Winemaker Notes
Although a very soil driven wine with aromas of wet clay and forest floor, red fruit dominates the nose with cranberry, raspberry and black fig. Classic barbera notes of blonde tobacco and glove leather lead to flavors of wild berries and essence of orange rind. The wine finishes without a tannic grip, but instead a charge of vibrant acidity that lingers pleasantly for some time.
Barbera pairs well with a wide variety of meals including tomato based dishes such as the Ragu Bolognese. Pair with sausage, barbecued ribs, and hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Barbera Walker Vineyard is pale to medium ruby with a nose of sour cherries and sour plum, dried rose petals, dried orange peel and amaro scents with black cherries, leather and dusty earth—very "Italian" in its aromas. Light to medium-bodied, it has a good core of sour red and black fruits with earthy/savory accents, soft dusty tannins and very juicy freshness, finishing long and juicy. That's not bad!
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Wine Enthusiast
Dark red plums, fragrant herbs and crumpled flower petals show on the nose of this bottling by Steve Clifton. Tangy black-plum flavors are enhanced by oregano and pepper dust on the palate.
Friendly and approachable, Barbera produces wines in a wide range of styles, from youthful, fresh and fruity to serious, structured and age-worthy. Piedmont is the most famous source of Barbera; those from Asti and Alba garner the most praise. Barbera actually can adapt to many climates and enjoys success in some New World regions. Somm Secret—In the past it wasn’t common or even accepted to age Barbera in oak but today both styles—oaked and unoaked—abound and in fact most Piedmontese producers today produce both styles.
Today it is an integral part of the greater Santa Barbara County wine region, but at one time the village, Los Olivos, was a stop on the Wells Fargo stagecoach line.