Bargetto Winery

It was such a fun adventure to explore this wine! I purposely did not read the “directions” or the “map” and winged it on my own. What a great experience – a blend on purpose. Being one of those people (like Robert Mondavi, according to Narsai David), I am inclined to blend everything, even at the most upscale dinner parties. But, I love it when someone blends something that is more inventive than I would have done – and usually, the winery blends have some uniformity of constituents. This is opposed to my blends which are generally borne of “oh crap, this Cab or Zin is too ripe: what juvenile delinquent wine do we have open that will tame its ass?”

Well, the 2005 Bargetto Rosso is just too much fun all on its own: you won’t even be challenged to grab the corkscrew and unleash something else. My tasting notes read: “Zin, Merlot, Sangiovese – Lodi Zin? Earthy, meaty, rich and yummy.” Well, I was partly right on the constituents. It is a very intriguing blend of grape varieties originating from southern Europe, including Italian Dolcetto, its cousin Zinfandel, French Merlot, Spanish Tempranillo and Cariñena (Carignane). For sure, an amazingly rich and earthy wine that reminds one of long, lazy days in the Mediterranean sun. Or in the California sun. Put on plenty of sunscreen and then order some pasta Bolognese, or rich braised chicken with sundried tomatoes, peppers, red wine sauce and artichokes. Aged in both French and American oak, this wine has something to offer all lovers of wines with substance. Give it a try.

Reviewed August 29, 2007 by Laura Ness.