Ledge, James Berry Vineyard, Grenache Blend, Santa Barbara, California, 2021

Overview of the Wine
Mark Adams, a West side Paso Robles native, grew up on the very ranch he now farms, and lives in his childhood home. Mom and Dad are in the house just across the meadow. Adams' parents bought the land - now called Adams Ranch Vineyards - in the mid-'70s, to raise cattle and grow the occasional grain crop. It wasn't until 2005 that the first grapes were planted.

Heading back to Paso might always have been in the back of Adams' mind, but he started out on a very different path. An Americana musician, he was living in Los Angeles and working as a sound effects editor at Sony when the opportunity arose to farm his parents' land. To get some experience, he turned to childhood pal Justin Smith, a well-respected winemaker and vineyard consultant, who gave him a job working at Saxum and its James Berry Vineyard just a mile from his land.

In 2005, Adams, his wife, Ciera, and a bunch of college friends collected cuttings and planted them on their own roots on his parents' land - mostly sand and clay. The grapes were primarily Syrah, with just a touch of Grenache and Mourvedre.

"We had no certified rootstock; we didn't have a budget, crews or infrastructure," he recalls. "It was a wild, ill-advised ride for sure."

Fortunately, they lucked out with a winter deluge, and his 5 acres of planted land began to take off. Ultimately, Adams says he'd like to have about 35 acres in vine. Now in his third year of production, Adams recently released 150 cases of the 2011 Adams Ranch Vineyard Syrah. Two hundred cases of the 2012 will be bottled this year, and the 2013 vintage should double that.

Winemaker
Mark Adams

Grape / Blend
75% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 3% Roussanne

Origin
Santa Barbara, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
All varietals cofermented in a stainless tank. Roughly 3 weeks from harvest to press, with 1-3 days of cold soak maceration prior to fermentation and 1-7 days of extended maturation after. Syrah was about 60% whole cluster fermented and the Roussanne 100% whole cluster. Pumpovers at onset of fermentation, followed by delestage and punchdowns at least twice daily until completion. Homogenized free run and press. Shallow clay loam topsoil covering an ancient seabed.

99 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
Awesome notes of kirsch liqueur, ground pepper, spring flowers, and graphite all define the aromatics of the 2021 James Berry Vineyard, an incredibly complex, layered, sensationally textured wine with a rare, multi-dimensional, remarkably compelling style. Already hard to resist, this is pure Paso Robles magic that readers should do their best to get ahold of. The blend is 75% Grenache, 22% Syrah, and 3% Roussanne that was fermented with plenty of stems and will spend 20 months in new French oak.

 Product size: 750ml