Ocean Influenced Wines made in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
“one of the most dynamic up and coming wineries in the state” – Antonio Galloni
“Cult Producer” – Wine Enthusiast
Winery
Named in Wine & Spirits 2018 “Top 100 Wineries,” adjacent to Big Basin Redwoods State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains and first cultivated for grapes a century ago, owner/winemaker Bradley Brown has restored this historic site using CA Certified Organic methods. He creates small production, artisan wines that have received repeated acclaim from In Pursuit of Balance, Antonio Galloni, Stephen Tanzer, Wine Advocate, Rhone Report, Wine and Spirits, Burghound, Wine Enthusiast, etc. Since the first vintage in 2002, his winemaking style has evolved to represent the leaner, brighter, less oaked and lower alcohol style of California wine. Family owned with his sister Wendy Brown and his two sons, he built the winery out of redwood from the estate, which is frequently visited by mountain lions, bobcats, deer, fox and coyotes from the surrounding forest.
Winemaking
Inspired by his brother’s harvest work at Chateau Rayas in the Rhône, and his father’s home winemaking, Bradley enlisted the help of California Rhône Pioneer John Alban to start his winery, and has continued to evolve his minimal intervention winemaking approach with the use of more whole clusters and less new Oak. Their winemaking style includes organic farming in ocean – influenced mountain vineyards , hand harvesting, native yeast fermentation, and bottl ing unfined and unfiltered . Clusters are sorted, destemmed and fermented in open top small fermenters, often including up to 100% whole cluster fruit to slow the fermentation and add complexity before being pressed into neutral and a small percentage of new oak. He selects barrels which best maintain the subtleties of the fruit while supporting and amplifying th ose nuances.
Vineyards
“Bradley Brown’s Big Basin Vineyards is certainly one of the top estates in the Santa Cruz Mountains.” Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate.
Aiming to create wines that reveal the complex nuances of their cool climate, steeply sloped , ocean influenced mountain vineyards, Bradley has sought out the very best sites that meet this criterion in the Santa Cruz and Gabilan Mountains. H arvesting in small lots at ideal ripeness at very low yields , the personality of each site is preserved for expre ssion in the bottle. The Estate Vineyard has been Certified CCOF since 2009
Roussanne, Homestead Block 2015 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate New Release 13.2% Alcohol 91 Points, Galloni
91 Points, Galloni: “Super-expressive, with freshness and energy. Peach, apricot and exotic flower notes very nicely delineated.”
Half fermented and aged in a 600l clay amphorae; the other half fermented and aged in used French oak, racked to stainless tank. CCOF Organic. 135 cases.
Chardonnay, Coastview Vineyard 2014, Gabilan Mountains, Monterey County 13.5% Alc 92 Points, Galloni, Organic
Pinot Noir, Monterey County 2016 (Olson and Coastview Vineyards)
From the ocean – influenced Coastview and Olson Vineyards in Monterey County’s Gabilan Mountains, it blends the Pisoni and Swan clones among others. It was fermented with native yeasts and with 85% whole clusters for more layered flavors. After 11 months in French oak barrel s (5% new) , it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. 44 5 cases.
Pinot Noir, Lester Family Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains 13% Alcohol 94 Points, WA
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, WA: “Terrific notes of red currants, raspberries, spice and underbrush aromas and flavors. Lightly textured, elegant, and silky, with impressive balanc e, it has impressive length on the finish. This is a beautiful Pinot Noir I suspect will evolve nicely.”
Farmed in the ocean breeze – cooled Corralitos Foothills near the Monterey Bay, it was n ative yeast fermented whole berry and 70% whole cluster, aged 15 months in 25% new French barrels, then bottled unfined and unfiltered. 205 cases.
“Homestead” Red Rhone Blend 2015, California 13.9% Alcohol 93 Points, WE
93 Points, WE: “Pure tangy fruit aromas of mulberry, flower petals, rustic earthy and gamy elements. Vibrant acidity. Full of red-currant, cranberry, parsley, sage and lavender flavors. Much less price than other bottlings.”
43% Mourvèdre, 16% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 14% old-vine Carignane, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. From the Gabilan and Santa Cruz Mountains, it is native yeast fermented. No new oak. Unfined, unfiltered. 800 cases.
Syrah 2014 , Santa Cruz Mountains 13.9% Alcohol 91+ Galloni
Syrah, Rattlesnake Estate Vineyard 2013 , Santa Cruz Mountains CCOF Organic, 93 Points, Galloni
93 Points, Galloni , Vinous : “A powerful, deep wine. Deep, pliant and generous on the palate, possesses lovely depth to match its dark, brooding flavor profile. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, leather and sage add racy personality.”
From a steep , south – facing terraced hillside at 1400 feet elevation planted to the “Alban Cote Rotie” and other clones, under 2 tons/acre yield . Native yeast co-fermented with 6% Viognier and 9% whole cluster, aged in 40% new French oak . Splash decant for fullest enjoyment. Unfined, unfiltered. CCOF Certified Organic farming. 275 cases.
Represented by Rising Star in the Central Coast up through San Mateo County, the Central Valley, Greater Sacramento area and Lake Tahoe
