Description
Bien Nacido Estate, “Well Born Cuvée” Syrah
It isn’t fabrication when I say my first words upon tasting today’s exclusive offer were “this is the greatest Syrah I’ve had at this price.” You’d think a needle-in-the-haystack discovery like that would be both dramatically shocking and revelatory, but it all makes perfect sense once the label is revealed. This is Bien Nacido Estate, a modest California operation that has quickly become my preferred label of choice when seeking out Syrah that competes with the titians of Rhône. Furthermore, Bien Nacido’s epic “Well Born Cuvée” is about as insider as it gets: This special label has been reserved for restaurants and wine bars since its inception but given the circumstances, we were granted exclusive access to the remaining allocation.
Why is it so exciting? It’s a near carbon copy of their elite $60 Syrah bottling at half the price. Coming from the exact same parcel and sustainably farmed with the same painstaking detail, the only major difference is that this is built for earlier consumption, as evidenced by the 100% neutral French oak and abbreviated aging period. Still, nothing is lost in the way of expression. This wine is perfumed to the highest degree and delivers the purest and most classic Syrah experience I’ve ever found under $30. And remember, if you don’t take advantage now, you can forget searching the internet—you’ll forever be scouring restaurants/wine bars in search of a bottle.
Bien Nacido Estate is named for what is arguably the most famous vineyard in the United States: First planted by the Miller family in 1973, this legendary site has been branded a “Top Grand Cru Vineyard,” “Vineyard of the Year,” and “Top 25 Vineyard of the World.” Accordingly, dozens of California’s top producers have jockeyed to slap “Bien Nacido” on their labels, and the reason why is explained below.
In the mid-1850s, the Ontiveros family was granted a deed to a parcel originally called Rancho Tepusquet, near Santa Barbara in California. This was a land grant offered by the then-Governor of Mexico as a homestead for his daughter and new son-in-law to create a future and family. From the first days of their time at Rancho Tepusquet, the Ontiveros family had raised cows, horses, and other livestock next to a small tributary of the Santa Maria River. With a crystalline water source and nearly 2,000 acres of pasture land, the family started building their home. Then came Bob and Steve Miller, members of their own fourth-generation farming family, both of whom found this pristine property in 1969 when they were offered two contiguous parcels of land that were part of the original Rancho Tepusquet. With the chance to continue a tradition of farming sustainably and focusing on the highest quality, the two original parcels were reunited and rechristened “Bien Nacido.” Directly (and appropriately) translated as “well-born,” Bien Nacido is about as purebred as vineyards come.
Bob and Steve saw this land as a perfect home for wine grapes. Santa Maria Valley is technically classified as a “Winkler Region 1b.” This is as cold, in terms of average temperature, as Champagne; the Mosel Valley in Germany; Kremstal in Austria; and Burgundy’s Cote d’Or. Understanding this, the Millers planted the vineyard with the first certified virus-free clones of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from UC Davis in 1973. Syrah followed soon after.
Bien Nacido proudly claims to be the United States’ most influential single-vineyard source, with more than 160 producers over 44 years having used “Bien Nacido” on their labels. Only top vineyards in Burgundy have been designated more, and I am certain that has something to do with their 700-year history. Having been inspired by this, Steve Miller’s youngest son, Nicholas (now the fifth generation) decided to make some of their own small-production wines starting in the late 2000s.
Bien Nacido Estate wines are made to showcase their sustainably farmed, cool-climate terroir by minimizing hands-on factors in the winery. This 2018 “Well Born Cuvée” hails entirely from their “Z Block” vines—the exact same parcel used for their $60 Estate Syrah. After a nighttime harvest, the plump berries were transferred to Bien Nacido Estate’s onsite winery where fermentation (partial whole cluster) occurred via ambient yeasts. As this is meant to be an earlier-drinking version, 100% neutral French oak puncheons (600 liters) were used, and maturation lasted nine months. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
From Master Sommelier and Bien Nacido Brand Ambassador himself: “The biggest takeaways, are that this is not a different parcel, not different fruit, not different winemakers. It is what we believe to be a look at the wines from a fresher standpoint. They carry all the charm, elegance, and precision of their Estate counterparts in a ready-to-drink package.” And if you’ve ever been fortunate to try a bottle of their Syrah or coveted “X Block,” then your taste receptors should be going haywire. Bien Nacido is Syrah in perfect authentic form, Syrahs that gush with aromatic gusto and impeccable precision—and to taste one at just $29 is beyond comprehension. It displays a vibrant black/dark purple in the glass and, with a brief decant, spills out incredible aromas of boysenberry, blueberry, black cherry, black plum, licorice, violets, lavender, olive tapenade, cured meat, cracked pepper, whole clove, and dried herbs. The palate is a sublime tour de force that exudes plush brambleberry fruit and a firm mineral backbone further enhanced by refreshing acidity. This is the paragon of value Syrah, one that will go head to head with the top bottlings of Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph. Put it to the test!
