WOW - 2001 Renwood Barbera

[Carolyn Tillie]

Greetings All.

I have been tagged as your inaugural Cupbearer for the Wine of the Week tasting. I suppose it is my bacchanalian demeanor or something...

The first wine I have chosen for our communal tasting is Renwood's 2001 Barbera. I chose it for a number of reasons:

- It is relatively inexpensive at under $20.00.

- It is a varietal that many have yet to discover as it is outside the Cab/Merlot/Chardonnay spectrum.

- Renwood has received really good distribution on this product and can often be found at Costco.

- It is from Amador county which is an up-and-coming appellation in Northern California.

- It is an old world varietal, being an Italian grape in origin.

You can read about the specifics of the producer's tasting notes here.

If your local Costco doesn't have it, it can easily be ordered through the winery's website.

Lastly, regarding food pairing. For those of you who decide to taste along, I was told once that Barbera is the ultimate grape for tomatoes and tomato sauces. When I decide to pop my bottle and write my tasting notes, I will probably have a variety of items to taste along with them, providing the reactions that the food have with the wine. See how different wines taste with different foods! But with this one, make sure to have something tomato-based!

Cheers!

[LEdlund]

I ordered mine and will be picking it up on Friday.

What a great idea! Thanks Mary for getting it started and Carolyn for being the first out of the gate. I'm looking forward to participating in this. I'm just learning about wines and I think this is going to be a fun way to become more knowledgable.

[Rebel Rose]

Thanks, LEdlund! I have also ordered mine and it should be here by Friday.

[Carolyn Tillie]

At least there will be three of us!

[JPW]

Yes, this will be fun.

Great idea, especially for us on the starter/intermediate slopes of the wine learning ski hill.

Unfortunately, I am stuck in a state that prohibits (for now) the direct shipment of wine, so my participation will be limited by my ability to track down the selected bottles.

[wnissen]

Should be interesting, although none of the usual suspects seem to carry it. Wait, I found it at BevMo for $18. I also noted that there's a "Sierra Series" with a California appellation on sale for $8, so be sure to get the right one.

Walt

[little ms foodie]

I have to go to Costco tonight so I have it written on my list. Fingers crossed that it will be there, otherwise I'll just call my wine shop.

Very cool, looking forward to this.

[BrentKulman]

This is a great idea and I'm looking forward to participating.

[geo t.]

Sierra Series, or Amador?

}8^)>

[Carolyn Tillie]

Amador, please!

[geo t.]

Amador, please!

←

Amador 'tis!

{snapback)[south}

[dlc]

If the Supreme Court helps those of us in the blue (not politically but because of no wine shipments) states, we can play along too. I am still looking locally though. This will be great fun and informative.

[Coop]

I'm out not available in British Columbia.

[little ms foodie]

It wasn't at my costco (but the Zin was) so I'll be hitting my local store tonight. If that is a bust I will order online!

[Really Nice!]

You can find merchants and distributors of this wine here.

[KatieLoeb]

I believe my wine purveyor will be able to get a bottle of this for me so I can play too!

[BrentKulman]

Has anybody been able to find this?

I have been to a few places but they all stock the 2002 Sierra. I'm told the 2001 is sold out.

I'll keep looking but am wondering whether the rest of you are having this problem.

[wnissen]

Has anybody been able to find this?

I have been to a few places but they all stock the 2002 Sierra.  I'm told the 2001 is sold out.

I'll keep looking but am wondering whether the rest of you are having this problem.

←

Actually, the featured wine is the 2001 Amador County. The Sierra Series is the one that I pointed out as being potentially confusing, and apparently created a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sorry about that. However, you will probably have better luck finding the 2001 Amador, as that is the current release, while the current Sierra Series is 2002.

My local Costco didn't have either, but I will head out to Beverages and More, which does have it.

Walt

[geo t.]

I picked up one of the '01 Amadors thanks to some help from the local distributor, so we're all set in Day-twah.

[little ms foodie]

Luckily LEdlund put in an order and they brought in a half case so I picked up 2 bottles last night. All set in Seattle!

[PCL]

The week's almost out!!!...

Anyone actually tasted it yet?? I was hoping to live vicariously through you guys, seeing as American wines are not easy to come by down here...

[geo t.]

The week's almost out!!!...

Anyone actually tasted it yet?? I was hoping to live vicariously through you guys, seeing as American wines are not easy to come by down here...

←

Sipping one now and enjoying it, but I may not have the opportunity to post notes before Sunday. Soon as I can...

L~8~er,

geo

[Rebel Rose]

I just called Renwood Winery because my bottle has not yet arrived. Kevin in the tasting room says that online orders are only downloaded once a week and are fulfilled at the winery location--not the tasting room. Bummer. My wine should arrive on Monday, however, and I will taste and post Monday evening. Oh, he also says the winery is now sold out and that I am getting the "last" bottle.

Looking forward to it!

[Carolyn Tillie]

Wolfert and I tasted a bottle last evening -- I was less impressed than I had been in past tastings/vintages, but much of that may have had to do with the food pairing. We were eating a Foie Gras, Bacon, and Tomato sandwich on focaccia which demanded a much bigger wine than a barbera.

I found the color to be that lovely Amador red with tints of orange and pink at the edges. The nose was fruity and sharp. In fact, I loved the nose. I'm not sure if I've been drinking too many huge cabs which may have also influenced the lack-luster sense I received from the wine in the mouth. It had high tannins and a clean taste, but not much of a finish.

I'll be tasting again on Sunday with some Italian food (tomato based!) and I'll see how it goes then. I'll also take more extensive notes then.

BTW, I have tagged Geo T. has our next Cupbearer -- he has agreed and I hope he will come up with a lovely wine that might be worthy of a Holiday Celebration!

[Coop]

Any chance we could choose something a little more widely available? Speaking for us Canadians, we cannot buy wine from websites or have them shipped to us from wineries.