Revana Family Vineyards

Elite '08

14

112

Powell Y.

Napa, CA

originally posted on winodepot.com

***
Date: March 22, 2007
Winery: Revana Family Vineyards
Winemaker: Heidi Peterson Barrett
Tasting: Tasting by Appointment
Contact: 707.967.8814 - Todd Newman

In the past, starting with Revana's inaugural release, I've never been impressed by their bottling. Not saying I wouldn't drink the wine, but definitely something I would not consider picking up at their asking price. The numerous visits were always nice and pleasant, but the wine just didn't do the trick for me. However, that's now changed with the visit this morning.
Situated on Hwy 29 north in the north end of St. Helena, Revana is also home to other Heidi Barrett projects including La Sirena, Amuse Bouche and Barbour Vineyards. While the focus is Revana, but depending on the day of your visit, you may find some other wine from Heidi available for tasting as well. This is not your two hour long tours and tasting by any stretch of imagination, but if you are looking for a nice casual sit-down environment for about 60 minutes or so, give Todd a call and make the appointment.

2003 Revana Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark cherries laced with vanilla on the nose. Tons of dark fruit with firm but well integrated tannin. Touch too ripe for my taste, does not seem to be in complete balance. A luscious wine with solid mid-palate. Medium finish, still not impressed.

2004 Revana Cabernet Sauvignon
Now we are talking, the first Revana bottling that get's my vote.
Complex and intriguing aromatic of dark fruits, graphite and touch of volcano ash. Layers of black fruits and cocoa is the first thing you notice. Further dissecting the wine will lead to blueberries and black cherries. Silky smooth tannin helps to achieve beautiful balance in this wine.

2005 Amuse Bouche - barrel sample
WOW! I must of smelled this thing in the glass for a good five minutes, what intoxicating beautiful stuff is this? I never had a taste of Amuse Bouche before today, the concept of a $200+ Merlot from Napa is just well....you fill in the blank.
Roasted coffee beans, dark cassis, chocolate, spice and layers of black fruits. Just about any flavor one ever look for in a great Merlot based wine can be found in this glass. As far as the texture goes, I do not recall when the last time I had a California Merlot that's so nice and chewy but also shows the acidity needed for long term aging. This is by far the best barrel sample I tried since the Sloan experience.
I am really trying hard to not spend money on wine, but I REALLY want this wine...

2005 Barbour Cabernet Sauvignon - barrel sample
This probably would of showed fine on any other given day. Loads of ripe dark cherries, big wine, fun but lacking depth and complexity. Certainly, following the Amuse Bouche doesn't exactly make is a fair fight. With that said, Barbour still sits in the minor league for me.

Tried four different wine, one good, one great and two ho-hum. However, what's important here is that the line-up shows that Heidi Barrett as a winemaker is not trying to make cookie-cutter wines. The emphasis is letting the terrior do it's trick and let the wine express the result of each unique plot of land. A concept that sometime seem to be forgotten.

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