Here’s a delicious, rewarding Syrah. It brims with wonderfully ripe fruit, yet maintains balance and dryness. Blackberry pie, cherry preserves, cocoa, sweet tobacco, white peppery spice and vanilla bean flavors lead to a long, complicated finish.
— S.H.
(12/15/2006)
The Dierberg family worked hard before releasing this Cab, which comes from the warmest part of the appellation. It’s quite a good wine, soft and rich and immediately likeable for its array of black currant, licorice and mocha flavors. The 100% new French oak is just right in smoke and cedary vanilla. The next step is to build in layers of density and complexity…
— S.H.
(6/1/2008)
Quite a sophisticated Cab, and one that shows the promise of Happy Canyon, which became an appellation this year. The wine is much drier and leaner than anything in Napa, but quite elegant and intense in blackberries, black currants and dried herbs. It’s a worthy successor to the very fine 2005. The alcohol is 15.1%.
— S.H.
(10/1/2010)
Merlot and Santa Ynez Valley are a great match, and Star Lane’s ’06 shows how well the variety thrives in that Santa Barbara County region. The wine is dry, rich and full-bodied, with beautifully ripe tannins framing black and red currant, tobacco, mocha and herb flavors.
— S.H.
(12/31/2008)
This might be the most expensive Cab ever from Santa Barbara County. It’s certainly a serious wine, full-bodied and rich, with the finely ground tannins you find in Napa Valley. The flavors aren’t bad either, all about cassis, cherries, chocolate and cedar. Yet there’s an herbaceousness that calls to mind old-style Santa Ynez Cabs. Seems best now and for a few years.
— S.H.
(11/1/2008)
The grapes come from the winery’s highest elevation vineyard, in the Happy Canyon area, and the variety is Cabernet Sauvignon, which isn’t revealed on the label, for some reason. The wine is big and tannic, with brooding blackberry, currant, smoked meat and oak flavors. Acidity is quite high. Now-2014.
— S.H.
(11/1/2011)
Green peppercorns give a hard edge to the blackberry, currant and anise flavors on this Cabernet. Despite firm tannins, the palate shows lots of finesse and has a rewardingly chewy mouthfeel. An interesting wine hinting at the promise of this appellation.
— S.H.
(5/1/2013)
Shows the crisp balance and ripe elegance that the best Sauvignon Blancs from this region display. With taut acidity, it brims with mouthwatering flavors of citrus fruits, lemongrass, vanilla and pepper, and is totally dry.
— S.H.
(12/31/2008)