Palmina Walker Vineyard Barbera 2015
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Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine
Product Details
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Somm Note
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.
Other Vintages
2013-
Wong
Wilfred -
Enthusiast
Wine
Palmina’s philosophy, passion and strongly held belief is that wine is an extension of the plate, a component of a meal and a means to bring people together. Formed by winemaker Steve Clifton (of La Voix Winery and formerly of Brewer-Clifton Wines) in 1995, Palmina is named in honor of Steve’s great friend Paula. Like a grandmother to him, she taught Steve the love of cooking, wine and the Italian lifestyle and was a spark in his life. After Paula succumbed to breast cancer, Steve found that her given name on her Italian birth certificate was Palmina, and the winery was thus fittingly named.
Palmina produces a full range of wines crafted solely from Italian varietals with names that are as fun to say as they are delicious to drink; Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Pinot Grigio. Palmina translates the history of those grapes to the growing conditions and vineyard sites of the very unique characteristics of Santa Barbara County. In California, the transverse mountain ranges typically run north to south but the Santa Barbara County region is unlike any other in the world: its transverse ranges take a turn, running east and west. This creates a unique growing climate for a range of grape varietals by offering daily, both hot and cool climates. The resulting wines are Italian by inspiration with flavors rooted in Santa Barbara County, and all are intended to be a delicious component of a meal.
Palmina “pure farms” its 11 acres in Santa Barbara County. Pure farming gives back more than it takes. Unwavering in its farming standards, Palmina does not utilize herbicides or pesticides. Weed-clearing is done through laborious hand-hoeing, with critical soil nutrients reintroduced by planting organic legumes and grasses between the vines. With mindful intention, organic, sustainable and biodynamic practices are utilized.
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.