Babcock
While Babcock Winery’s first vintage was not until 1984, the quest to establish this winery began some 6 years prior. Walt and Mona Babcock were looking for a retreat from Walt’s dental practice as well as Walt’s Wharf, a restaurant they opened together in 1970. Their search led them to the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, a fledgling wine region at that point, in which they planted their first 25 acre Babcock Vineyard in 1980. Up until 1983 they were selling their fruit to some notable winemakers but in 1984 Walt’s son Bryan produced the first Babcock wine. This Babcock Estate Sauvignon Blanc won double gold medals, the first of many honors to come for Babcock Winery. Babcock Vineyards is still family owned producing over 20,000 cases annually with 90 acres planted to multiple grape varieties including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. Be sure to check out our Babcock wine ratings to see which Babcock wines may be right for you.
Babcock 2005 Rita's Earth Cuvée Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills)
- $20
Very ripe and zingy in fresh kiwi, Key lime pie and vanilla flavors, with great acidity, this Chard could be mistaken for an Edna Valley. But it’s a blend of six Santa Barbara vineyards. A bit of barrel fermentation makes it creamy and pie-crust buttery.
— S.H.
(11/15/2006)
Babcock 2005 Big Fat Pink Shiraz (Santa Barbara County)
- Online Exclusive
- $15
California is producing the best rosés in its history, and this one, which has a dash of Cabernet Franc, is an example. It’s a flavorful wine, dry and crisp in acidity, with a rich array of cherry, spice and vanilla flavors as well as a splash of crème de cassis. The winemaker recommends cioppino. I wouldn’t turn it down.
— S.H.
(12/1/2006)
Babcock 2007 Grand Cuvee Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County)
- $32
Generously oaked, with crème caramel and butterscotch from the barrels, this Chard also features very ripe underlying fruit flavors of golden mango and pineapple marmalade. It’s fancy and generous, if a bit straightforward.
— S.H.
(12/15/2008)
Babcock 2009 Naughty Little Hillsides Pinot Gris (Sta. Rita Hills)
- $23
A secret of Santa Rita Hills is how kind the terroir is to Pinot Grigio AKA Pinot Gris. Babcock expresses its crisply acidic, long hangtime varietal flavors in an unoaked way, with splendid citrus and tropical fruit flavors, girded by a steely minerality. The wine, by the way, is dry, although it has a honeyed richness.
— S.H.
(10/1/2010)
Babcock 2009 Under the Radar Syrah (Santa Barbara County)
- Best Buy
- $13
A nice Syrah for drinking now, at a good price. It’s a bistro-style wine, crisp and lusty, with lots of spicy, berry-cherry flavors. Good as a house pour.
— S.H.
(10/1/2011)
Babcock 2002 Eleven Oaks Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Barbara County)
- Online Exclusive
- $20
Another fine version of this wine, with its intensely flavorful notes of tart green apples, citrus fruits, and figs. Acids are bright and crisp and the wine is fully dry, with an appealingly bitter finish that cries out for food.
— S.H.
(2/1/2004)
Babcock 2010 Microcosm Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)
- Online Exclusive
- $60
Rich, dry and pretty full-bodied for a Pinot Noir, this is stuffed with flavors of cherry pie and cola, made brisk by acidity. A little heavy, but sound and complex.
— S.H.
(7/1/2012)
Babcock 2010 Precocious Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County)
- Online Exclusive
- $60
Delicious in its own way, with a soft, gentle mouthfeel framing upfront flavors of raspberry, cherry, vanilla, toast and pie spice. Drink now with a steak or a lamb chop.
— S.H.
(7/1/2012)
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