Site: “Sourced from the most distinctive vineyard sites in California”
THE STORY
I never thought to name a Decanting Monterey Wine of the Year until I tasted the 2020 Site Bien Nacido Syrah. One of our many finds from K&L Wine Merchants, this wine surpassed all others for its flavor, structure and value. We try a lot of wines in a year, from fine Bordeaux wines to grocery store bargains, but most of our wines we find right in our back yard – in Monterey County. I focus my blog on Central Coast wines with rare exception.
Because we are on K&L Wine Merchant’s Insiders mailing list, we often see bargains otherwise not available. Through this access, we have tried Central Coast wines we might not otherwise have found. And that was the case with this wine. So we are stepping outside of Monterey County for today’s wine.
I have long been a fan of the Bien Nacido Vineyard, perhaps stemming from a 2018 trip down to Ojai, where we tasted Ojai Vineyard’s fabulous Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah. In addition, I visited Los Olivos in 2022 on the way to a high school reunion and tasted several Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrahs. I have mentioned the Bien Nacido Vineyard or the Bien Nacido clone in 11 posts since starting Decanting Monterey in 2020. Read this one to hear more about the legacy of the vineyard itself: Santa Maria AVA: Home to the Legendary Bien Nacido Vineyard!
I love Syrah, especially since we moved to the Central Coast, but not all Syrahs are the same. The vintage, the pick, the winemaker’s talents all play a role in making a wine great. And I worry a wine purchased without a tasting will be too earthy – or even too overdone (high alcohol), even for my preferences (not that I would turn one down!). A great wine will find that balance of flavor and structure – and a good price just makes it even better. And today’s wine has it all.
THE WINERY
Have you heard of Site Wine Co.? Neither had I. Here’s what I found out from various articles but primarily their own website:
“The wines of Site come from grapes that have been sourced from the most distinctive vineyards in California. These sites promise wines that kindle our senses and intellect and leave a gut feeling of pleasure. I view each vintage with a fresh eye and an open mind. I don’t enforce a particular winemaking style but take an approach that’s nimble and dynamic and attuned solely to the vineyard and the vintage, not to a dogma.”
“Site purchases fruit from just 3 vineyards, Bien Nacido Vineyards (Syrah), Larner Vineyard (Syrah, Grenache and Viognier), and Stolpman Vineyards (Roussanne).”
“Site is managed by Jeremy Weintraub, who is winemaker at Adelaida Cellars in Paso Robles, CA. Before Adelaida, Jeremy was winemaker at Seavey Vineyard, in Napa Valley, and before that he had winemaking and grape-growing stints in Paso Robles, Santa Maria, Central Otago, Martinborough, Tuscany, and on Long Island.”
THE WINE
Today I’m presenting just this one wine. Winery notes come from the tasting sheet, the bottle or their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
2020 Site Wine Co. Syrah, Bien Nacido Vineyards, Santa Maria Valley AVA, Santa Barbara County, 14.3% ABV, $65 ($40 from K&L) (#1692)
Winery Notes: “This wine, comprising 100% syrah grapes from the same rows of Block Z at Bien Nacido Vineyards that I’ve been receiving since 2012, offers aromas of dark fruits, white pepper, and cooking spices. The mouth is medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.” 97 points, Jeb Dunnuck
K&L Wine Notes: “Since we receive a lot of requests for ripe, concentrated wines that are great on their own as well as with food, I’m thrilled we can offer this outstanding Syrah from the Central Coast. It’s a big, dense and seamless red with lush smoky black fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Delicious.” John Downing
My Review: Beautiful, dense garnet in the glass. Saddle leather, chalk, dark cherry, cotton candy on the nose. Mouth filling, explosive rich red fruits on the palate, with cherry dominant. A delicious wine. October 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
‘Please contact the winemaker directly to schedule a tasting of his current release wines. The location, date and time will need to be agreed upon by all parties. A minimum of four guests is preferred for tastings. Email jeremy@sitewineco.com to arrange.”
If you make it there, tell them Decanting Monterey sent you!
© Decanting Monterey 2025
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