Scholium Project, Gardens Babylon, North Coast

Such an interesting wine. Wild berries, herbs, olives and brine. The alcohol gets a bit out of whack though. This is a good one to leave open for four hours, and drink with friends so you’re not plowing through a full bottle.

2008 vintage

Abe�s wines are always interesting and this is no exception. Starting to brick a touch at the rim, but still a nice dark red core. Nose has lots of red fruit, wild flowers, black pepper and just a hint of bacon. Quite tart on the palate, with lots of crunchy red fruit and fine tannins and a mouth puckering finish. Needs a little food to cut through the acid. Hasn�t budged much in 14 years.

2006 vintage

Interesting to say the least. Needs long decant. 3 hours and its full of olives, dark cherry and licorice. Velvety mouth feel till the alcohol punches you in the face. Firm tannins finish this somewhat awkward wine off. Its has some panache but too much alcohol. Don't know if age will help this one. Drink with food.

2008 vintage

A very mind-bending blend. Cloudy deep purple, with deep dark legs. The nose is clean, with medium (+) intensity, moderate complexity and still developing. It is showing aromas of black fruit, red fruit, espresso, figs and sweet baking spices. The palate is dry, with high alcohol (15.4%) - which does not seem that hot. The acidity is medium (+) to high, with a surprisingly lifted, citrusy note. The tannins are medium plus and the minerality is medium (+). The finish …

2010 vintage

The 16.2% alcohol is too much. A bit pruney and porty, almost vinegary on the palate. Kinda like a vintage port that underwent full, native yeast fermentation. Paired well with fresh marjoram.

2008 vintage

A big wine with ripe fruit balanced by mouthwatering acidity. Juicy red/blue/black fruit, licorice, meat, smoke and a bit of sour red apple. Medium tannins and strong acidity. Everything's integrating and while drinking well now with a bit of air this should last easily through its 10th birthday.

2010 vintage

liquid blackberry jam. hasn't improved since earlier tasting, just more fruity.

2006 vintage

Big wine, yet maintains balance. Inky purple in the glass, nose of black fruit, Etoh, forest floor and blackberry bushes. Blackberry (wild) on the palate, with a sour note (good) rather than sweetness. At 16.5% (at least), this is powerful, yet still manages to pull off a "wine" rather than a "port".

2008 vintage

Probably needs more air than I had the patience to give it. A bit wild; you were thrown into the blackberry bramble.

2006 vintage

incredibly dense. Mint and cassis. Needs quite a bit of air. Noticeable acidity. Funny aftertaste of violets.

2006 vintage

A tremendously interesting, rich, inky, earthy, olivy red that resonates with Mediterranean warmth. The region is not one with which I am very familiar, and I was admittedly initially skeptical - but I keep coming back for more with each new vintage of Babylon.

2008 vintage

Smells... wild. Like a swath of wild berries on a mountain side baking in the sun. Scents of green vegetation and high mountain air. Velvet and juice, fine tannins and acid. Tastes of blackberries and cigar boxes. This wine is in a fantastic place currently. The tannins are just present enough to create texture without obstruction, the acid is in counterpoint to the perception of ripe fruit, the dark tones round out the spectrum of flavor, just singing tonight. There …

2008 vintage

This has an amazingly complex nose - black fruit, earth, licorice, manure, cocoa and potpourri. At over 16% the size of the body is noticeable (a bit of a Port-like mouthfeel) but not sweet or over the top. The black fruit is prominent with cocoa, earth and dark florals rounding it out. Medium acidity, strong tannins. A big wine but with the structure to match; drinking well now.

2008 vintage

Dark ruby red. Very herbal nose. Mint and rosemary dominate an aggressively herbal palate impression. Emerging secondary flavors. An enjoyable, if eccentric wine.

2006 vintage

This has a very nasty chemical smell. Tons of VA. Almost impossible to drink. I absolutely do not understand this wine or most of what Abe makes. It truly sucks.

2006 vintage

After three hrs of decanting it sang with Easter lamb -- agree w/ previous note about the need for air and raise it some food. After another hr or two the acid took over, so plan your drinking window accordingly.

