© 1996 JDM Enterprises
DAVIS BYNUM OVERVIEWby Jerry D. MeadI'm not quite sure why, but the image and reputation of the Davis Bynum Winery has never quite equaled the quality of the wines. The wines win medals and awards every season, the winemaker is one of the most acclaimed in the state and the prices are fair. But the brand has just never had that cachet that makes it a collectable with the wine clique. Maybe it was the humble beginnings. Davis Bynum was a home winemaking newspaperman who started a small commercial winery in a garage in Berkeley in the sixties. With son Hampton, the enterprise expanded to an abandoned hop kiln in Sonoma County where the family owned some vineyard land. Over the years the winery has made just about every kind of wine, including jugs and generics, Sherries and White Zinfandel. But in recent years the emphasis has been almost exclusively on premium varietal wines. More than a decade ago, the Bynums turned the winemaking over to a very talented young man named Gary Farrell who has become something of a legend in his own time. I remember one year when four different Pinot Noirs, under four different labels, from four different vineyards, all won gold medals at the Orange County Fair. Farrell made them all. As Farrell's fame spread, he became worth more than a small winery like Bynum could afford to pay. In one of the best deals going, for everyone concerned, Farrell was allowed supplement his income both by consulting for other wineries and by making wine under his own label using the Bynum facility. Bynum kept a great winemaker, Farrell didn't have to invest in bricks and mortar and some neighboring vintners had the benefit of his counsel. While the wines under the Gary Farrell label have earned almost cult status and command very high prices, very often the Bynum wines fail to capture that kind of magic and are relative bargains for comparable quality. Some of the wines reviewed today are just released and may take a week or so to reach your favorite retailer. BEST BUY WINE OF THE WEEKDavis Bynum 1994 "Russian River-Allen & McIlroy Vineyard" Chardonnay ($17) A "bells & whistles" Chardonnay, employing lots of winemaker technique, but with great cool climate fruit as a base. One hundred percent barrel-fermented, 25 percent in new French oak. Melon and tropical fruit flavors with a major toasty vanilla overlay from the time in wood. Rating: 89/85 Davis Bynum 1995 "Russian River" Pinot Noir ($16) This is the variety for which winemaker Farrell has earned the most acclaim. Slightly smoky nose on a base of black cherry, plum and cranberry fruit. Hint of spice and rose petal. Lingering aftertaste. Rating: 92/88 Davis Bynum 1994 "Russian River-Limited Edition" Pinot Noir ($24) Very similar to the 1995, but a little more earthy and a little more of the smoky quality. The fruit is a bit more subdued. It's a lovely wine, but save $8 and buy the 1995. Rating: 90/82 Davis Bynum 1994 "Sonoma" Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) A blend of three cool climate vineyards, two of them in Russian River Valley, the third from Knights Valley. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, black cherry and currant with a hint of green olive complexity. Nicely oaked; moderate tannin level; 5-10 year aging potential; enjoyable now. Rating: 89/87 Davis Bynum 1994 "Russian River-Laureles" Merlot ($22) Bigger and bolder than most Cabernets, this very intense Merlot is from a cool climate, late-ripening, hillside vineyard. Typical cherry and plum flavors, but in concentrated form. Very mouth filling; very satisfying; complex smoky wood notes in the aftertaste. Rating: 92/84 Davis Bynum is a small producer, but the wines are available in limited quantities in most states, though you're much more likely to find them in wine specialty shops than at supermarkets. For assistance in finding outlets in your area contact the winery: Davis Bynum, 8075 Westside Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95448 (707) 433-5852.
STAY OUT OF ALABAMAFederal law, and that of most states, permits home winemaking of up to 200 gallons per household per year, and did even during Prohibition. But a 1940 Alabama law limits even possession of homemade wine to just five gallons. Because they were making homemade berry and fruit wine from the produce of their own farm, a retired Swedish gentleman and his American wife and children, had their home invaded by the local alcohol police bearing a search warrant allowing them to look for things vinous. Is it just me, or does it seem excessive that they needed 10-12 uniformed and plainclothes officers, including the local Drug Task Force and a drug-sniffing dog, just to confiscate a few carboys of homemade wine? The possible penalty faced by the Nilsson family? A $50 to $500 fine and/or three months at hard labor. Wines are scored using a unique 100 point system. First number rates quality; second number rates value.
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