Ojai Syrah John Sebastiano Vineyard 2014 | Powerful & Intense – Will Reward 5+ years cellaring
Ojai Syrah John Sebastiano Vineyard 2014 displays dark ruby to the rim. Leaping from the glass are earthy notes of smoke and leather. In addition, coupled with crushed violets and spice. Also followed by savory black raspberry, black cherry, lavender, and white pepper, with hints of cured meats in the mid-palate. While supple and silky tannins frame the dense red- and black-fruit core into a soft, mineral-tinged finish. Think about enjoying now given its youthful and bright supple fruit. But complexities will evolve beautifully if you have the patience to lay this down another 5-8 years.
Seductive, bursting through a bright ruby/purple color with freshness. And a deep, brooding black fruit profile, exotic spices, chewy tannins, and savory dried herbs. With four years in the bottle, this is just hitting its stride. Yet exuberant and glorious today, with years of enjoyment still to come.
The Ojai Syrah John Sebastiano Vineyard 2014 is deep, powerful and intense from start to finish. A vertical, structured Syrah, the 2014 exudes depth and the pedigree that is such a signature of this site. Black cherry, blackberry jam, mocha, cloves, menthol, and licorice saturate the inky finish. As a result, the 2014 is an absolutely compelling wine. But it is also raw, not fully formed and in need of cellaring.
John Sebastiano Vineyard
So, perched at the far eastern edge of the windy, mist-sprayed Sta. Rita Hills appellation, the John Sebastiano Vineyard was planted in 2007. And has yielded some of the most dazzling expressions of Pinot Noir and Syrah on the Central Coast. Outside of the world-famous crus of France, there are few places on Earth capable of coaxing the grapes into such powerful, elegant packages. Why? It’s all about the Pacific. While blowing directly across the vineyard’s steep slopes, the cooling ocean winds preserve the vibrancy and freshness of the small, tightly clustered berries of unbelievable dark-fruit intensity. Pair this with grilled tuna with olives, roasted lamb, babaganoush, and charred salmon.
Proprietor & Winemaker Adam Tolmach
Adam Tolmach is the mild-mannered, curly-haired genius behind Ojai Vineyards. His winery, nestled in the hills of Santa Barbara County, has acquired cult status thanks to its exclusivity and rigorous, small-batch approach.
Tolmach follows the beat of his own drum—he isn’t the type to be swayed by flattery or applause. In recent years, he declared something that many were thinking but few were saying: The industry had gotten carried away with the overripe, high-alcohol fruit bombs that came too easily to California growers, even if they did get the points and therefore the margins. He wanted to prove that the sun-drenched California climate could be combined with the sophistication of Burgundy and Rhône Valley winemaking traditions to produce more savory, delicately aromatic, and low-alcohol Pinot Noirs and Syrahs.
