Barrett & Barrett Wine
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon | Calistoga, Napa Valley
Barrett and Barrett, two renowned and distinct winemakers working together, finally, is really what this wine is all about. The result is a handcrafted, limited edition Napa Valley wine that reflects our two different, yet complementary, winemaking styles.
ACCOLADES
from Antonio Galloni:
93+ points - "Firm tannins support a core of dark red and black fruit, smoke, tobacco, licorice and iron in a dark, powerful Cabernet that is likely to require a number of years to come around. Sage, rosemary and intense layers of minerality flow through to the finish. This is a strong showing for the year."
Revisiting the wine a year later, he said: "The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. Soft, supple and expressive, the 2011 will drink well early, but also has enough depth and density to drink well for another decade or so. There are no hard edges or awkward contours. Instead, the purity of fruit is striking. Violets, lavender and gently spice notes add nuance on the finish."
WINEGROWING
Bo has been growing Cabernet in these Calistoga vineyards since 1973, so he knows to farm grapes with optimum ripeness and flavor each harvest. Whether it’s a very hot vintage or a slow cool one, after 35 years Bo has probably seen it before.
Bo says: Winegrowing for 2011 required experience going back as far as the 1970’s. It was the coolest vintage since 1972- 1974 era. Good thing we were around then and picked up what the ol’timers taught us about growing wines in cool years back in those days! The tricks learned 40 years ago paid off big for us in 2011. We farmed very carefully, giving early harvest priority over yield from the beginning of the season. And it worked! We picked the B&B Calistoga vineyards Sept. 29 and Oct 3. The two Napa Valley Oct 2011 rain events; the 4 days from 10/4-10/7 and the next wave 10/10&11 occurred after we harvested this wine. Low crop=early harvest= good news.
UPDATED TASTING NOTES
Tasted Feb 2023
Perhaps the coolest vintage in Napa’s post-2000 history, 2011 is another outlier - It stands out as a softer vintage, not quite as pronounced or bold in aroma or palate. Graceful, understated, refined – a beautifully made wine from a challenging vintage. Fruit notes are cranberry, pomegranate, raspberry, with characteristics of black tea, graphite, wet stone, herbs, and a touch of chalky dust. Much lighter in texture, it has a supple feel and good weight – it opens with a restrained and lightly perfumed nose, flows gently with silkiness on the palate, and fades with a nuanced, medium length finish. It can benefit from time to open in the glass, but it is a rather delicate wine, so we would caution against aggressive decanting. Drink now or hold 3 years
ORIGINAL TASTING NOTES
11/29/14 by HPB
This is one of the stars of the 2011 vintage, fully ripe and dense from our early ripening vineyards in Calistoga. Aromas of blackberry pie, currants, roasted coffee, dried black cherries and cocoa powder. The enticing layered aromas lead to a mouth coating lush silky palate. So easy to love. Sourced from our two vineyard sites; the new block developed specifically for this wine and the original Barrett vineyard at the foot of Mt St Helena. The combination of balance, finesse and length is just delicious.
Tasted 11/29/14 by Bo Barrett
The first thing I like about this wine is its dark, almost black, garnet color to the edge of the glass. Not red, not purple blue, but BLACK! The black fruits are primary on the nose and show as black cherry, black berry, and fruit leather. It is rich and ripe with briar, tobacco and cocoa notes. The second thing I like is its expansive nature on the palate. It immediately opens with a “boom!”, giving ripe, warm fruit and following through with lush, full flavors. The 2011 B&B is atypical for a Napa Valley 2011 Cab because these extraordinarily early ripening vineyards got fully mature. The cold growing season, especially the cold nights, keep this wine true to type with balance and distinct vineyard-driven character. This is a wine that truly shows the impact of decades of experience, the ability to adapt to each seasons’ growing conditions, in a specific vineyard, with a single purpose; to make wines like this.
OTHER VINTAGES
Vertical Collection 2008-2019
Current Vintage: 2019
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
2017 Cabernet Sauvignon
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon
2015 Cabernet Sauvignon
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon
2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon
2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon