The 2007 vintage was terrific for California’s Central Coast and yielded concentrated, yet voluptuous wines that have aged remarkably well.
The year started with a cold, dry winter resulting in tiny berries and lighter cluster weights. This was followed by a dry, moderate summer that saw small heat spikes in August before cooling off in September which allowed plenty of leeway for picking dates.
On release, the wines were deeply colored and intense, yet had good acidity and surprisingly sweet tannins. Now at 10 years after the vintage, the wines have for the most part reached full maturity yet have aged gracefully. While the top Syrahs are brilliant, I was surprised at how well the Pinot Noirs showed, as well as the overall consistency across the board. This speaks a lot to the quality of the winemakers, as well as the vintage. I was able to do a similar 10-year retrospective in Paso Robles and quality was much more erratic.
In short, 2007 was a great vintage for Santa Barbara County and the wines are showing plenty of class today and drinking well.
All of these wines were all tasted in the fall of 2017.