The Syrah grapes came from a very steep hillside block of Clone 1 planted in shallow calcareous soils.  Located in the Ballard Canyon of Santa Barbara County with a cool marine influence and long, cool growing season these grapes possessed excellent purity and depth while the vineyard produced a meager 2.3 tons per acre crop with excellent concentration. 

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"Classic Syrah blue fruits, violets, cracked pepper, and spice notes all emerge from the 2018 Syrah Fox Family Vineyard, a full-bodied, round, sweetly fruited and sexy red that pushes on the ripeness pedal while still holding on to that classic 2018 liveliness and freshness."  ∼  Jeb Dunnuck

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"The 2018 Syrah Larner Vineyard is another Ballard Canyon release, this one coming from a site in the middle to lower part of the valley. It has a classic nose of ripe blackberries, saddle leather, ground pepper, iron, and violets. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, pure, seamless Syrah that has no hard edges and delivers thrilling tannins as well as a great, great finish. It's one of the standouts in this stacked lineup. Count me impressed." - Jeb Dunnuck

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"More ground pepper, leather, cured meats, and savory herbs notes define the 2018 Syrah The Dare, a 100% Syrah sourced from the finest barrels of Kimsey, Fox Family, Larner, Zotovich, Thompson, and Tierra Alta Vineyards. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, and concentrated, it has a complex, savory, layered, Hermitage-like style that's going to shine for a good 7-8 years."  ∼  Jeb Dunnuck

"This site has produced a perfumed, savory, complex red ...Violets, incense, herbs de Provence, and loads of pepper all flow to a medium to full-bodied, seamless wine that shines both for its complexity as well as richness and length.  This is a brilliant, elegant, classic high-quality California Syrah" - Jeb Dennuck of the 2016 vintage