PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Vinous scored the 2024 Stolpman Great Places Jessica Lauren a perfect 100 points, calling it “the most mind-bending wine in this range, and one of the finest Syrahs I’ve ever tasted from California.” It’s one of the rarest wines in California: a one-acre parcel, made in just 70 cases.
The Great Places is Stolpman’s collection of single-block Syrahs from Sérine, the old, pre-clonal Syrah of the northern Rhône, whose small berries and loose clusters are considered the original type of Syrah in Côte-Rôtie. The name comes from the source of the vine material: “Les Grandes Places,” a lieu-dit (named vineyard) in Côte-Rôtie. The Jessica Lauren parcel, named for a member of the Stolpman family, was planted at the Stolpman estate in Ballard Canyon, in Santa Barbara County, with cuttings from that Côte-Rôtie vineyard. It’s own-rooted at a very high density of 6,000 vines per acre, and the entire estate is certified biodynamic.
The winemaking is as minimal as the parcel is small. The grapes are 85% whole cluster, with very little extraction (only three punch downs in total), and the wine ages 14 months in neutral French oak, one 500-liter puncheon and one 265-liter “cigare” barrel, so the fruit isn’t flavored by oak at all. Billy Norris, who reviewed the wine for Vinous, said the whole clusters give it “remarkable textural vibrancy and aromatic delineation.”
His full review reads: “There’s a sense of flash and finesse here that makes this feel so pretty, so enticing. Dark macerated cherry, rosewater, crème de violette, incense and blackcurrant open with boundless concentration, while a pastille-like, velvety texture and ultra-refined tannins convey stunning purity. The inclusion of 85% whole clusters lends the wine remarkable textural vibrancy and aromatic delineation. The 2024 is dynamic and multidimensional, a wine that reaches the top of the mountain. Sensational.” His comments on the estate are just as strong: “The all-star team comprising Pete Stolpman, Ruben Solorzano and Kyle Knapp is running like a finely tuned supercar. The 2024s at Stolpman may very well be the best wines to ever come off this estate in Ballard Canyon. It’s safe to say that Stolpman is now the epicenter of fine Syrah in California.”
The wine has a track record. Earlier vintages have been reviewed as Superb: the 2022 earned 93 from Wine Enthusiast and 94 from Wine Anorak, and Vinous described the 2023 as “the most savory and aromatically nimble of The Great Places range.” This vintage takes it to a new level. With only 70 cases, it’s a bottle that will go quickly, for serious California Syrah collectors, and for anyone who admires Côte-Rôtie and wants to see the same grape grown in California.
Stolpman Vineyards 2024 The Great Places “Jessica Lauren” Syrah is produced by Stolpman Vineyards in the Ballard Canyon AVA, Santa Barbara County, California, from 100% Sérine (pre-clonal Syrah), planted at the Stolpman estate in 2016 with cuttings from the “Les Grandes Places” lieu-dit in Côte-Rôtie. The one-acre block is own-rooted at 6,000 vines per acre, certified biodynamic. 85% whole cluster, minimal extraction (three punch downs in total), aged 14 months in neutral French oak (one 500L puncheon and one 265L cigare). 70 cases. 750ml.
Billy Norris, Vinous — 100 Points:
“The 2024 Syrah Great Places Jessica Lauren Stolpman is the most mind-bending wine in this range, and one of the finest Syrahs I’ve ever tasted from California. There’s a sense of flash and finesse here that makes this feel so pretty, so enticing. Dark macerated cherry, rosewater, crème de violette, incense and blackcurrant open with boundless concentration, while a pastille-like, velvety texture and ultra-refined tannins convey stunning purity. The inclusion of 85% whole clusters lends the wine remarkable textural vibrancy and aromatic delineation. The 2024 is dynamic and multidimensional, a wine that reaches the top of the mountain. Sensational.”
Billy Norris, Vinous (on the 2024 vintage at Stolpman):
“The 2024s at Stolpman may very well be the best wines to ever come off this estate in Ballard Canyon. It’s safe to say that Stolpman is now the epicenter of fine Syrah in California.”
Earlier vintages (house-style context): 2022 — Wine Enthusiast 93; Wine Anorak 94.
Nose
Dark macerated cherry, rosewater, crème de violette, incense, and blackcurrant.
Palate
Boundless concentration with a pastille-like, velvety texture and ultra-refined tannin, with remarkable textural vibrancy and purity.
Finish
Dynamic and multidimensional, with aromatic delineation and finesse.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Appellation | Ballard Canyon AVA, Santa Barbara County, California |
| Variety | 100% Sérine (pre-clonal Syrah) |
| Vintage | 2024 |
| Producer | Stolpman Vineyards |
| Vineyard | Jessica Lauren parcel — one acre, own-rooted, 6,000 vines/acre; planted 2016 from “Les Grandes Places” (Côte-Rôtie) cuttings |
| Farming | Certified biodynamic |
| Winemaking | 85% whole cluster, three punch downs total |
| Aging | 14 months, neutral French oak (one 500L puncheon, one 265L cigare) |
| Production | 70 cases |
| Critics | Vinous 100 |
| Style / Identity | A perfumed, silky, finely detailed California Syrah in the northern Rhône tradition |
| Aromas & Flavors | Macerated cherry, rosewater, crème de violette, incense, blackcurrant |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Decant for an hour or more; serve at about 62-65°F.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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