WTN: Brander Bouchet Tete de Cuvee 1990...

Tried this last night w/ leftovers:
1. Brander Bouchet Tete de Cuvee SantaYnezVlly TW (70% CabSauv, 16% CabFranc, 14% Merlot) 1990: Very dark slightly murky color w/ light bricking; very interesting herbal/dusty rather Bdx-like minerally/carbon arc/WWII beacon some toasty/cedary/smokey/oak complex nose; bit tart smooth/rounded rather dusty somewhat herbal/Bdx-like cedary/pencilly/smokey/toasty/oak complex tannic/bit dried-out flavor; very long herbal/Bdx-like dusty rather toasty/smokey/oak some tannic/dried-out complex finish; still very much alive and lots of red Bdx character; very interesting and tasty Cab.
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A wee bloody pulpit:
1. SantaYnezVlly Cab has a reputation for producing very herbaceous and unlikable Cabs. I think, by and large, this is a bad rap. I've found plenty of Cabs from both Babcock and Brander and VitaNova that I've liked a lot. Indeed, they often have an herbaceous component that reminds me a lot of red Bordeaux, back afore concentrators were in vogue and the more Calif in style the Bdx is made, the better. True, the SYV Cabs don't taste much like Napa Cabernet, but not so sure that's a bad thing. I'd much rather spend $30 and get a SYV Cab that has some interest than $100+ for a Napa Cab that is just like any other $200+ Napa Cab.
This '90 Brander was one of the best SYV Cabs I've yet had. Kudos to Fred Brander for swimming against the trend and believing great Cab can be made in the SNV. And his SauvBlancs are certainly nothing to snivel at.
TomHill

[Jenise]

I love reading notes like this, it encourages one to take a chance. Tell me, I know you have a very large cellar, did you age this one deliberately or did it just get lost for awhile.

Oh, and I love Brander Sauv Blancs. They're one of that area's true treasures.

Jenise,
I obviously bought it about 1992 after trying it and thinking it had some potential for aging...but I've long forgotten the details. It kinda got lost out there and I just stumbled across it last night after the Ravenswood Dickerson Zin '94 was a klunker.
Tom

[Jenise]

Well, you have what we all aspire to, Tom: enough wine that some gems "get lost out there".

[Jenise]

Oh, I meant to add that I'm sending your note to some friends who don't read on line. They live just outside the SYV and, since they rely on the Spectator for all their wine advice, they don't have the value of other people's real life experience to help them evaluate the wines around them for aging potential. This will be encouraging.

Oh, and I love Brander Sauv Blancs. They're one of that area's true treasures.

Agree completely. Some of the most interesting white wines made in the state, in my opinion.

__________________________
A wee bloody pulpit:
1. SantaYnezVlly Cab has a reputation for producing very herbaceous and unlikable Cabs. I think, by and large, this is a bad rap. I've found plenty of Cabs from both Babcock and Brander and VitaNova that I've liked a lot. Indeed, they often have an herbaceous component that reminds me a lot of red Bordeaux, back afore concentrators were in vogue and the more Calif in style the Bdx is made, the better. True, the SYV Cabs don't taste much like Napa Cabernet, but not so sure that's a bad thing. I'd much rather spend $30 and get a SYV Cab that has some interest than $100+ for a Napa Cab that is just like any other $200+ Napa Cab.
This '90 Brander was one of the best SYV Cabs I've yet had. Kudos to Fred Brander for swimming against the trend and believing great Cab can be made in the SNV. And his SauvBlancs are certainly nothing to snivel at.
TomHill

Tom,

I think some of the best wines made in Santa Barbara County are made from Cabernet Franc. I think it's more consistently good than Pinot.

When did any hint of greenness become a flaw? Have any of these critics ever tasted a Chinon?

best,

Oliver