Our Wine Of The Week is 2013 High Valley Vineyard Barbera. This moderately-priced ($30) Barbera is from Lake County, Napa Valley’s neighbor to the north and a source of high quality grapes for many northern California wineries. The High Valley appellation ranges from 1,600 to 3,000 feet in elevation, where warm afternoons and cool lake breezes provide excellent growing conditions for this varietal. Barbera is a wine grape grown throughout the Sierra Foothills. I found the 2013 High Valley Vineyard Barbera very smooth with hints of cherry, tobacco and chocolate. Decant for at least an hour. 100% Barbera aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 14.8% alcohol.

High Valley Vineyards is a brand produced by the Shannon Ridge Family Of Wines, a Lake County grower and producer of a wide range of excellent wines.

The Shannon Ridge tasting room is located in their Vigilance vineyard on the south side of Clear Lake (upper left).