Ripe cherry and blackberry aromas dominate with classic cabernet hints of cassis, cedar and cigar box. On the palate, broad, fruity and mouth-watering entry with persistent blackberry fruit, and balanced, intense mid-palate and firm finish.
A crowd-pleasing glass of wine with or without food, but a table will match beautifully with hearty stews, grilled meats, steaks, vegetables or ripe cheese.
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Varietals: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Lagrein, 3% Petite Sirah and 3% Merlot
Appellation: Paso Robles
Harvest: Night picked at 23.0° Brix. 100% de-stemmed, no cold soak
Fermentation: BDX & B254 yeast, 19 days on the skins
Aging: Aged on a blend of French and American Oak for 12 months. 100% Malolactic fermentation
“The artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire of his own creation.” – Auguste Rodin
For centuries, winemakers have delighted in the unique spices imparted in their wines by fire charring oak barrels.
Thousands of years of winemaking trial and error have led to oak becoming the standard wood for barrel aging wines. The grape and the decision of the winemaker as to what type of an oak influence they are looking to create will determine the choice of barrel and the level of charring.
The cooper can control the “toast” levels of the barrel to light, medium, or dark. Oak barrels are used at different levels of toasting so winemakers can achieve the flavors, texture, and aromatics desired in the finished wine.
Barrel Burner wines take the best the vineyard has to offer and complement the wine with alluring notes of toasted oak.
An email from Alice last week told us to be on the lookout for a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. It turned out to be a 2018 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, and it arrived at the UPS Depot in time for me to pick it up on Monday and plan a suitable dinner: slow-braised beef short ribs, green beans sautéed with butter and garlic, roasted kabocha squash, and noodles. The perfect setup for a nice Cab Sauv.
I made a point of opening the bottle a while before dinner to give it a bit of time to breathe. Immediately after pulling the cork, I poured a little into a glass to make sure it was okay. Not much nose at all, just a faint aroma of dark red fruits. The first sip didn’t produce much on the palate either, so I set it aside and went back to getting dinner ready. Fast forward a half hour, and we sat down to enjoy ourselves with a nice bottle of wine and a sumptuous feast. By this time, the wine had developed a bit, but was still pretty subdued, both nose and palate. I got a bit more bouquet, some hints of cassis and pencil shavings. More flavor now, too. More dark fruits, and a bit of leather. I’d have liked to identify more flavor components, but there just wasn’t much there for me. That said, I thought it was a very enjoyable wine, an excellent accompaniment for the meal we paired it with. I’d be interested in seeing how it develops over time; it’s still quite young.
Fast forward again, another 2 hours. We saved enough for each of us to have a small glass. I’m getting a lot more fruit this time, some dark cherries and currants. Still enjoyable, even on its own. At 13.3% ABV and all that fruit, it’s a nice quaffing wine, as well as being great with the right foods. And for less than 10 bucks a bottle.
@ddeuddeg Thanks for the review. A good decanting is a great idea, and this wine always impresses with a good deal of air, especially the day after opening if you have that amount of restraint.
A decent “cellar defender” you might say. And one that I gift out to friends and family with no worries that they won’t enjoy. I’m almost out and thinking about re-stocking.
@kitkat34 Yep, definitely mid-week decent and good to bring to any general gathering where you aren’t looking to impress with your best. I have too many mid-week cases now, but I would be grabbing another case if I had space.
Yes, great every day drinker to keep your paws off the spendy stuff. Do decant and realize this is made in a more restrained style for Paso–not meant to be a hammer, more of a dulcimer.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon - $20 = 16.66%
I was excited to learn I was ratting again! 2018 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon. The bottle arrived Monday and it was pretty warm so I threw it in the wine cooler to chill down.
Yesterday was tasting day, and with having a Cab in the cooler, I decided to marinate a sirloin. We paired the wine with the steak, loaded baked potatoes and sautéed broccoli rabe.
