Mendocino – Wine Snob

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Empathy Red by Empathy Wines of the most notable Gary Vaynerchuck.

Dark rich color. Full fruit forward nose with a lot of intense aromas. Intense berry, mild plum, draped over moderate oak and slightly mineral leather. Swirl and the leather momentarily releases an essence of wet forest floor.

Big jammy fruit forward body mirrors the nose. Dominated by berry and hint of plum. Minerality is more pronounced. You have to search for it but, hint of licorice takes the place of the wood. A black currant emerges towards the back. Just before a healthy dose of tannin begins the transition into a very spicy lasting finish.

At 14.9% ABV, this wine embodies the big fruity California red. It benefits from and represents diverse regions through fairly delineated characteristics. It is still young and could benefit from some aging. I will let the rest of the case age for another 4-5 years to let the fruit break down into simpler sugars and allow the other layers to fully develop. I think it will only get more interesting.
Great job on this multi region blend. I look forward to following it’s progression.🍷😘👌🏽

Tonight’s occasion: 2013 La Stupenda, Barbera by Peterson, Mendocino, California. Courtesy of Casemates who invited me to review tonight’s offering. I am writing this as I begin my review. My initial impressions right out of the bottle are very dark and inky for a Barbera. Barbera typically run on the lighter, ruby side of the spectrum like a classic Sangiovese or Pinot Noir. The twist-off held a very tight seal all these years and despite its journey. Making the first pour I got hit with big spice and a hint of raisin. I typically don’t care for raisin in my wines however I am pleased to confirm this rapidly dissipated. This tells me the wine is very much alive.

I was met with a medium-to-big nose, full of subtle oak, hint of berry and at least another floral note I cannot pinpoint (lavender comes to mind, not sure why), perhaps you can help me here. A hint of minerality come through after a few hours. The attack is fairly fruit forward but restrained. Up front, as with most Barbera, the body comes with noticeable spice and acidity which easily gives way once your palate adjusts after a few sips.

After about 15 minutes the body quickly becomes buttery smooth, adding the faintest hint of caramel into the mix. The finish, without doubt is a big one, starting out hot and spicy and as it opens, develops more tannic grip albeit restrained. This is by any account a big Barbera especially at 13.9% ABV. For a single VARIETAL Barbera, it is surprisingly layered, complex and balanced. A testament to the winemaker’s craft. I can appreciate its richer tone as I feel in this case it balances out the acidity typical of the varietal. Once opened up the acidity is quickly tempered by a creamy buttery expression.

This wine shows great maturity. This Barbera is well built. It commands your attention. It is aging much more gracefully than a typical Barbera. I feel like it’s time is now. It’s a somewhat different take on Barbera from a region off the beaten path that has had time and patience to fully develop. I think it presents a tremendous value. Please visit Casemates to take advantage of this deal before it’s gone. Fred and Jamie Peterson, after twirling it for a couple hours now, I like it! Estupenda!!!

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