Founded in 1990 by Tom & Stolpman, Stolpman has in the past sold the majority of grapes to the likes of Ojai Vineyards & Sine Qua Non that is until 1997 when they started to bottle their own Syrah, Sangovese and Sauvignon Blanc. When Winemaker Sashi Moorman came on board in 2001 he worked to increase the quality of grapes grown and began experimenting with grapes like Grenache, Viognier and Chardonnay in the Ballard Canyon vineyards. Currently there are 152 acres under vine with the majority of them going into Stolpman wines.
The 2010 Syrah comes from grapes that were grown in a very tough year in the Santa Ynez Valley with a cool spring and summer and a late heat wave in September just before harvest.The result is one of Stolpman’s more accessible Syrahs they’ve produced over the years that is drinkable now or can get better in the next 10 years. With a splash of Viognier added this Cote-Rotie style wine produced 5,000 cases in 2010.
This deep colored wine offers a nice balance of fruit and tannins. Ripe red fruit along with nuances of chocolate, spice and oak give this wine a large mouth feel with a lingering finish on the tongue.This wine would pair well with roasted meats and vegetables along with grilled, smoky BBQ. This delicious wine retails for about $30. www.stolpmanvineyards.com
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