Winemaker Notes
Holus Bolus Blanc is made entirely from Roussanne grapes grown at Bien Nacido, a biodynamically farmed vineyard in Santa Maria Valley. It was planted in 2000 with budwood originally sourced from Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The soils are made up of Los Osos clay-loam from weathered sandstone and shale.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: What is Roussanne about? Aside from being a grape loved by wine geeks—I fully admit that I am part of this group. With its claim to fame from the Rhône Valley, the stories about this exotic grape variety run rampant through the wine cognoscenti. The 2017 Black Sheep Finds Holus Bolus Roussanne is stupefying good. TASTING NOTES: Made from the love of its founders, Peter Hunken and Amy Christine (a husband-wife team), this wine is alluring and seductive. Its aromas and flavors of creamy earth, dried peach skin, and pure fruit freshness make it a natural pairing partner with seared and baked skin-on chicken thighs with savory spices. (Tasted: February 7, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
Full and silky in body but also charmingly crisp, Roussanne is native to the Rhône Valley of France. It is responsible for some of the finest Northern Rhône white wines. Roussanne adds richness and acidity to Marsanne’s soft, fruitiness, making age worthy and highly respected whites. Somm Secret—Roussanne takes its name from the French word, roux, meaning rouge or red because of the berry’s pink glow. In California, virtually all of the 339 acres of Roussanne come from true clones brought over by Tablas Creek and John Alban.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.