Babcock Sta Rita Hills Chardonnay 2014
Chardonnay
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Robert
Parker
Product Details
Varietal
Producer
Vintage
2014
Size
750ML
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Imagine if they took some fruit from the Top Cream section of their estate vineyard, and instead of doing the full Burgundian stylistic expansion with it, they fermented it in stainless steel at a nice cool temperature to lock in its fruit and minerality. Imagine if they borrowed from the Burgundian recipe just a little malolactic fermentation to balance the fruit's natural acidity with richness. What would one call such a wonderful thing? Well, here at the winery we call it "Baby Cream". No it does not have the world class dimension that the Top Cream has. But it does have rip roaring fruit with a mouthwatering finish that goes forever. If you call the winery and ask for Baby Cream, they'll know what you're talking about.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Brian Babcock's 2014 Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) is soft, open-knit and delicious. Dried pear, lemon peel, white flowers, mint and white pepper are front and center in this very pretty, expressive Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay. Fermenting in steel keeps the flavors bright and focused, but there is plenty of the signature Babcock texture in the glass.
With 80 acres of grapes farmed meticulously by Babcock Winery and Vineyards for low yields, and ripe fruit of exceptional quality, winemaker Bryan Babcock understands that great wines begin in the vineyard. One of California's brightest stars in the field of winemaking, Babcock was not only selected by the Los Angeles Times as one of the "Ten Best Winemakers of the Year," he was also named by this influential daily as "Most Courageous Winemaker of the Year" for his daring style.
The prestigious James Beard Foundation chose Bryan as one of the "Top Ten Small Production Winemakers in the World," the only American chosen for this oenological dream team. In choosing Bryan for this award, David Moore wrote, "Bryan Babcock best exemplifies the traits I look for in a great winemaker. The quality of Bryan's wines speak for themselves, yet it is his personal commitment to excellence that stands out so much. His relentless experimentation, his willingness to explore the possibilities with so many grape varieties, and his aesthetic are a world apart from the usual American approach to winemaking."
YNG195739_2014 Item# 169657