Wine Tour : Santa Barbara: Fulfillment of a Mission

In the last decade, Santa Barbara County has grown from low-budget obscurity into an area that produces glamorous wines. Nestle-owned Wine World (Beringer) and fast-growing Kendall-Jackson have bought large vineyards here. Robert Mondavi bought a winery (Byron), and the local wineries Sanford, Au Bon Climat, Zaca Mesa and Firestone have won worldwide praise for their wines. Meanwhile names such as Foxen, J. Kerr, Lane Tanner, Ojai and Buttonwood Farm have popped up.

What’s appealing to these people is that of all California’s wine regions, none seems better suited for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir--the grapes of France’s Burgundy region. Of the 9,500 acres of vines planted here, more than 40% are in these two varieties: 3,000 acres of Chardonnay, 1,000 of Pinot Noir.

True, the Carneros region south of Napa and Sonoma is superb for both varieties. But Santa Barbara has the same potential, and the cost of getting started here is considerably lower.

One geological fact may account for the greatness of wine here, says Alison Green, winemaker for Firestone, one of the first wineries founded in the county: The Central Coast growing areas comprise three east-west river valleys: Edna Valley in San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara’s Santa Maria and Santa Ynez valleys all pull in cool air off the Pacific, creating a slow-ripening pattern for the westerly vineyards.

“Of course, when you get up near Lake Cachuma,” says Green, “it’s like a desert.”

Chardonnay was the variety that brought the bigger wineries here. The well-drained soil and long, cool growing season create aromas and flavors that are virtually tropical--kiwi, pineapple, peach, apricot and guava aromas, along with the more traditional scents of grapefruit, apple and pear.

Because of the cool temperatures here, Chardonnay usually is picked at high acid levels, which could make for pretty tart wine. Most winemakers use various procedures to drop the acidity and give the Chardonnays breadth and depth.

At Au Bon Climat (ABC), for instance, Jim Clendenen uses French techniques to generate the full-bodied, buttery style admired by aficionados of Montrachet. The wine is left on the lees (yeast cells) for an extended time, which brings out all the nuances of the grape.

Fred Brander, contrarily, shoots for something more austere, more like a French Chablis. Brander Vineyard’s lean Chardonnays age gracefully.

Local wines whose styles fall in the middle between ABC and Brander also sell well. Those from Bryan Babcock, Sanford and Bob Lindquist’s Qupe are on the ABC end of the scale. The Chardonnays from Bruce McGuire at Santa Barbara Winery, Gale Sysock at Zaca Mesa, Ken Brown at Byron and Rick Longoria at Gainey all have depth, but retain a fruity crispness. Kendall-Jackson’s Cambria brand has turned out highly scented, full-flavored wines, and Wine World’s Meridian (based in Paso Robles to the north) has used its extensive Santa Barbara vineyards to produce fruity, fleshy, finely crafted Chardonnays.

Despite the popular enthusiasm for Santa Barbara’s Chardonnays, I feel its Pinot Noirs, which have already scored a number of major tasting victories over those of other regions, actually have greater potential. In my opinion, Santa Barbara County already produces far better Pinot Noirs than Oregon, which curiously has managed to gain praise for rather inconsistent wines.

Sanford and Byron have won numerous honors for their exciting Pinot Noirs. Au Bon Climat, Babcock, Qupe and Cambria make intensely flavored versions, and newcomers Lane Tanner and Foxen have wowed critics with theirs. Wild Horse Winery in San Luis Obispo County has made stunning Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara grapes.

The main flavors in Santa Barbara County Pinot Noirs are a faded rose/ripe cherry fruit with hints of cranberry and black pepper graced with spices such as nutmeg, clove, cinnamon and even sandalwood.

One problem has been a persistent vegetative element (at its best like fresh tomatoes, at its worst like weeds)--an identifying characteristic of Santa Barbara Pinot Noirs. Though intriguing, it can become a bit overpowering in some wines.

Ken Brown at Byron feels growers can control this element by pulling leaves off vines some weeks before harvest. His wines are among the best in the state and rival Mondavi’s for complexity. In fact, so good are his grapes that Byron regularly ships some of them north to the parent Mondavi winery, which likes a bit of this fruit in its best wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot also flourish in the warmer parts of the Santa Barbara area. A decade ago, many of the wines from these varieties had an aroma of bell pepper, almost like tomato juice. But grape-growing techniques have almost literally weeded out the problem, and the wines are much improved.

Three of the top Santa Barbara producers of these wines here are Carey Cellars, Brander and Rancho Sisquoc. Brander’s Bouchet, a blend of Bordeaux varieties, is a lovely, balanced, elegant wine that should age nicely. Foxen has made rich, complex Cabernets that appear capable of aging. In the last few years, Green at Firestone has made some of the best Merlot in the area--a soft, approachable wine with loads of flavor.

Riesling produces some wonderful wines in the cooler regions of this county, but acreage is dwindling because of a weak market for wines from that grape. Sauvignon Blanc grows well here too, but few still make wine from it. The best are from Santa Barbara Winery, Carey Cellars and Gainey.

One grape intriguing local winemakers is Syrah, spurred by the Rhone revolution of the last four years. Qupe has made some wonderful, warmly received Syrahs, though they are limited in supply.

Italian grape varieties may also soon begin to make a ripple. Au Bon Climat has made some lovely Nebbiolos (though unlike the classic Nebbiolo wine, Barolo), and Mosby Winery is marketing a Sangiovese-based wine it calls Brunello.

So far most of Santa Barbara’s wines have come from small wineries. Many of them make only a few hundred cases of their best wines and only sell them locally. The best place to try one of these hard-to-get wines is the Wine Cask, 813 Anacapa St., which recently opened a spacious restaurant with an amazingly complete wine list. Some 40 choices may be sampled by the glass at reasonable prices, and diners can choose either from the wine shop racks or from the “cellar list,” which offers some 500 choices.