Youthful in color and clarity. Balanced, light and lithe. Good acidity and finish. A few more years in its primary stage of glory Would decant for an hour to start
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Bought a few bottles of this directly from Bradley on release. I’m really a Syrah nut, but I was convinced to go for this and cellar. If you remember, 2013 was one of those drought years, but the diurnal effects of the Santa Cruz Mountains during the veraison months creates excellent phenolics in grapes that love cooler climates. Bradley knows this well. Galloni speaks of this AVA as one of the best in California for a reason: “"There is no doubt in my mind the Santa Cruz Mountains is the greatest and most overlooked terroir in the United States. Period.” - Antonio Galloni.
This is outstanding Pinot Noir. This is better than most of what I've tasted from Premier Cru Burgundy, and it’s from my own back yard.
At 170 cases, this might very well be the last bottle in existence. Ever since Bradley's collection burned down the older stuff has been rarer indeed.
Hibiscus and black tea, with essences of fine cakes and peony. It was elegant and held most interesting flavors and spices in a delicate array of mouth pleasure.
This bottle I pulled out of the cellar over the summer and let stand for 4 months. All the fine sediment had cleared, yet when I decanted, that sediment smoke crept up fast to where only half the bottle could be decanted cleanly. I let the rest sit in the bottle overnight and today, it was a touch cloudy, but still excellent. Even the dregs were a joy to drink.
This wine smacked of a natural wine. It had that excellent natural taste that I get from the cooler climates of Piemonte. No doubt that this could cellar for a few more years as the natural acid was perfectly balanced. Simply a fantastic expression of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
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Excellent wine. This bottle showed no signs of flabbiness like that last. It was very Grand Cru Burgundy with a massive nose of beautiful perfume. There was a lot of sediment. I let rest for a month from the cellar. The sediment tasted delish though. Palate of big cherries and raspberries with energy and balance. Spices and etheric levity that contrasted to a gorgeous core.
Sushi wine! Yes, this is a sushi wine. I don't really like sushi with red wine, because I love the fine sake, but this pairs really well with sushi.
If I owned a fine sushi restaurant I would get this wine and charge $125. Jeez this is really good.
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I like it but it might be on the downside. Much of it's body has settled out as I could only pour 2/3 of the bottle before the sediment showed up. I can't pick out wood notes It's nose is fantastic with flowers, cherries and a darker lurking musk. It's a touch flabby on the palate but still with energy to last. It has a long finish with subtle tars and coatings bits, airy and light.
I’m remembering this wine being bigger and containing more punch. I bought direct from winery. Was told to cellar. My bottles have not moved from their 55 degree resting place since 2015.
There is a lot of sediment. It tastes natural. I should have opened two years ago, but it's sitting okay now.
If you have any I would open soon.
Pair with small fowel or sashimi.
As it opens its putting on more weight. Notes of cloves and herbs show up. It's a classic. That flabbiness is fading. Excellent wine.
5 hours later. Nose is still holding lots of flowers and cherries. It has not changed much. It’s a real wine, and at 12.6%ABV, I say yum. Low alcohol wines rule!
There’s anise, cloves, complex herbs, but definitely on its downside. Open and drink asap.
It was probably better 2 years ago.
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Blind tasting. Brief note. Pours a light day-bright ruby red. Super expressive nose and palate show tart/ripe/bright red fruits, Saigon cinnamon, very chalky minerals and a judicious use of oak. Tannins are refined and the acidity is appetite whetting. Very well balanced. Medium (+) finish. This a New World wine for Old World lovers. Very nice!
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ruby color. Nose bright cherries, light baking spice. Palate bright, light-bodied, good complexity. Deft and balanced, would like to see this age. 91 pts
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California Vacation (Sonoma, SF, Monterey); 8/5/2017-8/12/2017: Tasted in tasting room. Dusty ripe red fruit. Berry driven. Some spice and woodsy notes. Decent balance -- could use a bit more acidity. Finishes medium with the red fruit continuing to shine through most prominently.
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A lithe Pinot that delivers layered fruit within a light, somewhat crunchy frame. Light red in color, medium in body, nose of cranberry and thyme. Tastes of sour cherry, raspberry, nutmeg, and stems (lots of stems), with a lovely and lingering finish. 12.6% alcohol. I'd prefer a bit more ripeness, but this is a solid interpretation of the lighter side of CA pinot (at a good price, no less). This is a lesser version of Rhys, but it's still pretty good.
