2022 BARRA of Mendocino Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – CCOF Wine Never Tasted So Good!
BARRA of Mendocino has a new label for their line of Reserve wines which are all CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers). It is in honor of a historic oak tree found on its home ranch on the Redwood Valley Vineyards. It is both foiled oak and grape leaves, embossed on a black background. On the back of the bottle, it states it is symbolic of their 70-year history making wine as in “Like an old oak tree, our roots run deep”. Martha Barra, winery owner and co-founder stated, “A powerful icon in our vineyards, the oak tree represents wisdom and knowledge, strength and endurance, stability and honesty”.
About CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers)
Photo ©Michael Kelly
To understand the winery, it is essential to understand what organic farming and certification is about. A very brief explanation, when Charlie Barra started the winery almost 40 years ago, he undertook a Herculean task of making it organic on his terms. In his words “Yes it’s more work (annual audits/certifications, paperwork, labor requirements), more risk (crop devastation from pests) and not necessarily a bigger payout, but it’s essential to the well-being of this planet”. His vision was remarkable.
BARRA of Mendocino has been CCOF for over 20 years and took 3 years of inspections prior to becoming complete. Charlie’s favorite saying is that he had been farming organically for over 55 years! Organic certification requires the vineyards are maintained without conventional pesticides or herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, bioengineering or ionizing radiation. Crop covers of bell beans, red clover and peas are planted between the rows of vines and when flowering are then turned back into the soil for nutrients for the vineyards/grapes. The micro-organisms in the soil allow the vines to utilize the nutrients efficiently.
The Wine – 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The wine comes from their 50-acre vineyard site located at 764 feet in elevation and has been designated certified organic since 2007. The wine rested 18 months in 30% new French oak barrels and the balance being neutral. It was awarded Double Gold at the S.F. Chronicle Wine Competition.
Randy Meyer, the winemaker, crafted an elegant wine! First on the eyes a deep royal purple with glistening hues around the rim. Medium to medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose a bouquet of intense aromas of cherries and blackberry wafted into the senses. On the palate cocoa and vanilla coffee along with blackberries swirled lively in the mouth with a secondary offering of mild anise. On the finish, most notably it was smooth and silky with a fruit forward taste. The tannins were silky smooth but noticeable. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with 87% Estate and 13% Home Ranch – both being certified organic. 1455 cases were produced and is listed on their website for $28/bottle. It was aged 18 months in 30% new French barrels and the balance being neutral.
The 2022 Barra of Mendocino Cabernet Sauvignon received Double Gold at the San Francisco Wine Competition, Gold at Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition and Gold at the Mendocino County Wine Competition. Additionally, it received 94+ Gold rating at the Harvest Terroir Challenge.
This may seem like a small item, but in keeping true with their organic theme, the cork used is recyclable and made from renewable plant-based materials derived from sugarcane.
The 2021 Barra Cabernet Sauvignon wine had made my annual Best Wines Tasted last year in the up to $50/category both for taste and value. This 2022 will make the list of 2025 Best Wines Tasted.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired with refreshing summer food, taco salad. Beef taco meat layered on a bed of lettuce, then topped with two different shredded cheeses, sliced red onions, halved cherry tomatoes, multi-colored tostado chips and then a topped with more of the cheeses.
The thought was the fruit forward bouquet of this wine would help counterbalance some of the spiciness of the taco salad which it did perfectly. The wine also had sufficient tannins to engulf the beef. A delicious food and wine combination.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Charlie followed his father and maternal grandfather who migrated to Mendocino County from Piedmont, Italy in 1906. Charlie began farming grapes in the mid 1940’s and in 1954 purchased Redwood Valley Vineyards. He worked vigorously with Karl Wente, Robert Mondavi and others to be one of the first growers of many varietals planted on the North Coast. Today the ranch grows organically Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Muscat Canelli. Besides the BARRA of Mendocino label, they have two other labels, Girasole Vineyards and CORO Mendocino. Charlie passed away in 2019 and his wife Martha, who worked with him for almost 40 years, is heading the family winery which now stands at 350 acres and a 2.8-million-gallon custom crush facility. They launched the BARRA of Mendocino Brand in 1997 and the Girasole Brand in 2003. Their son and daughter also have major responsibilities to keep the “family farm” running.
Sláinte,
Michael