Dominating aromas of cassis, brambly, blackberry with undertones of French oak and pine forest, cloves, cedar box and tobacco. Rich and big on the entry, with toasted notes of blackberry, dark cherry, cocoa nibs and espresso.
Meaty dishes are the key: lamb, beef, game, stew, short ribs, are well-suited, or a medium rare rib-eye with a pan reduction made with this wine.
Winemaking Notes
Harvest: Night picked at 27.5Ā° brix. 100% de-stemmed, no cold soak
Fermentation: BDX & B254 yeast, 19 days on the skins
Aging: 50% of the blend aged one year in American Bourbon Barrels, 100% Malolactic fermentation
āThe artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire of his own creation.ā ā Auguste Rodin
For centuries, winemakers have delighted in the unique spices imparted in their wines by fire charring oak barrels. Barrel Burner wines take the best the vineyard has to offer and complement the wine with alluring notes of toasted oak.
The Miller familyās California farming and ranching legacy dates to back to 1871, when William and Francis Broome moved from England to the West Coast of California and began farming in southern Ventura County.
The farming legacy passed down to William Broomeās granddaughter Elizabeth, and following her marriage to Robert Miller in 1942, the Miller Family became the steward of the farming business.
In 1973, the Miller family developed a vineyard in the Paso Robles highlands and named it French Camp for the Basque shepherds who once populated the area. The area had a special allure thanks to the largest day/night temperature swings, mineral rich soils and highest elevations in the regions.
The 1400 acres of French Camp provide the Miller Family with the highest quality fruit sources that help to create the highest quality wines.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon - $20 = 16.66%
89 Points. Editorsā Choice. Savory aromas of dried herbs and turned earth meet with a bright blackberry tone on the nose of this bottling. Flavors of blackberry paste, roast beef, purple flowers and spice show on the dry palate. MK 12/31/19
Iām normally not a fan of Central Coast or Paso Robles red wines (tend to be too bright/fruity for me). However the winemaking details included in the listing, and the WE descriptions, make me think maybe this is not the typical style from that region, and perhaps will be more to my liking. Hoping for a rat or two.
@pmarin Expect a bit more restraint than many Paso Robles reds. We make this wine as a BTG offering at restaurants and we want that second glass to get ordered easy, so its not a ripeness bomb, but it certainly isnāt crafted to be purely elegant. Great richness on the edge of elegance I would say, and not green or herbaceous at all.
@dettmerjl
I am supposed to be rat. Unfortunately the bottle was originally shipped to my old address (moved in late 2020) for delivery Tuesday. Alice was able to redirect to my current address for delivery today. We were all home all day, but got the āwe missed youā notice, and will attempt delivery tomorrow. Hopefully Iāll get it in time for tomorrow evening rattage.
@dettmerjl@pseudogourmet98 I was supposed to get corn dogs delivered yesterday, and saw the truck pull up in front of my house, but then he just drove away. Just got an email that my order was cancelled. Seems strange to drive to my house to not deliver a cancelled order. I guess itās better than your phantom delivery attempt though. I ordered a case of this wine because bourbon, so I hope itās good. Donāt judge me for the corn dogs. It was a backordered portion of a larger food order. I did just eat a delicious hot dog though. And thatās enough crazy rambling for now.
@almostdavid Thanks for saying something ā¦ anything. It was so quiet around here. I was also waiting on rats, or even better, a vintner comment to answer questions! Thereās still a day for that to happen, so hereās hoping.
One thing that was interesting is that even though this forum had very little traffic, even in early AM, when there were only the basic 3-4 posts, there were already a bunch of states highlighted on the map, meaning a bunch of people just went ahead and bought but nobody said anything. Maybe this is a wine we all want to buy but donāt want to tell anyone about it? I donāt know; itās a weird phenomenon. Hoping for more discussion!
@almostdavid@pmarin Iām back on the board and trying to answer as many questions as I can today. The wine rides the line between ripe and elegant, and the cold nights in PRHD AVA help a lot to keep the wine lively yet rich.
@Savagesam@WesHagen Now youāve done it! But at least you did it on a wine site. There will likely be no Tennessee whisky vs. bourbon argument here. Iām glad you called Dickel bourbon though, because it is. Those Lincoln county people are so afraid to have their whiskey called bourbon. I was wondering why this was described as being aged in charred oak barrels instead of specifically saying bourbon barrels, so maybe the Dickel barrels are the reason. Either way, Iām hoping to enjoy my case of bourbon-related wine.
At this price a 6 pack was easy. The Spellbound Cab was a bit disappointing, but the WE review gives me hope on this one. Used to live on the Central Coast and a quick drive over Highway 46 to Paso was always good for some wine tasting.
