Navarro Vineyards - 2023 Barbera

2023 Barbera New!
Mendocino
- (750 ml) $29.00

Fruity fun

We've produced red wines from many grape varieties over the years, but Barbera always stands out as an especially fun wine to drink. The wine is juicy with bright red and black fruit suggesting cherry, blackberry and plum. It possesses bright acidity that makes it feel fresh and food-friendly rather than heavy or demanding. The acidity gives it a mouthwatering, energetic feel and the tannins are usually softer than in many other red varieties, so it's less drying and more immediately drinkable.

Punching down a fermenting red must. These open top tanks can also hold five to six tons of grapes.

Cleaning juice off a 1,060-gallon tank. When five or six tons of fermented red must is pressed, these 1,060-gallon tanks can hold all the juice.

It pairs naturally with casual foods like pizza, pasta and burgers. We source the grapes from Lynn Chevalier's vineyard above Lake Mendocino in Calpella. The red volcanic soil there is perfect for inland red varieties. To keep the tannins smooth we fermented the grapes in two stainless steel tanks punching down the must by hand and pressing the must when it hit 12% alcohol to avoid any bitter seed tannins. The wine has a lively cherry-like center with touches of blackberry, plum and chocolate. Platinum Medal-winner. 99 points.

Specifications

Harvested: Oct. 5-8, 2023
Sugars at harvest: 25.8° Brix
Bottled: Aug. 12, 2024
Cases produced: 750
Alcohol: 13.5%
Titratable acidity: 6.4 g/L
pH: 3.64