DUTCH – 2023 Saarloos and Sons Estate Syrah – High Hill Vineyard

Ronald Reagan was not just a name in the history books — he was our neighbor. A rancher who mended his own fences, a husband who walked beside his wife along dusty ranch roads, a man who woke to the same crisp morning air that still hangs over these hills and ended his days under the same endless sunsets that burn across our western sky.
A Rancher that Loved This Place as Much As We Do.
We like to call him, our most famous Resident.

He once said of the Santa Ynez Valley, “This is where I come to find peace. The beauty of these hills, the quiet of this land — it reminds you of what matters.” For Reagan, the ranch wasn’t an escape; it was a compass. It pointed him toward humility, perseverance, and service. And he believed, as the old saying goes, that “the best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse.” He didn’t just quote it — he lived it. He rode to clear his mind, to work through problems, and to remember that leadership is never about the title — it’s about the work.

And that work was real. At Rancho del Cielo, Reagan built an entire fence line out of retired telephone poles. He cut each pole to size with a chainsaw, hauled it into place himself, dug the post holes, and set every one by hand. Not because there wasn’t someone else who could do it, but because he believed the land you love deserves your own sweat in its soil. There were no camera crews for those moments. Just a man, a fence, and the stubborn ground of his own property.
He Was One Of Us.

Life at Rancho del Cielo was shaped by the rhythms of the land: mending wire after a winter storm, clearing brush under the summer sun, splitting logs for the fireplace, repairing a leaking roof before the next rain. He once said, “Hard work never hurt anyone — in fact, it’s the gift that keeps you honest.” For him, hard work wasn’t a chore — it was a privilege. It grounded him. It reminded him that your life truly begins the moment you decide to live it in service to others. That belief — that service is the highest calling — would guide him as a leader and inspire millions of Americans to look beyond themselves.

Here in the Santa Ynez Valley, we don’t just grow grapes — we grow history. We cultivate connection. We tend meaning like a vineyard, season after season, year after year. And with DUTCH — the only wine ever created to honor President Ronald Reagan — we raise a glass not just to the 40th President of the United States, but to the enduring values that shaped him here, in this quiet, windswept corner of California.

So when we were asked to create a wine bearing his name, we didn’t treat it like a project.
We saw it for what it was: a responsibility.
A chance to carry forward not just a legacy, but the character, humility, and work ethic of a man who believed that the greatest titles in life are still husband, neighbor, and friend.
DUTCH is our tribute to that spirit — born from the same hills he called home, crafted with the same care and intention he poured into every acre of his ranch.

Preserving the Legacy

Every bottle of DUTCH helps ensure the Reagan Ranch remains intact for future generations. Proceeds go directly toward its preservation — toward keeping the gates open, the fences standing, the roof tight, and the house exactly as Ronald Reagan left it. Every cork pulled is more than a toast; it’s a small act of stewardship, a personal hand in keeping this piece of American history alive.

Reagan’s time here wasn’t ceremonial, staged for cameras or reserved for political theater. It was real. Boots in the dirt, sweat on the brow, calluses on the hands real. He built his own fences from reclaimed telephone poles, cut them down with a chainsaw, and carried them into position one by one. He dug each hole, set each pole, and tightened each stretch of wire. He cut his own firewood and stacked it neatly for the winter. He fixed what needed fixing — not because he had to, but because you take care of the things you love with your own two hands.

And when the work was done — when the saddle was hung, the tools were cleaned, and the dust had settled — he would head back to the business of leading the free world. But he carried the ranch with him into the Oval Office, letting the lessons of this place shape his leadership. The ranch taught humility — that no one is too important to dig a post hole. It taught perseverance — that hard things are worth doing, even when nobody’s watching. And it taught the simple truth that leadership is just another form of service.

The Reagan Ranch was where history and hospitality met at the same kitchen table. It welcomed dignitaries like Queen Elizabeth II and Mikhail Gorbachev — hosting conversations that would ripple out across the globe and help bring the Cold War to a close. But just as often, the gate swung open for neighbors, friends, and family. You could find a head of state sipping coffee in the same worn chair an old ranch hand had sat in a week earlier. That balance — world-shaping diplomacy and humble neighborliness — is something we hold close in the Santa Ynez Valley.

A New Chapter: Brielle Saarloos at the Reagan Ranch

This year, the story deepens in a way I could have never predicted. My daughter, Brielle Saarloos, spent her summer interning with the Young America’s Foundation — the organization that preserves and protects the Reagan Ranch. For her, it wasn’t just an internship; it was one of the most meaningful experiences of her life. She wasn’t simply reading about history — she was living inside it.

Day after day, she stood on the porch of Rancho del Cielo, greeting visitors from across the country, her voice carrying the same stories Ronald Reagan once told on that very land. She led tours through the modest adobe home, pointing out the President’s personal touches — the workbench, the saddle, the worn leather chair — each detail speaking to the man’s character. She shared with students, families, and leaders what life on the ranch meant to Reagan, and why it still matters today.

She walked the same trails Reagan rode on horseback, breathing the same cool mountain air that once cleared his head between meetings with world leaders. She opened the same gate that once welcomed presidents, prime ministers, and neighbors alike. She even helped reseal the very fence Reagan built with his own two hands, running her palms along the weathered wood as if shaking his hand across time.

And in those moments, she learned something deeper than dates or facts. She learned that work — real, physical work — is not a burden but a gift. She saw that Reagan’s life was defined by service, both to the land he loved and to the people he served. And she came to understand that her own life, like all of ours, truly begins the moment we dedicate it to something greater than ourselves.

