Behind the Cork™ - Sobon Estate Barbera

2020 Sobon Estate Amador County Barbera ($17)

Shenandoah Vineyards in Plymouth, CA, was founded in 1977 by Shirley and Leon Sobon. They moved from Los Altos, California, where Leon was a Senior Scientist with the Lockheed Research Lab. Leon's gift for home winemaking led him to leave Lockheed and begin a new career as a Winemaker.

The selection of a winery site in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County was well researched. Leon and Shirley and their six children moved to the old Steiner Ranch, outside Plymouth, CA, planted a vineyard, and converted the old stone garage to the Shenandoah Vineyards winery.

This Sobon Barbera from Amador County is one of the best! It is deep purple in color with aromas of black fruit and herbs. On the palate, this medium-full bodied wine has bright fruit flavors of blueberry, boysenberry and cherries. The tannins on this Barbera are moderate and the acidity is high - a classic Barbera trait (TA: 6.2 g/L).

Sobon Estate Amador County Barbera is an excellent wine at a fantastic price. And, widely available too! A perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Barbera

Barbera 🍷

Image by Giorgio Gallesiol on Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Barbera (Bar-BEAR-ah) is thought to have originated in the hills of central Piemonte (“peh-ah-MON-tey”) Italy, where it has been known from the 13th century. That’s significantly earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon that has only been around since the 17th century.

It is Italy’s third most grown grape behind Sangiovese (most notably known as the grape in Chianti) and Nebbiolo. In Italy, it’s known to produce inexpensive table wine that is enjoyed regularly with meals.

In California, the Barbera grape has also been used predominately in the past for production of mass-produced jug wines. So, it's no surprise that Barbera has gotten a bad reputation.

But, that's changed. Regions throughout California are now producing some very nice Barbera wines, especially the Sierra Foothills, Amador County, Shenandoah Valley and El Dorado Counties in northern California.

And, starting in the 1980s the quality of Barbera began to significantly improve in Italy. It started being planted in better sites, yields were limited for quality as opposed to quantity and more attention was given to aging in better barrels. This took Barbera from a common light-bodied wine to something more special with greater flavor and character.

Barbera is typically a medium-bodied wine with lighter tannins and higher acidity. Barbera wines are best known for flavors of sour cherry, blackberry, herbs and black pepper.

It is usually enjoyed young (two to four years after harvest) and should be served in a red wine glass at 60-68 °F.

The lightest versions of Barbera are generally not recommended for cellaring.

Behind the Cork™ - Shadow Ranch Barbera

2017 Shadow Ranch Barbera ($25)

Shadow Ranch, located in the Sierra Foothills of California, embraces the concepts of sustainable farming and having as little impact on the environment as possible. Their operation is solar powered and their vineyards are organically farmed.

With ten acres of vineyards at Shadow Ranch, their vineyards are planted in the fine-grained, well drained, decomposed granite which is common in the Fair Play region. Hilltop exposure positions the vines to receive cooling breezes in summer, preventing the grapes from maturing too quickly. In the winter, the hilltop exposure allows cold air to drain to the valley, which limits the damage from frost. This allows the grapes to stay on the vines long enough to develop the necessary complexity and concentration required to make great wine.

Sourced from their Sierra Foothills Vineyards, these Barbera grapes soak up the warm days and cool evenings of the hillsides. Fermented in small lots, these wines were pressed to 30% new French oak and aged 21 Months prior to bottling.

This Shadow Ranch Barbera is delightful with flavors of raspberry and blackberry. It is medium-bodied, with moderate acidity and light tannins. If you love Barbera, like I do, from the Sierra Foothills, this is an excellent example. And, their 2022 vintage was a Gold Medal Winner at the 2024 Foothill Wine Festival!

This is a great wine at a very affordable price which makes it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Behind the Cork™ - Three Great Wines to Enjoy with Traditional Italian Christmas Meals

Riva Leone Gavi GOCG ($14.99) - From the Gavi area of Piedmont in Italy, this wine is produced from 100% Cortese grapes. Fermentation is carried out in stainless steel tanks and aged in steel for 2-3 months before bottling.

