Sunday, July 31, 2005
Yesterday marked the debut of Bryan Babcock’s new wines, dubbed Terroir Exclusive Wines. For Babcock, who has been one of the longer and more established winemakers in the Santa Barbara region, the wine brand brings him into the artisan crowd of winemakers, while still letting him have his full market approach with the Grand Cuvee and regular Babcock wine brands. The Terroir Series are limited production (i.e. About 300 cases of each) and represent a more hand crafted approach for Bryan, similar to how he got started many years ago.
Of the ten wines there are some real standouts, and a few average wines. None are dogs, but that said, I wish there was a bit more in the way of “selectivity” beyond single vineyard plots behind each wine. While I’m not a Chardonnay zealot, I do appreciate his 2004 Top Cream, Estate Grown Santa Rita Hills. Possibly the richest Chard Bryan has made, this goes more Burgundian than even his Grand Cuvee ever hit in style. Lovers of big, ripe, rich Chardonnay’s will really appreciate this release. His 2004 Pinot Gris, tabbed Naughty Little Hillsides, is a refreshing wine, made in a real California style. While it won’t cause any winemaker in Alsace or Italy to shake in their vineyard it is a charming, enjoyable and early drinking white that is both refreshing and tasty. It has low acidity, but a lot of forward fruit, mostly tropical in nature.
On the red side of the ledger, I was unimpressed with either the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignons. The Loin, made from Cabernet grown in the Estelle Vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley and the Vogelzang also from Santa Ynez Valley, were nothing to rush out for. While well made, and easy to drink, having had Doug Margerum’s Piocho, I know how great a Cabernet wine from Santa Barbara County can be. That said, Bryan’s Pinot Noirs, all three of them have something really to offer, and some of his Syrah’s do too.
The 2004 Ocean’s Ghost made from Estate Grown Santa Rita Hills fruit, is the most approachable, and early drinking of the three. It’s got bright fruit, and is already charming. The two I’m nuts over are the 2004 Cargasacchi Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills and the 2004 Mt. Carmel Vineyard releases. The Cargasacchi is the show stopper wine. It’s bright, but dense, offering a very lush and mouth-filling appeal from the very start, but it’s the Mount Carmel Pinot that has my heart going a flutter. With this wine Babcock joins his long time pal Jim Clendenen in making a wine from Mt. Carmel fruit. Like Clendenen’s 2002 and 2002 Reserve from the same vineyard, I feel it is Bryan’s best effort to date. It is rich, clearly reminiscent of Burgundy and without question an age worthy wine. While the Cargasacchi will be the “culty” wine, I fully expect that serious long term wine collectors, who like to cellar will find the Mt. Carmel to be the wine of choice.
Babcock also continued his excellence with Syrah. While both the 2003 Radical and Frying Pan are good wines, with balance and structure, it’s the 2003 Nook & Cranny Estate Grown Santa Rita Hills that has the wow factor down pat. Loaded with the kind of Northern Rhone flavor found in St. Joseph or Crozes Hermitage, this very big, fat, chewy Syrah is one for the cellar, but also enjoyable now.
I think Babcock is on the right track with Terrior. Each of the wines has their pluses and it’s clear some of the wines are what he had in mind when he came up with the program, while others seem to be filling the spots needed to make it profitable program for his winery direct efforts.
Note: To get the wines you need to be a Babcock Terroir Club member.
Of the ten wines there are some real standouts, and a few average wines. None are dogs, but that said, I wish there was a bit more in the way of “selectivity” beyond single vineyard plots behind each wine. While I’m not a Chardonnay zealot, I do appreciate his 2004 Top Cream, Estate Grown Santa Rita Hills. Possibly the richest Chard Bryan has made, this goes more Burgundian than even his Grand Cuvee ever hit in style. Lovers of big, ripe, rich Chardonnay’s will really appreciate this release. His 2004 Pinot Gris, tabbed Naughty Little Hillsides, is a refreshing wine, made in a real California style. While it won’t cause any winemaker in Alsace or Italy to shake in their vineyard it is a charming, enjoyable and early drinking white that is both refreshing and tasty. It has low acidity, but a lot of forward fruit, mostly tropical in nature.
On the red side of the ledger, I was unimpressed with either the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignons. The Loin, made from Cabernet grown in the Estelle Vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley and the Vogelzang also from Santa Ynez Valley, were nothing to rush out for. While well made, and easy to drink, having had Doug Margerum’s Piocho, I know how great a Cabernet wine from Santa Barbara County can be. That said, Bryan’s Pinot Noirs, all three of them have something really to offer, and some of his Syrah’s do too.
The 2004 Ocean’s Ghost made from Estate Grown Santa Rita Hills fruit, is the most approachable, and early drinking of the three. It’s got bright fruit, and is already charming. The two I’m nuts over are the 2004 Cargasacchi Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills and the 2004 Mt. Carmel Vineyard releases. The Cargasacchi is the show stopper wine. It’s bright, but dense, offering a very lush and mouth-filling appeal from the very start, but it’s the Mount Carmel Pinot that has my heart going a flutter. With this wine Babcock joins his long time pal Jim Clendenen in making a wine from Mt. Carmel fruit. Like Clendenen’s 2002 and 2002 Reserve from the same vineyard, I feel it is Bryan’s best effort to date. It is rich, clearly reminiscent of Burgundy and without question an age worthy wine. While the Cargasacchi will be the “culty” wine, I fully expect that serious long term wine collectors, who like to cellar will find the Mt. Carmel to be the wine of choice.
Babcock also continued his excellence with Syrah. While both the 2003 Radical and Frying Pan are good wines, with balance and structure, it’s the 2003 Nook & Cranny Estate Grown Santa Rita Hills that has the wow factor down pat. Loaded with the kind of Northern Rhone flavor found in St. Joseph or Crozes Hermitage, this very big, fat, chewy Syrah is one for the cellar, but also enjoyable now.
I think Babcock is on the right track with Terrior. Each of the wines has their pluses and it’s clear some of the wines are what he had in mind when he came up with the program, while others seem to be filling the spots needed to make it profitable program for his winery direct efforts.
Note: To get the wines you need to be a Babcock Terroir Club member.
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