Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Margerum – M5 2024, Grenache Blend – Santa Barbara County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Inspired by the classic Southern Rhône blends, M5 is Margerum’s vibrant interpretation of Grenache-based reds. The 2024 vintage combines 40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre, 7% Counoise, and 6% Cinsault, delivering a wine crafted for youthful enjoyment, emphasizing freshness, purity, and drinkability over power or long-term aging.

Aromas & Flavors
Bright red cherry, raspberry, wild strawberry, cranberry, dried herbs, white pepper, and a touch of lavender unfold from the glass. The palate is juicy and energetic, highlighting crunchy red fruit with subtle spice and a savory finish.

Mouthfeel
Light to medium-bodied with vibrant acidity, silky texture, and barely noticeable tannins. Exceptionally smooth and mouthwatering, it leaves a long, cherry-driven finish that coats the palate without feeling heavy.

Food Pairings
Serve slightly chilled alongside charcuterie, grilled sausages, roast chicken, wood-fired pizza, tuna steaks, salmon, tacos, or Mediterranean cuisine.

Verdict
A beautifully crafted chillable red that perfectly captures the joy of Rhône-inspired blending. Fresh, balanced, and incredibly approachable, it is equally capable of pleasing casual wine drinkers and seasoned enthusiasts alike.

Did You Know?
The name M5 stands for “Five Grapes, One Wine,” referring to its blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise, and Cinsault. While inspired by the Southern Rhône, Doug Margerum designed M5 to celebrate the freshness and coastal character of Santa Barbara rather than replicate the richer styles of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is exactly the kind of red I love recommending when someone says they “don’t want anything too heavy.” Serve it with a slight chill, and it becomes one of the most versatile bottles around, fresh, vibrant, endlessly drinkable, and a reminder that serious winemaking doesn’t always have to take itself so seriously. One of Santa Barbara’s most joyful red blends. — 29 minutes ago

Matthew Cohen

9.3

N: hint oak
P: intense pineapple and acid. Very well done.

Grapevine 32 3/5 25 btg — a month ago

Joseph Barsky

9.4

2020 vintage. 4 years after Delectable review, still quite primary but dropping sediment. Enjoyable but not 97 points. — 2 months ago

Guy Acheson

8.9

Clean. Interesting. — 3 months ago

Ted

9.1

Herbs, cinnamon and hints of incense. Light color. Pretty damn good. — 5 months ago

with Jeni

Tegan Marriott

8.9

Santa Barbara highlands radiance in a glass! Yo, I'll pretend I'm rolling through da Wine Ghetto! — 7 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Margerum Sybarite Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Sauvignon Blanc – Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Crafted from Margerum’s top Sauvignon Blanc vineyard sources in Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Sybarite is a more textural and layered interpretation of the variety. Rather than emphasizing overt tropical fruit, it focuses on elegance, persistence, and a refined sense of place.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon zest, white peach, grapefruit, subtle melon, fresh herbs, and delicate floral notes unfold over a beautifully mineral core with hints of citrus peel and wet stone.

Mouthfeel
Silky and beautifully balanced with gentle acidity, remarkable texture, and a graceful, lingering finish. Precision and finesse take center stage rather than sheer intensity.

Food Pairings
Halibut, grilled sea bass, Dungeness crab, oysters, sushi, roasted chicken, fresh goat cheese, or creamy seafood risotto.

Verdict
An elegant, terroir-driven Sauvignon Blanc that favors balance and sophistication over exuberance. Complex, expressive, and a wonderful reminder of the remarkable quality emerging from Santa Barbara.

Did You Know?
A previous vintage of Margerum Sybarite Sauvignon Blanc was selected to accompany the blue crab course at a White House State Dinner hosted by President Barack Obama in honor of Singapore’s Prime Minister in 2016—a testament to the wine’s refinement and food-pairing versatility.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is one of those Sauvignon Blancs that quietly changes expectations. It isn’t driven by punchy acidity or explosive tropical fruit—instead, its elegance, texture, and remarkably delicate finish make it one of the finest American expressions of the variety I’ve tasted. Another compelling reason why Santa Barbara continues to impress me as one of California’s great wine regions. — 35 minutes ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.4

What a wine! Deep purple color with a garnet rim. Aromas of boysenberry syrup, balsamic glaze and absinthe spices. Blackberry and Huckleberry on the palate, pepper and violets on the finish. 15.7 % ABV, so let it breathe.

🍇 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Petit Verdot, 13% Syrah. — a month ago

J Sullivan

9.0

I truly enjoyed this Chardonnay. Crisp with nice oak. — 2 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Pale lemon color with stone and tropical fruit aromas and citrus floral notes adding an earthy spice from 10 months surlie aging. On the palate flavors of apple, pineapple and lemon citrus with floral and baking spice. Lively acidity, medium finish ending with fruit, citrus and earthy spice. — 3 months ago

Cheyenne Jaime

8.9

Fun & easy sipping! — 5 months ago

Jonathan Wall

9.3

Very syrahy. Great with lamb biryani. — 7 months ago

Katie Fester

9.5

Open, delicious. Had a glass at Super Peach — 4 days ago

Amy

9.0

master the world — loved!! — 9 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

2024 vintage. More ripeness than desired but still very worthy. 5.31.26. — a month ago

Matthew Cohen

9.1

N cherry cough syrup a bit. Cranberry.
P almost dusty. Solid. Good cherry. Subtly herbs.

Grapevine 40 — a month ago

KA

9.2

Grand Havana Room — 3 months ago

Henry Fuseler

8.9

3/2026. Nice bold Syrah. Good flavor and nice on the palate. Paired well with the duck at Divino Rosso. — 3 months ago

Bernard Benninghoff

9.6

Great tasting blend. — 6 months ago

with Brenda

Chris MacLean

9.1

Another good bottle of this $25 favorite — 9 months ago

with Sarah