Festive Thirty. 2006. The year in review and the year to come.
This was a tough decision to reach. Surprisingly, there are more pinots than originally expected, closely followed by syrah. The two main reds within this list are indicative of the quality and indivuality of the varietals. There are many other wines that should have made it onto the list and may well be there in 2007, Beckmen's grenache over Beckmen's Cuvee Le Bec was a difficult call, ABC aren't listed because their's are being aged for future notes and review as too are a number of other prolific wines.
The viognier being the only white wine represented on the list doesn't mean there are no great whites out here, there are a greater number of reds in most winemakers' repertoires. Brander, Osseus, Curran, Trou de Bonde, Star Lane, Ryan Carr, Mike Brown and Doug Margerum are all producing solid gewurtztraminer, semillon, sauv, grenache and pinot blancs and grigios.
Sangiovese and grenache will likely become much more prevalent in future vintages. As too will be zins from Paso Robles finding their way in to Foxen and Carhartt in 2006.
Though there are many wineries listed who are already well established, there are some names to look for in the year to come. Mark Horvath at Kenneth Crawford and Paul Lato have both hit the ground running with their wines. J. Wilkes' 2005's are already being talked about as too are Dierberg, Badge and Alma Rosa.
New wineries like Roblar Vineyard and Three Sisters will on the radar next year as too will be the wines coming from Ross Rankin at Imagine Wines, Michael Roth under the Demetria label, Lea, from Jennifer Tensley and Departure wines from Tim Grubb.
In 2007 we will start to see some of the much anticipated '05 pinots being released, the 04 syrahs are coming out into daylight and the '06 whites will be of interest due the weather fluctuations.
New plantings this year included more Italian varietals too, sangiovese in Ballard Canyon, albarinho and nebbiolo
on Mora. The loss of cab franc in the Happy Canyon area is being replaced with grenache and mourvedre. The syrahs are maturing nicely now and some recent barrel tastings are showing great.
- Whitcraft, 2004, pinot noir, Santa Rita Hills, Melville Vineyard, unfined, unfiltered. 15.5% alc.
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Clos Pepe Estate, pinot noir, 2004 Santa Rita Hills. Alc 13.9%
- Domaine Des 2 Mondes, 2005, Saints and Sinners, viognier, Sanford and Benedict vineyard, Santa Barbara County. 14% alc. Morgan Clendenen - Yves Cuilleron.
- J. Wilkes 2003, pinot noir, Block Q, Bien Nacido vineyard, Santa Barbara County. 13.7%Alc.
- Qupe 2001, Santa Maria Valley, Bien Nacido Hillside Estate syrah. 13.5Alc %.
- Paul Lato 2003, "Duende" pinot noir, Gold Coast Vineyard.
- Beckmen Vineyards, 2004, Cuvee Le Bec, grenache 40%, syrah 32%, mourvedre 17%, counoise 11%. Santa Ynez Valley. Alc 14.2%.
- Kenneth Crawford 2004, grenache, Larner Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley.
- Ethan 2004, grenache, Santa Ynez Valley, Vogelzang Vineyard, bottle number 0193 of 2400, Alc14.5%.
- Carina Cellars, mourvedre, 2004, Santa Ynez Valley. 13.8% Alc.
- Foxen 2003, syrah, Williamson Dore Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley. 15.9% alc.
- Vita Nova, 2002, Acronicus, Santa Barbara County, 40% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 20 petit(e) verdot. 13.3% Alc.
- Carr, 2003, cabernet franc, Santa Ynez Valley. 14% Alc
- Tensley, 2004, syrah, Tierra Alta Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, Alc 14.6%
- Tensley, 2003, syrah, Thompson Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, Alc 14.1%
- Holus Bolus, 2004, syrah, Santa Ynez Valley.
- Whitcraft, 2000, lagrein, SLO county French Camp vineyard, Alc 14.9%
- Tantara, 2003, sangiovese, Paso Robles, Alc 14.9%
- Core, 2003, Elevation Sensation, Alta Mesa Vineyard, 15.3% alc.
- Curran, 2003, sangiovese, Santa Ynez Valley. 14.5% alc.
- Bridlewood, 2004, Arabesque, Central Coast, 39.92% grenache, 26.96% mourvedre, 17.91% cinsault, 11.21% syrah, 4% viognier. 13.8% alc. (100% Sunnybrook Vineyard, Paso Robles.)
- Kenneth Crawford, 2004, pinot noir, Babcock vineyard, Santa Rita Hills, 14.5% Alc.
- Babcock, 2003, syrah, Nook and Cranny, Santa Rita Hills.
- Carhartt, 2003, syrah, Santa Ynez Valley, 15.5% alc.
- J. Wilkes, 2003, pinot noir, Block 3, Bien Nacido vineyard, Santa Barbara County.
- Foxen, 2003, cabernet franc, Tinaquaic Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley. 14.5% Alc.
- La Vie Vineyards, 2001, pinot noir, Fiddlestix Reserve, Santa Barbara County. 13.7% alc.
- Core, 2004, Hard Core, 14.9% alc.
- Melville, 2005, pinot noir, Estate, 15.4% alc.
- Beckmen, 2004, cabernet sauvignon Estate, Santa Ynez Valley, 14.2% alc .
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Last update November 2008. Santa Barbara.
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