2019 in Santa Barbara county was a year with far cooler conditions than had become typical and the resultant wines are fresh and wildly intense. Acidities are higher than the already vibrant 2018 and alcohols are lower still.
Cooler weather resulted in an extended growing season with no pressures to pick and a very long harvest. The fruit was immaculate but the yields were almost absurdly small.
Syrah and grenache ripen later in the fall, when shorter days result in less heat and sunshine during the final phase of ripening. The tiny yields in 2019 allowed the fruit to gain in concentration and gave the vine enough energy to develop flavor in the fruit through the end of the season. While our production levels were regrettably tiny, the vintage gave rise to wines of particular intensity, crystallinity and verve.
Both the 2019 Gold Series No. 8 and the 2019 grenache are two more love-letters in a forever series to the folks at Bien Nacido, this one dedicated to Amparo, “the Big Boss,” who has raised these vines and run her crews for the whole of my life in that vineyard and who will be retiring this month.
Gold Series No. 08 is from just four rows of syrah with a three-percent splash of roussanne and the grenache is a two-barrel production which is not a selection but the whole of this parcel. All Bien Nacido, all Amparo and Chris and the Millers and their tribe. All gratitude.
Release Date: October 1st, 2022