2021 Stolpman Vineyards Hair of the Bear Petite Sirah Blend Ballard Canyon 750 ml

The Stolpman brand was built on Syrah. Vintner Pete Stolpman’s dad Tom, the founder, rolled the dice by planting the grape in the limestone-strewn hillsides of Santa Barbara’s Ballard Canyon. In doing so, he placed a wild bet on what many now deem to be the most precious site for the variety on California’s coast. 

But in the earliest days of the winery, back in 1992, they also planted a three-acre parcel of Petite Sirah. In the three decades since, they’ve only bottled wine from the plot a few times. That’s because the extremes of Ballard Canyon spawn Petite Sirah with burly, coarse tannins. To let them soften, vintners must wait until the grapes are extremely ripe, which means the alcohol will be through the roof. 

But in 2016, winemaker Kyle Knapp devised a clever plan. He’d co-ferment the Petite Sirah with a healthy dose of Roussanne. The white grape is soft and rich, and since it ripens so late, it reduces the alcohol level of the finished wine by about 1.5%. Overall, the result is a wine with Petite Sirah’s richness but with a tame, elegant finish. 

The 2021 version, with 25% Roussanne, impressed the critics, earning 95 points from Antonio Galloni of Vinous and 94 from Jeb Dunnuck. At two-Michelin-starred Californios in San Francisco, they pour it with their Wolfe Ranch Quail al Pastor Negro. The generous stature of the wine embraces the layers of smoky, spicy, and sweet components of the quail, enhancing the texture and giving the dish an extended finish.

We love everything that Stolpman does, and you’ll love this unique bottling.