Barlow Vineyards
2009 Barrouge Bordeaux Blend
Bordeaux
California: Napa Valley
Mission Briefing
Setting the Barr
Today’s wine is a classic Bordeaux blend that we love. Initially shy, this youthful wine is easily coaxed to life with some hearty swirling.
Dark, bold and rich, this 2009 Barrouge Cabernet Sauvignon (blended with just the right splashes of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petite Verdot) is a serious wine with an elegant edge to it. Swirl heartily and marvel as the wine transforms in the glass, losing its toughness and becoming something far more subtle and seductive.
Drink now or lay a few bottles down for the next several years.
Pair this big Napa Cab with hard cheese plate, a hearty meat dish or an after-dinner dessert that includes a lovely, medium dark chocolate. A dark chocolate mousse would be just delightful!
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Very concentrated with a beautiful, vibrant fuchsia hue. At the very edge of the glass a beetroot tint creates a beautiful contrast from the darker, almost foreboding core. |
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| Smell: | Sublime aromas of anise, red stone fruit, fennel, and clove are the first aromas to reach the nose. After some swirling, added aromas of licorice, fresh herbs, and black plum are revealed. |
| Taste: | Rich and delicious, with captivating flavors dark stone fruit, cranberry, olives, and a hint of fresh tobacco leaf. |
| Finish: | This bold wine possesses a very long, lingering and mouth coating finish. The flavors of the Cabernet present themselves for a long time, before fading very gradually as the far corners of the palate become softly dry. |
| Pairing: |
What the Winery Says
The 2009 Barrouge is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petite Verdot. It has a wonderful black sour cherry element with hints of sweet vanilla and cocoa. The palate is loaded with dark fruits such as black currents and hints of plum. The wine finishes with soft elegant tannins and touches of roasted almonds derived from the French oak.
Alcohol
14.9%
Cases Produced
389 Cases
Appellation
Napa Valley
About the Winery
In 1994 our two generation enterprise, Warren and Jeanne Smith and Barr and Ann Smith, purchased 50 acres of vineyards just south of Calistoga at the upper end of the Napa Valley, an area well know for producing intense red wines. We relocated our family from Southern California seeking a life style change and to fulfill a life time dream.
In the first year the existing 25-year old Cabernet Sauvignon block was found to be badly diseased and was eliminated, leaving only one smaller block of disease resistant Cabernet Sauvignon, which was planted in 1992. The original Cabernet Sauvignon block was replanted with phylloxera resistant rootstock and clones 7 and 8 Cabernet Sauvignon. An eleven-acre block of Merlot was planted that year in a parcel that had been fallow for many years. The same year we added another parcel (4+ acres) of Merlot. Since that time, we have planted small blocks of Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot.
Our entry as a wine producer came about as the result of making a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, which was originally meant for family consumption. The winemaker informed us that the %100 single vineyard fruit had produced an outstanding full-bodied wine with marvelous flavors, a long finish and a great mouth feel. He suggested that we sell the wine instead of using it for Family and Friend’s consumption, which we did. All 25 cases! It was an instant success.
Since 1997, we have made larger quantities of wine exclusively from these lyre-trellised, down-slope vineyards fruit and are approaching our goal of 2000 cases per year. The vineyard has its own Napa Valley microclimate, with characteristics of warm days and cool nights.
As the vineyard reaches maturity, so do the wines it produces.
Enjoy! The Smith Family