After 5 Zinfandel fails, this was passably good:
1. Renwood Barbara AmadorCnty (14.5%; #10026 of 2550 cs) 1993: Med.dark color w/ some browning; rather spicy/Barbera/Italian sausage/fennel some earthy/dusty some bretty/horsecollar/funky bit briary/Amador/smokey interesting/aged complex nose; quite tart/tangy rather bretty/funky/horsecollar some Barbera/spicy/Italian herbs/pizza seasoning rather earthy/dusty bit toasty/oak flavor w/ light bit hard/drying tannins; med.long tart/tangy/metallic light Barbera/spicy/Italian herbs some funky/bretty/horsecollar finish w/ light drying tannins; quite interesting/complex/aged nose but dry out/hard on the palate and a bit too much brett.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Barbera is, of course, the "hot/in" variety in AmadorCnty. It all started back in the '70's when CaryGott made some incredibly good Barberas at Montevina. One Piemonte winemaker declared, to DarrellCorti, a Montevina Barbera the best Barbera he had ever tasted. That, of course, ended when SutterHome took over Montevina, despite the talents of their winemaker, JeffMeyer, who was declared the "Baron of Barbera".
This Barbera was made by ScottHarvey when he was making wines at Renwood. He also made some LinsteadtVnyd Barberas that were exceptional and even a GrandPere Barbera...though its authenticity is suspect given Scott's cavalier attitude towards varietal labeling.
They, of course, have the BarberaFestival at the CooperRanch up in Amador every year. I've not attended, though.
Tom