The 2007 Syrah from the Ambassador’s Vineyard is soft, round, velvety, and seductive. While not complex, it is loaded with fruit, good levels of glycerin, and a chewy, succulent texture. It’s not meant for aging but rather for drinking over the next 3-4 years. This is another winery well-known for its values. I liked last year’s 2006s slightly more than their 2007s, but these still represent fair value to the consumer. Tel. (805) 686-8999

A simple but satisfying Syrah, sweet and jammy in raspberry, cherry and blackberry fruit flavors, with lots of black pepper. Earns extra points for good tannins and balancing acidity. ——S.H.(10/1/2011)—— 86

Similarly-styled but more fruit forward and restrained is the medium-bodied 2006 Syrah Ambassador’s Vineyard. Notes of forest floor, berry fruit, charcoal, and earth emerge from this pure, mid-weight Syrah. Drink it over the next several years. Tel. (805) 686-8999

Here’s a dark, big, rich and bone-dry Syrah. It has deep flavors of blackberries, dark chocolate, currants, spices and cedar. Pretty tannic now, with a closed-astringency that suggests hours of decanting, but it’s not an ager. ——S.H.(7/1/2010)—— 87