Ampelos, Sigma The Sum Syrache, Santa Barbara County

Herbs, spices and dark berries on the nose Candied Dark cherries, some oaky notes and nice tannins on the palate. A really nice wine but not exceptional

2021 vintage

Always a wonderful tipple. Loads of blackberry and brown sugar. Still very youthful. With cheeses.

2013 vintage

The nose on this wine would smack a baby awake. It is big with black fruits, plum, black cherry, blackberry, cardamon, tobo leaf, smoke and lavender. From the weaker vintage of 2011 comes a wine that has really come into its own and beautifully so. A blend of 75% Syrah and 25% grenache. Some slight sediment. 14.2% alc. With sour dough bread and cheeses (truffle, Stilton, hollarhocker). 01.07.22. Recommended.

2011 vintage

Been about 5 years since I last tried this and it's improved a bit. There's even some of that Santa Maria Valley "tomato leaf" terroir here. Good stuff.

2011 vintage

After the Graillot Crozes-Hermitage, this just couldn’t keep up (and not that we really needed more wine anyway), but we wanted another bit of food, so I pulled this knowing we’d enjoyed it recently: “tobo leaf, cigar smoke, raspberry, blackberry, orange zest, white pepper and rosemary.” A blend of 69% Syrah and 31% Grenache. 14.2% alc. With grilled sausages (Pugliani and Andouille) from Yellow Umbrella over sauteed oyster mushrooms and peppers. 11.14.20. Recommended, but trending higher.

2013 vintage

A repeat of two years ago when I noted, “A deep, opaque plum at the core and a thin rim of ox blood; the wine is translucent in the glass. A heady perfume of tobo leaf, cigar smoke, raspberry, blackberry, orange zest, white pepper and rosemary captivate the senses. Incredible balance on the palate. With each year of production this wine becomes more of a standout. And as successive vintages age they standout.” A blend of 69% Syrah and 31% …

2013 vintage

This wine has blossomed into much more than I ever imagined. A pop of garrigue followed by torrents of plum, cassis, eucalyptus and rosemary rise from the glass and wash across the palate only to finish with black pepper and garrigue. Velvet in the mouth with a long and lingering finish. Considerable sediment. A blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache from both the Ampelos and Alisos vineyard. 36 barrels produced (per the back label without identifying the size of …

2011 vintage

No real notes. Enjoyed in the company of Jodi Smith Dainaheu, Natalie Smith Bokhome, Charee, Smith Ficco, BBH and J. Von Brannock with assorted foods of shrimp, chili, country ham (pork) in R’mond. Good times.

2013 vintage

Very smooth, spicy notes that linger. Went well with bbq pork ribs.

2013 vintage

A deep, opaque plum at the core and a thin rim of ox blood; the wine is translucent in the glass. A heady perfume of tobo leaf, cigar smoke, raspberry, blackberry, orange zest, white pepper and rosemary captivate the senses. Incredible balance on the palate. With each year of production this wine becomes more of a standout. And as successive vintages age they standout A blend of 69% Syrah and 31% Grenache. 14.2% alc. With chili as an unexpected snow …

2013 vintage

Earthy and acidic, dark fruits, vanilla. Full round mouth feel and a very long finish. Excellent and versatile wine.

2013 vintage

Wine needs a long decant. Initially was earthy and musty but after opening up revealed dark fruits, black pepper, subtle spice and balanced med-firm body and long finish. Great steal on sale at $18.

2013 vintage

For the life of me, I cannot recall when we opened this and neither of us can recall the food pairing. Did I open this a week ago a second wine with the pizza? It’s important to know, because, much to my surprise, there is still a full pour left in the bottle. I set it by the computer to write up without realizing it still had wine in it! And it still tastes good! The first night it showed …

2013 vintage

Pulled while listening to PMB discuss the Wirth and Cromer wedding. Conversation went south. Bad night. Relation-changing night. Unlikely relationship will ever be the same, even if she apologized. The sad thing is ... I’m fine with it not changing as long as she continues on her present course.

2011 vintage

No serious notes as we pulled this on a whim with some pizza (just like we did 4 months ago!). “plum, blackberry (perhaps leaning toward cassis), eucalyptus and rosemary. The finish is black pepper and garrigue. ... An incredibly smooth and inviting mouthfeel. Some sediment.” A blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache from both the Ampelos and Alisos vineyard. 36 barrels produced (per the back label without identifying the size of the barrels.)“ 14.2% alc. With pork and mushroom …

2011 vintage

No serious notes as we pulled this on a whim with some pizza. My notes from the last time still hold true: “plum, blackberry (perhaps leaning toward cassis), eucalyptus and rosemary. The finish is black pepper and garrigue. ... An incredibly smooth and inviting mouthfeel. Some sediment. A blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache from both the Ampelos and Alisos vineyard. 36 barrels produced (per the back label without identifying the size of the barrels.)” 14.2% alc. With pizza …

2011 vintage

The last time I tasted this was 2016. It showed young and tight but with lots of promise. Since then it has come along nicely developing depth and power with flavors of plum, blackberry (perhaps leaning toward cassis), eucalyptus and rosemary. The finish is black pepper and garrigue. Actually, the garrigue is what struck me first on the bouquet; not overwhelming in any way, but it’s there. An incredibly smooth and inviting mouthfeel. Some sediment. A blend of 75% Syrah …

2011 vintage

No telling if this wine is at peak, but it continues to deliver. Packed with flavors of blackberry, eucalyptus, black pepper and brined black olive. The mouthfeel is smooth, rich and long without being jammy or over the top. The sediment continues to accumulate. A blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache from both the Ampelos and Alisos vineyard. 14.2% alc. With Shack attack beef burgers. Recommended.

2011 vintage

This wine hasn’t moved much since tasted in April: plum, eucalyptus, black pepper and olive, but no garrigue. The mouthfeel of black velvet continues to evolve and develop. Sediment and tartrates appear in the final pour. A blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache from both the Ampelos and Alisos vineyard. 14.2% alc. With cheeses and crusty bread and molé. Recommended.

2011 vintage

A nice blend - opened to dark red fruit on the nose, the palate was red plums, currants and dark cherry. Medium length finish.

2011 vintage

The development of Peter and Rebecca Works Syrache program at Ampelos continues its upward trajectory. Give the more recent versions of the Syrache abot 5 years of development and they produce layered and complex results. Plum and eucalyptus carry the wine from start to finish. Black pepper sprinkles across the mid-palate and finish. Some garrigue on the nose and palate adds an unexpected complexity and hint of, “I’m a dirty girl” aspect (a la Frasier episode). The mouthfeel is almost …

2011 vintage

Ampelos Tasting Room. Big aromatics with this Syrah/Grenache blend. Seemed a bit more Syrah leaning at this point. Not sure how long this had been opened but seemed approachable right now. Well made and enjoyable wine.

2011 vintage

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Ampelos, Sigma The Sum Syrache, Santa Barbara County

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