WTN Delicious Mendocino Barbera!

[Brian K Miller]

The 2006 Muscardini "Pauli Ranch" Barbera (Ukiah, Mendocino County) was slurpably good. Sure it was pricey ($42, now $49 for the new vintage), alcoholic (14.9% abv), very ripe and very rich, and sure it tasted nothing like Piedmont...

But you know, the complex layers of deep berry fruit flavor were just so damn good! Utterly slurpable and a major surprise, even though I had quite liked the wine in their tasting room. There was also a delicious bit of "funkyness" which I enjoy in fruity wines in proper doses.

I guess I still straddle both sides of the austere-old world/fruity-New World divide-when something like this hits the glass. to be honest, the only American Barbera I can remember enjoying-the grape usually seems to produce insipid and sweet and blah wines.

Well worth 94 points- a classic for the varietal.

http://www.muscardinicellars.com/wines.html

[TomHill]

The 2006 Muscardini "Pauli Ranch" Barbera (Ukiah, Mendocino County) was slurpably good. Sure it was pricey ($42, now $49 for the new vintage), alcoholic (14.9% abv), very ripe and very rich, and sure it tasted nothing like Piedmont...
But you know, the complex layers of deep berry fruit flavor were just so damn good! Utterly slurpable and a major surprise, even though I had quite liked the wine in their tasting room. There was also a delicious bit of "funkyness" which I enjoy in fruity wines in proper doses.
I guess I still straddle both sides of the austere-old world/fruity-New World divide-when something like this hits the glass. to be honest, the only American Barbera I can remember enjoying-the grape usually seems to produce insipid and sweet and blah wines.
Well worth 94 points- a classic for the varietal.
http://www.muscardinicellars.com/wines.html

Thanks for the note, Brian. A new wnry for me. I'll have to get some to try.
My experience with Calif Barbera is quite the opposite from yours. I've found quite a few that I thought were outstanding. Probably two of the best are BillEastons from up in the ShenandoahVlly
and the Palmina from down in SantaBarbara. Over the yrs, Renwood and Montevina has made some great ones...but they're very/very ordinary nowadays. And then the old LouisMartinis
were legendary in their ability to age.
Barbera is a grape that should be planted and exploited more in Calif. True..they're not Piedmonte Baarberas...but all the better for that I say.
Tom

[Carl Eppig]

We have enjoyed the Enotria Mendocino Barbera and they also have a Resera. The Shenandoah Valley Barbera from Easton is another consistent winner.

[Brian K Miller]

Thanks, Tom...I will look for the Eastons and the Palmina. It's not a grape I seek out or know all that much about (I tend to drink more Cabs and Rhones).

After tasting the Muscardini wine, I need to search others out.