Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Macchia – “Delicious” Barbera – 2023
Heaven’s Vines, Lodi – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
100% Barbera from Lodi. an Italian indigenous grape known for its naturally high acidity, juicy fruit, and casual drinkability. Macchia Winery, celebrated for producing over 20 distinct styles of Zinfandel, also showcases its versatility with Italian varieties. Consistently recognized with domestic and international awards, the winery brings Barbera into the spotlight with this vibrant estate bottling.

Aromas & Flavors
Ripe red cherries, plum, blackberry compote, and a touch of vanilla and sweet spice. Fresh, fruity, and forward with that classic Barbera brightness.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with lively acidity and a smooth, easygoing finish. Juicy fruit drives the palate, making it approachable and highly sip-worthy.

Food Pairings
Perfect with pizza, pasta with tomato-based sauces, grilled sausages, roasted vegetables, or charcuterie. A true “any day, any time” red.

Verdict
A fun, approachable, and fruit-driven Barbera with Macchia’s signature Lodi generosity. Casual enough for weeknight sipping yet polished enough to show the quality behind this estate-grown wine.

Did You Know?
Barbera is one of Italy’s most widely planted red grapes, cherished for its fresh acidity and versatility. In California, Lodi’s warm days and cool delta breezes help the variety express generous fruit while maintaining balance. — a month ago

Will Stanley

9.1

This needs more time to knit together, but does show promise, even if I feel a shade less impressed than the first time trying a couple of years back. It’s initially very herbaceous, with tomato leaf and green pepper, eventually giving way to a svelte personality with plush oak and sweet fruit. Not perfect now, but should be great in four years’ time. — a year ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.0

A nice CS/Sangiovese blend from around Pisa.
Very interesting how this evolves in the glass with the character of the two grapes coming out to shine and fading - sometimes this is very much reminiscent of a northern Medoc with gravelly black currants, a few minutes later the hallmark tomato leaf + some rusticity of Sangiovese emerges.
On the palate this is quite firm with a proper tannic frame filled with black cherry & black currant and juicy acidity.
Good depth & length and surprisingly youthful. — 3 years ago

Dawn E.

9.1

Delicious! Presents with milk chocolate, tomato leaves, red raspberries, garrique, thyme, graham cracker crust, and pomegranate. Every time I pick up the glass, I discover something new! — 5 months ago

Austin Hohnke

9.1

Wine 1, with rack of lamb. As my drinking history shows, Raffault is a perennial favorite. 2017 is easy access with medium weight, wild red berry fruit, tomato leaf, and earth. Drink over the next five years. Holding ‘09, ‘14, ‘15, and ‘18 with patience. — a year ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.0

Cherry, tomato, espresso on the palate. Nice at 9 years old. September 2024. — a year ago

Thomas Nies

9.5

Rustic but refined. Served with homemade pasta and roasted tomato sauce. Exceptional! — 3 years ago

Scott Kahn

9.0

Deep garnet, with volcanic mineralogy and black cherry on the nose. Mild tannins that provide structure supporting moderate alcohol (14%), medium acidity and some mild oak notes. Fantastically paired with tomato-based Napolian fried pizza. Aglianico is a varietal worthy of attention… — 9 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

With some of the entry-level Brunelli like this one, it’s a tough call when to open them. In my experience many try to play in the big leagues by overextracting. This one’s always been on the tannic, somewhat astringent side, so you want to wait to allow the tannins to drop and for it to settle down, but you don’t want to wait so long that the fruit dries up. I think this is about as good as it’s going to get. The fruit is still there, and the astringency is abating a bit. Still tannic. Good acids. Should go well with a simple pasta with tomato and sausage sauce.

UPDATE: After 24 hours under a vacuum seal, it was so astringent as to be nearly undrinkable, to my taste. — a year ago

Colin Cahoon

9.2

Tangy red fruit on the nose (intense nose). Bright tart cherry, raspberry, plum, cinnamon, clove, oak, blackberry, tomato, and white pepper on the palate. Medium tannin, body, and alcohol with high acid and a long finish. — 3 years ago

with Jennifer and Susan