The most aromatic and immediately expressive Syrah from this estate — elderflower, lingonberry, tart cherry, and cracked pepper on a supple, rounded palate. Vinous 94 Points — “impressive textural polish.” Drink now–2035.
88% Syrah, 12% Grenache Blanc
Alcohol: 13.1% | pH: 3.79 | TA: 5.4 | Malic Acid: <0.05
WINE CHARACTERISTICS
WINEMAKER'S NOTE
The 2023 Syrah is more open and aromatic than any vintage before it — lower alcohol, softer tannins, and a floral lift that rises easily from the glass. Elderflower, lavender, and bright red fruit on the nose; lingonberry, tart cherry, cracked pepper, and subtle graphite on a supple, rounded palate. Vinous awarded 94 Points, praising its “impressive textural polish” and noting blue-toned fruit, cedar, tobacco, and white truffle on the long finish. At 13.1% alcohol, this is a Syrah built for the table. A real treat for the Syrah lover — elegant enough for fish, bold enough for everything else. Drink now–2035.
Vinous
The 2023 Syrah is yet another impressive edition of this wine, in this vintage much more delicate and tender than the potent 2022 tasted last year. The textural polish here is impressive, but I sense that the warmer vintages are a little more favorable in this marginal site. Blue-toned fruit, cedar, tobacco and white truffle linger on the long finish.”
Billy Norris
Production
56 cases 100% estate
Vinification
5-day cold soak, open-top fermentation
Aging Process
Aged for 19 months in 100% neutral French oak barriques.
Key Dates
Harvested: September 26, 2023 Bottled: April 30, 2025 Released: February 2026
Winemaker
Erich BradleyWinemaking Philosophy
We farm biodynamically at high elevation and intervene minimally in the cellar. The goal isn't to make wine—it's to let the vineyard speak for itself.
Learn About Winemaking ApproachKey Principles
Winemaking Process
Our process emphasizes native yeast fermentation, minimal additives, and selective use of neutral French oak. We monitor closely but intervene sparingly, allowing vintage character and site expression to shine through. The result is transparent, food-friendly wines with natural acidity and layered complexity.
PAIRING
Seared duck breast with tart apples and fresh mint; pepper-crusted lamb loin with thyme; grilled mushrooms with cracked black pepper and olive oil.
The wine’s fine tannins cut through richness, while fresh acidity and savory lift keep fruit and fat in balance.
Try Our Suggested Recipe
This Syrah was built for duck. Black pepper and dried herb notes mirror the seasoning, while citrus lift from Grenache Blanc brightens the apples and keeps the finish clean and focused.
Get The Recipe
Ojai Mountain rises at 3,000 feet, just 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The valley's rare east-west orientation opens a direct corridor for marine air, allowing coastal winds to moderate heat and slow ripening. Ancient Monterey shale—fractured rock from a prehistoric seabed—drains quickly and forces shallow rooting, naturally limiting vigor and berry size. Farmed organically, the site produces wines of tension and clarity rather than broad ripeness. Elevation, wind, and ocean influence create a cool-climate profile uncommon this far south in California, yielding concentrated flavors with firm structure and lift.
2023 was Ventura County's fifth-wettest year in more than a century. Cold, foggy spring conditions delayed flowering and reduced yields. No white wine was produced, but Mourvèdre thrived once warmer weather returned in July. Naturally late-ripening clusters hung through October, concentrating as the canopy thinned. The fruit arrived small and intense. The wines are cool-toned and bright, shaped more by structure than ripeness.
Smaller berries with thicker skins produce intense, focused fruit character.
Dramatic day-night temperature swings preserve freshness and balance.
Steep slopes and varied terrain create distinct microclimates in every block.
Poor soils and rocky shale force vines deep, extracting pure terroir expression.
$90.00
Inky, muscular, and deeply expressive — dark blueberry, coffee, cracked pepper, and violets with firm, building tannins. Vinous awarded 96 Points, calling it “a wine that already feels like it has its own voice.” Wine Enthusiast 94 Points Editors' Choice. Drink now–2040.
$95.00
$95.00
Tensile, iron-edged, and driven — dark blueberry, cassis, cracked pepper, and sea spray on a palate that stays vertical through a long finish. Vinous 95 Points — “exceptional balance and real potential.” Jeb Dunnuck: “one classy Syrah that will evolve gracefully.” Drink now–2038.
Three of our most distinctive reds: Syrah, Mourvèdre, and our GSM-style blend. A beautiful snapshot of the mountain.
A curated sampler of our signature wines: 2024 Estate White, 2022 Estate Red, and 2022 Syrah. A refined introduction to the unique character of our high-altitude terroir.
