Ojai Mountain
Perfumed, vibrant, and immediately expressive, with elderflower, lingonberry, tart cherry, and white pepper carried across a polished, silken palate. Vinous 94 Points praised its "impressive textural polish." Drink now–2035.
Top Review
94Vinous
Drinking Window
2026 – 2035
Production
56 cases
Fermented with native yeast and aged 19 months in neutral French oak, this Syrah lets a difficult season speak rather than the cellar. A small co-fermented addition of Grenache Blanc, a first for the estate's Syrah, is what lifts the aromatics further than any vintage before it.
On the nose, elderflower and lavender sit alongside bright red fruit, with cedar and tobacco emerging as the wine opens. The palate is medium-bodied, with soft, polished tannins and bright acidity carrying lingonberry, tart cherry, and cracked pepper through to a long, graphite-edged finish.
2023 was Ventura County's fifth-wettest year in over a century. A cold, foggy spring delayed flowering and reduced yields across the estate, but warmer weather in July gave the later-ripening red varieties room to catch up.
A cold, foggy spring delayed flowering and cut the Syrah crop to 1.17 tons from the estate's 0.83-acre Block 1. The fruit stayed on the vine until September 26, allowing phenolic ripeness to develop while sugars remained moderate. That long, cool season gave the wine its floral lift, lower alcohol, and fine, polished tannins.
Fifth-wettest year in over a century. Cold, foggy spring cut yields; no white wine was produced.
From Our Journal10 min read
A cool, wet season and the lightest crop in a decade — the story behind this vintage.
The 2023 Syrah is a Northern Rhône-style co-fermentation, with white grapes added to the red ferment from the start rather than blended in after the fact. The Syrah supplies structure, pepper, and dark fruit. The small fraction of Grenache Blanc lifts the aromatics and adds textural polish without diluting the wine's red character.
| Vintage | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Blend | 88% Syrah · 12% Grenache Blanc |
| Co-fermented | Yes, from the start of fermentation |
| Rootstocks | 1103P (Syrah); 1103P & SO4 (Grenache Blanc) |
| Clones | Estrella (Syrah); Clone 01 (Grenache Blanc) |
| Estate Fruit | 100% |
| Appellation | Ventura County |
Cellar work is deliberately restrained. Grapes are destemmed, then given a 5-day cold soak before fermentation begins. Fermentation takes place in open-top vessels, initiated by the native yeasts present on the fruit and in the winery — no commercial yeast is added at the outset. After pressing, the wine moves directly to neutral French oak barriques for an extended élevage. Bottling is done without fining or filtration.
| Cold Soak | 5 days |
|---|---|
| Fermentation Vessel | Open-top fermenters |
| Yeast | Native yeast |
| Oak Aging | 19 months in neutral French oak barriques |
| Fining & Filtration | Unfined, unfiltered |
From Our Journal10 min read
Erich Bradley's journey in winemaking spans more than 25 vintages, from early cellar work in Sonoma to leading Ojai Mountain's high-elevation vineyard project.
The 2023 growing season produced one of the most restrained Syrahs in Ojai Mountain's history. Lower alcohol, balanced acidity, and a higher pH than previous vintages create a wine defined less by power than by perfume, texture, and early approachability, while retaining the structure to evolve with bottle age.
Distinct among recent vintages for its lower alcohol, softer acid profile, and lifted aromatics. Co-fermented with 12% Grenache Blanc.
Floral lift and cool blue fruit define the wine's first impression, followed by black pepper, graphite, and a subtle earthy depth. Rather than relying on power, the 2023 Syrah emphasizes freshness, precision, and aromatic complexity, finishing with fine tannins and lingering savory notes.
Wine Characteristics
“This vineyard is tough. It's raw. No real soil yet, just fractured rock and time. And out of that struggle come wines with a kind of natural tension I find really compelling.”
| Production Count | 56 Cases |
|---|---|
| Harvest Date | September 26, 2023 |
| Élevage | 19 months |
| Bottled Date | April 30, 2025 |
| Released Date | February 2026 |
The 2023 Syrah's fine tannins cut through richness, while its bright acidity keeps the palate fresh. Notes of black pepper, graphite, and white truffle naturally complement earthy, herb-driven dishes, where the wine's savory character can take center stage.
From Our Kitchen10 min read
Duck's silky texture mirrors the wine's polish; roasted apples echo its bright fruit, while a black pepper gastrique reinforces its spice and balances the apples' sweetness.
Fractured Monterey shale at 2,800 feet, ten miles from the Pacific and above the fog line. Almost no topsoil, so roots dig deep and berries stay small.
Hand-farmed block by block on steep mountain terrain. Organically grown, regeneratively farmed, planted at 1,800 vines per acre to keep yields low.
Native yeast, free-run juice only, neutral French oak. No fining on any wine, and the reds go to bottle unfiltered.
Storage, serving, and what makes this wine what it is. For visiting, booking, and policy questions, see our full FAQ.
The 2023 is the outlier of the range: most aromatic, lowest alcohol, co-fermented with 12% Grenache Blanc. If you prefer a fuller, riper style, the 2021 or 2022 vintages lean richer and more structured.
The 2023 Syrah is built to age, not just hold. Its pH of 3.79, moderate tannins, and cool-vintage structure put it in the 10-to-15-year cellaring window, consistent with the drink now through 2035 window above. Store it on its side, in a dark space, at a steady 55°F (13°C) with moderate humidity, away from vibration and temperature swings. As with all our reds, give it at least 2 to 4 years from vintage before opening to let the tannins settle; this bottle is already there.
Serve at 60 to 65°F, cooler than room temperature, to keep the acidity bright and the aromatics lifted. A short decant of 20 to 30 minutes opens up the elderflower and lavender on the nose without softening the wine's structure. Standard stemware for a medium-bodied red is all it needs.
Look for earthy, herb-driven dishes over sweet or smoky ones; the wine's savory edge (pepper, graphite, white truffle) and fine tannins are built for that register. Roasted duck, lamb with rosemary, mushroom risotto, and aged hard cheeses all work well. Our own pick: Duck with Mint & Roasted Apples, where the black pepper and herb notes mirror the wine directly.
