![Beckmen Purisima Vertical 2023 20](https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2200&s=d6c2583fcbabce1e87d97f499aa6ce47 2200w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2000&s=84dd8b88de254e40d86cfa3d8d8dc647 2000w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1125&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1800&s=d3b8372cd4d8aa38b11844a4e0740d18 1800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1600&s=9546cee4ea794ebbadc7aea57360699e 1600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=812&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1300&s=ecc20624a15b6c032ab83b1aeae613e8 1300w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=687&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1100&s=9f387eb56bd5de8a471bb38c74aad0e1 1100w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=562&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=900&s=54d8432dd0d9bdb807c1bae4590fdf4d 900w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=800&s=6298746d16745e7527011f9b867d41c4 800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=600&s=00b5351f008a2180f3bd4a24a3ed6465 600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/blog/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-20.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=400&s=d4460be2570ddea0dc57fb450aec7106 400w)
Vertical Tasting of Purisima Red Wine
Posted: Aug 22, 2023
Over the past 23 years that we have been producing wines from our Purisima Mountain Vineyard, we have bottled 14 Purisima Red Wines. The idea behind the Purisima Red wine was to produce a limited bottling (around 2 barrels) of our best blocks only from exceptional vintages. The initial bottling of a Purisima Red occurred in 2001, and we have bottled this wine in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
![Beckmen Purisima Vertical 2023 9](https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2200&s=eb4d5507fdebf5cdd8df2641acae8ce4 2200w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2000&s=f088395931be39f7f927aed1c5826cd1 2000w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1125&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1800&s=10c366c23af6871746e54ba3f18caf75 1800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1600&s=be2c52b176dc51972c8f304949af527e 1600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=812&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1300&s=d52c3a92b4cbd3e4c4856e84beaea1ea 1300w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=687&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1100&s=67dbbef34c64632a6e130bdb9fff353c 1100w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=562&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=900&s=3a55ea1b22eaa8948d2a70cef6bcb136 900w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=800&s=de4638b7125528f9584f040f66f03628 800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=600&s=e660c14d67477dd732633a99935e6dc5 600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=400&s=f7da5e8d5b7cabe4ff843e40680d7647 400w)
In August 2023, we hosted a vertical wine tasting of our Purisima Red Wines, tasting only eight of the 14 wines due to a lack of inventory of every vintage. The first Grenache/Syrah blend wines are terrific and have aged exceptionally well, but the final 100% Syrah wines in the flight were eye opening. Their quality was ridiculously outstanding: dark, powerful, elegant, structured, complex Syrah wines with an amazing ability to age.
For those who couldn’t attend this special tasting event, I’ve compiled my tasting notes for each of these wines below.
![Beckmen Purisima Vertical 2023 114](https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2200&s=34804286efa44399f9879119ea0400b0 2200w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2000&s=c73ee969381c4ec6d4d0ad8bf73e328f 2000w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1125&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1800&s=b8c308da6e434d3683ca19132b2ada20 1800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1600&s=b27949c1a35aa29bae6f7f26fb1db841 1600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=812&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1300&s=2bce5d952475db2a0678d3b99783bbc9 1300w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=687&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1100&s=f52bc955e35a73acdffd10e1e134db92 1100w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=562&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=900&s=b708148934284059ec9254a8923800f4 900w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=800&s=34af9cf3ee4ece083bac5e73a9af89f0 800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=600&s=3c1c0c2296d4ea7b5fbd57534178ffc0 600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-114.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=400&s=fa09e77633146c7cb51385c0205c05c8 400w)
2001 | 60% Grenache 40% Syrah
From a legendary vintage in Santa Barbara, the 2001 is a bit tired on the nose, but the ripeness still comes through on the palette where the fruit is still sweet and plump and the acidity still lingers across the palette. This wine is past its prime although a bottle with a better cork would have shown a bit better. The 2001 vintage was amazing and you can still experience what made it so special, ripe, generous fruit and great balancing acidity.
2005 | 60% Grenache 40% Syrah
From a cool, wet, late harvest, the 2005 was always powerful in its structure and tannins. The 18 or so years of ageing have really helped this wine to shine and find better balance. Toasty oak, stewed fruits and hints of grilled herbs on the nose lead to a plush, round mid palette where more red and black fruits and spices emerge, finishing long with big, present tannins that carry the flavor on the back end. The tannins are firm but not drying and still frame the fruit and flavors beautifully. Drink this vintage now and over the next few years.
2009 | 53% Grenache 47% Syrah
Fascinating aromas of game, dried aged beef and stewy red fruits, this wine is peaking right now. Creamy, round and lush on the palette with fully resolved tannins, this big, rich vintage of Purisima is a stand out. Fine structure and good acidity carry the fruit on the long finish which shows more Grenache fruit than Syrah at this time. Drinking beautifully now this special vintage will age beautifully for the next decade or more.
