Marbeso - Grenache, Syrah - Santa Barbara County, CA - 2023

@marbesowine

Notes from the Winery/Importer

50% Grenache/50% Syrah Spear & JSV Vineyards (Sta Rita Hills) 200 Cases Winemaking: Each vineyard brings its own expression of Sta. Rita terroir to this wine. With that in mind, the two lots were kept sep- arate until just before bottling. Beyond that, the approach in the cellar was the same: 15% of each lot was fermented whole-cluster at the foot of each tank, with the balance destemmed and tipped in over the top. The vessels were then gently foot-treaded and placed next to one another outdoors to warm the must and promote native fermentation. Caps were managed with daily punchdowns and pumpovers as necessary until dry, at which point each wine was pressed and racked to neutral French oak. After 11 months the wines were finally combined as they were racked to tank and then bottled without fining or filtration. Palate: Boysenberry, blackcurrant and margerum. Luscious yet linear, the wine expresses the cool-climate tension between min- eral-rich vineyards on facing slopes in the Sta. Rita Hills.

Notes on the Producer

South Bay Natives, Colin and Hannah are a small production in the Sta Rita Hills producing vineyard designates from Santa Barbara County and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Combining our passion of wine together my wife and I decided to launch our own label Marbeso (kiss of the sea) in 2019 after years of making wine for other people. This year will mark Colin’s 20th vintage as a whole, ranging from Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River to Martinborough Vineyards in the North Island of NZ. We source wines in close proximity to the sea and strive to produce clean, acid driven wines of minimal intervention using natural yeasts and bacteria; neutral french oak, bottle unfined and unfiltered to promote transparency between glass and vineyard. With vineyard sourcing and farming at the forefront, we have a strong connection to finding fruit that has been organically grown.

Grapes & Style

Grenache

Grenache is one of the great Mediterranean red grapes, central to the southern Rhône, Spain, and many of the warmer, drier wine regions around the world. It’s known as Garnacha in Spain, where it has deep roots, and it plays a major role in wines from places like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Priorat, Navarra, and the Sierra de Gredos.

In the vineyard, Grenache ripens late and likes heat, sun, and wind. It can handle drought well, but it needs thoughtful farming because it can produce high alcohol and soft structure if pushed too far. Old vines are especially valuable, often giving naturally lower yields and more concentrated fruit.

In the glass, Grenache tends toward red fruit, strawberry, raspberry, dried herbs, spice, and a warm, generous texture. It’s usually lighter in color than its flavor suggests, with moderate tannin and plenty of charm. The best versions balance ripeness with freshness, showing warmth without becoming heavy.

Syrah

Syrah is a northern Rhône grape with a serious range, capable of making dark, structured, savory reds without needing the sheer weight of Cabernet. Its home is places like Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Cornas, and Saint-Joseph, but it has traveled widely, especially to Australia, California, South Africa, and parts of the Mediterranean.

In the vineyard, Syrah tends to like warmth, but not excessive heat. In cooler sites it can be peppery, floral, and lifted; in warmer places it becomes darker, richer, and more generous. It has relatively small berries and can produce wines with deep color, good tannin, and a strong savory profile.

In the glass, Syrah often shows black fruit, violet, black pepper, olive, smoke, meat, and spice. The best examples have density without feeling clumsy — dark-fruited and structured, but still aromatic and full of detail. We tend to love Syrah when it keeps that savory edge and doesn’t lose its freshness.