Expect blackberry, plum, black pepper, smoked meat, dried herb, and refined oak with full body and structured tannins. The 2017 California vintage was warm with some heat challenges.
- Varietal
- Syrah
- Region
- USA / California / Santa Barbara County / Santa Ynez Valley
- Body
- Full
- Style
- dry red, Rhône-influenced, oak-aged
The producer
Zaca Mesa is one of Santa Barbara County's foundational Rhône-style producers, founded in 1973. The estate was instrumental in establishing Santa Barbara as a serious Rhône region. Zaca Mesa was the training ground for several notable California winemakers including Bob Lindquist (Qupé) and Adam Tolmach (Ojai).
What critics say
Zaca Mesa Syrah receives consistently strong reviews as a benchmark Santa Ynez Valley Syrah at an accessible price point.
Pairing
Grilled lamb chops, smoked brisket, lamb sausages