2022 Samuel Louis Smith - Syrah Gabilan Mountains Coastview Vineyard (750ml)

Samuel Louis Smith is the personal project of winemaker Sam Smith, who founded the label in 2014 after early travels through Bordeaux sparked a fascination with wine and food. That interest led him to a cellar job at Brander Vineyard, then to harvests across Australia, Oregon, and California, where his palate gravitated toward the elegance of northern Rhône and Burgundy styles. Smith spent years as head winemaker at Morgan Winery in the Santa Lucia Highlands while quietly building Samuel Louis Smith into a respected micro-négociant project, sourcing fruit from cool, high-elevation sites across the Central Coast.

Coastview Vineyard sits at roughly 2,300 feet in the Gabilan Mountains, a remote, organically farmed site planted in 1999 on decomposed granite and limestone soils, high above the coastal fog line. That elevation keeps the growing season cool and slow before a rapid final push toward ripeness at harvest. Smith ferments the Syrah using native yeast through a pied de cuve starter, favoring a hands-off approach that lets the site's granite-driven minerality and tension carry through into the finished wine.

This Syrah shows black fruit and violet aromas layered with cracked pepper, savory herbs, and a touch of game, all lifted by the vineyard's signature freshness and lively acidity. Firm, fine-grained tannins give the wine real structure without ever feeling heavy. It pairs well with grilled quail, a wild mushroom tart, or a plate of aged Comté.