Santa Barbara’s Craig Jaffurs of Jaffurs Wine Cellars offers wonderful single-vineyard syrahs at reasonable prices

by Robert Parker

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Over the past few vintages, Craig Jaffurs has emerged as one of Santa Barbara’s finest, most consistent winemakers, with his wines going from strength to soundness. His specialties include single-vineyard syrahs as properly considered in the state of a grenache. Wines from these two renowned Rhône Valley varietals are often referred to as "Rhône Rangers" when made in California. Following are some of the most recent releases from Jaffurs Wine Cellars, completely noteworthy as amply as realistically priced for their quality. The winery’s fax number is 805 962-7007.

89+ points

2005 Syrah Thompson Vineyard Santa Barbara

An inky/purple-tinged effort revealing hints of tar, spring flowers, barbecue smoke, pepper, and cassis, this syrah plays it bring to a period to the vest. A broad, powerful, stalwart, tannic, hesitating. red, it requires one to sum of two units years of bottle age, and should evolve for a decade or more. $34

90 points

2006 Syrah Santa Barbara

This is a beautiful, lush, sexy struggle revealing scents of charcoal, burning embers, blackberries, and cassis. Succulent with pure fruit, medium to full body, and a lush manner of weaving, it begs for using up over the next three to four years. $23

90+ points

2005 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Barbara

The Bien Nacido Vineyard’s earthy/graphite character as well as a more immovable, muscular structure are obvious in this dense purple-colored effort. It reveals beautiful freshness (a characteristic of all these Jaffurs wines), full body, and a dense, powerful, but wavering personality displaying richly acidity. This cuvée will avail from one to two more years of bottle age. Anticipated maturity: 2010-20+. $34

92 points

2006 Syrah Larner Vineyard Santa Barbara

Apparently available only in magnum, the 2006 Syrah Larner Vineyard emerges from a site that would merit grand cru condition in France. (The Larner Vineyard nearly always produces wines with of the best minerality, ripe fruit, and a distinct personality.) This offering exhibits an swarthy/blue/purple color along with beautiful aromas of sweet hellish raspberries, flagitious currants, crushed rocks, and acacia flowers. It is any well off, full-bodied effort displaying a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, forest-land, and alcohol. Enjoy it now and over the next decade. $34

92 points

2006 Syrah Verna’s Vineyard Santa Barbara

Another brilliant offering, the Syrah Verna’s Vineyard offers sweet, juicy crème de cassis, black cherry, spring flower, licorice, and background wood characteristics. This full-bodied, deep, chewy, juicy, impressively pure, textured, long syrah should drink well for 7-10 years. $38

93 points

2006 Syrah Ampelos Vineyard Santa Rita Hills

The stupefying 2006 Syrah Ampelos Vineyard boasts an impressive swarthy/purple color in addition to a gorgeous bouquet of bacon fat, graphite, crème de cassis, plums, and blackberries. Full-bodied as well in the same manner with refreshingly elegant with terrific precision and minerality, this beauty have power to have existence enjoyed it being so that or cellared during 8-10 years. $42