@Savagesam
I usually find them too sweet and cloying. The first half of the glass is great, then I want something drier and bitter. My only Bourbon Cabernet was about the same. Liked the first glass, after that, not so much. Just personal taste.
Iāve had more than a few barreled Stouts that have disappointedā¦ if a Stout is a bit sweet before barreling itās probably not a good candidateā¦ at least thatās what Iāve been told.
Funny, my buddy and I got back into brewing about a year agoā¦ much better equipment compared to what we used 20 years agoā¦ anyway, we recently brewed 25 gallons of Stout to put in a Bourbon Barrelā¦ he kegged it along the way (couldnāt produce 25 gallons in a single brew, took 3). Evidently after CO2 has been added you canāt put it in the barrelā¦ now weāre stuck with drinking itā¦ and sharing it. Batch #1 is lovely!
TL;DR - This was a very nice Cab. Itās great for drinking now, and you should try it with a Panera Vanilla Cinnamon Roll.
Long winded version -
You know youāre having a crap week when you forget you had a really nice bottle of wine to drink. My week has beenā¦trying. I opened this gem on Tuesday evening, took some notes, then put them on my desk - and then put a notebook over them. Worked too late, got up to early (to work). Then I forgot until this afternoon, and now the kind wine goddess of Casemates owes me a very hard and very swift kick to the rear.
So I dug out my notes on the 2017 Barrel Burner Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon:
Dinner was late (again), so I put in an order for Panera. Before I grabbed the keys, I pulled the cork and poured a glass. The wine a very dark plum hue which I noted was not far off of color 33/55 on the Wella color chart. Darker than I like my hair, but just about perfect for a cab. Also, never combine drinking with hair coloring. Justā¦trust me on that.
Panera doesnāt have prime rib on their menu (why? - I dunno), so I grabbed a turkey chili. My husband had a steak sandwich with his glass. The glasses had sat out about 1/2 hour before we sat down to dinner.
Took a sip, and I was smacked in the face with perfectly ripe blackberries and black currants. If youāve never been smacked by fruit, you really need to try it! Itās much more pleasant than it sounds. There was an earthy kind of tobacco-y hint on the back with the chili. Even though I thought better of it, I took a sip after biting into my dessert cinnamon bun. I wasnāt sure what to expect there, but I got a lesson in the impact of pairings here. The hint of tobacco took a huge step forward and got very complex. There was an oaky, wet foresty kind of thing right behind it - and with a scant handful of red and black berries followed way back in the rear. For as much as I liked the wine with the chili, I kind of wish I had saved the glass for the pastry. It was really interesting!
Since I didnāt taste it right after opening, I canāt say if the tannins unfurled or if they just werenāt harsh to begin with. By the time I got to my glass, the tannins were nicely balanced - neither threatening nor fading into the background. It did seem to have a hint of higher alcohol to it that mellowed over the course of an hour or so. The fading alcohol pulled out just a hint of red berries.
ā¦and I sincerely apologize for getting to my rattage report so late. Itās beenā¦a week. A week that only 2020 or 2021 could have served up. But the wine was lovely.
@fait
I am also extremely late ratting this wine. After a redirect to our new home (thank you Alice) it still spent an extra day in the brown truck and we just received it about 7:15 this evening.
Dinner with the wine (rib-eye, hash browns, mixed green salad) was nice pairing and things went downhill from there (life, not the wine). The rattage from @Fait was spot on to what we experienced. Blackberries galore, a slight touch of heat at first that mellowed with air as did tannins. We did get just a touch of vanilla and oak, not offensive, just a hint. there is something on the back end that is interesting; I donāt know that i would describe it as tobacco, or foresty, but it was certainly more savory (for lack of a better descriptor) but interesting. Not complex, but definitely not one-note. This is a great value at $8.50/bottle, and we are picking up a case.
2017 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
Tasting Notes
89 points/Editorsā Choice ~ Wine Enthusiast
Winemaking Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$201.25 at Miller Family Wines for 12x 2017 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
About The Winery
Video Link
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, WA, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Feb 15 - Tuesday, Feb 16
Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon
6 bottles for $59.99 $10/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $99.99 $8.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2017 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon - $20 = 16.66%
The WE review that was noted above:
89 Points. Editorsā Choice. Savory aromas of dried herbs and turned earth meet with a bright blackberry tone on the nose of this bottling. Flavors of blackberry paste, roast beef, purple flowers and spice show on the dry palate. MK 12/31/19
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/barrel-burner-2017-cabernet-sauvignon-paso-robles/
fwiw
Iām normally not a fan of Central Coast or Paso Robles red wines (tend to be too bright/fruity for me). However the winemaking details included in the listing, and the WE descriptions, make me think maybe this is not the typical style from that region, and perhaps will be more to my liking. Hoping for a rat or two.
