Friday Sips

Founded in 1983, Qupe is a long-established Santa Barbara area (specifically Santa Maria) producer who excels beautifully with all varietals they work with. All syrah from California's central Coast (50% Santa Barbara & 24% Edna Valley, both cool climate areas and augmented with 26% warm climate Paso Robles fruit), this number is flavorful and fruit forward with notes of raspberry, cassis and white pepper. Nice generosity and suppleness all backed up nicely by brisk strawberry and earth notes, this luscious Syrah is a remarkable value that is very different from what is done in France or in Washington. A versatile, crowd-pleasing red to bring to friends' homes for any occasion, especially when you are not sure what they will be serving for dinner.

With this particular Syrah we take a jump up into one of Qupe's single vineyard sources. All from cool climate, this offering sees a touch more new oak (30%) and possesses more oomph and dimension. Smoked plum, chocolate, nutmeg, pronounced ground pepper and nuances of raspberry and olive fragrances entice beautifully. Smooth, lacy, chock full of succulence and cool red tones, especially on the well-cut, lingering, peppery finish. Drink this beauty over the next 7-10 years.

Being from cool climate, this wine doesn't put on the baseball bat and pound of butter routine. Now we're not going to be deceptive and pretend that there aren't some of those traits in this wine, it certainly has some, but Qupe crafts it so that there is ample balance and form. Combining lemon-zest, buttery, creamy pear and apple tones around engaging vanilla bean, there is plenty of richness that one finds in a Cali-Chard but also having enough acidity to provide plenty of lift. Nicely done stuff that works with fish tacos.