Jeb Dunnuck | April 2025

Jeb Dunnuck: The Santa Cruz Mountains: The 2023s, 2022s, and 2021s

“A steep hillside site first planted to grapes more than a century ago, Big Basin farms organically in both the Santa Cruz and Gabilan Mountains. Owner and founder Bradley Brown first planted the vineyards around the Santa Cruz winery in 2000 with the help of John Alban. The first vintage was 2002. Blake Yarger is the winemaker. “, Virginie Boone.  Article

 

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2022 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyard, 97 points

In keeping with the producer’s winemaking style, the 2022 Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyard is 100% whole-cluster fermented, this vineyard-designate coaxing great cool-climate complexity and acidity throughout the outstanding wine. Supremely coastal, it offers nuanced notes of forest, baking spice, crunchy red fruit, yeasty baked bread undertones, and spikes of cardamom and clove. Fresh, lengthy, and age-worthy, there are only 102 cases made. It should age well through 2035.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Ascona Vineyard – 92 points

Using native yeast, the 100% whole-cluster 2022 Pinot Noir Ascona Vineyard offers firm upfront tannin around ethereal twists of dried herb, tart fruit, and tangy acidity. With only 57 cases made, it is medium-bodied with a broad mouthfeel of expressively crisp currant and cherry and should drink well through 2030.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Lester Family Vineyard, 95 points

Another unfined/unfiltered 100% whole-cluster offering, the 2022 Pinot Noir Lester Family Vineyard presents a compelling entry of turned earth, dried herb, and cardamom atop well-integrated tannins and oak. Light, rounded, and lengthy, it is medium-bodied in mouthfeel and weight, with luscious texture. Drink now through 2032.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Old Corral, 94 points

An entirely estate-grown wine, the 2022 Pinot Noir Old Corral is red-fruited in wild strawberry with complementary layers of vanilla bean, Earl Grey tea, and balanced acidity. With only 172 cases made, it is medium to lighter bodied in style, with tremendous structure, 100% whole-cluster fermented with native yeast, unfined and unfiltered. Drink now through 2030.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards Viognier East Terraces Estate, 91 points

The 2022 Viognier East Terraces Estate is made from high-elevation vines planted to two Alban clones, barrel-fermented and aged for 18 months before going into bottle unfined/unfiltered. With a medium-bodied viscosity, it stays fresh and energetic in floral aromatics and a taste of refined apricot. Enjoy now through 2030.

2021 Big Basin Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Odeon Betchart Vineyard, 93 points

Whole-berry and native-yeast fermented, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Odeon Betchart Vineyard is lengthy and complex, richly interwoven in peppery clove, soy, and dried herb. The tannins are soft and supple with an underlying grip that speaks to its mountain elevation. Medium-bodied in style, it offers elegance and complexity and should do well in the cellar. Enjoy best from 2028 through 2031.

2021 Big Basin Vineyards Grenache Estate Grizzly, 93 points

From 100% whole-cluster estate-grown Alban-selection grapes, the 2021 Grenache Estate Grizzly is from some of the producer’s Rattlesnake block, among others, sitting between 1,258 to 1,350-feet elevation. Earthy through and through, it shows a nuanced take on the variety, with garrigue, dried cherry, and ample spice, a mix of savory and sweet. Given extra time in bottle, it benefits in sleek, well-integrated layers of tannin and oak, and it’s medium-bodied and lengthy on the finish. Drink now through 2031.

2021 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Rattlesnake Rock Estate, 91 points

From one of the producer’s first blocks to ever be planted (in 2000), the 2021 Syrah Rattlesnake Rock Estate is made from an Alban Côte Rôtie field selection and other clones, grown at 1,300 to 1,400-feet elevation. Brooding black fruit and savory undertones of leather, garrigue, and meat combine for a forceful expression of tannic intensity and power that’s full-bodied and complex, with a lengthy finish. Enjoy now through 2031., 91 points.

