This was our second Babylon; this is what I wrote about the wine when we first released it in 2006: Babylon-- this wine is now at home in many civilized
dining rooms, but it is still fierce, nearly barbaric.

Its source is a remarkable vineyard, in Suisun Valley– far
enough from Napa to represent the mysterious, distant East. People
farm differently, vines have a different aspect, one does not feel
at home on the way to this vineyard. But then one reaches it and
its excellence announces itself immediately: the vines are perfectly
balanced, restricted in their growth, with clusters that are few
in number and small-berried. A natural cover-crop grows beneath
them. The partnership between the growers– the scrupulous
Tenbrink family– and the Project was so successful in 2003
that we agreed that they would grow as much as possible for the
me in 2004. I harvested 7 tons– 7 times as much as in 2003.
We farmed even more rigorously than we did in 2003, and with spectacular
results. The grapes were so healthy that I could let them hang much
longer than in 2003, and they did so without any raisining. I used
a new, very large, vessel to ferment this vast quantity, and took
advantage of the opportunity it allowed to macerate the grapes for
a week before fermentation, and for ten days after fermentation
was complete.
The wine went to barrel in 50% new oak and remained there for 18
months without topping and sulfur, undisturbed since its original
passage into barrel. It is beautifully fragrant, clean and direct–
hardly barbarian except for its fierce intensity. It is ready to
drink now and will reward you with a gladiatorial contest in your
mouth-- one without losers. The wine will be somewhat less fierce
in a decade or so.

Beautiful, nearly mature savage red wine. Redolent of hung game, weapons steel, porcini broth.

I discovered 2 more cases in my cellar!