Deep garnet color and a seductive, smoky oak nose lead into a mouthful of dark cherry fruit. The intoxicating flavors swirl along a gentle stream of toasty oak and refreshing acidity. This vintage offers an impressive expanse of richness, flowing to a finish of bright fruit and roasted coffee, with just a hint of violet. An extremely versatile wine, it will pair nicely with almost any cuisine. Don't be afraid to try it with fish!

Montevina Winery has grown and vinified world-class Barbera in the Sierra Foothills of Amador County since 1974 and is widely acknowledged as among California's elite producers of this classic Piedmontese varietal. The natural terrain of our Shenandoah Ranch lends itself to the production of exceptional Barbera. Two steep slopes emerge from the dry bed of an easterly flowing creek allowing for maximum sun exposure and good drainage. Rigorous farming practices such as early cluster thinning and leaf pulling insure even ripening and proper crop yields.

Wine maker notes

The grapes are hand-picked, destemmed, gently crushed, then sent to stainless steel fermentation tanks. Because of the dependably gentle tannin levels of the varietal, we can use techniques to maximize extraction during fermentation. Once inoculated the tanks undergo daily "drain and return” treatments. The tanks are completely drained of their juice then the juice is returned to the tank over the skins that had formed a cap on the juice. This ensures more juice contact with the skins and feeds the fermentation more oxygen than a regular "pumpover” treatment. The fermentation is extended a full two weeks allowing more time for extraction and intensity of aroma and flavors. The wine was then aged for 12 months using small amounts of French oak to accentuate the sweet cherry cola flavors of the Barbera grape.

Technical notes

Total Acidity: 0.57 g/l 14.5% abv pH:3.52