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At the southern end of California’s Central Coast, Santa Barbara County is an epicentre for expressive, nuanced Syrah. Exposure to the Pacific Ocean and the Transverse Ranges provide insulation from the desert-like conditions surrounding the region.
With 485ha of vines, Syrah is the third most planted grape variety in Santa Barbara County, after Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Scroll down for Matthew Luczy’s top-scoring Santa Barbara County Syrahs
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"}
Matthew Luczy’s top Santa Barbara County Syrahs to try
The first nine wines below were tasted by Matthew Luczy in December 2020. The other wines were tasted on previous occasions.
{}
{"wineId":"46381","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"46382","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"46383","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"46384","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"46385","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"41539","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"46386","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"46387","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"46388","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"40958","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"40959","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"41538","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"41550","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"32479","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"40961","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"32091","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"40960","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"41536","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"41537","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"32965","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"32485","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
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