Among the first winemaking facilities to open doors in Santa Barbara County following the repeal of Prohibition, Zaca Mesa Winery ranks as one of the oldest in the region. Founded in 1972 by a group of adventurous oilmen and real estate investors, it continues to ride the cutting edge of estate production and innovative winemaking.
During the formative years of the local wine industry, the staff at Zaca Mesa Winery—which included a young vintner named Ken Brown—pretty much played the business by ear. Not knowing what would succeed in their mesa-top vineyards along Foxen Canyon Road, the owners planted a mixed bag of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Grenache.
In 1978, they built the winery, expanding it a few years later to include the distinctive redwood-clad tasting room that stands today. They also became the first growers in the county to plant Syrah, the robust red that made France’s Rhône Valley famous.
By the early 1990s, the investors and then-winemaker Dan Gehrs had determined Rhone-type varietals performed best in the rock-studded, sandy loam of their property. At 1,500 feet elevation, their vineyards still rank among the loftiest in the county.
In 1995, as if to prove the wisdom of specializing in Rhônes, Wine Spectator magazine rated the Zaca Mesa 1993 Syrah No. 6 among its Top 100 wines. That vintage remains the only Santa Barbara County wine to break into the Spectator’s Top 10.
The current team at Zaca Mesa—which includes President and CEO Brook Williams and winemaker Eric Mohseni—has dedicated its efforts to crafting 100 percent estate grown and bottled Rhône varietal wines. The winery doesn’t buy or sell any fruit, and every vintage, whether red or white, offers an authentic taste of the regional terroir.
“The vineyards clearly demand Rhône varietals,” said Brook Williams, “so we’ve replanted over 100 acres to Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah over the last eight years.
“There were 90 acres of Syrah in California in 1978,” he added, “and now there are 18,000 acres.”
Recent changes include the removal of more than 100 acres of original plantings and the installation of new clones and rootstocks that are better suited to vineyard conditions. The team also took advantage of the opportunity to tighten vine spacing, erect vertical trellises, and improve the efficiency of irrigation systems.
Untouched, however, is Black Bear Vineyard, a 3.5-acre block of Syrah planted in 1978 with cuttings taken from mother stock snuck from France by Gary Eberle, of Eberle Winery, in Paso Robles. This block represents the oldest Syrah growing on its own rootstock on the Central Coast today.
The wines from this rare vineyard, called Black Bear Block Syrah, are consistently powerful, yet elegant, and blessed with tremendous aging potential. They display luscious notes of blackberry, cocoa, and a signature sage-infused spice, silky tannins, and a lingering finish shot through with chocolaty overtones.
“Black Bear is an island in the sun, with the fog all below,” Williams said. “Between Black Bear and the mesa vineyards [is] only a distance of one-and-a-half miles, but 30 years difference in age.
“Farming is my passion,” he continued, “and I believe where you grow [a wine] makes it unique.”
Zaca Mesa’s line-up includes the 2006 Syrah, with remarkable complexity imparted by fruit grown in a cool climate and at high altitude, as well as the first-ever Mesa Reserve Syrah, a 2006 vintage that combines three different clonal selections.
Inspired by wines from Chateauneuf-de-Pape, the 2007 Z Cuvee is a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cinsault, while the 2006 Z Three unites Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Grenache into a big wine loaded with aromas of black fruits, baking spices, and herbs.
Among Zaca Mesa’s white wines, the 2008 Viognier offers aromas of honeysuckle and palate-pleasing flavors of ripe apricot and lemon-lime. The 2006 Roussanne presents hints of spiced apples within a firm structure, and the 2007 Z Blanc—a blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Viognier— refreshes with fruity, yet spicy components.
Zaca Mesa currently cultivates vineyards on 240 of its 750 acres of scenic mesas and rolling hills in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s wine country. The unplanted portion remains as vital watershed, native habitat, and home to an abundance of indigenous plants and wildlife.
In addition to pioneering Syrah in the region, Zaca Mesa Winery has served as a training ground for a number of the county’s notable winemakers. For instance, Ken Brown went on to found Byron Winery and later, Ken Brown Wines, and Dan Gehrs now makes wine for his own label.
Other alumni from what’s affectionately known as Zaca Mesa University include Bob Lindquist (Qupé), Jim Clendenen (Au Bon Climat), Adam Tolmach (Ojai Vineyard), and Lane Tanner (Lane Tanner Wines). All are innovative winemakers who have built on Zaca Mesa’s enduring example of putting innovative techniques and original thinking to the task of making some mighty fine wines.
K. Reka Badger uses innovative techniques and original thinking in all of her columns. You can reach her at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in May 5-12, 2010.