Single vineyard designated wines from the region’s most elevated vineyard...
2022 Harvest Notes and Growing Season
“Beauty balance, phenolics and color are Great"
This year’s grape harvest was about four weeks later than in 2021. Going later this year than ever, we were worried just about everything from fire, our wind storms and the potential of the high altitude early frost.
“We are looking at a really high quality vintage and it will be the largest we have harvested at Bear Barton"
This outcome really didn't seem likely when snow fell on the vineyard on April 7. Fortunately a cold, wet winter meant that the vines weren't yet in a vulnerable spot, but the freezing temperature helped push the ripening season back by a month.
That could have led to a disaster. Just three years ago, Washington had an autumn freeze that, if repeated this year, might have wiped out anything still on the vine. September or even October rain could have led to mildew. Wildfire smoke could have made wines undrinkable.
Instead, Bear Barton enjoyed weeks of mildly warm, not hot weather, with no heat spikes, cold spells or thunderstorms. Wildfires and their smoke stayed on the west side of the Cascade Mountains,
"The flavor development is beautiful. It took us a while to get there. But we've had an unbelievable fall"
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The 2022 Harvest was completed on October 21st, which was four weeks later than 2021. Our 2022 crop will be used to make our third addition of REVEAL - Méthode Champenoise Sparkling Rose' set to deliver in Spring of 2025.
2022 ALLURE - Still Rose'
ALLURE
*Bear Barton Allure
The Highest Rosé Columbia Valley 2022
92 points - Critic’s Choice
Fruit for this wine comes from a vineyard north of 3,000-feet in elevation, located east of Leavenworth. It’s a blend of 45% Gruner Veltliner, 40% Zwiegelt, and 15% Agria, fermented and aged in stainless steel.
The aromas are true to the name, with alluring notes of strawberry, mineral, herb, rhubarb, and a whiff of melon. The palate is bone dry, almost austere with tart, racy, blood orange acidity. It’s a very distinctive rosé. I can’t say I’ve had another from the state quite like it.
12.5% alcohol - 110 cases produced
*Northwest Wine Report
Awards - ALLURE 2022
We are pleased to officially announce the results of the 2023 Sip Magazine Best of the PNW.
2020 REVEAL - Sparkling Rose'
REVEAL
*Bear Barton Reveal
Méthode Champenoise Sparkling Rosé Columbia Valley 2020
90 points
This is a blend of Zweigelt (34%), Mourvèdre (32%), Grüner Veltliner (26%), and Agria (8%), coming from a vineyard at 3,000-feet in elevation and aged in bottle 30+ months.
The aromas bring notes of brioche, raspberry, alpine flower, and citrus. The palate is bone-dry with racy, austere acidity. The acid drives it, but there’s plenty of flavor and textural richness to the strawberry, lemon, and pink grapefruit flavors too. Acid hounds, or people looking to taste a leading edge of Washington wines, this one is for you.
12.5% alcohol - 80 cases produced
*Northwest Wine Report