Another Sparkling Gem From Lodi’s “Master Of The Unexpected”
Did You Really Have To Ask?
We love this wine. Love it. We are showcasing it in our tastings, the 2009 St Amant Barbera is beautiful. Berry aromas, supple, cashmere dark fruits on the palate, sinful texture on an elegant chassis. Lest you think we’re influenced by St Amant Tempranillo’s huge popularity with Grapes’ insiders, we were blind tasted! And fell in love with it. Winemaker Stuart Spencer the “master of the unexpected,” has followed his pioneering Father, Tim and certainly has our attention once again producing the finest Barbera this side of Piedmont. Truly a delight to drink this supple, mouthwatering wine has a beautiful 15% off by the case savings. Mouthwatering, indeed. The grapes for all St Amant wines, whether from Lodi or their vineyard in the Sierra Foothills of Amador County, are carefully grown and selected for producing fruit of top quality. St Amant strongly believes that all great wines are made in the vineyard, and meticulously focuses on low yields with concentrated intense fruit flavours. Vinification follows simple techniques designed for maximum expression of the terroir of each of the vineyard sites. Only mature and ripe fruit is harvested and hand-sorted. Maceration is accomplished with gentle pumpovers, delestage and hand punch-downs. Delestage, literally “lightening” in French, significantly reduces tannins and brings forward the wine’s fruit. St Amant began experimenting with Barbera in the 1990’s finding that such unusual varieties grown in California soils provide a distinctive alternative to what they refer to as “the chocolate and vanilla world of Cabernet and Chardonnay,” and feel strongly that these emerging Mediterranean varieties are ideally suited to the California climate and their vineyards. They proved it with Tempranillo and now, with 2009 St Amant Barbera, they’re right once again. Being right is a beautiful thing.

Tasting Notes: Berry aromas, supple, cashmere dark fruits on the palate, sinful texture on an elegant chassis. Packed with mouthwatering flavors of ripe blackberries, bright cherries, and earth. Supple tannins linger on the finish creating a delicious food-friendly wine. From 30 year-old vines in the Lodi Appellation. Only 247 cases made.