2014 Stolpman "Originals" Ballard Canyon Syrah

The 2014 Syrah Originals Estate is another outstanding effort from winemaker Sashi Moorman. Made in a ripe, textured and hedonistic style, it has beautiful purity in its blueberry, blackberry, salty mineral and creamy licorice aromas and flavors. Fermented with 65% whole clusters and aged 15 months in neutral French oak, it’s upfront and ready to go, but will keep nicely for 4-6 years. (JD)

A dark, fleshy wine, the 2014 Syrah Originals offers up an attractive array of peppery/savory notes that add aromatic top notes to a core of dark fruit. Powerful, dense and rich through to the finish, the 2014 is a big wine that could use a few more years in bottle to fully blossom. The 2/3rds whole clusters are nicely integrated throughout. Peter Stolpman and his wife, Jessica, along with their team headed by vineyard guru Ruben Solorzano and winemakers Kyle Knapp and Sashi Moorman, continue to make important strides at their Ballard Canyon estate. Stolpman describes 2014 as a year with warmer nighttime temperatures and therefore narrower diurnal shifts than are common here. The 2014 Syrahs are generally mid-weight wines (within the context of Ballard Canyon) made with more attention towards finesse than pure power. Stolpman's Roussanne L'Avion (which sometimes includes Chardonnay) remains one of the Central Coast's most distinctive whites. From what I have seen of late here, the best is yet to come. (AG)