Barra of Mendocino, Mendocino County (California) Pinot Noir 2021

 Launched in 1997, Barra of Mendocino is the culmination of 30 years of experience from Mendocino local and winemaker, the late Charlie Barra.  Today, Randy Meyer carries the touch helping integrate Charlie’s desire for organic farming into quality wines that perform well both on the market but also in their wine club.  The Reserve Pinot Noir shows the tart dark fruit with subtle but noticeable oak influences from barrel aging.  Mendocino’s diurnal shift means temperatures can drop as much as 40 degrees at night, helping the grapes preserve their acidity through the hot northern California summers.  Barra’s vineyards sit in the sweet spot between the Pacific Ocean and Sonoma where a lack of fog helps reduce much of the mildew and disease pressure that neighboring vineyards have to manage.  Even with all that, Barra works to produce excellent wines that over deliver at their price point and that is exactly what they’ve done with their Reserve Pinot Noir.