Estate grown, Ibarra-Young Vineyard, Los Olivos District AVA

The Syrah is part of the original planting at Ibarra-Young Vineyard, planted in 1971. It is own-rooted, it’s been farmed organically since 1993, and it’s possibly my favorite block-it 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. These vines produce tight and dense clusters averaging the size of your palm. When they are ripe, the cluster’s dainty golden stems pop off with a small tug - you don’t even need sheers to harvest!

The Syrah was harvested in three picks in order to gain depth, acidity, and layers of different tannin structures in the final wine. The first pick was harvested around 20.5B. The second pick was harvested a few days later, and the third a few days after that. All of the picks were fermented 100% whole cluster, solely in open top barrels this year. My goal was to create a cooler ferment to retain some extra ‘crunch factor,’ but instead I got a little more structure, and probably the biggest Syrah I’ve made from Ibarra Young. I certainly think the vintage played into this too. The three lots were blended about a month before being bottled unfined and unfiltered in June of 2023

Tasting notes: The friend you never want to go home. Caring, funny, inquisitive, genuine. Ripe red fruits, subtle violets, some girth, some grip, this wine will age and cellar exceptionally well.

Art: Lepus californicus, the black-tailed jackrabbit, running through a patch of morning glory was painted by my mother, Eileen Anderson. The black-tailed jackrabbit thrives in our no-till vineyard. They are primarily nocturnal and feed on the vegetation and grasses throughout the vines. They aren’t burrowing animals so they don’t harm the vineyard floor like a cottontail would. The morning glory can be a nuisance on the vineyard floor in wetter environments, but it is simply a splash of color and food for pollinators in our arid climate. The back label depicts a small branch of Quercus lobata, the valley oak tree. The old valley oak trees were here long before these vine rows and continue to provide a home and food for birds, bugs, bats, and small mammals that thrive alongside our vines. They also provide a substantial amount of shade in the hot summer days. We love these oaks just as much as our old vines.

12.8% ABV
Ingredients: regenerative organic grapes managed holistically, minimal effective sulfites

121 cases produced

Pronunciation: "ahm-veev"
​
​Translation: soulful, lively soul, living soul
​
the emotional part of human nature; the seat of the feelings or sentiments.
high-mindedness; noble warmth of feeling, spirit or courage.
the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans, regarded as a distinct entity and separate from the body; the spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical part.

We lease and farm the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in Los Olivos District A.V.A.

This vineyard was planted by Charlotte Young in 1971 and is still owned by her three daughters. Charlotte's right-hand man, Miguel Ibarra, Helped her plant the vineyard in 1971 and continued to work on the vineyard for more than 40 years. Today, we celebrate this duo by designating these 10 acres as the Ibarra-Young Vineyard.

Ibarra-Young Vineyard was one of the first vineyards planted in the Santa Ynez Valley and has so much soul you can feel it. The first 3 acres were planted in 1971 and 3 more acres were planted in 1973. In the late 90's and early 2000's Bob Lindquist completed Ibarra-Young's planted acreage with the "young" vines in the rockier section of the vineyard.

The vineyard is planted to Syrah and Mourvèdre planted in 1971, Marsanne planted in 1973, as well as suitcase clone Tempranillo and Graciano planted in the late 90's. Everything on the property is own-rooted and has been farmed organically since 1993. We began leasing and farming this special place at the beginning of 2020 and employ regenerative organic and biodynamic practices.
​
Our goal is to rebuild an ecosystem of native species that live alongside our vine rows, regenerate soil health, and grow the highest quality grapes this site can give. We believe the best wine grapes are grown with minimal inputs and conscious vineyard management. We reject a systematic schedule for viticulture and farming in general. We believe that by working in conjunction with nature we can increase biodiversity and soil health, minimize unnecessary sprays, minimize tractor passes and compaction, decrease water use, and reduce our carbon footprint.

We look forward to taking you along on this journey of unconventional viticulture with us. We hope to convince you that with a lot of passion and hard work, world-class wines are made with minimal intervention in a vineyard that grows alongside a healthy living ecosystem.
​