Vineyard 2016 Piocho Patron
(Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara). This new
blend of all five Bordeaux grapes starts with a fresh
nose of strawberry, hibiscus and anise. The pal-
ate offers macerated plums and berries as well as
baking spices such as nutmeg and a slight hint of
roasted game. —M.K.
abv: 14.1% Price: $3692
Happy Canyon Vineyard 2015 Barrack X
Ten-Goal (Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara).
Very focused on the nose, this Bordeaux blend
offers crushed slate, cigar box, black currant and
dried herbs on the nose. There are Concord grape
and blueberry tones to the palate alongside violet
and cola flavors, framed by a delicate yet persistent
structure. —M.K.
abv: 13.5% Price: $8292
McKinney 2016 The Baron (Santa Barbara
County). For full review see page 130.
abv: 14.5% Price: $6592
Solminer 2018 Rubellite (Santa Ynez Val-
ley). File this blend of 72% Syrah, 27%
Grenache and 1% Riesling in the fresh, bright and