Wine Tasting Notes
Carr Vineyards and Winery.
Ryan Carr came to Santa Barbara County in 1998. The Graphic Design graduate from the University of Arizona arrived with the intent of entering the wine industry. He has realized his plans in Carr Vineyards and Winery. A fortuitous set of events positioned this new kid on the block on the receiving end of the supply of some of the best fruit in the county – without having made any wine under his own label before OR owing any vineyards. This is how he did it:
Ryan planned on developing a ranch his family purchased in the Santa Ynez Valley. He started work with Craig McMillan's vineyard management company. This led to him helping Craig vinify the fruit from the 1998 harvest for Stolpman Vineyards. The next year, he made 10 cases of wine in his garage from fruit grown in vineyards he was managing. This fomented, for him, the idea of making wine from grapes he himself grew – without the financial demands of owning land and developing a premiere vineyard.
He expanded on the idea by forming a vineyard development company with winemaker Andy Kahn (of Kahn Winery) - calling it Kahn Farming. Through this arrangement, Ryan also became assistant winemaker at Kahn Winery. The benefits of this partnership were: further experience, tutelage and guidance and access to winery facilities to make his wines. Ryan now manages over 100 acres of vineyard at 6 different properties in Santa Barbara County through his vineyard development and management company (he bought out Kahn Farming and renamed it Carr Vineyards). For his own label, Ryan focuses on cool-climate Pinot Noir from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA but also makes Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc and Syrah from vineyards he manages producing 2,000 cases annually. With a new location in downtown Santa Barbara, Ryan is settling his sights on 4,500 cases.
2005 Carr Pinot Gris, Turner Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills 88 Points
2005 Carr Pinot Noir, Clos Pepe Vineyards, Sta. Rita Hills 90 Points
2005 Carr Pinot Noir, Three Vineyards, Sta. Rita Hills 89 Points
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