After three years of time, investment and significant nurturing, we released our first Sparkling Blanc de Blancs made from 100% Chardonnay, from the Sta. Rita Hills, in the time honored tradtion of Méthode Champensoise.
As many of you know, the Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County is the preeminent region to grow Chardonnay in California. Our refrigerated-sunglight climate grows ripe fruit while maintaining astonishing acidities. It is this acid that also allows for incredible Sparkling Wine so much so that we think the SRH will become the definitive place to produce the best Sparkling Wines in California.
Years in the making with ages ahead of it, this Sparkling wine presents a small bead, creamy mousse, soft tight knit bubbles, aromas of lemon curd, white cherries and brioche wrapped in a savoury mouthfeel that is persistent and very fine. We recommend it be savored for celebrations and success.
Crisp and concentrated on the palate, mineral-driven and pure, with and excellent finish. Overall, extremely savory and astonishingly complex.
Color: Light silver/golden with straw hues. Bright. Aroma: Creamy, hints of apples and spicy pear notes. Palate: The tight palate mingles with notes of apples, stone fruits, spices and hints of smoke leading to a crisp, complex finish. We recommend this wine for dining with sophisticated meals.
A fourteen-barrel selection, our Sta. Rita Hills’ Pinot Noir is a wine that ages remarkably. Hand sorted with a percentage whole cluster. A combination of natural (wild) fermentation and Burgundian yeast isolates created for a complex wine, rich with fruit and spice. Aged in new, neutral, and one year old French Oak barrels.
A balanced approach between fruit and minerality. There is an earthiness balanced with white pear, bready texture and a high-toned nerviness. Rich and expansive with good acidity and a long finish.
Color: Gold with green and yellow hues.
Aroma: Very aromatically complex with sweet slightly tropical fruits with layers of sweet butter, toast and cream.
A balanced approach between fruit and minerality. There is an earthiness balanced with white pear, bready texture and a high-toned nerviness. Rich and expansive with good acidity and a long finish.
Color: Gold with green and yellow hues.
Aroma: Very aromatically complex with sweet slightly tropical fruits with layers of sweet butter, toast and cream.
Juicy and concentrated on the palate, mineral-driven and pure, with and excellent finish. Overall the persistent soft tannins, balanced acidity and loads of fruit bode well for long aging of 15 to 20 years.
Color: Beautiful dark velvet red hues
Aroma: Aromas of deep dark wild berries, intense fruit and a black pepper spiciness. As the wine opens more savage and powerful intense notes of olive and black licorice jump out of the glass
Peak Drinking: Now –and with up to twenty years of bottle age from vintage
BARDEN focuses exclusively on the terroir of the Sta. Rita Hills sourcing fruit from top vineyards in the appellation, showcasing the region’s classic typicity for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. With its diverse, marine-based soils and refrigerated-sunlight climate, the Sta. Rita Hills provides a perfect place for Doug “Barden” Margerum to leverage his forty years of food and wine experience to make limited amounts of world-class, cuisine-friendly and age-worthy wines. The BARDEN name’s English meaning is “Lives near the boar's den…” Thus the image of a wild boar, which is pervasive in our area’s vineyards.
If Santa Barbara County had a "Grand Cru" Vineyard, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, would widley be considered at the top of that list. Old Vine and small production.
The Radian Vineyard is one of the furtherst most west vineyards in the cold and windy Sta. Rita Hills appellation. It is one of the most rugged, wild and stunning vineyards in all of Santa Barbara County and is farmed at the highest levels for quality. Our Radian is always one of the most complex and age-worthy Pinot Noirs we make each year. From Block 47 - a one-barrel selection. 100% Clone 777. This wine was matured for 22 months in a Tonnellerie Ermitage 300 liter barrel. 55 cases made.
Rich fruit with earthiness structure, roses, candied fruit, spice, coco and Bing cherries
Color: Beautiful dark velvet red hues
Aroma: Complex fruit aromas of burnt meat, mushrooms and blueberries all complemented with subtle wood aromatics of vanilla, toast and stems retained briar patch
Peak Drinking: Now –and with up to twenty years of bottle age from vintage.
Less than 200 cases produced.
The newest vintage of our white blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris. A beautiful blend from the world-class vineyards of Sta. Rita Hills. 88% La Encantada Vineyard & 12% Donnachadh Vineyard.
