Syrah Blend, Stolpman Vineyards 'La Cuadrilla' 2023

50% Syrah/20% Grenache/15% Mourvedre/15% Sangiovese

lavender • plum • cracked pepper

Lavender, red plum, fresh blackberry, and crunchy red fruit lift immediately from the glass, followed by cracked pepper, dried herbs, and a lightly savory edge underneath. The palate opens juicy and energetic before broadening through the middle with darker Syrah-driven fruit and soft, fine tannins that give the wine more weight and seriousness than the bright aromatics first suggest. A little air brings out smoked herbs, menthol, and black pepper spice, pushing the wine toward something more layered and quietly complex.

La Cuadrilla is one of the clearest expressions of Stolpman’s philosophy that farming and community should be inseparable. When Tom Stolpman purchased the Ballard Canyon property, he insisted the vineyard provide year-round work and long-term stability for the crew rather than only seasonal labor. Vineyard manager Ruben Solorzano expanded that vision by creating a training program where crew members each managed their own small vineyard block, or ‘cuadra,’ learning not just vineyard labor but the full lifecycle of farming and vine management. What began as an educational project eventually became a profit-sharing wine program tied directly to the crew itself.

Today, a portion of Stolpman’s production is dedicated to La Cuadrilla, with profits returned to vineyard workers through both weekly and year-end bonuses. The blend changes slightly each vintage, but the 2023 is led by Syrah with Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Sangiovese layered underneath, balancing plush fruit with savory spice and freshness. Aging in mostly neutral oak preserves the energy of the fruit while allowing the vineyard’s peppery, herbal Ballard Canyon character to stay front and center.