2020 Cloudview Red Wine Del Barba Vineyard Contra Costa 750 ml

California History in a glass. 

That’s what Cloudview’s Red Wine Del Barba Vineyard Contra Costa County represents. Planted on their own roots in pure sand over 100 years ago, these Zinfandel and Petite Sirah vines are still cranking out intensely concentrated, complex fruit today. But vineyards in this part of California are an endangered species. 

For six generations, the del Barba family has tended their vineyard in Oakley, California, not far from Antioch. This once-rural area has gradually become a suburb, but Tom and Fred farm this heritage vineyard with such care—and love their livelihood so much—that they’re not going anywhere soon. Tom del Barba told Wine Bulletin, “If we are making a living, we don’t need to sell. The natives and longtime residents would rather see vineyards than more shopping centers or houses.”

Scorching temperatures and very little available water at Del Barba Vineyard demand a lot from the gnarled old vines and their deep roots. But the summer days that regularly crack 100 degrees are tempered by cool evenings. This allows the grapes to keep a lively acidity, and helps produce a finely balanced wine.

This wine is what was referred to in the 20th century as a “mixed blacks” blend: a seamless cuvée of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon that, blended together, produce a wine that is bold, fruit forward, and delicious, with a dense, dark ruby core. Its aromas are led by sun-kissed blackberry, lilac, and roses, with a brushstroke of eucalyptus and cassis. The mouthfeel is equally joyful, with a mountain of flavor and richness balanced with a hint of acidity and well-rounded tannins that resolve in a long finish.