2006 vintage

Much better than the nv. Fruit like a cerasuolo, but deeper in character. Some amount of dirt and funk, but all in all, pretty good.

2008 vintage

Deep nose of sweet berries. Tannins and sour apples taste. Aftertaste of citrus and spices. Good, fairly smooth.

2010 vintage

Deep earthy nose. Almost bittersweet taste, with tannins coming right after. Blackberries, but wild ones. Very interesting.

2008 vintage

Perfect complement to a carnivorous New Year's Eve meal! Complex and quite intriguing.

2010 vintage

Just so incredibly good. Big, bold, arresting. As is so often the case for me with Scholium, I drank it in a context where formal notes were difficult - with the main course in a seven course meal, from a magnum. But everyone at the table stopped and remarked on the wine. Agressive, lots of fruits, tannins, and alcohol, but all unified into one big powerful punch, and somehow perfectly balanced. One of the most memorable wines I have ever …

2010 vintage

As with all Scholium wines, this isn't about the destination but the journey. The wine opened to an unappealing set of aromas: stewed prunes, canned tomatoes, green beans. There was a hot, sour, earthy aspect to the aromas and flavors as it took on some air. Early in the tasting it was dominated by green beans and plums--not a great combination for my palate. But there was loads of acidity, and so I stuck with it for the past three …

2006 vintage

Big brute of a wine with dark, dark fruit and tongue staining tannins. Appreciate the PS blend that has blackberry, bramble and a really interesting mix of dark fruit.

2008 vintage

Hard to drink upon opening - hot and gripping. I saved most til the next night, a wise choice. It emerged with less heat and a bit more finesse. Dark fruits and lilac.

2006 vintage

Bold big red. Dark berries on the nose, with a slight kick of alcohol (wine is above 15%). Tannic earthy taste, somewhat smooth after decanting. After the nose kick, the alcohol is not apparent. Very good wine.

2010 vintage

2008 gardens Purple with a ruby rim. Smells of bark, baked blackberry pie with the requisite baking spices. Full bodied with both high tannin and high acid the wine is intensely flavored with blue and black berries, black tea leaves, and a long incredibly dry finish that takes a turn toward cherry cola. I really enjoyed this full throttled experience, one of my favorite "guilty pleasures". Like that 80's movie you could watch o Ed and o Ed again, although …

2008 vintage

ripe cherry and burnt herb

2010 vintage

A blend of 70% Petite Syrah from Tenbrink Vineyards in Suisun Valley, 20% Syrah from the Hudson Vineyard in Napa Valley and 10% Cinsault from Lodi. Cloudy deep purple (unfiltered); shows no sign of ageing on rim, with deep dark legs. The nose is clean, with medium (+) intensity, moderate complexity and still developing. Showing aromas of espresso, vanilla, black fruit. The palate is dry, with pronounced (-) alcohol (15.4%) and a smooth, medium plus mouthfeel. The acidity is medium …

2010 vintage

Absolutely superior Petite.

2006 vintage

Okay... mea culpa. This was educational for me. 3 years on and this was a completely different experience. This was classic Petite Syrah. My only negatives would be related to my issues with the varietal not this producers effort. This was inky, teeth-staining and delicious. Poised and balanced. It does lack density and "wow" factor, but it's a very accomplished effort. From my experience with the first bottle, I would have not have thought the evolution from there to this …

2006 vintage

a very lovely wine enjoyed over several days.

2008 vintage

Dark, ripe, and very alcoholic aromas. Dried fruit, tobacco and espresso on the nose. Maintains a nice brightness on the palate despite it's extreme level of concentration. Difficult to evaluate, presents as a wall of forceful alcohol fruit and tannin. I'm sure in a large lineup this would catch your attention but with scrutiny it seems heavy-handed.

2008 vintage

This is what Bogle's '08 Phantom blend wishes it could be when it grows up. My second Scholium wine and I am perfectly satisfied to call this blend a wanton slut of a wine. Perfect for my current state of mind and feel free to read into that what you will. Not a heck of a lot to crow about when taking in the first sniffs of this little beast, but whoa doggy, do things change when this one is …

2008 vintage

Not for the faint of heart. Big fruit bomb, with 16.2% alchohol. Very port like syrah, with mouth-drying tannins. The finish is shorter than I expected. I like big wines, but this one beat my palate into submission.

