Dryer Sheets and a Dry River with Samra Morris

At Alma Rosa, the climate is so intense, the same grape vine can have different faces.

Stand on the side of the vine continually pelted by wind off the Pacific Ocean and it’s ragged and tired looking. Walk to the other side and the canopy, the leaves, thrive.

It’s a dichotomy created by the unique climatic conditions of the Sta. Rita HIlls and one that winemaker Samra Morris has embraced to make strikingly complex wines.

“That’s the beauty of the Sta. Rita Hills and why working here is so fascinating,” Morris said. “I want to show in my pinots how each vineyard can be so unique.”

The Alma Rosa El Jabali Pinot Noir 2020 ($72) had black tea, raspberry, white pepper, wild fennel and a meaty quality that provided a savory edge.

Tense, nervy and beaming with acidity is the Alma Rosa El Jabali Chardonnay 2020 ($50) with a dynmaic blend of aromas and flavors yielding gardenia flower, mountain herb, lemon zest and sea salt.

As a child, Morris said she had the desire to smell and taste everything. The early sampling of her environment, she told a story with a chuckle that she loved to smell the difference between dryer sheets.

Today, that’s matured to observations about grapes and wine. Syrah, grenache, chardonnay, pinot blanc and pinot gris are grown in 38 acres of vineyards on the 628-acre ranch.

The recent string of atmospheric rivers that dumped 32 trillion gallons of water on California from December through January offered a new look to the environment in which Morris has worked the last four years.

Water is now flowing in the Santa Ynez River, the hills have turned green and Morris has a new collection of smells to explore.

El Jabali vineyard

“The best block looks so ugly, you think the vineyard is suffering but the fruit and quality is so good.”

- Samra Morris