I am in the middle of tasting wines from California's Santa Barbara County, and I came across a Syrah that I thought you needed to know about: it's the 2009 Jaffurs Syrah Santa Barbara County. I was really impressed with the balance of fruit and firm yet silky tannins, and plenty of dark fruits and spices. In structure, it reminds me of an excellent red from the northern Rhone. It's a bargain at around $25 a bottle! Find the wine.