At the annual Big Basin Vineyards Spring Release Celebration last weekend on Memory Lane in Boulder Creek, everything was harmonious: the weather (Gods and Goddesses), the music (Scott Law), the artwork (Matt Lane), the jewelry (Octavia), the food by Chef Desiree Ledsome (awesome pulled pork sliders, grilled lamb and pita, fabulous rosemary grilled fingerling potatoes, endless chevre and Lamb Chopper cheese tray), and yes, the wine. The wine! Thanks to the well-farmed vines and the amazing things winemaker Bradley Brown and assistant winemaker, Lindsey Otis, do with the resultant fruit. At this winery, the vineyards truly rule.
The Rhone vines at the Big Basin estate winery were just beginning to spring forth in all their verdant glory, the Grenache the first to take the plunge, while the Roussanne seemed to have a better handle on the forecast: “I see rain. That’s ok, you go ahead and bloom. I’m just going to cool my heels here til mid-month.” And thus, Roussanne remained tight-lipped and tight-budded, while the Grenache was eagerly unfurling its leaves to bask in the warm spring sun.
Meanwhile, in the cellar, the new wines Bradley has just released are bursting with vitality, and in some cases, with genuine warmth.
The new label, Homestead, is an all-around crowd pleaser. It’s 70% Monterey AVA fruit, from the Fairview and Coastview Vineyards, two vineyards across the Salinas River from one another, both intense and dynamic in their own polar ways. The rest of the fruit comes from Bradley’s estate vineyard, and they work together to create harmonies as sweet as listening to The Band, or The Eagles: it gives you a peaceful, easy feeling going down. The rustic, fun label belies the level of quality evident from the first sip: it is among the smoothest, easiest to drink of all Bradley’s 2008 powerhouse potables.
Paying homage to the early settlers who made this former Spanish land grant into a homestead back in the 19th century, the label is playful, but serious, and symbolizes the basic necessities of frontier living in the wild West of yesterday, and today: a rocking chair, a banjo, a wine barrel and a shotgun. Pretty much the present day staples of life in the mountains of Boulder Creek, and I should know, having lived there for 16 years.
The first of my two favorites is the superbly executed GSM rosé, a juicy, joyous, acid-trip of a romp through a gossamer silky entwinement of mandarin oranges, rose hips, red raspberries, crisp nectarines and guava, all riding a cantering steed of racy minerality. It tastes pretty much like the outrageously electric label by Santa Cruz artist, Matt Jones, who was painting live at the Spring Celebration. He’s the mellow, contemplative counterpoint to Bradley’s intense, driven perfectionista persona.
The other fave is the 2008 Woodruff Pinot Noir, made from the Martini clone, sourced from 40-plus year old vineyard in Corralitos. Unlike the Alfaro Pinot, which is a pom-pom fruit bomb of Dijon, Woodruff is more evasive, elusive and muted, with ethereal notes of roses, orange blossoms and sandalwood, and flavors of cinnamon, dried apricots, cranberries and pomegranate, accented by chestnut puree and a hint of Grand Marnier. This is an intriguing wine of great structure and austerity, that appeals to fans of the older Burgundy clones.
Not at all restrained, and practically bursting out of the bottle is the 2008 Mandala, led by the irresistible charge of outrageously fruity Booker Grenache from Paso, followed by a flood of deliriously plummy Syrah, and winding up with a sucker punch of pepper from the 4% Cabernet Sauvignon which adds a bit of adult supervision to the predominantly Grenache-driven frontal assault: a lot like a gaggle of giggling teenage girls at pajama party.
For fans of the Rattlesnake collection, there are still some bottles of the 2005 and 2006 Library vintages to be had. The 2005 is drinking like a fine Côte Rôtie, with delicious flavors of roasted meat, cedar and dark blueberry, cherry brandy sauce. The 2006 is solidly fabulous, with a layer cake interweaving of plum, graphite and pepper: a smooth, beautiful and satisfying wine. The 2007 Rattlesnake is young and feisty, oozing black & white pepper and briny olives.
Next to the new rosé, the most brilliantly made wine of the weekend was the 2007 Frenchies Ranch Syrah (Estate): a lavish, luxurious elixir of violets, rosemary, licorice, wet earth, five-spice and molasses glazed pork ribs and pools of inky plum sauce. If you have $69 hanging around with no place to go, this would be a worthy investment of pure pleasure.
If you want a taste of the very limited estate 2009 Roussanne, join winemaker Bradley Brown on Friday, May 20th, for a 5-course wine dinner at Parcel 104 in Santa Clara. The rich and 
decadent menu, created by Executive Chef Jonathan Hall, who Parcel 104 founder, Bradley Ogden, open Root 246 in Solvang, features a 4-year vertical of Rattlesnake paired with lamb two ways, accompanied by mustard spetzle. The immensely popular 2008 Booker Grenache accompanies a Valrohna lava cake dessert. $120 per person: call 4078-970-6104 to reserve your table now.
Visit the Big Basin Vineyards tasting room in Saratoga Village, Thursday thru Mondays, 11am til 5pm, and til 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Wine may also be purchased online at bigbasinvineyards.com.
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