Our Rating
Santa Rita Hills
Syrah
Ampelos Cellars’ 2020 Syrah Gamma captures the interplay of ripe fruit and savory nuance that defines Syrah from California’s Sta. Rita Hills. Sourced from a biodynamically farmed estate and vinified with minimal intervention, this wine presents a focused, full-bodied profile. With firm structure and layered aromatics, it shows both clarity and longevity.
Located in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, Ampelos Cellars is committed to sustainable, organic, and biodynamic farming, certified in all three categories. The marine-influenced climate and long growing season in this region help preserve acidity while encouraging slow, even ripening. Ampelos’s vineyard sits within this cool-climate corridor, producing grapes that retain freshness while achieving phenolic ripeness.
The name “Ampelos,” Greek for vine, reflects the winery’s foundational belief that quality wine starts in the soil. Vineyard health is prioritized through cover crops, composting, and avoiding synthetic inputs. This attention to farming detail shapes the purity and structure found in their wines.
Peter Work, founder and winemaker at Ampelos, came to winemaking after a career in business. His shift to viticulture and enology was hands-on and principle-driven. Rather than follow industry trends, he invested in understanding the land and leaned into practices that promote long-term vineyard health and authentic site expression.
His approach centers on native fermentations, natural malolactic conversion, and unfined, unfiltered bottling. Work’s style avoids manipulation, aiming instead to let each vintage and vineyard block speak for itself. As the estate transitions to new ownership, Work remains in charge of winemaking, continuing to guide the cellar with his grounded, methodical philosophy.
This Syrah is built from three different clones, blended to emphasize complexity. The fruit was chilled overnight to preserve freshness, then de-stemmed into small fermenters. A cold soak preceded spontaneous fermentation with wild yeast. After 12 to 16 days of maceration and twice-daily punchdowns, the wine was drained, pressed, and moved to barrel.
Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally, and the wine was racked only twice during aging. No fining or filtration was used prior to bottling. The process underscores a low-intervention ethos, aimed at preserving the vineyard’s voice while maintaining structural integrity.
Look
The wine shows a clear, ruby hue of medium intensity. High viscosity suggests concentration and alcohol presence, consistent with its 14% ABV.
Smell
A pronounced aromatic profile opens with black currant and blackberry, followed by notes of olive, graphite, and clove. Oak-driven elements like cedar and cigar box are present but integrated. Additional savory layers include prosciutto and a faint creaminess.
Taste
Dry and full-bodied, the palate mirrors the nose with blackberry, blueberry, and olive up front. Secondary flavors of mint, clove, cedar, and smoke build complexity. Medium acidity and medium-plus tannins bring grip without harshness. Alcohol is warming but not intrusive. The long finish tapers with smoke, dried herb, and subtle umami notes.
The 2020 Syrah Gamma stands as a clear expression of Ampelos’s farming and cellar philosophy. It delivers concentration without excess, combining dark fruit, savory complexity, and balanced structure. With its layered aromatics and firm yet polished tannins, this wine is approachable now with decanting but structured enough to develop through 2035. It holds its place among the more serious examples of Syrah from California’s coastal hills.
USA
Santa Rita Hills
Syrah
14%
30 Minutes
Now to 2035
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