Wine Article
2006 Scholium Project Bricco Babelico Tenbrink Vineyards
Last edited on 8/24/2009 by shemmy
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2006 TENBRINK VINEYARDS BRICCO BABELICO
$45.00
In September of 2008, when Graeme and I were composing the 2006 Gardens of Babylon blend, we thought that there were four barrels of presumptive 2006 Babylon that were much better than the others-- just a consequence of the elevage of these wines (no topping, no racking, no sulfur). We decided to experiment with them-- reserve them from the blend and allow them to age further, undisturbed. If they turned out really well, we would have a 2006 "Babylon Reserve"-- if not, they would just go into the 2007 Gardens . . . . We anticipated a rich, powerful, complex wine; with all of the usual power of the Babylon wines. We tasted the wine on July 13, for the first time since September 2008. The wine is superb, but it has developed in a way that we never had anticipated. It has turned into an old-school Barolo. It is no longer a suffused deep purple in color (nor is it Barolo faded rose either; let's be reasonable). Its aroma is distinctly old-world: shoe leather, goudron, dried herbs, dried rose petals. It is still powerful in the mouth, but very attenuated compared to its youthful siblings. It is long and smooth and liquorous; in the end, it really only differs from very good Nebbiolo in the quantity and scale of its tannins. They are soft now, and well knit, but the wine is still fueled by their massive power. The wine is a source of wonder, pride, and pleasure for us.
Let me say a word about the price of this wine: in this portfolio, this is an $80 wine. But I cannot release the wine at that price for two reasons: I have raised the price of two wines that are superb, rare, and not experimental. This wine is not superb, but it is excellent. It is not experimental, but it is quite atypical. It seems right to charge a more modest price for this wine. Secondly, the wine reminds me of Barolo. There are excellent Barolos available for $45. This wine is not superior to them, so how could I ask anyone to pay much more than that?
$45.00
In September of 2008, when Graeme and I were composing the 2006 Gardens of Babylon blend, we thought that there were four barrels of presumptive 2006 Babylon that were much better than the others-- just a consequence of the elevage of these wines (no topping, no racking, no sulfur). We decided to experiment with them-- reserve them from the blend and allow them to age further, undisturbed. If they turned out really well, we would have a 2006 "Babylon Reserve"-- if not, they would just go into the 2007 Gardens . . . . We anticipated a rich, powerful, complex wine; with all of the usual power of the Babylon wines. We tasted the wine on July 13, for the first time since September 2008. The wine is superb, but it has developed in a way that we never had anticipated. It has turned into an old-school Barolo. It is no longer a suffused deep purple in color (nor is it Barolo faded rose either; let's be reasonable). Its aroma is distinctly old-world: shoe leather, goudron, dried herbs, dried rose petals. It is still powerful in the mouth, but very attenuated compared to its youthful siblings. It is long and smooth and liquorous; in the end, it really only differs from very good Nebbiolo in the quantity and scale of its tannins. They are soft now, and well knit, but the wine is still fueled by their massive power. The wine is a source of wonder, pride, and pleasure for us.
Let me say a word about the price of this wine: in this portfolio, this is an $80 wine. But I cannot release the wine at that price for two reasons: I have raised the price of two wines that are superb, rare, and not experimental. This wine is not superb, but it is excellent. It is not experimental, but it is quite atypical. It seems right to charge a more modest price for this wine. Secondly, the wine reminds me of Barolo. There are excellent Barolos available for $45. This wine is not superior to them, so how could I ask anyone to pay much more than that?