Today, I’m incredibly excited to present Stolpman Vineyards, a newcomer to SommSelect but a familiar name to those of you who know world-class Syrah. When picked at the right time, in the right hands, California has the potential to make some of the greatest Syrahs on the planet.
Bien Nacido, Qupé, Wind Gap, and Arnot-Roberts come immediately to mind—producers I’d put next to the finest of France blind—and I’d add Stolpman to that list, too. When you strip away the excessive ‘makeup’ many New World producers use to fluff up their Syrahs, you’re left with a beautiful wine that leaves a lasting impression. The best examples should make you reflect on the greatest bottlings from the hills of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. Second-generation grower and vintner Pete Stolpman, son of Tom Stolpman, a pioneer of the Central Coast, has done just this. His 2013 “Originals” captures everything I love about California Syrah—it possesses that brambly dark berry and black pepper savor you’d expect from classic Northern Rhône. This is a wine that has been carefully held back and purposefully released late because it is in perfect drinking form today. It’s a bottle for those of you who want the level and complexity of an elite Old World wine—at an upstart New World price!
Ballard Canyon, although only recently established as an “official” American Viticultural Area (AVA), may be the most important area for Syrah in California. It lies within the broader Santa Ynez Valley AVA and is the smallest of the Santa Barbara County appellations, with about 600 acres of planted vineyards. Stolpman is smack in prime territory, surrounded by famous neighbors like Jonata, Rusack, and Beckmen, enjoying the wide diurnal temperature swings that enable Syrah to develop both deep concentration and bright, complex aromatics. Stolpman farms the oldest Syrah vines in the region; the Originals moniker on the label refers to Tom Stolpman's original plantings, which date to 1992.
An impressive cast of winemakers has worked the vines at Stolpman, beginning with Rick Longoria and Bruno D’Alfonso, culminating with a long run by Sashi Moorman, and in 2017 Kyle Knapp (Beckmen and Fiddlestix) was named chief winemaker. With Moorman continuing to consult, and Knapp, Stolpman, and longtime vineyard manager Ruben Solorzano all working in tandem, there may not be a better team in California suited to growing and producing Syrah.
Solorzano’s vines are arranged in a dazzling array of blocks with varying slopes and aspects, densely planted atop a limestone crown with very little topsoil. July is typically the hottest month in Ballard Canyon, with temperatures peaking at around 92 degrees, dipping down to the low 50s at night. During midday heat spells, the wind “kicks up and kicks up,” as Stolpman says, and there’s nothing blocking the stiff maritime breezes that funnel in off the Pacific, through the Gaviota Pass, charging through his vines. Those breezes toughen grape skins while also slowing down maturation and preserving acidity. By the time these dry-farmed (i.e., not irrigated) grapes are harvested, the resulting bunches yield some of the most concentrated Syrah berries in California, which translates to powerful wines with immense structure, poise, and ageability.
The 2013 Stolpman “Originals” Syrah was fermented in concrete tanks, using only ambient yeasts and incorporating whole grape clusters. It was then aged in neutral oak puncheons, leaving it with no perceptible oak imprint. The result is spectacular, and with a bit of bottle age, it is just hitting its stride. Deep purple in color, its aromas explode from the glass, with cool blueberry and blackberry preserves underneath dried violet florals and delicate accents of olive and white pepper; it is a slow-building tour de force with a long, deeply savory finish. Layers of dense huckleberry, blackberries, and blueberries synthesize with licorice and salted rock, underscored by a tapestry of spiced meats, umami, and leather. Like the mistral winds of the Rhône, the maritime breezes of Ballard Canyon have imbued wine with a sturdy tannic backbone, which, with some age, has mellowed into a silky mouthfeel supported by a fresh core of natural acidity. I recommend serving it just above cellar temperature at 60-65 degrees after a 30-minute decant. Pour into Burgundy stems, although Bordeaux stems are fine, too. As it comes to room temperature, taste it frequently, and enjoy the evolution of one of California’s greatest Syrahs. I can’t resist sharing one of my favorite recipes to pair with Northern Rhône Syrah—Moroccan-style lamb. It makes total sense. Enjoy!