![Beckmen Purisima Vertical 2023 41](https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2200&s=18290cfd10fd0ae29bc63e4912800b3f 2200w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2000&s=af0343c8e67aeae6b8e1b4c76e8974d6 2000w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1125&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1800&s=bcfdb093c290cdad330bb08b59f37370 1800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1600&s=ed72433eb2b15e5a71e2e67852522c8e 1600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=812&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1300&s=54bef89e694e89497783af5e175d63a2 1300w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=687&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1100&s=da6d95e14a2ff412d7591c6409e3261f 1100w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=562&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=900&s=26f2173b0243a54e5d4ad953ecbff1b8 900w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=800&s=b60aed9b043b9ee3d1943ba4966983da 800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=600&s=0d80d358db40ce1fc189dc8c88e432e8 600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-41.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=400&s=af7ab67bc338e21eec601203db846bf7 400w)
2012 | 53% Grenache 47% Syrah
Bright red fruits, toasty oak, vanilla, baking spices, pepper, and garrigue aromas fill the glass of this vintage of Purisima Red Wine. The flavors are up front where the wine is soft and rounded upon entry. The mouth is filled with complex flavors of dark and red fruits, pepper, vanilla and spice, showing a rounded mid palette and a firm finish where the tannins remain present yet are almost fully resolved. This comes across as youthful still and just coming into its peak drinking window over the next 10 – 12 years.
2013 | 59% Grenache 41% Syrah
A similar vintage to 2012, the 2013 shows similar complexity of flavors and aromas, bright fruits, vanilla, spice and a touch of gaminess. The palette is soft and round yet built towards the back end of the wine when compared to the 2012 which is more upfront. The tannins are soft yet firm on the back end of the wine where the flavors finish long with nice acidity and beautiful lift. This is on the younger side and should continue to age nicely for the next 12 – 15 years.
2016 | 100% Syrah
The biggest wine of the flight, the 2016 is big, bold, dark and intense. Game, roast, blackberry, plum, chocolate and pepper weave their way through the aromas and flavors of this wine. Big and rounded on the mid-palette, the wine firms up on the finish where the tannins and powerful structure help the bold flavors to linger on the massive finish. Still young, yet totally delicious right now, the 2016 will continue to evolve as the tannins continue to integrate into the wine. Should age for 20+ years or more.
![Beckmen Purisima Vertical 2023 102](https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2200&s=dde77483ae27d2250a49a8a49682096d 2200w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2000&s=01cdab5c2833f0bcfbdef69d7bf4a787 2000w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1125&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1800&s=b8534d8f181f657acf1f9d79ec873587 1800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1600&s=26c0bae669ad740cdffe41a92160b8bc 1600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=812&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1300&s=47deb58ecfc04bfd5bd5428e69e7c64e 1300w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=687&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1100&s=2ac5230512a3c494367968e771f84bbf 1100w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=562&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=900&s=4d7326130470770bbb9302b313cb1e3e 900w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=800&s=9e5d74b09f99aa3c8e189f20b657a50f 800w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=375&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=600&s=9071ffa3654e4854c573fb7d8ef6a983 600w, https://beckmen.imgix.net/general-images/Beckmen-Purisima-Vertical-2023-102.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&domain=beckmen.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=250&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=400&s=ece6488b6f7469ae09e14de87fc094ce 400w)
2018 | 100% Syrah
From the legendary 2018 vintage, this combo of Block Six and Clone 1 Syrah aged in 100% New French oak barrels is stunning. Not as powerful as the 2016, the 18 balances its depth and power with elegance. The conditions during harvest were ideal and this wine epitomizes the Beckmen Syrah style. Bacon fat, roasted game, plum, chocolate and blackberry aromas are outgoing and concentrated. The mouth is filled with more dark fruit, game, pepper and chocolate flavors that glide effortlessly across the palette. Balanced and juicy on the finish the wine shows the great acidity of the vintage. A stunning wine, it should age beautifully for the next 20 years.
2019 | 100% Syrah
The 2019 vintage was very similar to the 2018 vintage in terms of weather. It was another beautiful season that produced fantastic wines, highlighted by this release. Like all the wines in the flight, there is serious intention in crafting this wine. A clean, pure expression of PMV Syrah, the 2019 shows its savory side a bit more than the 18. Woodsy spice, pepper, cured meats, blackberry and chocolate aromas and flavors are abundant. The wine is round and elegant in the mouth but shows some nice tension on the mid-palette finishing very long with smooth, fine tannins and great acidity. A young wine that is drinking great today, the 2019 should age nicely for 20+ years.