Sage Rat Barbera 2020

The 2020 Barbera is an absolute delight. It is surprisingly reminiscent of its ancestral roots in the foothills of Piedmont, Italy. Sourced from a sustainably-farmed vineyard in Zillah, it is full-bodied with juicy acidity and soft dusty tannins. Leading with blend of red fruit and spice, it gives a bright, fruit-driven approach with notes of blackberry and black cherry laced with mint and a hint of tamarind. Fermented whole cluster with native yeast and aged for 14 months in neutral French barrels. Unfined, unfiltered.

Based in the Yakima Valley, the heart of grape-growing for Washington State, Sage Rat was founded by winekaker Dusty Jenkins only in 2020. Dusty has chosen to work primarily with Itallian grape varieties, finding a kinship with them in the Yakima soils and climate.