Nice balance of earth, fruit and oak, with some interesting roasted flavors and a hint of chocolate. Perennial favorite.

Delicate, soft cherry flavors. Prominent, good quality oak. Note of cocoa and maple sugar. Integrated tannins.

Nice balance of earth, fruit and oak, with some interesting roasted flavors and a hint of chocolate. Perennial favorite.

concentrated, spicy

This clean, balanced, moderately extracted offering comes through in the mouth with plenty of ripe red-cherry flavors laced with a good dose of vanillin oak. It has a fine sense of substance and has enough spine to stand up to the rich sauces and savory flavors we enjoy so much.

Pure, liqueur-like, tart cherry flavors; hint of nutmeg as the wine warms; dry, velvety; lightly tart finish.

Charming perfumed nose, elegant raspberries, wild strawberries. Medium bodied, graceful, oak and acidity left in background. Good length, Up to 5 years.

A beautifully structured, elegant Syrah packed with ripe blackberry flavors.

Ripe and round, somewhat more cherryish in tone than one expects of Syrah, but also sporting a suggestion of ripe blackberries as well, this wine is just a bit dry and soft with slight thinness in its middle and latter palates but it should make a decent partner to grilled meats.

Full, dry. Fresh berry aroma, black pepper and anise accents; intense fruity flavors, excellent acidity and tannins; good length.

Very ripe cherry and plum aromas, spicy-oak notes; high acidity, layered fruit, tart cherry, hints of anise, long lean finish. Good with grilled salmon, veal chops and rosemary.

It delivers attractive aromas of ripe berries, oak and a proper bit of peppery spice…

The aromas show sweet oak and cherry tones with hints of pepper and gamy spice qualities…

Youthful berry smell and flavor. The toastiness of the oak in which the wine was aged helps make it approachable.

Exhibits the ideal Central Coast aroma of fresh tomatoes and hay along with deep pepper, cassis and clove elements. A lovely and deeply complex wine that will reward four to six more years in the cellar.

A favorite.

From the barrel, it had spectacular extraction of flavor, and a huge, bacon fat, cassis-scented nose that reminded me of top-notch Hermitage. Its texture was softer than a classic Hermitage, but the tannins were ripe and the purity of fruit was admirable.

Emphatic ripeness shows at every turn. This outgoing effort and the sweet, oak-enriched themes of berryish fruit in the nose are replayed fully in the wine's fat and jammy flavors. Plenty of upfront appeal. Drinkable now.

The American Syrah Report Tart and lithe with raspberries, cherries, and boysenberry flavors. The finish is medium-long with a tinge of cocoa; bright finish with moderate tannins.

Cambria is a family-owned, estate winery located in the heart of the famed Santa Maria bend in Santa Barbara County. The Tepusquet Vineyard is located at an elevation of 400 feet on the Cambria estate featuring sandy loam soils and a climate moderated by ocean influence. Winemaker Denise Shurtleff aged this Syrah in French oak, 20% new, to create a rich wine with concentrated dark berry aromas and flavors, with notes of earthy mineral, mocha and dried herbs.

Dark ruby. Dark berries, olive and black pepper on the nose and palate. Firm and tangy, with good clarity and a late note of candied licorice that carries through the finish. Easygoing and ready to drink.

An even deeper extracted color on this wine means the gambit is set for some tasty stuff. First, though, dark fruit, like plum and blackberry, also promise pleasure. The flavors of cassis, red plum, cocoa powder, cinnamon and black pepper, as well as a touch of lavender, play together well on the palate. Intense and well-focused, it definitely makes a concentrated flavor impression that is sustained all the way to the upbeat finish. It's a meaty and delicious syrah that's so easy to drink now.

I can think of almost no instance when I wouldn’t trade whatever is on my plate for some truly great bbq ribs...lots of flavor, lots of juice, and, admit it, lots of fat—if wine is on the table, make it a big, brawny Syrah, like the robust 2008 Cambria Tepusquet Syrah ($19).

Aromas and flavors of red raspberries and black coffee; big, ripe tannins; smooth.

Earthy, ripe California Syrah: 2006 Cambria Tepusquet Vineyard. Paired with Asian-Spiced Pork Shoulder.