Bien Nacido is historic (the land was purchased in 1837) and has played an important role in the development of American wine by supplying ambitious winemakers with the best fruit since the 1970s. Finally, in 2011 Bien Nacido started to make wines under its own label and I have been chasing after it ever since.
My very first wine tasting room job was right after college in a tiny boutique winery in Santa Barbara in 2013. I had been working with wine in restaurants for years, but it was my first experience working up close and personal with a winemaker. Luckily this winemaker sourced his grapes exclusively from the Bien Nacido Vineyard and I learned everything about it - from the grapes, to the terroir, and the wine the beautiful land produces. This vineyard is home to some of the most prized Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah that the Central Coast has to offer, and I'm so excited to share it with you!
Varietal - 98% Syrah 2% Viognier
Appellation - Santa Maria AVA
Vineyard - Bien Nacido Vineyard
Alcohol - 13.5%
Case Production - 266 cases
Vinification and Elevage - Hand harvested at night, and fermented with native yeast and malolactic fermentations. Aged for 16 months in French oak; 20% new. This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes - Exotic floral and smoky aromatics of violets, nutmeg, and bacon draw you in, but it’s the rich entry on the peppery and precise palate that’s a showcase of this vineyard.