Winemaker Notes

2005 Syrah
Santa Ynez Valley

Winery History: We have been growing grapes on our land since 1973. Today, we hand craft our wines with character and integrity from grapes sustainably grown in our Santa Barbara County vineyard.

Our Estate: Zaca Mesa Winery was the first to plant Syrah in Santa Barbara County in 1978. With thirty years experience, our estate vineyard yields intensely flavored grapes for our elegant wines. Today we farm 90 acres of Syrah on our estate vineyard.

Growing Season and Harvest
After a very wet winter, the 2005 season was very mild and dry. Our typical “June Gloom” persisted into July but it finally succumbed to the steady warmth of August and September. This gradual ripening allowed for greater flavor development at lower sugar levels than usual for a beautifully balanced wine.

Winemaking
fter hand harvesting, the grapes were destemmed and placed into small open-top bins to ferment, some with native yeast. During fermentation, the rising grape skins were punched down three times a day resulting in wine of intense color, rich flavors and fine tannins. This wine was aged for sixteen months in French oak barrels; 25% of them were new.

The Wine
Our Syrah displays rich blackberry, cassis, espresso, mocha and our signature sage spice aromas and flavors. The silky finish lingers from the ripe tannins and smoky oak. This full-bodied wine should be enjoyed over the next ten years. traditional pairing for this wine is a rack of lamb marinated in rosemary and garlic. However, a peppercorn steak or mushroom risotto would work incredibly well.
— Clay Brock, Winemaker

Vineyard Blocks: Zaca Mesa Vineyards: Chapel F; Cushman A, B & D; Mesa A&F
Composition: 99% Syrah, 1% Viognier
Harvest: October 7-25, 2005
Cooperage: 16 months in 100% French oak, 25% new
Coopers: Dargaud-Jaegle, Mercier, Seguin Moreau, and Demptos
Bottled: April 9-13, 2007
Acidity: 0.55 g/100mL
pH: 3.71
Alcohol: 14.5%
Production: 13,090 cases

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