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750ml; PnP and followed the next day. Dark crimson, cloudy, opaque wine. Slow, long legs suggest alcohol or sugar (it was alcohol). On the nose, the wine has a lot of interest - cherry, black raspberry, spice, slight cherry cola. Flavors of raspberry (black and red mix) and spice with a good deal of acidic rhubarb. This wine is a bit over the top dark fruit pinot and over the top rubharb acidity for my taste. I am finding I prefer other vineyards than Woodruff.
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12.6% abv. Light burgundy red, expressive aromas. Flavors of raspberries, Asian spice, white flowers and crushed rock. Savory, nuanced, energetic and nervy. Enjoyable now and I'd expect this wine to age well.
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IPOB San Francisco...final event...lots of great wines, short notes... (San Francisco, RN74): Bright nose, floral and red fruits. A bit tighter than the Coastview Pinot on this evening. Elegant mouthfeel - 75% whole cluster, greener notes coming through. Should improve and integrate with a few more years bottle age, I think this will be better in 2 years, good upside 88+
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Big Basin Tasting with Bradley (FMIII in the OC): I was on grill duty during this flight so the gang went without me. I did come back in and take the glass with me while wrestling with the BBQ. No detailed notes other than it was delicious. Paired well with a face full of flames and sizzling meats.
Big Basin In The OC--Dinner With Bradley Brown PART 2 (My House): Dynamite stuff. Damn near as good as the 13 BB Alfaro. This is juicy, with a wollop of bright cherry, vibrant acidity and a light tone of watermelon. Finishes with a minerally, earthy/soily note. Where the Alfaro suggests Anderson Valley like fruit, this is more burgundian in tone. Wonderful stuff.
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6/13/2023 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
My last bottle
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1/9/2023 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Youthful in color and clarity. Balanced, light and lithe. Good acidity and finish. A few more years in its primary stage of glory
Would decant for an hour to start
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12/3/2022 - Fractalage Likes this wine:
Bought a few bottles of this directly from Bradley on release. I’m really a Syrah nut, but I was convinced to go for this and cellar. If you remember, 2013 was one of those drought years, but the diurnal effects of the Santa Cruz Mountains during the veraison months creates excellent phenolics in grapes that love cooler climates. Bradley knows this well. Galloni speaks of this AVA as one of the best in California for a reason: “"There is no doubt in my mind the Santa Cruz Mountains is the greatest and most overlooked terroir in the United States. Period.” - Antonio Galloni.
This is outstanding Pinot Noir.
This is better than most of what I've tasted from Premier Cru Burgundy, and it’s from my own back yard.
At 170 cases, this might very well be the last bottle in existence. Ever since Bradley's collection burned down the older stuff has been rarer indeed.
Hibiscus and black tea, with essences of fine cakes and peony. It was elegant and held most interesting flavors and spices in a delicate array of mouth pleasure.
This bottle I pulled out of the cellar over the summer and let stand for 4 months. All the fine sediment had cleared, yet when I decanted, that sediment smoke crept up fast to where only half the bottle could be decanted cleanly. I let the rest sit in the bottle overnight and today, it was a touch cloudy, but still excellent. Even the dregs were a joy to drink.
This wine smacked of a natural wine. It had that excellent natural taste that I get from the cooler climates of Piemonte. No doubt that this could cellar for a few more years as the natural acid was perfectly balanced.
Simply a fantastic expression of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
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12/10/2020 - Fractalage Likes this wine:
Excellent wine.
This bottle showed no signs of flabbiness like that last.
It was very Grand Cru Burgundy with a massive nose of beautiful perfume.
There was a lot of sediment. I let rest for a month from the cellar. The sediment tasted delish though.
Palate of big cherries and raspberries with energy and balance. Spices and etheric levity that contrasted to a gorgeous core.
Sushi wine!
Yes, this is a sushi wine.
I don't really like sushi with red wine, because I love the fine sake, but this pairs really well with sushi.
If I owned a fine sushi restaurant I would get this wine and charge $125.
Jeez this is really good.
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4/18/2020 - Fractalage Likes this wine:
I like it but it might be on the downside. Much of it's body has settled out as I could only pour 2/3 of the bottle before the sediment showed up.
I can't pick out wood notes
It's nose is fantastic with flowers, cherries and a darker lurking musk.
