Big Basin Vineyards Winter Barrel Tasting 2/28/10

Amit and I took the opportunity to drive over and try a few wines. In addition to the barrel samples, there was a new rose and several fall releases to revisit.

'08 Aura Rose of Syrah (CA)
Nose - strawberry and lemon rind, touch of savory dried herb, smoky and earthy.
Pithy strawberry, a bit meaty, a bit flat with some musty wood. 81 pts

'07 Pinot Noir Bald Mountain (SCM)
Nose - lovely savory, smoky persimmon, deep array of red fruit, good mineral sense.
Lighter body, smoky, savory, rhubarb/cranberry, touches of cherry and persimmon, some pith, an ethereal spiciness. 91+ pts

'07 Syrah SCM/Monterrey
Nose - deep, stemmy spice, blackberry, smoky, hint of patchouli, a bit meaty, dried mango, sandalwood, fermenting mango.
Smoky, minerally, sultry, dried herb, boysenberry, and incense shop/exotic wood. 91 pts

'07 Syrah Fairview Ranch (Santa Lucia Highlands)
Nose - smoky lavender, jujube and black plum.
Perky red and black fruit, lavender, raspberry, jujube and smoke, with good minerality. 92 pts

'06 Syrah Rattlesnake Rock (SCM)
Nose - deep, dark minerality, shy roasty black fruit.
Smooth, dark smoky fruit, graphite, meat, dusty tannin, subtle smooth char. 93+ pts

'09 Pinot Noir Lester Vyd. (SCM) barrel sample
(Formerly known as Deer Park Vyd.)
Nose - smoky, longan fruit, exotic wood, touches of blackberry and apricot.
Exotic Asian wood spices, boysenberry, smoke, longan fruit, chalky tannin. 91 pts.

'09 Pinot Noir Alfaro Vyd. (SCM) barrel sample
Nose - dense purple fruit and smoke, jujube, sandalwood.
Exotic dark fruit, citron marmalade, dusty tannin, smoky/roasty, touch of lavender, jujube, raspberry, plum. 93 pts

'08 Syrah Coastview Vyd. (Monterey County) barrel sample
Nose - fresh smoky black plum and boysenberry, touch of oak spice.
Sweet, biting, plum, cassis, tangello,juicy and grippy. 91 pts

I should note that while Amit pretty much agreed with me on the other wines, his stand out favorite was the Lester Pinot.


Big Basin will be pouring at Pinot Paradise this weekend (3/28). http://www.scmwa.com/PinotParadise.htm Also, I highly recommend stopping by their Spring Open House Apr. 3-4 http://bigbasinvineyards.com/news_events.html