Reviews
“Jeremy Weintraub has a magic touch in crafting wines that are rich, vibrant, and yet highly site-specific”–Antonio Galloni
“Site Wines in California’s Santa Barbara County is doing some of the coolest red Rhône varieties you’ll see in the States right now,” Micah Clark, Wine Director, The Restaurant at Meadowood. Michelin 3-stars
“This is the personal project of winemaker Jeremy Weintraub, whose day gig is overseeing Adelaida Cellars. Weintraub arrived on the Central Coast after a stint as winemaker at Seavey Vineyard in Napa. He sources fruit, but not a lot of it, from some of California’s most renowned sites. His wines tend to be full-flavored but not heavy.”–Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com
2020 SITE Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards: 94. “The 2020 Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards is singular and exotic on the nose with gregarious scents of guava, mango, olive, honeycomb, ginger and peach. The full-bodied palate is expansive and pleasantly oily with wave after wave of savory fruit, refreshing acidity and a long, layered finish. Yum!” Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
2020 SITE Red Wine Larner Vineyard: 96. “Deep ruby, the 2020 Red Wine Larner Vineyard features scents of bacon fat, grilled game meats, cedar, cigar box and underbrush with a core of black and red currant. The full-bodied palate is powerful yet refreshing, with a supple tannic frame, concentrated yet detailed flavors and a long finish with some lingering baking spice character.” Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
2020 SITE Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards: 97 “Bright cassis, blue fruits, violets, ground black pepper, and spring flower notes all emerge from the 2020 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards, an absolutely gorgeous Syrah offering classic Bien Nacido power and richness, full body, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s approachable today but will take 7-8 years to hit full maturity and have 20-25 years of overall longevity.” Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2020 SITE Grenache Larner Vineyard: 95. “Opaque ruby-purple, the 2020 Grenache Larner Vineyard explodes from the glass with intense aromas of powdered sugar, cherry candy, bacon fat, allspice and a deep core of pomegranate, blueberry and raspberry. The medium-bodied palate is soft and energetic with generous flavor layers and a long, spicy finish with a touch of lingering baking spice. Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
2019 SITE Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards: 95. “Coming all from the Stolpman Vineyard in Ballard Canyon and 100% varietal, the 2019 Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards has a gorgeous nose of spiced peach, honeyed apple, brioche, and hints of green almonds. This carries to a medium to full-bodied white that’s brilliantly balanced and has integrated acidity, a great mid-palate, and a clean finish. This is pure class and just a terrific white.” Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2019 SITE Red Wine Larner Vineyard: 97. “The 2019 Red Wine Larner Vineyard is a blend of 87% Syrah, 10% Grenache, and a splash of Viognier. It offers a deep purple hue to go with a totally brilliant nose of ripe blackberries, blueberries, ground pepper, game, and violets. Pure class on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a seamless, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Spectacular juice, it should evolve for a decade.” Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2019 SITE Grenache Larner Vineyard: 96. “Deep ruby purple, the 2019 Grenache Larner Vineyard takes time to reveal layers of blueberry and blackberry preserves with tones of dark spices, blood orange, cast iron and violet, the aromas continually shifting as you return to the glass. The medium-bodied palate offers super intense, spicy fruits on a slender frame of grainy tannins, with bursts of fresh acidity elevating the long finish. Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
2019 SITE Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards: 96. “The 2019 SITE Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards is fabulous. Inky and explosive, the 2019 offers up a mélange of blackberry jam, cloves, new leather, licorice and bittersweet chocolate. Even with all of its natural richness, the 2019 remains fresh and vibrant in the glass. It is quite simply one of the very finest wines I have tasted from Jeremy Weintraub. Impressive. Antonio Galloni, Vinous
2018 SITE Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards
95 “Coming all from the Stolpman Vineyard in Ballard Canyon and 100% varietal, the 2019 Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards has a gorgeous nose of spiced peach, honeyed apple, brioche, and hints of green almonds. This carries to a medium to full-bodied white that’s brilliantly balanced and has integrated acidity, a great mid-palate, and a clean finish. This is pure class and just a terrific white.” Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2018 SITE Red Wine Larner Vineyard.
96 “The 2018 Red Wine Larner Vineyard is Syrah-based but includes 17% Grenache and 4% Viognier, all fermented with 23% whole clusters and brought up in 50% new oak. Deep purple-colored, with fabulous notes of smoked blackberries, cassis, ground pepper, and violets, it’s full-bodied and has a seamless texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It might be the finest wine I’ve tasted under this label.” Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2018 SITE Grenache Larner Vineyard:
94 “The 2018 Grenache Larner Vineyard is a big, bold wine. Dark red cherry, blackberry, spice, leather and tobacco are all kicked up a few notches in this decidedly ample, full-bodied Grenache. Jeremy Weintraub takes all the signatures of Larner, one of the top sites in Ballard Canyon, and turns the volume up to 11. Superb. Antonio Galloni, Vinous
2018 SITE Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards:
96 “The 2018 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards was mostly destemmed (90%) and spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. It’s another inky hued effort that brings both richness and elegance. Lots of darker, briny fruits, smoked game, and black pepper notes give way to a medium to full-bodied wine that has silky yet present tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. It’s going to evolve for 15 years or more. Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2018 SITE Viognier Larner Vineyard
91 “A terrific wine, the 2018 Viognier Larner Vineyard is 100% varietal and spent 8 months in neutral barrels. Notes of buttered tropical fruits, honeysuckle, pineapple, and white flowers all flow to a medium-bodied Viognier that has a rounded, seamless texture, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. It’s impeccably made and is going to shine on the dinner table.” Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2017 SITE Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards
93 “Bright green-tinged straw. Penetrating aromas of ripe citrus and pit fruits are complicated by suggestions of ginger, pungent flowers and dusty minerals. Juicy and deeply concentrated, offering intense white peach, pear nectar and tangerine flavors that show outstanding clarity and minerally back-end cut. The floral note repeats strongly on the incisive finish, which lingers with excellent focus and spicy tenacity.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
2017 SITE Grenache Larner Vineyard
95 “The 2017 Grenache Larner Vineyard is laced with the essence of sweet red cherry, pomegranate, mint and blood orange, that are all kicked up a few notches by bright acids. The 2017 needs a few years in bottle to be at its best, but it is very clearly a stunning wine just the same.” Antonio Galloni, Vinous
2017 SITE Red Wine Larner Vineyard
93 “Opaque ruby-black in color, it’s showing well, with aromas of red and black currants, black cherry pie, blueberry preserves, charcuterie, cracked pepper, olive and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, rich and intense, it gives up oodles of savory tricolored fruits with pleasantly chewy tannins and surprising freshness, finishing very long. This is a beauty!” Erin Brooks, robertparker.com
2017 SITE Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards
96 “(T)he 2017 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards has a more meaty bouquet that carries brilliant cassis and darker berry fruits, salted meats, ground pepper, violets, and lavender notes. Full-bodied, concentrated, voluptuous, and incredibly seamless on the palate, it has another level of polished elegance. It’s brilliant Syrah from this talented winemaker to enjoy over the coming decade or more.” Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2016 Site Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard
95, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
95, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
94, Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
2016 Site Grenache Larner Vineyard
95, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
93, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
92, Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
2016 Site Red Wine, Larner Vineyard
93, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
92, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
93, Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
2017 Site Viognier, Larner Vineyard
93, Josh Raynolds, Vinous
90, Jeb Dunnuck , jebdunnuck.com
92, Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
2016 Site Roussanne, Stolpman Vineyards
92, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
92, Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
2015 Site Syrah, Bien Nacido Vineyards
93, Josh Raynolds, Vinous
94+, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate
2015 Site Grenache, Larner Vineyard
93, Josh Raynolds, Vinous
92+, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
92, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate
2015 Site Red Wine
92, Josh Raynolds, Vinous
92, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
92, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate
Past Vintages
2014 Site Wines Grenache Larner Vineyard
Review by Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
Rating: 95
The 2014 Grenache Larner Vineyard, which incorporates 20% Syrah, comes from the sandy, limestone soils of one of the top sites in Ballard Canyon. Notes of smoke, liquid blackberry, crushed rock and ground herbs all emerge from this 2014, which is full-bodied, deep, rich, tannic and concentrated. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink through 2024. The Grenache was aged 20 months in neutral barrels, and the Syrah spent 20 months in puncheons. I continue to be blown away by these wines from winemaker Jeremy Weintraub, who’s also the winemaker for Adelaida in Paso Robles. Focusing on Rhone varieties, mostly from Ballard Canyon, the wines see a small amount of whole clusters, with the Grenache always aged in neutral puncheons and the Syrah mostly in new barrels. These are pure, balanced reds that possess top notch varietal character.
2014 Site Wines Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards
Review by Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
Rating: 95
More approachable than the 2013, the 2014 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard comes from a cool site located just to the east of the town of Santa Maria. It’s within sight of the Pacific Ocean, and I always find a cool climate and marine style in the wines from this vineyard. This 2014 offers tons of black raspberry, cracked pepper, violets and sea breeze-like characteristics to go with a full-bodied, supple, polished, even sexy profile on the palate, with its oak component covered by pure fruit. Made from 100% Syrah that spent 20 months in new oak, drink bottles over the coming 5-7 years.
2014 Site Wines Red Wine Larner Vineyard
Review by Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
Rating: 94
A step up over the 2013, with fabulous black raspberry, toasted spice, lavender and crushed flower-like aromas and flavors in its full-bodied, expansive, sexy and voluptuous personality, the 2014 Red Wine Larner Vineyard has tons of fruit, yet stays lively and weightless on the palate, with terrific purity and length. Made from 75% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 5% Viognier, with the Syrah aged in new puncheons and the Grenache in neutral barrels, it will dish out loads of pleasure over the coming 7-8 years.
2014 Site Wines Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards
Review by Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
Rating: 94
One of the best Roussannes I was able to taste from California, Weintraub’s 2014 Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards is a fresh, lively, yet also rich and full-bodied white that has rocking notes of buttered citrus, flower oil, brioche and honeysuckle. Aged eight months in neutral oak, it’s a head-turner readers should snatch up. It should drink nicely for at least 2-4 years.
2014 Site Wines Viognier Larner Vineyard
Review by Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
Rating: 93
Another winner is the 2014 Viognier from the Larner Vineyard. Aged eight months in neutral oak, it offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of white peach, flowers and honeyed tangerine to go with a rich, layered texture and a great finish. Bottled unfiltered, drink it over the coming couple of years.
2013 Site Wines Grenache Larner Vineyard
Review by Jeb Dunnuck
Rating: 94
The inky colored 2013 Grenache from the Larner Vineyard incorporates 20% Syrah and saw a touch of whole clusters in the fermentation. As is normal here, Jeremy aged the Grenache in neutral barrels and the Syrah in new barrels. Notes of blueberry, blackberry, smoked earth, cured meats and truffle all emerge from this full-bodied, rich, gorgeously textured and layered Grenache. It has fine, polished tannin, notable purity and freshness and will drink well for 7-8 years.
2013 Site Wines Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards
Review by Jeb Dunnuck
Rating: 94
Another top notch wine from Weintraub is the 2013 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard, which saw 15% stems and 20 months in new oak. Sporting classic Bien Nacido notes of liquid blackberries, pepper, herbs and marine-like salinity, this full-bodied, fresh and lively effort has good concentration and a tight, slightly closed feel, all suggesting it will benefit from short term cellaring. Give bottles a few years and drink over the following decade.
2013 Site Wines Red Wine Larner Vineyard
Review by Jeb Dunnuck
Rating: 92
The 2013 Red Wine Larner Vineyard is the same blend as the 2014 (75% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 5% Viognier) and saw 10% whole clusters and 20 months in mostly new French oak (the Grenache saw only neutral puncheons). Giving up lots of plums, blackberry and blueberry fruits, violets and sappy herbs, it’s medium to full-bodied, elegant and graceful, with good acidity and a clean, fresh finish. The purity of fruit is first rate and it should see its 10th birthday in fine form.
2013 Site Wines Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards
Review by Jeb Dunnuck
Rating: 91
The 2013 Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards is terrific. Checking is as 100% varietal and fermented and aged eight months in a combination of new and neutral French oak puncheons (with some lees stirring), it offers classic white currants, licorice, toasted nut and spice notes on the nose. There’s a healthy kick of oak here, but this will largely integrate in the next couple of months. Medium to full-bodied, ripe and nicely textured, it’s a beautiful Roussanne that will evolve nicely over the coming 3-5 years.
2013 Site Wines Viognier Larner Vineyeard
Review by Jeb Dunnuck
Rating: 91
An impressive Viognier that has real varietal typicity, the 2013 Viognier from Site Wines comes all from the sandy soils in Santa Barbara County’s Ballard Canyon and saw eight months in neutral barrels. Made in a big, rich style, with lots of white peach, buttered lemon, orange peal and vanilla cream, it’s medium to full-bodied, textured and lively, with a clean finish. It should drink nicely for 2-3 years.
Fred Swan Wine
2013 Site Viognier Larner Vineyard Ballard Canyon
Rating: 95
Drop-dead gorgeous with flavors and aromas of beeswax, white flowers and tangerine pith. Medium+ body with soft, fine-grained texture so lovely I didn’t want to swallow.
2013 Site Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards Ballard Canyon
Rating: 95
Very, very fine and unctuous on the long, full-bodied palate. Elegantly dried-apricotted. Crazy good.
2013 Site Red Wine Larner Vineyard Ballard Canyon
Rating: 96
Bacon fat, smoke & rich but restrained dark fruit. Medium+ body with soft, fine-grained texture. Super long. Syrah 75%, Grenache 20%, Viognier 5%
2013 Site Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards Santa Maria Valley
Rating: 94
Full-bodied but fresh with fine-grained texture and long, concentrated flavors of black olive, dark plum and Chinese five-spice.
Vinous.com
2015 Site Wines Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards
Review by Josh Raynolds
Rating: 93
Light brilliant yellow. Heady, expressive aromas of ripe citrus and pit fruits, complicated by suggestions of fennel, chalky minerals, jasmine and honey. Pliant, sharply focused Meyer lemon, nectarine and candied ginger flavors are given spine and lift by juicy acidity, which adds back-end cut. Effortlessly blends power and elegance, and closes extremely long and juicy, featuring a repeating mineral note and a touch of bitter peach pit. The case could pretty easily be made that the best Roussanne bottlings out of California, if not the entire New World, come from the Stolpman family’s meticulously farmed 18-acre vineyard in Ballard Canyon, which was first planted in 1992.
2015 Site Wines Viognier Larner Vineyard
Review by Josh Raynolds
Rating: 92
Green-tinged yellow. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh pear, peach, honey and smoky minerals. Rich and fleshy but lively as well; a spine of juicy acidity adds lift and cut to ripe orchard and pit fruit and floral flavors. Finishes silky, focused and impressively long, showing a persistent pear nectar note and a touch of firming minerality.
2015 Site Wines Grenache Larner Vineyard
Review by Josh Raynolds
Rating: 93
Brilliant ruby. Ripe red berries, candied flowers and Asian spices on the highly fragrant nose. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering alluringly sweet raspberry, cherry and boysenberry flavors that show a refreshingly spicy edge on the back half. Rich yet energetic in style, featuring seamless texture and very good focus. Closes on an emphatic red fruit note, delivering soft, rounded tannins and outstanding persistence.
2015 Site Wines Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards
Review by Josh Raynolds
Rating: 93
Bright purple. Smoke- and mineral-accented cherry and cassis scents are complemented by suggestions of candied violet and Indian spices. Supple and deeply concentrated yet lively as well, offering sweet black and blue fruit and floral pastille flavors that are lifted and sharpened by a spine of juicy acidity. Appealingly sweet and energetic in style, finishing with excellent clarity and smooth, slow-building tannins.
2013 Site Wines Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards
Review by Josh Raynolds
Rating: 92
Bright yellow. Toasty, mineral-laced aromas of fresh orchard and pit fruits, with a suave floral element emerging as the wine opens in the glass. Fleshy and broad on entry, then tighter in the middle, offering juicy pear and peach pit flavors and an exotic twist of iodine. Anise and smoke note linger impressively on the gripping finish.
