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And yet another worthy sermon from the bloody pulpit:
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Grignolino: Another one of the worlds grapes that doesn't get the respect
it deserves. It has a powerful perfume to it (too much for some people)
but as a 100% varietal, it makes fiercely astringent/lean/tannic wines
that are unattractive on the palate w/o food to accompany it. It seems
to be a variety that would benefit from some creative blending or more
skilled tannin management. Color extraction is another problem. But it
sure has a nose to it.
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I've followed Gary Eberle's wines from the very start, at Estrella River.
In my first visit to meet the big guy, about '88, he was amazed that I
had come by, interested in trying his first (in barrel then) Barbera (and
Syrah). I was quite taken by the wine. Rather curious now as to what happened
to that Barbera that was planted at Estrella, now Meridian. When his first
Estrella Barbera ('76?) was released, my group bought over 20 cases of
the stuff, nearly 10% of his entire production. NOBODY was interested in
Calif Barbera & they were more than happy to find someone out there
excited to buy the wine.
Gary's Barberas, over the yrs, have been
some of the best made in California. With that characteristic Eberle mocha/cinammon/cloves
oak character, they have a lovely/ fragrant spiciness to them that's hard
to describe. And they age quite well, thank you.
Up thru the '98 vintage, Gary got Barbera
from the Norman Vnyd up on the WestSide. Now the Norman Wnry keeps them
all themselves (I've not tasted any of their Barberas yet). Gary gets his
Barbera now from the SteinbeckVnyd. I'm not convinced (yet) that this is
a vnyd that is capable of producing great wines; nice/pretty/fragrant wines,
but great? As the vines mature, we shall see.
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I was a believer early on in my wine perversion that Barbera and Syrah
could make great/ world class wine in Calif. Syrah has clearly delivered;
Barbera has not. Instead, we see from time to time glimpses of the greatness
Barbera can achieve in Calif. It's a variety that more winemakers should
persue in Calif. The early Montevinas and Estrella Rivers in the mid-to-late
'70's were some of the best. Montevina still makes Barbera (by the Baron
of Barbera... Jeff Meyers), but, like most current Montevinas, seems overworked
& stripped in that Sutter Home style. Yet their Barbera is probably
the best wine being made at Montevina these days.
In the early '90's, there were some stunning
Barberas made at Renwood (Linstead Vnyd) by Scott Harvey. I recently tasted
his '98 and '99 Amador Barberas from barrel at Folie a Deux and was mightly
impressed. In fact, I think AmadorCnty/ShenandoahVlly makes better Barbera
than Zinfandel (I know.... heresy!!).
But Barbera is a variety that just don't
get no respect in Calif. What a pity for the wine world.
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The wines were all served blind, in pairs. Once Howard Sherry correctly
picked up on the Barbera theme, I passed out the list of wines & indicated
that they were paired as Calif vs. Italy. The Italian ones were, generally,
easily identified.
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Italian Barberas: are one of my favorite wines. Like most Italian wines,
I'm always frustrated when I serve them in tastings. They just don't show
well. They badly need to be accompanied by food. Then they are absolutely
delicious.
The defining character of Piemonte Barbera
is an ethereal spiciness and that bone- jarring, teeth-scouring acidity.
The Italians refer to it as "salado", an acidity that gives the wine almost
a salty character on the palate. Like Nebbiolo, it often has an astringency
to it that makes the wine a bit harsh on the palate. A variety that can
benefit from skilled tannin-management techniques, I feel. But it's also
those characteristics that makes Italian Barbera so delicious w/ food.
TomHill
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