This Riva Leone Gavi is a very pale yellow-green in color with very delicate aromas of citrus, lime and green apple. On the palate, this light-bodied wine has flavors of light citrus and melon, bright acidity and a soft, light finish.

Gavi is a classic starter that is crisp and immensely fresh. The mineral and citrus notes allow it to pair well with seafood dishes, as it complement and accentuate the salty-mineral flavors of shellfish and seafood.


Riva Leone Barbera DOC ($11.99) - From Piedmont Italy comes another of the classic Italian wines - Barbera.

This Riva Leone Barbera is a medium ruby in color with classic aromas of cherry and dried herbs. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine has flavors of tart cherry, a hint of black pepper and good acidity that finishes with fruity zip.

Barbera pairs well with meat-filled pasta, the medium tannins and bright acidity will match with the richness of fresh pasta.


Acquesi Asti Spumante ($17.99) - This Italian sparkling wine is produced from 100% Moscato. It is a sweet sparkling wine at just 7% alcohol by volume and 95 g/L residual sugar making it a sweet sparkling wine.

Its pale gold color and greenish hue leads to complex floral aromas of fresh tree fruits, honeycomb and exotic spices. On the palate it is fresh, sweet and persistent with a lingering, sweet fruity finish.

While this can be enjoyed with cheese and spicy Asian foods, it is most classically paired with desserts such as pastries, fruit tarts, cakes and butter creams. A perfect way to end a wonderful meal!

Each of these wonderful wines is imported by Mack & Schuhle and widely available and, at these prices, are a great fit as Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Samples Provided by Mack & Schuhle

Some Italian Christmas Traditional Meals and Great Wine Pairings

Italians really feel the holiday atmosphere starting in late November, but the Christmas season officially starts on December 8th, the Day of Immaculate Conception. On this day many Italian families decorate their home and trees, bake cookies, wrap their presents, and schools and offices are formally closed.  Christmas day and Christmas Eve are observed in different ways all over the country, but here’s a sample of Christmas meal traditions and some great wine pairings to go with them:

Riva Leone Gavi

Christmas Eve - The meal for Christmas Eve, La Vigilia, doesn’t have any red meat; it’s all fish and vegetables. That’s in keeping with most meals served on the eve before a religious festival in Italy, you’re supposed to be eating lean to help purify your body for the holiday.  A wonderful pairing is one of the many classic Italian white wines, Gavi (aka Cortese). It is named for the town of its origin and has reached the prestigious DOCG ranking. It is a classic wine that is crisp, racy and immensely fresh. The mineral and citrus notes are often why Gavi is paired with seafood dishes, as these notes complement and accentuate the salty-mineral flavors of shellfish and seafood.

Riva Leone Barbera


Christmas Day Lunch - After you’ve refrained from indulging on Christmas Eve, you’re allowed to really eat-up on Christmas Day. Lunch is the main meal. Pasta is a common kickoff to the meal across Italy. In Bologna, it’s all about meat-filled tortellini.  A great wine to pair with this meal is Barbera. The medium tannins and bright acidity will match with the richness of fresh pasta. Barbera traditionally has bright red fruit flavors, including cherry and spice, which complements the flavor of the meat.


Acquesi Asti

Dessert - Italians aren’t generally big on desserts, but when it comes to sweets and the Christmas season, all bets are off. Of course, sweet breads, like panettone and pandoro, are popular across Italy. Other desserts include cavallucci, cookies with the image of a horse; dita degli apostoli (“fingers of the apostles”), chocolate- or coffee-flavored ricotta-filled omelets; and mostaccioli, spiced nut pastries.  Asti is an excellent dessert wine, and pairs particularly well with fruit-based desserts. Its sweetness and fruitiness complement the flavors of the dessert, while its effervescence cuts through the richness and provides a refreshing contrast.

So, if you’re planning an Italian meal, or any meal, this holiday season, give these wines a try! And, check out the next installment of Behind the Cork™ that will feature more details on each the three wines shown: Riva Leone Gavi, Riva Leone Barbera and Acquesi Asti. Happy Holidays and Cheers!