Barlow Vineyards - A Superior Napa County Winery
Barlow Vineyards is an up and coming Napa Valley wine producer. Definitely a winery to watch, Barlow Vineyard wines exemplify quality, family tradition and an incredible value for wine enthusiasts who seek exemplary Napa cabernet sauvignons, merlots, zinfandels or Bordeaux style blends. Best yet, as wine buyers you won't find yourself having to wait in frustration for an exclusive winery "buyers list", or worse feel that the only way to acquire Barlow Vineyards wines is through a wine auction.
Warren and Jeanne Smith had been traveling to the Napa Valley since the 1950's. Son Barr Smith says, "Mom and dad fell in love with the valley and the wine country lifestyle. It was always their goal to eventually move to Napa. They both had hoped to accomplish this dream in the 1970's, but dad's work obligations in the pharmaceutical industry kept them both in Newport Beach, California. In 1993 the family found a great piece of land in Napa, and I asked my parents if they would be interested in a partnership in a winery." Ann Smith owned a landscape design company, and Barr worked in the office equipment industry in Costa Mesa prior to the move to Napa in 1994. "Both Ann and I had met at CSU Humboldt in Arcata, California in the late 1970's, and we have spent much of our spare time in northern California since then. Ann and I and we have been married for twenty five years. When the opportunity to move to Napa came up we didn't even give it a second thought." recounts Barr.
Barlow Vineyards, located in Calistoga on Napa's historic Silverado Trail, was established in 1994 as a partnership between Warren and Jeanne Smith and their son Barr and daughter-in-law Ann. The first cabernet sauvignon vines were initially planted on the property in 1992, and today blocks of merlot zinfandel, cabernet franc and petit verdot can also be found on the estate property. Currently, Barlow Vineyards is classified in the Napa Valley American Viticulture Area, and application for AVA reclassification was filed with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) approximately two years ago, to be reclassified into the more prestigious Calistoga AVA within Napa County.
Barlow Vineyard's first release was the stellar California 1997 vintage with only 25 cases of cabernet sauvignon being produced under the direction of former wine maker Art Finkelstein. 125 cases were produced in 1998. 1999 produced 200 cases of cabernet sauvignon, and that particular vintage ushered in the inaugural release of Barlow Vineyards merlot (100 cases) and their zinfandel (45 cases). These quantities doubled with the release of the 2000 vintage. The 2001 vintage debuted the "Barrouge", a Bordeaux style blend. 1,700 cases are now being produced annually.
Today finds the Smith family actively involved in the daily vineyard and winery operations. Family patriarch Warren Smith oversees winery operations and hospitality. Barr Smith is the assistant winemaker, sales manager, and as on call "jack of all trades". Ann Smith is the winery's marketing manager, and she assists her husband Barr with sales. Warren's wife Jeanne Smith sadly passed away in December of last year. Barr recalls, "Mom was continuously involved in volunteer projects, but somehow could always be found by dad's side. When all of us moved to Napa in 1994, mom ran the day to day business operations of the winery up until her passing. She was instrumental in guiding our vision and leading us to where we are today."
The 2004 vintage is currently available to the public for purchase. Very few bottles of the 2003 vintage remain available to the public according to Barr Smith. I asked Barr about his perceptions of what the public might come to expect next year with the release of the 2005 vintage. "2005 was a very good year" states Smith. Favorable growing conditions, mature crop with controlled yield, mild summer with few heat spikes, and great ripening conditions were some of the many reasons that contributed to what we expect to be a terrific vintage according to Smith. Barr said, "I am very enthusiastic about the release of the 2005 Barrouge, as this release will now feature the inclusion of cabernet franc and petit verdot into our proprietary Meritage blend."
Many of Napa's current cult wine makers started out in much the same way as Barlow Vineyards – small, independent, and holding true to their personal convictions. The Smith family has every intention of remaining a small family operated winery. Barr and his father have intentionally avoided the enticements and trappings of the valley's ever present wine marketing giants, instead seeking their own pace and pursuing their own course. Having tasted all of Barlow Vineyard's wines from vintage 2002 up to the present, I have been continually impressed. A few points of fact are guaranteed to the wine drinker - consistent, outstanding quality with bottles being available at non-cult wine prices! Information about Barlow Vineyards wines can be found at www.barlowvineyards.com.
