2021 The Pursuit | Bien Nacido Vineyard

"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." - Confucious
 

Bien Nacido Vineyard | Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara

 

Tierra loam, sandstone, chamise shaly loam

 

Coming from only one individual block of Estrella clone Syrah at Bien Nacido, 2021's The Pursuit is sheer poetry. Black and blue and peppery all over, it offers full-bodied richness, varietal characteristics of game meat, smoke and leather. The velvety tannins surround a substantially round midpalate and contribute to an endless finish. It's a brooding and voluptuous icon of a wine.

 

 

20% whole cluster. The wine rested for 20 months 75% new French oak. 

 

“Dark-fruited and spice-driven on the nose, with aromas of violets, black pepper and bacon fat ... full-bodied with firm tannins and bright acidity ... A bold and structured wine that will benefit from time in the bottle. ” -95 pts | James Suckling

“The 2021 The Pursuit Bien Nacido Vineyard is all Syrah and comes from unquestionably one of the finest sites in California ... its dense purple color is followed by an incredible bouquet of ripe blue fruits, freshly ground pepper, bay leaf, game, and subtle marine-like nuances that seem to always be present in wine from Bien Nacido. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, this flawlessly balanced, layered, incredibly impressive.” -96 pts | Jeb Dunnuck