2021 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Sixty-Two Terraces Estate, 93 points

The 2021 Syrah Sixty-Two Terraces Estate comes from a high-elevation estate site planted to two Alban clones. Unfined, unfiltered, and 100% whole-cluster fermented, it offers garrigue funk and herbal earthiness in abundance, with secondary layers of leather, meat, and dried herbs, smelling of violets all along the way. Tannins are firm and well-integrated, as is the grip of oak, adding baking spice finishing touches of nutmeg to a memorable experience of feral, medium-bodied intrigue. Drink now through 2031.

2023 Big Basin Vineyards Chardonnay Coastview Vineyard, 92 points
Refined and cohesive in waves of golden apple and honeysuckle, the 2023 Chardonnay Coastview Vineyard is made in an elegant, light-bodied style, 100% whole-cluster and barrel-fermented and aged, with another six months in stainless tank. Herbal and earthy, it should age well another 8-10 years.

2023 Big Basin Vineyards Chenin Blanc Rodnick.farm, 94 points
The 2023 Chenin Blanc Rodnick Farm is a wonderfully complex version of the variety, whole-cluster pressed on native yeast and fermented and aged in concrete egg with just a touch of neutral French oak. The site is at 1,600-feet-elevation and captures a complex, light-bodied, crisp expression of nutty apple, apricot, and quince, finishing in beeswax. Drink now through 2030.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards Old Vine Wirz Vineyard Carignan, 91 points
A light-bodied take, the 2022 Carignan Old Vine Wirz Vineyard is moderately colored, with a juicy mid-palate, made from 100-plus-year-old vines. The producer does 100% whole-cluster fermentation and ages in neutral barrel to capture the essential earthiness of cassis, dried herb, and black olive. The wine should go another 7 or so years.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards GSM, 93 points
A blend of 57% Grenache, 32% Syrah, and 11% Mourvèdre, grown at the high-elevation Coastview Vineyard, the 2022 GSM spent 20 months in concrete tank and neutral oak. Candied cherry, forest, and white pepper flavors are still evolving around a light-bodied core of herb and mineral, with another 7-10 years of prime drinking.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards Old Vine Rodnick.farm Mourvedre, 94 points
Such an interesting wine, the 2022 Mourvedre Old Vine Rodnick Farm is from 35-plus-year-old vines, a “Samsonite” clone of Mourvèdre that the producer 100% whole-cluster ferments expertly here. Light in color, the flavors lean into candied strawberry and orange peel, a fuzzy texture and exuberant lift of acidity complementing the soft tannin structure and spicy, gritty finish. Enjoy another 5-7 years.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards Coastview Vineyard Pinot Noir, 91 points
From grapes grown at 2,000-feet-elevation, on older vines, the 2022 Pinot Noir Coastview Vineyard needs time in the glass to come around, tight in thick tannins and gravelly texture. A floral, feral nose of rose and violet complement a dark fruit profile and depth of woody reduction, medium-bodied in intensity and length. Drink best 2029-2032.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards Dune and Mountain Pinot Noir, 92 points
The 2022 Pinot Noir Dune and Mountain is sourced from Coastview and Rodnick Farm, two sites with limestone and decomposed quartz. The wine is 100% whole-cluster fermented with native yeast and is expressive in red and orange fruit and has medium-bodied power. Nicely textured and slightly reductive, the highlights include notes of forest, sage, and chaparral. Drink now through 2030.

2022 Big Basin Vineyards Rodnick.farm Pinot Noir, 93 points
From a 1,600-feet-elevation site littered in decomposed granite and calcareous shale, the 2022 Pinot Noir Rodnick Farm is 100% whole-cluster fermented with native yeast and spends 18 months in French oak. Light, bright, and ethereal in nature, it has pillowy tannins and subtle cranberry, raspberry, and rhubarb fruit with a lasting hint of blood orange. It should age well another 5-7 years.

2021 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Coastview Vineyard Terraces, 93 points
From all whole-cluster fermented grapes, the 2021 Syrah Coastview Vineyard Terraces is mouth-filling in granitic texture and barely ripe plum, given 20 months in neutral barrel to further the complex, tannic framework of the wine. Dried herb, garrigue, and gamey meat provide varietal context and interest. This is drinking nicely now and should do for another 7-10 years.

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