“There’s a common perception of Syrah produced in the US – too much oak, too much alcohol – that is increasingly outdated as a dedicated band of winemakers put their faith in the Rhône variety and work to bring it out of the shadows.” –Anna Lee Iijima,

Epoch’s 2019 York Mountain Syrah was featured by Decanter Magazine in their article American Syrah: 30 top buys with a score of 96 points. For over 40 years, Decanter has been the trusted source for international wine lovers, offering expert reviews, fascinating winery stories, and the latest trends in wine.  This kind of recognition on an international scale makes us feel incredibly proud and excited about the future of Epoch.

Our 2019 York Mountain Syrah is made entirely from grapes off our York Mountain Vineyard.  This vineyard site is located just seven miles from the Pacific Ocean at an elevation of 1,500 feet and falls in the small 640 acre York Mountain AVA, which is outside of the very large Paso Robles AVA.  The soils and climate here are very different than our other two vineyards; at York, you’ll find sand and sandstone soils (a stark contrast to the limestone you’d find over at Paderewski Vineyard or the shale at Catapult Vineyard) along with a very moderate climate due to the even closer proximity to the Pacific Ocean.  Because of its elevation and distance from the ocean, York Mountain receives more than twice the amount of rainfall as our other vineyards and has characteristic foggy mornings throughout the year with cool breezes all day long.

While pioneering Americans have been championing Syrah since the 1980s, in the broader scheme of history Syrah is barely nascent here… The most provocative Syrahs grown in America are still a testament to that pioneering spirit – explorations of untried sites, blending from different climates and terroir, experiments in whole-cluster ferments and earlier picking. – Decanter, American Syrah: 30 top buys

Bottle of 2021 Epoch Syrah

2019 York Mountain Syrah | 96 points

A cooler, rainier microclimate lends a vitality of red cherry and raspberry flavours to this AVA just outside Paso Robles. From sand and sandstone soils, this is a full-bodied but finessed wine with a silkiness of mouthfeel. There’s a delicacy to the fruit concentration but it’s refreshing, finishing on fine, charry tannins. Fermented in concrete and stainless steel tanks and new French oak puncheons, 40% stems included, matured for 18 months in mid-sized French oak barrels and puncheons, 30% new. —  Anna Lee Ijima

PURCHASE

Scores and recognition like this are humbling, encouraging, and so fun to share with others!  Epoch is a special place with really special wines, and we are grateful that Decanter can see and taste this too.  Last year, the 2021 vintage of our York Mountain Syrah hit one of their top 30 lists as well! Keep reading to learn more…

Paso Robles: 2021 Vintage report and top 30 wines

“Focusing in on this diverse region in California’s Central Coast, 2021 tells a story of challenging weather conditions, with drought continuing from the previous year. Yet where vineyards were managed successfully, the resulting quality is being rated as among the best of recent times.”
– Brianne Cohen,

Bottle of 2021 Epoch Syrah

2021 York Mountain Syrah | 93 points

An epic Syrah from the hands of female winemaker Jordan Fiorentini. Textbook Syrah notes of pure concentrated black fruits and cracked black pepper on both nose and palate. A mineral graphite note permeates. Restrained use of new oak keeps the wine pure and in balance. The York Mountain influence (high elevation and cooler climate) can be felt throughout. To be released in 2024. — Brianne Cohen

Release: Fall 2024

JOIN THE CLUB

We were so proud to be one of the featured wines in Decanter’s article Paso Robles: 2021 Vintage report and top 30 wines!

York Mountain

York Mountain is a separate AVA within San Luis Obispo County that abuts the western edge of Paso Robles. Established in 1983 and one of the smallest AVAs in California at 2,600ha, it is cooler, wetter and foggier than the AVAs of Paso because the Santa Lucia Range does not protect it as much from the oceanic influences.

York Mountain soils are predominantly well-draining, heat-retaining sandstone rather than limestone, a good combination for this cool and wet area, which boasts 30%-50% more rainfall than Paso. Jordan Fiorentini of Epoch Estate calls 2021 ‘a winemaker’s vintage where we could wait to pick the fruit until we felt it was time, without too many climatic factors getting in the way’.

These accolades underscore our commitment to excellence and the enduring legacy of Paso Robles wine. We’re immensely proud to play a part in elevating our region’s reputation on the global wine stage.

To discover more about our highly-rated wines and the stories behind the bottle, we invite you to explore our website or pay a visit to our Tasting Room in Paso Robles.  Join us in raising a glass to this exciting acknowledgement of our York Mountain Vineyard.  We look forward to sharing wines from our three estate vineyards for vintages to come!  Cheers!