Vineyard Summary Ambassador's Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley (estate)20 acres planted in 1990Deep mesa soils with superior drainageBalanced sun exposure for even ripeningChapoutier (Estrella River) clone Harvest Date October 1 Barrel Aging 18 months French oak (50% new) Varietal Composition Syrah 100% Final Analysis Alcohol by Volume 14.5% TA .68 pH 3.49 Total Production 1,630 cases

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TASTING NOTES

Our 2005 Syrah from Ambassador's Vineyard offers toasty aromas of black fruits, violets and spice. Rich, chewy flavors of blueberry and black cherry anticipate accents of mocha and vanilla. The texture is clean and focused, finishing with juicy tannins and hints of white pepper.

Winemaker Chuck Carlson

AMBASSADOR'S VINEYARD

Ambassador's Vineyard unfolds along a tall mesa adjacent to our winery. Here, ancient geographic upheaval yielded a unique and exceptional winegrowing environment. The mesa's level terrain ensures balanced sun exposure, enabling the grapes to achieve cohesive ripeness, while the gravelly loam soil coaxes additional intensity and nuance from the fruit. Cooling breezes from the Santa Barbara coastline provide the final touch, resulting in a richly flavored Syrah with depth and complexity.

WINEMAKING

After gentle destemming, the must was cold soaked for five days prior to fermentation to capture the fruit's pure character and color. Fermentation was initiated with D254 yeast, a Rhône Valley strain that enhances mouthfeel and mid-palate richness. The pomace was pressed in a traditional wooden basket press to ensure pure flavor and color extraction. The wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.

ABOUT CURTIS WINERY

Since our inaugural vintage in 1995, Curtis Winery has specialized in small lots of Rhône-style wines from Santa Barbara County's Santa Ynez Valley. Our vineyards are nestled into the sun-kissed coastal terrain surrounding our winery, where a singular synergy of soil and climate yields grapes of remarkable intensity and balance. Winemaker Chuck Carlson crafts our wines in small individual lots, employing the gentlest hands-on methods to nurture every nuance of both vineyard and vintage. We are honored to share with you what nature alone can give us.