Lillian is the California Syrah project of Maggie Harrison, who produces the wine alongside her flagship Oregon label Antica Terra, sharing the same winery and tasting facility in Dundee. The label is named after Harrison’s grandmother and the wine is sourced from the Whitehawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara County, a site Harrison has worked closely with for a number of years. Lillian has attracted a committed following among serious enthusiasts of California Syrah for its Northern Rhône-inspired discipline and precision.

The Whitehawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara County benefits from the coastal influence that funnels cool Pacific air through the Santa Ynez Mountains, providing the long, gradual ripening season that Harrison’s approach to Syrah demands. The 2017 California vintage was complicated by devastating fires in Napa and Sonoma in October, but the Santa Barbara region was largely unaffected by smoke taint, with most fruit harvested well before the fires reached the coast. Harrison’s approach to the wine is minimal intervention, with the Syrah expressing the site rather than the winemaking.

Lillian belongs in the conversation of the finest domestic Syr ahs alongside names such as Cayuse, Saxum and Sine Qua Non. The wine is released via the estate’s mailing list and produced in extremely limited quantities. Its 2014 vintage earned 96 points from Vinous’s Antonio Galloni, who described it as possessing “outstanding definition and tension for its heft,” and the 2013 vintage was similarly awarded 96 points by James Suckling. The 2017 continues this trajectory of critical recognition.

Deep violet-purple with a complex nose of dark fruit preserves, sandalwood, candied flowers, spice cake and a smoky, mineral undertone. Fleshy and energetic on the palate with densely packed blueberry and violet pastille flavours, excellent tension and a long, floral-driven finish framed by velvety tannins. Best from 2023 through 2032.