2021 Âmevive, Syrah, Estate Grown, Ibarra-Young Vineyard, Los Olivos District AVA, Santa Barbara County.
The all organic, naturally fermented and partial whole cluster Ibarra-Young Syrah from Âmevive is a brightly fresh and savory medium bodied effort that charms for its quaffable personality and savory background with a core of tangy and zesty black raspberry, plum, bramble berry and Bing cherry fruits, tapenade, saline stoniness, tarry licorice and forrest floor notes. Briery and tart to start, this wine, appeals in the glass with a lovely magenta/purple hue and floral dimension, but gets much better with food, in fact in was much, much better day two, reminding me more and more of a pure Croze-Hermitage, when the fruit fully opened up and it became more generous. The cool vintage and low alcohol are hiding the Âmevive Syrah’s true personality and its firm restraint will most definitely evolve into a richer expression with time, best to give a few years and be patient, the rewards look promising indeed.
Winegrower and winemaker Alice Anderson says the Syrah block is part of the original planting at Ibarra-Young Vineyard, which was planted back in 1971 and that It is own-rooted, also noting that it’s been farmed organically since 1993. She goes on to explain that this Syrah parcel is possibly her favorite and that it is certainly is the soul of the property. This Syrah block is located on a sandy loam slope in the most fertile section of the vineyard, according to Anderson, who notes gleefully, that these vines produce tight and dense clusters averaging the size of your palm and are bursting with intensity. Anderson, since taking over the farming here, employs regenerative organic grape growing that is managed holistically, and the wines very minimal effective sulfites, making for vibrant, energy filled, crunchy and transparent wines, like this one. With hand crafted gentle ferments, maceration and lots of foot power, the Syrah, aged in neutral French oak delivers exactly what Alice was intending here and is loads of fun, even in its youth. From Marsanne to Graciano and from Gamay to Syrah, these Âmevive wines are all wonderfully delicious offerings.
($36 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive