NoneSuch Syrah Stolo Vineyard 2021

Country: USA

Region: Central Coast

Type: Red Wine

Grape: Syrah

Winemaker Caitlin Quinn was raised in San Luis Obispo wine country, and has made wine for over a decade in California and abroad. Finding inspiration from her family, friends, and mentors in Santa Cruz and Sonoma Counties, she started NoneSuch Wines in 2017. Embracing minimalist winemaking techniques in order to express vineyard terroir fully, the grapes are hand-harvested and foot tread, fermented whole-cluster naturally with native yeasts, and aged in entirely neutral oak barrels. Quinn has also served as Assistant Winemaker at Arnot-Roberts since 2014.

The Stolo vineyard was planted in 1998 by the legendary Rhône proponent John Alban. The site is just 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean, right outside of the quaint coastal town of Cambria, west of Paso Robles in the northern part of the new San Luis Obispo Coast AVA. The site is perpetually cold, windy and foggy, allowing for slow ripening and full flavor development at low sugars. The vines grow in sandy clay loam alluvial soils derived from weathered sedimentary rock. The site is managed by Rajat Parr, who has taken over the estate’s winemaking as well.

The organically-farmed Syrah was hand-harvested and the grapes were foot-trod and fermented 100% whole cluster with native yeast, then pressed and aged in 3 neutral oak barrels for eight months. Quinn says, "As a native of SLO county, this site represents so much of what  loved about growing up in the rolling coastal hills, it truly smells like home. I am honored to work with this beautiful site that has been dedicated to growing Syrah in such a truly cold climate for over 20 years, and I am thrilled with the first vintage I made from this site."