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The Trader Joe’s Reserve Santa Barbara Syrah 2021 is a Trader Joe’s $9.99 exclusive. This Syrah is produced by the Miller Family Wine Company they are a fifth-generation wine company that owns 1,500 acres of vineyards in Paso Robles. They are also part of Thornhill Companies which own the acclaimed Bien Nacido and French Camp vineyards in the Central Coast AVA.
For you long-time Trader Joe’s wine drinkers, Thornhill also owns Central Coast Wine Warehouse which seemed to produce every third of TJ’s wine ten years ago. They are a huge wine operation with exceptional vineyard properties.
Santa Barbara is 100 miles north of Los Angeles and is known for producing fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines and it is home (along with other Central Coast wineries) to the Rhone Rangers. While other California wine regions pattern themselves after Bordeaux (Napa) or Burgundy (Carneros or Russian River) they take inspiration from the French Rhone Valley.
The Trader Joe’s Reserve Santa Barbara Syrah 2021 uses Syrah which is the grape used in the Northern Rhone, while Syrah is blended with Grenache and Mourvedre in the Southern Rhone.
French Syrah is very different in style from Australian Shiraz (same grape different spelling). The Aussie version is often a high-alcohol, bold, spicy wine, the Rhone version is plump and juicy, but refined. Syrah is the 3rd most planted grape in the Santa Barbara County AVA.
Santa Barbara Syrah has an excellent reputation, and many of the Syrah wines produced here can be quite expensive. Being a Trader Joe’s wine with no production details available we have no way of learning the Trader Joe’s Reserve Santa Barbara Syrah 2021 history. A typical Trader Joe’s Reserve wine is comparable to a retail wine shop wine in the $15 to $20 range. That is a guess each TJ’s Reserve wine is different. The alcohol content is 13.7%.
The Trader Joe’s Reserve Santa Barbara Syrah 2021 Tasting Notes
The color is still see-thru black cherry red. The nose is ripe blackberry, light herbs, mocha, soft spice, and raspberry. The Trader Joe’s Reserve Santa Barbara Syrah 2021 is smooth on the palate with tasty ripe fruit and contrasting spice.
This Syrah tastes like ripe blackberry, licorice, and a hint of black pepper, spice, and plum. The mid-palate allows tart cranberry, soft blueberry, a rougher-edged spice, and a salty sensation.
The acidity is well-behaved, it allows the flavors plenty of room to unfold and sets your palate up for the next sip.
The Summary
- The Trader Joe’s Reserve Santa Barbara Syrah 2021 is an excellent ten-buck Syrah. Well-made with delicious flavors.
- The entire line of Trader Joe’s Reserve wines has been killing it in 2022, they are reliably some of the best wine bargains available.
