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