Watching her step into that role — to see Brielle Saarloos embody the same humility, work ethic, and warmth that Reagan himself displayed — reminded me that this work, like the vines we tend, is generational. What we plant today, whether it’s in the soil or in the heart, grows into something far greater than ourselves.

Our Family Creed

Our family creed says: We live to honor those who have come before us, and to prepare the way for those yet to come.
With the 2023 DUTCH, we’re doing both — honoring the man, preserving his land, and watching the next generation carry his legacy forward.

Why Now Matters

Only 75 cases of DUTCH were made this year. When it’s gone, it’s gone forever. We make DUTCH once a year, in Reagan’s honor, and each vintage will never be repeated. Most bottles will never see a store shelf — they’ll be opened at kitchen tables, poured for friends, and gone.

When you open a bottle, you’re stepping into the same golden light that touched these hills when Reagan rode home. You’re breathing the same canyon air. You’re tasting the same valley that grounded a President.

So when you raise a glass of the 2023 DUTCH, know that you’re not just drinking a wine — you’re holding a piece of the Reagan Ranch in your hand. A piece of history you can taste, share, and help preserve. And with only 75 cases available, this bottle will be gone long before the story ever ends.

Here’s to Ronald Reagan. Here’s to the Santa Ynez Valley. Here’s to the hands — past, present, and future — that keep the work alive.

Honored beyond words,
Keith Saarloos

2023 Reagan Syrah – Saarloos and sons -Windmill Ranch | Ballard Canyon AVA
Varietal: 100% Estate Syrah
Vineyard: Saarloos and sons - High Hill Bloc – Estate Grown
AVA: Ballard Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley

Appearance
The 2023 DUTCH Syrah from High Hill Vineyard stands in the glass with the quiet authority of something built to last. Its core is an unbroken, inky garnet—so deep it almost swallows the light—encircled by a fine ring of violet that catches and reflects with a muted glow. That shift from strength at the heart to elegance at the edge mirrors the duality of the man this wine honors: resolute in purpose, yet always touched with optimism. As it moves in the glass, the tears form slowly, clinging to the bowl before making their deliberate descent, stained a rich ruby as they fall. It’s a reminder that nothing worth keeping should be rushed. This is not a wine designed for fleeting moments—it’s built with patience, discipline, and the same respect for the land that Reagan showed riding these hills.

Nose
The nose of DUTCH is a study in layers—each swirl revealing more, the way a good conversation deepens over time. It begins with a warm welcome: ripe blackberries, mulberry compote, and sun-softened black plums. These are bold, confident fruits, offered without pretense. Then, almost imperceptibly, the savory soul of Ballard Canyon Syrah begins to emerge—cracked black pepper, the supple richness of worn leather, and the faint drift of smoked game rising like woodsmoke from a distant campfire. Beneath it all lies the High Hill signature—graphite, warm granite dust, and a cool ribbon of eucalyptus that recalls the crisp morning air of the Santa Ynez Valley, the same air Reagan breathed at sunrise from the saddle. And just when you think you’ve understood it, a final grace note appears: violet and lavender, light as a ranch hand’s wave from across the pasture, lifting the wine’s darker tones into balance.

Palate
On the palate, DUTCH enters with confidence and clarity—black cherry, blueberry compote, and ripe plum glide forward on a foundation of cocoa nib and roasted espresso. It’s full-bodied, but never heavy-handed, every element in proportion, like a steady voice cutting through noise. Mid-palate, the savory character of the vineyard asserts itself—charred rosemary, grilled fennel, and black olive tapenade—adding a dimension that speaks of both the land and the hands that work it. The tannins are fine-grained yet firm, a polished framework that holds the wine upright without edge or bitterness, recalling resilience without rigidity. Through it all runs a line of mineral precision—iron, crushed stone, and the faintest salt of sea air from the distant Pacific—reminding you that even the strongest foundation is built from the ground up.

Finish
The finish of DUTCH is long, steady, and deliberate. The fruit retreats slowly, like a sunset over the valley, revealing peppercorn spice, a touch of anise, and the gentle warmth of cedar smoke. The oak presence is seamless, adding layers of dark chocolate, vanilla bean, and a trace of tobacco leaf without ever stealing the spotlight. Minutes later, there’s still an echo—a memory of violet, cocoa, and iron—proof that the wine, like the man, leaves something of itself long after it’s gone.

Aging Potential
While DUTCH is already a wine of immediate appeal, it is built for those who understand the rewards of waiting. Its concentration, structure, and balance suggest a graceful evolution over the next three decades. In its youth, the fruit is bold, the tannins strong yet refined; over time, it will gather the wisdom of age, developing notes of dried fig, cured meats, leather, cedar, and forest floor. Properly cellared, it will reach peak expression between 2033 and 2046, with the potential to carry through 2053. For collectors, this is not simply a bottle—it’s an heirloom in the making.

Overall Impression
The 2023 DUTCH Syrah from High Hill Vineyard is more than a wine; it is a portrait of character, painted in fruit, earth, and time. It speaks of mornings on horseback, chaparral on the breeze, and a horizon that always promised more than it asked. It reflects Ballard Canyon’s raw power and elegance, shaped into something enduring by patient hands and a clear vision. In honoring Reagan—rancher, leader, neighbor—DUTCH captures the same values: conviction without arrogance, strength tempered with grace, and an unshakable connection to the land. It’s a wine for those who understand that greatness is rarely loud, that true legacy is measured not in years but in the depth of what remains.