Harvest Date October 19 Barrel Aging 17 months French oak (54% new oak) Varietal Composition Syrah 100% Final Analysis Alcohol by Volume 15.5% TA .70 PH 3.51 Total Production 1,268 cases Vineyard Overview 20 Acres Planted in 1990 Santa Ynez Valley (estate) Canopy Management Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) Geneva Double Curtain (GDC) Clonal Selection Estrella River (aromatic black fruit with accents of spice) Rootstock Freedom Soil Profile Sandy loam with substantial limestone aggregate

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TASTING NOTES

The 2001 vintage is our finest bottling to date from Ambassador’s Vineyard. It begins with a striking bouquet of black cherry with hints of chocolate and fresh leather. Ripe, jammy black fruit flavors explode with nuances of dark coffee, vanilla and clove spice. A rich, high-toned texture is enlivened by integrated oak accents and assertive tannins that flow into a supple, lingering finish. This wine is an authentic expression of its terroir and vintage.

WINEMAKING NOTES

-Hand picked on October 19 after excellent, evenly paced growing season.
-Four-day cold soak prior to fermentation to lock in the wine’s color and capture the vineyard’s pure fruit profile.
-Inocoulated with D254 yeast, a strain isolated and propagated in the Rhône Valley, and employed specifically for enhancing mouthfeel and overall richness.
-Pressed directly to barrels from traditional basket press to ensure gentle extraction.
-Similar winemaking methods applied to all Curtis vineyard-designated Syrahs to contrast and amplify vineyard expression.

VINEYARD NOTES BY WINEMAKER CHUCK CARLSON

“We established our Ambassador’s Vineyard in 1990, at the advent of Syrah’s emergence in the Santa Ynez Valley. It is located atop a broad mesa on a foundation of ancient marine deposits, comprised of sandy loam mixed with rocky limestone aggregate. This well-drained soil is conducive to flavor concentration and vineyard expression. The flat, elevated geography of the vineyard provides ideal sun exposure, but this exposure is also moderated by the reliable Pacific fogs that billow into the valley. Ambassador’s Vineyard yields forward aromatics with pronounced black fruit tones. The black fruit tones continue into the flavor profile, with accents of blueberries and white pepper that are unique to the vineyard’s terroir.”

ABOUT CURTIS WINERY’S VINEYARD SERIES SYRAH PROGRAM

Winemaker Chuck Carlson, who has been making Rhône-style wines locally for 20 years, is passionate about Syrah and its ability to express the uniqueness and character of individual vineyards. His Vineyard Series Syrah program features limited-production bottlings from Ambassador’s Vineyard, Crossroads Vineyard and Vogelzang Vineyard. Each site is differentiated in elevation, soil type, trellising and clonal selection. The resulting wines capture the uniqueness, versatility and excellence of the Santa Ynez Valley as a premier appellation for world-class Syrahs.