2013 Site Wines Viognier Larner Vineyard
Review by Josh Raynolds
Rating: 91
Light, vivid gold. Textbook varietal scents of ripe pit fruits, violet and ginger, with a touch of smoky minerals adding vibrancy. At once rich and lively, offering sappy nectarine and melon flavors that tighten up and become spicier with aeration. Shows very good clarity and lift on the persistent finish, which leaves floral and peach pit notes behind.
Purely Domestic Wine Report
2015 Site Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards
Review by Doug Wilder
Rating: 95
There is tremendous energy in this bottle. The first hint is the coffee brown tartaric acid on the bottom of the cork. Crystals are an indicator of minimal intervention in the winemaking process though in a white wine they are usually white. The wine is nearly amber in color, with a ripe perfumed nose of golden stone fruit and dried currant, accented by notes of honey and cool bay leaf. The palate is motor oil viscous with apricot, wax, dried lemon and subtle notes of salt. An experience. Drink 2017 – 2024.
2015 Site Viognier Larner Vineyard
Review by Doug Wilder
Rating: 93
The nose is a classic honeysuckle with lemon oil and buttercream frosting. The palate is washed lemon curd, nectarine, jasmine and peach with notes of toffee and piecrust. Drink 2017 – 2024.
2014 Site Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards
Review by Doug Wilder
Rating: 96
The nose is an intense peppercorn, plum and nectarine with an overarching earthy graphite loam. The palate is a dense black plum, lavender and luxurious bacon fat richness. This is the most expressive Syrah yet from this producer. Drink 2017 – 2028.
2014 Site Red Wine Larner Vineyard
Review by Doug Wilder
Rating: 94
Exceptional aromatics, red fruit, spice box, florals, peppercorn, carbonized meat and espresso. The palate is pure blackberry, boysenberry and caramel with notes of fig and violet bounded by notable acidity. Drink 2017 – 2027.
2014 Site Grenache Larner Vineyard
Review by Doug Wilder
Rating: 94
The nose is a macerated raspberry and an intense thread of velvet-like cherry and plum. The palate is a deep, polished blackberry and fig with a baked tart impression of pastry and notes of melon and sandalwood. Firm chocolate-flecked acidity. Drink 2017 – 2025.
2012 Site Red Wine Larner Vineyard
Review by Doug Wilder
Rating: 95
A nose of black licorice, sweet hints of pineapple with espresso, carbon and layered black fruits. The palate is exceptionally polished blackberry, currant, coffee bean, chocolate and lavender. This is a don’t miss wine! Drink 2015 – 2024.
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
2012 Site Wines Red Wine Larner Vineyard
Review by Jeb Dunnuck
Rating: 94
The first red wine from Site Wines, the 2012 Red Wine comes from Ballard Canyon and is 75% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 5% Viognier that saw a touch of stem inclusion and 18 months in 75% new French oak. It’s inky purple color is followed by gorgeous notes of blackberries, licorice, vanilla bean and smoked meats. Full-bodied, pure, elegant and layered, it’s a stunning Syrah that has fruit, texture, structure and elegance. Give it a year and drink bottles through 2024. Bravo to winemaker Jeremy Weintraub for a terrific wine.
2012 Site Wines Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards
Review by Jeb Dunnuck
Rating: 94
Possessing slightly more minerality than the Red Wine cuvee, the 2012 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard gives up lots of classic cool-climate Syrah notes of smoked meats, crushed rocks, liquid smoke and graphite on the nose. This carries to a full-bodied, fresh and focused Syrah that has noteworthy purity, building richness and a great finish. Fermented with 10% stems and aged 18 months in 80% new French oak, it’s another serious red that will have 10-12 years of overall longevity.
2012 Site Wines Grenache Larner Vineyard
Review by Jeb Dunnuck
Rating: 91
Incorporating 15% Syrah, the 2012 Grenache is another beautiful wine that sports a deep, inky color to go with lots of darker fruits, charred wood, cracked pepper and wood smoke. Aged 18 months in neutral oak, it’s medium-bodied, has excellent purity and sweet tannin. It took some time to open up and should be at its best from 2017-2022.