@pmarin Expect a bit more restraint than many Paso Robles reds. We make this wine as a BTG offering at restaurants and we want that second glass to get ordered easy, so its not a ripeness bomb, but it certainly isnāt crafted to be purely elegant. Great richness on the edge of elegance I would say, and not green or herbaceous at all.
Very tempting, waiting on the ratsā¦
@dettmerjl
I am supposed to be rat. Unfortunately the bottle was originally shipped to my old address (moved in late 2020) for delivery Tuesday. Alice was able to redirect to my current address for delivery today. We were all home all day, but got the āwe missed youā notice, and will attempt delivery tomorrow. Hopefully Iāll get it in time for tomorrow evening rattage.
@dettmerjl @pseudogourmet98 I was supposed to get corn dogs delivered yesterday, and saw the truck pull up in front of my house, but then he just drove away. Just got an email that my order was cancelled. Seems strange to drive to my house to not deliver a cancelled order. I guess itās better than your phantom delivery attempt though. I ordered a case of this wine because bourbon, so I hope itās good. Donāt judge me for the corn dogs. It was a backordered portion of a larger food order. I did just eat a delicious hot dog though. And thatās enough crazy rambling for now.
Ordered it! Hopefully the rats confirm my suspicions.
@almostdavid Thanks for saying something ā¦ anything. It was so quiet around here. I was also waiting on rats, or even better, a vintner comment to answer questions! Thereās still a day for that to happen, so hereās hoping.
One thing that was interesting is that even though this forum had very little traffic, even in early AM, when there were only the basic 3-4 posts, there were already a bunch of states highlighted on the map, meaning a bunch of people just went ahead and bought but nobody said anything. Maybe this is a wine we all want to buy but donāt want to tell anyone about it? I donāt know; itās a weird phenomenon. Hoping for more discussion!
@pmarin itās a dirty secret hahaha!
@almostdavid @pmarin Iām back on the board and trying to answer as many questions as I can today. The wine rides the line between ripe and elegant, and the cold nights in PRHD AVA help a lot to keep the wine lively yet rich.
ā¦ and also I had no idea that Basque shepherds once populated the Paso Robles highlands.
@pmarin And got slaughtered by Jack Powersā gang.
@WesHagen Interesting California history I didnāt know about!
https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/times-past/article39450279.html
@pmarin There ya go!
dumb-peppery-stingray
Iām going to wait on the rattage tomorrow
@gkrivin what rattage?..already been 26 hrs, just saying
@KNmeh7 what?! No OHIOā¦need some? Just checking in.
Iād have liked to see some rattage, but wthā¦ is only $107 and it sounds good and Iām still low on cabs, soā¦
/giphy believable-exclusive-act
ā¦ and I hope my faith does not lead to disappointment.
@baqui63 For the money, this is a great Cab for sure. Punches above its weight class.
Iām a rat*, and I recommend this wine**.***
*Not a Lab Rat
**I havenāt tried it. But it does have alcohol in it and itās not expensive.
***Sorryā¦
@Superllama7
/giphy papery-maroon-balloon
Even though I already have wine boxes stacked in my spare room, Iām in for 6, because bourbon barrel aging.
/giphy habitual-cylindrical-tortellini
@gemeinschaft79 Thanks for jumping in on this, and let me know how you like the wine! whagen@millerfamilywinecompany.com
/giphy apathetic-trustworthy-edge
Bourbon Barrels have me intrigued as wellā¦ in for 6!
@Savagesam The wine will show bourbon character just over perception. Itās done careful and classy with George Dickel and Buffalo Trace barrels.
@Savagesam And love the Futurama, āI hate the Neutral Planet. You never know where you stand with them.ā --Zapp Branigan
@Savagesam @WesHagen Now youāve done it! But at least you did it on a wine site. There will likely be no Tennessee whisky vs. bourbon argument here. Iām glad you called Dickel bourbon though, because it is. Those Lincoln county people are so afraid to have their whiskey called bourbon. I was wondering why this was described as being aged in charred oak barrels instead of specifically saying bourbon barrels, so maybe the Dickel barrels are the reason. Either way, Iām hoping to enjoy my case of bourbon-related wine.
At this price a 6 pack was easy. The Spellbound Cab was a bit disappointing, but the WE review gives me hope on this one. Used to live on the Central Coast and a quick drive over Highway 46 to Paso was always good for some wine tasting.
@OrcasLance I totally agree on the Spellbound! Too fruity/sweet for me. Very one noted. My husband like it, luckily enough!
