As an exploratory mission, we decided to search out some of the best vineyards in different growing regions that would be a counterpoint stylistically to the great Syrahs of Santa Barbara. Fortunately, we found a renowned vineyard to work with in Stagecoach, and the results are everything we hoped for after bringing the grapes down to our Los Olivos facility on temperature-controlled trucks. The Stagecoach Vineyard is perched about 1,800 feet above the Napa Valley floor and benefits from the well-drained oxidized soils, southernly exposure and slightly cooler night-time temperatures associated with mountain vineyards.

Look for open, inviting aromatics that exhibit more feminine floral notes backed by rich, concentrated briary fruit flavors of boysenberry and huckleberry. You will find attractive toast and chocolate characteristics derived from 21 months of barrel aging in predominantly new Francois Freres oak. Finally, the big, intense tannins give this wine plenty of structure and indicate that it will certainly be an age-worthy candidate for the cellar.