Warren and Jeanne Smith had been traveling to the Napa Valley since the 1950's. Son Barr Smith says, "Mom and dad fell in love with the valley and the wine country lifestyle. It was always their goal to eventually move to Napa. They both had hoped to accomplish this dream in the 1970's, but dad's work obligations in the pharmaceutical industry kept them both in Newport Beach, California. In 1993 the family found a great piece of land in Napa, and I asked my parents if they would be interested in a partnership in a winery." Ann Smith owned a landscape design company, and Barr worked in the office equipment industry in Costa Mesa prior to the move to Napa in 1994. "Both Ann and I had met at CSU Humboldt in Arcata, California in the late 1970's, and we have spent much of our spare time in northern California since then. Ann and I and we have been married for twenty five years. When the opportunity to move to Napa came up we didn't even give it a second thought." recounts Barr.
Barlow Vineyards, located in Calistoga on Napa's historic Silverado Trail, was established in 1994 as a partnership between Warren and Jeanne Smith and their son Barr and daughter-in-law Ann. The first cabernet sauvignon vines were initially planted on the property in 1992, and today blocks of merlot zinfandel, cabernet franc and petit verdot can also be found on the estate property. Currently, Barlow Vineyards is classified in the Napa Valley American Viticulture Area, and application for AVA reclassification was filed with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) approximately two years ago, to be reclassified into the more prestigious Calistoga AVA within Napa County.
Barlow Vineyard's first release was the stellar California 1997 vintage with only 25 cases of cabernet sauvignon being produced under the direction of former wine maker Art Finkelstein. 125 cases were produced in 1998. 1999 produced 200 cases of cabernet sauvignon, and that particular vintage ushered in the inaugural release of Barlow Vineyards merlot (100 cases) and their zinfandel (45 cases). These quantities doubled with the release of the 2000 vintage. The 2001 vintage debuted the "Barrouge", a Bordeaux style blend. 1,700 cases are now being produced annually.
Today finds the Smith family actively involved in the daily vineyard and winery operations. Family patriarch Warren Smith oversees winery operations and hospitality. Barr Smith is the assistant winemaker, sales manager, and as on call "jack of all trades". Ann Smith is the winery's marketing manager, and she assists her husband Barr with sales. Warren's wife Jeanne Smith sadly passed away in December of last year. Barr recalls, "Mom was continuously involved in volunteer projects, but somehow could always be found by dad's side. When all of us moved to Napa in 1994, mom ran the day to day business operations of the winery up until her passing. She was instrumental in guiding our vision and leading us to where we are today."
The 2004 vintage is currently available to the public for purchase. Very few bottles of the 2003 vintage remain available to the public according to Barr Smith. I asked Barr about his perceptions of what the public might come to expect next year with the release of the 2005 vintage. "2005 was a very good year" states Smith. Favorable growing conditions, mature crop with controlled yield, mild summer with few heat spikes, and great ripening conditions were some of the many reasons that contributed to what we expect to be a terrific vintage according to Smith. Barr said, "I am very enthusiastic about the release of the 2005 Barrouge, as this release will now feature the inclusion of cabernet franc and petit verdot into our proprietary Meritage blend."
Many of Napa's current cult wine makers started out in much the same way as Barlow Vineyards – small, independent, and holding true to their personal convictions. The Smith family has every intention of remaining a small family operated winery. Barr and his father have intentionally avoided the enticements and trappings of the valley's ever present wine marketing giants, instead seeking their own pace and pursuing their own course. Having tasted all of Barlow Vineyard's wines from vintage 2002 up to the present, I have been continually impressed. A few points of fact are guaranteed to the wine drinker - consistent, outstanding quality with bottles being available at non-cult wine prices! Information about Barlow Vineyards wines can be found at www.barlowvineyards.com.