Talk-A-Vino

What are happy wines you may ask?  Can the wine be happy? Can the wine be unhappy? Can the wine actually express emotion?

The first two questions probably don’t have an answer. But can the wine express emotion? You bet. That’s the whole point of wine appreciation. The wine that gives you joy. The wine that brings back happy memories. The wine that gives you happiness. The wine that gives you pleasure. The wine that doesn’t leave you indifferent. Not every wine in your glass will do that for you – but some will. I think it will be fair to call them Happy Wines.

Happy wines are those that put a smile on your face. You open a bottle, put the liquid into the glass, swirl, sniff, sip – and smile, because the wine is actually that good. It doesn’t have to be the best wine you ever tasted. It doesn’t have to be expensive or inexpensive. As long as the wine puts a smile on your face and makes you happy, you can call it a Happy Wine.

My latest happy wine discovery was the latest release of red wines from Barra of Mendocino. I already wrote about the winery before – you can find the complete two-part story here (part 1 and part 2) with all the details about this 50-year-old, 350-acre organically farmed estate located in Northern California, in Mendocino. Everything I tasted so far from Barra was outstanding, and this latest release of the 3 reserve red wines made from organic grapes didn’t disappoint either.

2020 Barra Reserve Petite Sirah Mendocino County (14.5% ABV, $28, 18 months / 30% new French oak, balance in neutral barrels, organic grapes)
Dark Garnet, practically black
Beautiful nose of red and black fruit
Sweet cherries, perfect acidity, well-integrated luscious tannins, layered, delicious.
8+, outstanding, and a unique rendition of PS which doesn’t require waiting.

2020 Barra Reserve Zinfandel Mendocino County (14.5% ABV, $26, 16 months / 25% new French oak, balance in neutral barrels, organic grapes)
Bright Ruby
Dark fruit and herbs on the nose, a hint of fresh coffee, tobacco
Tobacco, cherries, luscious texture, round, pleasant, with long finish.
8, excellent

I just wrote about Barra Cabernet Sauvignon in the previous post where I tasted it alongside two superb Napa Valley Cabs – but I’m happy to talk about this wine twice in a row 🙂

2021 Barra Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino County (14.5% ABV, $28, 18 months / 30% new French oak, balance in neutral barrels, organic grapes)
Garnet
Eucalyptus, cherries, a hint of cassis
Eucalyptus, dark berries, cherries, cassis, well-integrated tannins, perfect balance, medium-long finish.
8, delicious

All three were happy wines – ready to drink from the moment the bottle was open, and thoroughly delicious, putting a smile on your face. I can also tell you that all three of these wines lasted for almost 7 days after being first opened, standing on the counter, with the air being pumped out – this is definitely a testament to the quality and to the longevity of these wines – while these wines will not set you back by anything comparable to any cult Californian wines, I guarantee you that they will age equally well or possibly even better.

Have you tried Barra of Mendocino wines? I would love to see the smile on your face once you do. Cheers!