Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/687399
36 / the tasting panel / june 2016 INTRO-VINOUS C apturing the heart of California's North Coast, Barbed Wire wines are a new offering from Trinchero Family Estates, a brand synonymous with innovation and being on- trend. With the popularity of craft products rising, Trinchero Family Estates leapt on the opportunity to provide wines at a price point of $12.99 that are exclusively sourced from the North Coast of California. Barbed Wire wines are represented by a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Red Blend designed to capture the attention of male, craft-minded aficionados and appeal to consumers seeking a quality wine with an authentic, craft vibe. What's in a name? The name is a nod to the barbed wire that surrounds the vineyards in the North Coast, which are as much a part of the DNA of the region as the dairies and rugged hillside barns—the passion that goes into every bottle embodies just that. The wines are crafted by Seth Turbow, Director of Winemaking, and his team, all of which are North Coast locals who are passionate about the region. The team holds over 20 years of experience making wines in the North Coast AVA and have been at this long enough to know the backroads; it's in their blood. Barbed Wire is the project that allows them to experiment in blending and sourcing from their favorite small, unique and diverse vineyard lots. The wines' selection of vineyards deliver only the best fruit, as the most interesting and flavorful vines are behind the gnarliest wire. The team has access to vineyards in the North Coast, spanning 5,000 square miles that include rugged mountain sites, coastal vines, winding valleys and hillside fruit. Each pocket of this region has its own personality, its own language. The Barbed Wire Red Wine Blend (SRP $12.99) is made up of Cabernet and Merlot grapes sourced from Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake County and Napa, with each flavor in the completed wine reflecting a region of the Coast. For instance, Mendocino County's well-structured fruit, Lake County's concentrated fruit grown on mountain vineyards, Napa County's classic Cabernet and Sonoma County's intense Cabernet growing on hillside volcanic vineyards. The team was able to create an eclectic blend, 73 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 27 percent Merlot. The wine is aged in French oak, where its flavors develop to yield a versatile, expressive wine. Bold, rich and opulent, the garnet-colored wine offers juicy plum and blackberry flavors with vanilla and dried herbs on the palate. Barbed Wire Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $12.99) is the perfect marriage of rich quality and value. The winemaking team selected dark, rugged fruit from the Alexander Valley and Red Hills vineyards in Lake County for this wine. The grapes are aged in French and American oak, lending body and flavor. The grapes are crushed, vinified and bottled in St. Helena. The Barbed Wire Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep, ruby red selection, expressing notes of spicy black cherry, mocha and spice with bittersweet chocolate on the finish. There are plenty of places to make great wine, but the Barbed Wire team stays close to their roots. The opportunity to craft quality wines from a region that provides the most ideal combination of dirt and flavor was inevitable. As the ultra-premium segment ($10-$14.99) sees record expansion, and the popularity of craft products continues to grow, the personal- ity of the North Coast AVA strikes gold in Barbed Wire wines. Follow the wire . . . you'll find the best fruit in the North Coast. PHOTO COURTESTY OF BARBED WIRE Follow the Wire, You'll Find the Best Fruit DOWN TO THE WIRE WITH BARBED WIRE WINES FROM TRINCHERO FAMILY ESTATES by Becky Tsadik