Stolpman “Crunchy Rôastie”

Wine Info

Region: Ballard Canyon, Santa Barbara, CA

Grapes: Syrah 95%, Viognier 5%

ABV: 12.5%                                      

Winemaker: Peter Stolpman

Viticulture: Organic

Winemaking: Whole-berry, whole-cluster carbonic fermentation, aging in large neutral vats

“a profoundly savage bouquet”

Take one of America’s most exciting winemakers, some of California’s best Syrah fruit, and take out as many winemaking crutches and shortcuts you can, and this is the wine you’ll get. The Stolpman Crunchy Roasty Syrah showcases the purity of the fruit and the talent of the winemaker. That’s the kind of wine we get excited about.

What kinds of crutches? Well, lots. Many mainstream winemakers use chemicals in the vineyard to get their grapes riper and kill pests. Stolpman has been farming organically for more than a decade now, and their vineyards have super healthy soil. Vines that aren’t propped up by chemical usage produce more vibrant, flavorful fruit. Stolpman also uses wild yeast in the winery, instead of a lab-cultivated commercial yeast. Furthermore on this particular cuvée, there’s no added sulfur usage “Sans Soufre”, which is a big challenge for a winemaker. They must have faith in their juice–to have healthy preservative levels, and their supply chain must be carefully managed so no wines get marred in transit or shelving.

This is a natural wine–you’re tasting fermented grapes and nothing else. On the nose, this is unmistakably Syrah. A profoundly savage bouquet greets your senses. Green peppercorns, rosemary, violets, smoked pork, taggiasca olives. It’s a strange and beautiful beast that has a story to tell. Surprisingly, all these intense tasting notes don’t make the wine less approachable. It’s utterly juicy, drinkable and delightful on the palate, with crisp acid and fresh fruit.