The only think I like out of Bourbon Barrels is Bourbon. Easy pass for me.
@Springbank
Canāt argue with thatā¦ but I do like what it adds to some Stouts!
@Savagesam
I usually find them too sweet and cloying. The first half of the glass is great, then I want something drier and bitter. My only Bourbon Cabernet was about the same. Liked the first glass, after that, not so much. Just personal taste.
@Springbank
Iāve had more than a few barreled Stouts that have disappointedā¦ if a Stout is a bit sweet before barreling itās probably not a good candidateā¦ at least thatās what Iāve been told.
Funny, my buddy and I got back into brewing about a year agoā¦ much better equipment compared to what we used 20 years agoā¦ anyway, we recently brewed 25 gallons of Stout to put in a Bourbon Barrelā¦ he kegged it along the way (couldnāt produce 25 gallons in a single brew, took 3). Evidently after CO2 has been added you canāt put it in the barrelā¦ now weāre stuck with drinking itā¦ and sharing it. Batch #1 is lovely!
@Springbank I can tell you that the Bourbon character is at threshold and not sweet or cloying.
Looking forward to trying some āgreat richness on the edge of elegance.ā Just like me.
/giphy astonishing-vintage-spaghetti
The bourbon barrel aging intrigues me, and I like the price.
/giphy musing-distracted-ball
TL;DR - This was a very nice Cab. Itās great for drinking now, and you should try it with a Panera Vanilla Cinnamon Roll.
Long winded version -
You know youāre having a crap week when you forget you had a really nice bottle of wine to drink. My week has beenā¦trying. I opened this gem on Tuesday evening, took some notes, then put them on my desk - and then put a notebook over them. Worked too late, got up to early (to work). Then I forgot until this afternoon, and now the kind wine goddess of Casemates owes me a very hard and very swift kick to the rear.
So I dug out my notes on the 2017 Barrel Burner Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon:
Dinner was late (again), so I put in an order for Panera. Before I grabbed the keys, I pulled the cork and poured a glass. The wine a very dark plum hue which I noted was not far off of color 33/55 on the Wella color chart. Darker than I like my hair, but just about perfect for a cab. Also, never combine drinking with hair coloring. Justā¦trust me on that.
Panera doesnāt have prime rib on their menu (why? - I dunno), so I grabbed a turkey chili. My husband had a steak sandwich with his glass. The glasses had sat out about 1/2 hour before we sat down to dinner.
Took a sip, and I was smacked in the face with perfectly ripe blackberries and black currants. If youāve never been smacked by fruit, you really need to try it! Itās much more pleasant than it sounds. There was an earthy kind of tobacco-y hint on the back with the chili. Even though I thought better of it, I took a sip after biting into my dessert cinnamon bun. I wasnāt sure what to expect there, but I got a lesson in the impact of pairings here. The hint of tobacco took a huge step forward and got very complex. There was an oaky, wet foresty kind of thing right behind it - and with a scant handful of red and black berries followed way back in the rear. For as much as I liked the wine with the chili, I kind of wish I had saved the glass for the pastry. It was really interesting!
Since I didnāt taste it right after opening, I canāt say if the tannins unfurled or if they just werenāt harsh to begin with. By the time I got to my glass, the tannins were nicely balanced - neither threatening nor fading into the background. It did seem to have a hint of higher alcohol to it that mellowed over the course of an hour or so. The fading alcohol pulled out just a hint of red berries.
ā¦and I sincerely apologize for getting to my rattage report so late. Itās beenā¦a week. A week that only 2020 or 2021 could have served up. But the wine was lovely.
@fait Really nice rattage!! Sorry for a rough week! Loved the humor and candor!
@fait
I am also extremely late ratting this wine. After a redirect to our new home (thank you Alice) it still spent an extra day in the brown truck and we just received it about 7:15 this evening.
Dinner with the wine (rib-eye, hash browns, mixed green salad) was nice pairing and things went downhill from there (life, not the wine). The rattage from @Fait was spot on to what we experienced. Blackberries galore, a slight touch of heat at first that mellowed with air as did tannins. We did get just a touch of vanilla and oak, not offensive, just a hint. there is something on the back end that is interesting; I donāt know that i would describe it as tobacco, or foresty, but it was certainly more savory (for lack of a better descriptor) but interesting. Not complex, but definitely not one-note. This is a great value at $8.50/bottle, and we are picking up a case.
/giphy frugal-aspiring-island
Can I get Ohio on the map! Thanks for the split, ttboy.
Very much enjoying this cab! Iām already 2 in of the 6 pack. Should have gotten a case!!
@RDUORDMDWGSO and we are 1 in of 12 but Iām sharing soā¦wishing I got 2 cases!!