2008 vintage

Fruit bomb, a bit over-wrought, like many of their wines.

2006 vintage

Okay okay okay. Now I really mean it. The last two bottles will be buried deep in the cellar for about 5 years. However, this drank really well on this occasion. I'm fascinated by this wine and am interested to see how it develops. Dark profile on the nose. Darker fruits. Mocha, chocolate, herbs. This is lighter and delicate on the palate, though. Tannin with good acidity. This definitely has some growing to do. This is the perfect Scholium Project …

2006 vintage

Good red, fairly similar to main Babylon line, but with noticeable differences. Strong nose of dark fruits and earth, much like Babylon. The taste is less pronounced though.

2006 vintage

For the money, this wine is a steal.........will not disappoint.

2008 vintage

tasting event - told it was a blend of petite syrah, merlot, and sangiovese. thought it was ok.

2008 vintage

The 2007 version of Gardens played a bit hard to get, having some VA and being a bit closed-up, requiring lots of air to get to its core. The 2008, on the other hand, is a go from the minute you grab the corkscrew. Really bright nose of blueberry, blackberry, creamy blue fruits all over the place. While not exactly an intellectual exercise, the palate reveals a bevy of rich, balanced, intense fruit flavors. The petite syrah gives an animal, …

2008 vintage

A complex and quite compelling wine. Dark red-purple color. Kitchen sink-type blend: 55% Petite Sirah, 17% Merlot, 11% Mourvedre, 11% Cinsault, 3% Syrah, 3% Sangiovese. Yet it works. Pretty, complex nose of red and black fruit, with minerals, earth, and herbal notes behind. In the mouth, surprisingly refined, with a dusty edge to the more blue-fruited profile that shows on the palate. Strong acidity and tannic structure but it's all done in a nicely kept package. A-

2008 vintage

Really solid

2008 vintage

Scholium Off-Line (Trestle on 10th (NYC)) : The comparison between the Babylon and the Gardens of Babylone was obvious after tasting them side by side at the tasting. This has the nice flavor profile. Bigger Petite Sirah notes. Dark fruit, mocha, and wood. This lacks the structure and concentration on the palate, though, and the finish is shorter. Still, this is a nice value.

2008 vintage

Scholium Tasting (Trestle on Tenth, NYC) : nice lighter red. more fruity than some of the powerful reds, with a lighter body and more sweetness/juice-box flavor to the fruit. shortish but pleasant finish.

2008 vintage

Memorial Weekend BBQ at the Shaffer's (The Shaffer's - Highland Park, IL) : Wow nose is big with smoky black fruit. Huge palate has rich, black fruit and gritty tannins. Fruit is rich and delicious with spice and toast. Long. Love it.

2006 vintage

Consumed over a few days. My instructions to myself -- absolutely do not open any of the other 3 for at least 5 years. This is out of whack upon opening. Nail polish remover, rather unfocused. After some time in the glass, it settled in. Mocha, dark chocolate, stewy red fruits, herbs. Still a little unbalanced, and there is more heat than I remember. But here is the thing -- with more air time, this settled in. It was smooth, …

2006 vintage

Scholium project is one of the most interesting wineries I've come across in a long time. I first heard about them in the SF Chronicle Cult Wine issue and tried this wine because it was one of the few cult wines I could both find and afford. This is a big, overwhelming wine - huge on the nose, tons of flavor and a very long finish. And it's built to age, so I'm hanging on to what I have left …

2006 vintage

A dirty nose with a porty, oxidative note. Palate is concentrated and tasty. 91-92

2006 vintage

What a big boy, powerful and complex. Much better next day.

2006 vintage

This wine is a bruiser.. Everything is there -just needs more time in the bottle. Huge fruit, very complex - this wine is a keeper. May not open my others for another four years. I don't have much experience with Amarone - but I think this would confuse some in a tasting.

2006 vintage

Are you sure?

Scholium Project, Gardens Babylon, North Coast

Vintages

No vintages

Community Reviews