We have been making limited-production wine in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto since 2003 under the Piedrasassi label. 

The focus of Piedrasassi's wine program is cool-climate syrah. We believe that good syrah can be made at many sites in Santa Barbara County, but it is at the cool climate sites that syrah is at its most compelling: producing the most complex aromas, the most savory textures. Our vineyards sites range from Ballard Canyon in the east to the Santa Rita Hills and Arroyo Grande in the west. 

In the vineyard, we typically pick a bit earlier than our colleagues to keep the alcohol level in balance with flavor, and to preserve the natural acidity that is so important to wine’s role at the dinner table. In the winery, we employ some whole cluster inclusion and natural winemaking (indigenous yeast fermentation and no sulfur addition at fermentation) whenever it is possible without compromising the integrity of the wine.  Elevage is in large format (500L) barrels to limit the wine’s exposure to oxygen and to minimize the influence of oak.

At bottling, we add the smallest amount of sulfur to the wine possible, which allows the aromatics to stay expressive while still protecting the wine during cellaring. The result, in all these bottlings, is syrah that shows off the different sites through aromas that bloom and evolve in the glass and tannins and mouthfeel that grip and engage the palate.

View our archived wines here.

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