It's a touch flabby on the palate but still with energy to last. It has a long finish with subtle tars and coatings bits, airy and light.
I’m remembering this wine being bigger and containing more punch.
I bought direct from winery. Was told to cellar. My bottles have not moved from their 55 degree resting place since 2015.
There is a lot of sediment. It tastes natural. I should have opened two years ago, but it's sitting okay now.
If you have any I would open soon.
Pair with small fowel or sashimi.
As it opens its putting on more weight. Notes of cloves and herbs show up. It's a classic.
That flabbiness is fading.
Excellent wine.
5 hours later.
Nose is still holding lots of flowers and cherries.
It has not changed much. It’s a real wine, and at 12.6%ABV, I say yum.
Low alcohol wines rule!
There’s anise, cloves, complex herbs, but definitely on its downside.
Open and drink asap.
It was probably better 2 years ago.
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9/24/2017 - ESTEELE90 Likes this wine:
Blind tasting. Brief note. Pours a light day-bright ruby red. Super expressive nose and palate show tart/ripe/bright red fruits, Saigon cinnamon, very chalky minerals and a judicious use of oak. Tannins are refined and the acidity is appetite whetting. Very well balanced. Medium (+) finish. This a New World wine for Old World lovers. Very nice!
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9/23/2017 - EMichels wrote: 89 Points
Great bright red; Nice balance; Very expressive nose
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9/23/2017 - fred o. Likes this wine:
ruby color. Nose bright cherries, light baking spice. Palate bright, light-bodied, good complexity. Deft and balanced, would like to see this age. 91 pts
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8/10/2017 - ews3 wrote: 89 Points
California Vacation (Sonoma, SF, Monterey); 8/5/2017-8/12/2017: Tasted in tasting room. Dusty ripe red fruit. Berry driven. Some spice and woodsy notes. Decent balance -- could use a bit more acidity. Finishes medium with the red fruit continuing to shine through most prominently.
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3/15/2017 - msuwine wrote: 91 Points
A lithe Pinot that delivers layered fruit within a light, somewhat crunchy frame. Light red in color, medium in body, nose of cranberry and thyme. Tastes of sour cherry, raspberry, nutmeg, and stems (lots of stems), with a lovely and lingering finish. 12.6% alcohol. I'd prefer a bit more ripeness, but this is a solid interpretation of the lighter side of CA pinot (at a good price, no less). This is a lesser version of Rhys, but it's still pretty good.
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2/23/2017 - BornToRhone wrote: 88 Points
750ml; PnP and followed the next day. Dark crimson, cloudy, opaque wine. Slow, long legs suggest alcohol or sugar (it was alcohol). On the nose, the wine has a lot of interest - cherry, black raspberry, spice, slight cherry cola. Flavors of raspberry (black and red mix) and spice with a good deal of acidic rhubarb. This wine is a bit over the top dark fruit pinot and over the top rubharb acidity for my taste. I am finding I prefer other vineyards than Woodruff.
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1/23/2017 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 92 Points
12.6% abv. Light burgundy red, expressive aromas. Flavors of raspberries, Asian spice, white flowers and crushed rock. Savory, nuanced, energetic and nervy. Enjoyable now and I'd expect this wine to age well.
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11/14/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 88 Points
IPOB San Francisco...final event...lots of great wines, short notes... (San Francisco, RN74): Bright nose, floral and red fruits. A bit tighter than the Coastview Pinot on this evening. Elegant mouthfeel - 75% whole cluster, greener notes coming through. Should improve and integrate with a few more years bottle age, I think this will be better in 2 years, good upside 88+
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6/27/2015 - brigcampbell wrote:
Big Basin Tasting with Bradley (FMIII in the OC): I was on grill duty during this flight so the gang went without me. I did come back in and take the glass with me while wrestling with the BBQ. No detailed notes other than it was delicious. Paired well with a face full of flames and sizzling meats.
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6/26/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Big Basin In The OC--Dinner With Bradley Brown PART 2 (My House): Dynamite stuff. Damn near as good as the 13 BB Alfaro. This is juicy, with a wollop of bright cherry, vibrant acidity and a light tone of watermelon. Finishes with a minerally, earthy/soily note. Where the Alfaro suggests Anderson Valley like fruit, this is more burgundian in tone. Wonderful stuff.
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