Upper Ojai, Ventura County

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Our debut release of barbera comes from the warm upper reaches of Ojai Valley, and it’s just an explosive wine! Barbera is a unique grape in that it tenaciously holds onto acidity even when grown in heat, and provides vibrant fruity flavors and deep color in regions where other grapes would suffer from the heat and not color fully. It’s hearty in that sense, but is too often grown and made to be innocuous.

But boy, this barbera is anything but innocuous! It’s a bold, brash and delicious wine. The signature acidity of this grape is flashy in a core with bright fruity flavors of pomegranate and blood orange, which is swaddled up with sweeter, more succulent dark cherry and blueberry. It’s aromatically fruit-focused too, with appealing streaks of floral and herbal fragrances. It’s a refreshing joy to drink—with a slight chill it’s just perfect for the dog days of summer.

Press Reviews

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“A beautiful, uber-classic wine, the 2014 Barbera Rich Vineyard captures the essence of Barbera in its bold, punchy fruit and salivating acidity. Succulent red cherries, wild flowers, mint and pomegranate are all pushed forward. I would prefer to drink this juicy, inviting Barbera over the next few years. This is an absolutely joyous bottle of wine. Rich is a vineyard in Ojai, which is one of the warmer spots in Santa Barbara. Of course, Barbera loves heat, always a good foil for the grape’s naturally high acidity.”- AG 93 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“I loved the 2014 Barbera Rich Vineyard, which is from a site located near Roll Ranch Vineyard. Its vibrant purple color is followed by forward, juicy, medium-bodied aromas and flavors of black cherries, violets, plum and flowers. It has racy acidity, yet it works beautifully in this deliciously quaffable, fruity effort ideal for drinking over the coming couple of years.”- JD 90 Points