What do wines from France and Santa Barbara County have in common? The answer may surprise you. If you've ever sipped on a Santa Barbara County Syrah, you know that these wines mimic the flavors of their French Rhone counterparts. And one of the top producers, who also offers some of the more consumer-friendly prices, is Stolpman!
Santa Barbara's Ballard Canyon AVA is known as one of the best places in California for producing Northern Rhone grape varietals such as Syrah and Roussanne. Multiple things come into play that make it this way, from the cooling winds and slightly salty air of the great Pacific Ocean, to the limestone soil hills that were once under water millions of years ago. This is exactly what Tom Stolpman was looking for in 1988, a piece of land that would fulfill his and his wife Marilyn's dream of making amazing wines that would compare with the Rhone Valley itself.
Officially purchased in 1990 and releasing their first commercial wine in 1997, Stolpman Vineyards has been doing an amazing job at make Northern Rhone style wines. Their Syrahs tend to show ample fruit flavors with tender and nuanced savory and earthy notes that makes you want to come back for more. Winemakers Kyle Knapp and Matt Nocas make sure that the wine is up to their standards and ensure that everything is fresh and done by hand with the help of the Stolpman Work force, "La Cuadrilla". On top of everything being done by hand, they let Mother Nature help by doing native fermentation, which lets the indigenous yeasts from the vineyard ferment the wine.
The Stolpman Syrah is a testament to the fact that you don't have to travel far to find world-class wine. The consensus among critics is overwhelming, with Billy Norris of Vinous Media describing the 2023 Syrah Estate Grown as "an excellent wine." He highlights its "fleshy and expressive" nature and "serious concentration," noting a palate of "velvety blue fruit, leather, clove, crushed rocks and a lift of fresh mint." In a similar vein, The Wine Advocate praised the wine for its "lovely balance between high-toned energy and grounded depth," highlighting a nose that is "classically bright, savory and herbal before the palate takes a deep, darker-fruited turn, showcasing a beautiful, velvety texture." Both reviews underscore what makes Stolpman so special: a wine that is both a vibrant expression of its Santa Barbara terroir and a refined echo of its old-world inspirations.
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 94 POINTS - "It's a very exciting time for Stolpman, a sprawling 150-acre estate that sits at the heart of Ballard Canyon. There's a palpable pursuit of excellence here, supported at its core by a commitment to meticulous farming, overseen by Pete Stolpman and local legend Vineyard Manager Ruben Solorzano. Stolpman achieved Demeter certification as a fully biodynamic estate beginning with the 2023 vintage. There are always experiments afoot with regard to row orientation, planting density, trellising and canopy management. That push for discovery and growth is paying dividends. The 2023s here represent one of the most complete, dynamic, impressive lineups I encountered during the two weeks I spent in the region."
"The 2023 Syrah Estate Grown is an excellent wine, especially for $36. Fleshy and expressive, it coats the palate with serious concentration. There are no hard edges here, just velvety blue fruit, leather, clove, crushed rocks and a lift of fresh mint. This midweight Syrah really impresses for its vibrancy, palate presence and immediacy."
ROBERT PARKER WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "Fermented with one-third whole clusters, the 2023 Syrah Estate exudes a lovely balance between high-toned energy and grounded depth. The nose is classically bright, savory and herbal before the palate takes a deep, darker-fruited turn, showcasing a beautiful, velvety texture supported by sturdy tannins. It finishes on a lifted yet weightless note with impressive precision."
Santa Barbara's Ballard Canyon AVA is known as one of the best places in California for producing Northern Rhone grape varietals such as Syrah and Roussanne. Multiple things come into play that make it this way, from the cooling winds and slightly salty air of the great Pacific Ocean, to the limestone soil hills that were once under water millions of years ago. This is exactly what Tom Stolpman was looking for in 1988, a piece of land that would fulfill his and his wife Marilyn's dream of making amazing wines that would compare with the Rhone Valley itself.
Officially purchased in 1990 and releasing their first commercial wine in 1997, Stolpman Vineyards has been doing an amazing job at make Northern Rhone style wines. Their Syrahs tend to show ample fruit flavors with tender and nuanced savory and earthy notes that makes you want to come back for more. Winemakers Kyle Knapp and Matt Nocas make sure that the wine is up to their standards and ensure that everything is fresh and done by hand with the help of the Stolpman Work force, "La Cuadrilla". On top of everything being done by hand, they let Mother Nature help by doing native fermentation, which lets the indigenous yeasts from the vineyard ferment the wine.
The Stolpman Syrah is a testament to the fact that you don't have to travel far to find world-class wine. The consensus among critics is overwhelming, with Billy Norris of Vinous Media describing the 2023 Syrah Estate Grown as "an excellent wine." He highlights its "fleshy and expressive" nature and "serious concentration," noting a palate of "velvety blue fruit, leather, clove, crushed rocks and a lift of fresh mint." In a similar vein, The Wine Advocate praised the wine for its "lovely balance between high-toned energy and grounded depth," highlighting a nose that is "classically bright, savory and herbal before the palate takes a deep, darker-fruited turn, showcasing a beautiful, velvety texture." Both reviews underscore what makes Stolpman so special: a wine that is both a vibrant expression of its Santa Barbara terroir and a refined echo of its old-world inspirations.
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 94 POINTS - "It's a very exciting time for Stolpman, a sprawling 150-acre estate that sits at the heart of Ballard Canyon. There's a palpable pursuit of excellence here, supported at its core by a commitment to meticulous farming, overseen by Pete Stolpman and local legend Vineyard Manager Ruben Solorzano. Stolpman achieved Demeter certification as a fully biodynamic estate beginning with the 2023 vintage. There are always experiments afoot with regard to row orientation, planting density, trellising and canopy management. That push for discovery and growth is paying dividends. The 2023s here represent one of the most complete, dynamic, impressive lineups I encountered during the two weeks I spent in the region."
"The 2023 Syrah Estate Grown is an excellent wine, especially for $36. Fleshy and expressive, it coats the palate with serious concentration. There are no hard edges here, just velvety blue fruit, leather, clove, crushed rocks and a lift of fresh mint. This midweight Syrah really impresses for its vibrancy, palate presence and immediacy."
ROBERT PARKER WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "Fermented with one-third whole clusters, the 2023 Syrah Estate exudes a lovely balance between high-toned energy and grounded depth. The nose is classically bright, savory and herbal before the palate takes a deep, darker-fruited turn, showcasing a beautiful, velvety texture supported by sturdy tannins. It finishes on a lifted yet weightless note with impressive precision."
