Jeb Dunnuck’s 2020 Santa Barbara County Tasting

Jeb Dun­nuck has been tast­ing and review­ing our wines since 2013, when he was a wine writer for Robert Park­er’s Wine Advo­cate. In 2017, he left the Wine Advo­cate to begin his own wine review web­site, Jeb​Dun​nuck​.com. We look for­ward to shar­ing our new releas­es with him every sum­mer when he vis­its San­ta Bar­bara Coun­ty. Below are his reviews from his tast­ing on August 4, 2020: The 2018s from San­ta Bar­bara Coun­ty.

2018 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: 92 points

“There are two Bor­deaux blends from this estate. Start­ing with the 2018 Caber­net Sauvi­gnon Estate, it’s all Caber­net Sauvi­gnon that spent 18 months in bar­rel. Its deep pur­ple hue is fol­lowed by a clas­sic Caber­net nose of blue fruits, sap­py green herbs, cedar pen­cil, bay leaf, and sage brush. Rich, medi­um to full-bod­ied, and nice­ly struc­tured, it’s already drink­ing nice­ly yet should keep for a sol­id 15 years or more. Matu­ri­ty: 2020 – 2036.”

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2018 Estate Grenache: 92 points

“All from the estate in the Los Olivos Dis­trict, the 2018 Grenache Estate offers a beau­ti­ful bou­quet of spiced red fruits, can­died vio­lets, spring flow­ers, and bou­quet gar­ni. This car­ries to a medi­um to full-bod­ied Grenache with a great tex­ture, ripe tan­nins, and a lay­ered, bal­anced style that’s going to evolve beau­ti­ful­ly for 7 – 8 years. Matu­ri­ty: 2020 – 2028.”

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2018 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Clone #1 Syrah: 94 points

“The 2018 Syrah Clone 1 Purisi­ma Moun­tain Vine­yard comes all from the estate vine­yard and is all Clone 1 Syrah that was destemmed and aged 18 months. Plen­ty of black­ber­ry fruits, spice, ground pep­per, and incense notes give way a medi­um to full-bod­ied, beau­ti­ful­ly bal­anced, ele­gant Syrah with plen­ty of clas­sic Cal­i­for­nia fruit yet a cool­er-cli­mate, com­plex, ele­gant style. It’s a ter­rif­ic Syrah to enjoy over the com­ing decade. Matu­ri­ty: 2020 – 2030.”

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2017 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Block Six Syrah: 93+ points

“The 2017 Purisi­ma Moun­tain Vine­yard Block Six saw a slight­ly longer éle­vage and spent 22 months in bar­rel pri­or to bot­tling. It shows a touch more oak as well as smoky dark fruit, pep­pery herb, vio­let, and iron aro­mas and fla­vors. This ripe, full-bod­ied Syrah has ripe tan­nins, a big, mouth­fill­ing tex­ture, and a great fin­ish. Give bot­tles a year or two and it should keep for a decade. Matu­ri­ty: 2021 – 2032.”

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2017 Purisima Red Wine: 93 points

“There are just 55 cas­es of the 2017 Purisi­ma Red Wine (100% Syrah), which was all destemmed and spent 26 months in bar­rel. It’s anoth­er big, rich effort offer­ing lots of spiced red and black­ber­ry fruits, toast­ed bread, cedary herbs, and pep­pery aro­mas and fla­vors, full-bod­ied rich­ness, ripe yet present tan­nins, and a great finish.”

Retail: $125

Email info@​beckmenvineyards.​com to inquire.

2017 TLB Red Wine: 92 points

“A blend of 85% Caber­net Sauvi­gnon and 15% Syrah that saw a full 28 months in bar­rel, the 2017 TLB Red Wine sports a dense pur­ple hue as well as ripe, sexy notes of black­cur­rants, sage­brush, bay leaf, and sap­py flow­ers. This ripe, full-bod­ied effort has sol­id puri­ty of fruit, pol­ished tan­nins, and a great fin­ish. Drink it over the com­ing decade or more. Matu­ri­ty: 2020 – 2030.”

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