2012 Site Wines Roussanne
Review by Jeb Dunnuck
Rating: 92
The 2012 Roussanne is totally gorgeous! Seeing 8 months in 35% new French oak, it has fabulous richness in its stone fruits, salty minerality and brioche-styled bouquet. Full-flavored and layered on the palate, with terrific purity, it’s a serious Roussanne to enjoy over the coming 3-4 years. Another new producer for me, these wines are made by Jeremy Weintraub, who’s also the winemaker at Adelaida in Paso Robles. Both of these whites were excellent.
Purely Domestic Wine Report
2012 Site Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards
Review by Doug Wilder
Rating: 93
Showing deep aromas of blackberry, brown spice, dark cherry, florals and sweet whiff of cognac-dipped currant. The palate is concentrated blackberry and carbon with nuances of sweet black fruits. Supple in the mouth with beautiful balance and depth. Drink 2015 – 2024.
2012 Site Grenache Larner Vineyard
Review by Doug Wilder
Rating: 92
A nose of deeply scented blackberry, java, raspberry and lavender with notes of olive and tomato. The palate entry is fairly firm with a core of black raspberry liqueur, carbon and Asian spice. A bit of bottle aging will help this blossom. Drink 2016 – 2020.
Vinous.com
2012 Site Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard
Review by Josh Reynolds Dec 2014
Rating: 92
Opaque ruby. Heady dark berry liqueur, olive paste, woodsmoke and floral aromas are complemented by anise and cracked pepper. Classic syrah, offering broad, sweet black and blue fruit flavors and a suave violet pastille quality that gains strength in the glass. This sappy, penetrating wine finishes with strong thrust and velvety, late-arriving tannins. There’s 15.5% alcohol here but I don’t get any undue heat.
2012 Site Grenache Larner Vineyard
Review by Josh Reynolds Dec 2014
Rating: 92
Brilliant ruby-red. An explosively perfumed bouquet evokes red fruit preserves, incense, smoky minerals and lavender. Coats the palate with intense raspberry and floral pastille flavors that are sharpened and lifted by a zesty mineral nuance. Rich but lively and precise, showing strong finishing cut and cling and silky tannins that add shape. This sexy grenache benefits a lot from aeration.
2012 Site Red Wine Larner Vineyard
Review by Josh Reynolds Dec 2014
Rating: 91
Saturated ruby. Powerful dark berry, floral pastille and violet aromas are complemented by olive, cola and woodsmoke. Plush, expansive blueberry and black raspberry flavors show very good depth, picking up a spicy element with aeration. Rich yet lively and focused, with fine-grained tannins lending grip and punch to the strong finish. Give this still-young wine some air or a few more years of bottle age.
The Wine Enthusiast
2012 Site Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard
Review by Matt Kettmann
Rating: 93
Made by Adelaida’s winemaker Jeremy Weintraub, this bottling shows asphalt, concentrated violets and lilacs, black peppercorns and dried blueberry on the nose. Similar elements arise on the dynamically dark palate, along with black tobacco, boysenberry, leather and beef-char flavors. The structure is strong but not in the way.
2012 Site Wines Grenache Larner Vineyard
Review by Matt Kettmann
Rating: 93
Dark violets, sagebrush, olallieberry and a touch of smoked plums greet the nose on this bottling by Jeremy Weintraub, winemaker for Adelaida and formerly Seavey, who is focusing this project on renowned vineyards. The palate is high and tight at first with sanguine and iodine elements, opening toward black pepper, licorice, black and red currants and broader cherry flavors.
2012 Site Wines Red Wine Larner Vineyard
Review by Matt Kettmann
Rating: 93
Wet, hot concrete, blueberry paste, olallieberry jelly and black-fig aromas swirl on the nose of this delicious boutique bottling by Jeremy Weintraub, also winemaker at Adelaida. The palate is evenly measured, showing a solid structure with grippy black fruits, espresso, cola and Dr Pepper flavors.
2012 Site Wines Viognier Larner Vineyard
Review by Matt Kettmann
Rating: 92 Editor’s Choice
From an area better known for red wines, this bottling by Paso Robles-based Jeremy Weintraub shows the strong white wine potential of this new Santa Barbara County appellation. Aromas of peach, cherimoya and white truffle cream lead into a waxy, restrained palate that shows golden flesh fruit, beeswax, a bit of yogurt and a minerally snap.