I took the wine out when I laid the steak on the counter to warm before grilling. I examined the bottle and although I am a traditionalist when it comes to labels, I sort of like the funky Barrel Burner label.
I opened the bottle and it was full, all the way to the cork. I was sprayed a bit as the cork popped out. Not sure I’ve ever had this happen before.
The color is amazing. It’s a dark garnet wine, but clear. It looks more like a Pinot than a Cab to me.
After the alcohol, there is not much of a nose. I had to work at it to get a scent more than earth and leather. I smelled stone fruit and peppercorns, but like I said I had to work at it.
First taste was a bit of tart cherry and leather. I concur with @ddeuddeg that this wine needs some time to open up a bit. After dinner was ready I poured another glass. This time I got the same subtle nose, but the taste was more developed. Along with the tart cherries, I was tasting a bit of earth and ripe plum. The plum note gives the wine a nice sweetness. This is not an acidic wine by any means but you can feel the tannins. The finish is long.
If I had to sum this up, I would say this is a light drinking and very balanced Cab. I was surprised at how much I liked it. This is an enjoyable and smooth wine and at the price point I think it is a bargain.
@GatorFL “ it was full, all the way to the cork. I was sprayed a bit as the cork popped out”
That’s the one! I couldn’t remember which wine I opened this year that was so full up that I didn’t even notice, until…sploosh.
Thanks for the memories
Well now y’all know there has to be a Wine Enthusiast review right? Right!
86 Points. Light aromas of ripe berry jam meet with oak and tar on the nose of this bottling. The palate is a bit tart, with dried elderberry and fennel flavors. MK 11/1/20
@losthighwayz
He actually used his real name, fredrinaldi but there was an offer in his honor at one point called “Red Said Fred”, a play on the musical duo Right Said Fred known for their “I’m Too Sexy” song.
2018 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$180/Case at Barrel Burner for 12x 2018 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
About The Winery
Barrel Burner Video
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, OR, PA, SC, TX, WA, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Nov 8 - Friday, Nov 12
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
2018 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon
An email from Alice last week told us to be on the lookout for a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. It turned out to be a 2018 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, and it arrived at the UPS Depot in time for me to pick it up on Monday and plan a suitable dinner: slow-braised beef short ribs, green beans sautéed with butter and garlic, roasted kabocha squash, and noodles. The perfect setup for a nice Cab Sauv.
I made a point of opening the bottle a while before dinner to give it a bit of time to breathe. Immediately after pulling the cork, I poured a little into a glass to make sure it was okay. Not much nose at all, just a faint aroma of dark red fruits. The first sip didn’t produce much on the palate either, so I set it aside and went back to getting dinner ready. Fast forward a half hour, and we sat down to enjoy ourselves with a nice bottle of wine and a sumptuous feast. By this time, the wine had developed a bit, but was still pretty subdued, both nose and palate. I got a bit more bouquet, some hints of cassis and pencil shavings. More flavor now, too. More dark fruits, and a bit of leather. I’d have liked to identify more flavor components, but there just wasn’t much there for me. That said, I thought it was a very enjoyable wine, an excellent accompaniment for the meal we paired it with. I’d be interested in seeing how it develops over time; it’s still quite young.
Fast forward again, another 2 hours. We saved enough for each of us to have a small glass. I’m getting a lot more fruit this time, some dark cherries and currants. Still enjoyable, even on its own. At 13.3% ABV and all that fruit, it’s a nice quaffing wine, as well as being great with the right foods. And for less than 10 bucks a bottle.
@ddeuddeg thank you for the review
@ddeuddeg Thanks for the review. A good decanting is a great idea, and this wine always impresses with a good deal of air, especially the day after opening if you have that amount of restraint.
A decent “cellar defender” you might say. And one that I gift out to friends and family with no worries that they won’t enjoy. I’m almost out and thinking about re-stocking.
@kitkat34 Yep, definitely mid-week decent and good to bring to any general gathering where you aren’t looking to impress with your best. I have too many mid-week cases now, but I would be grabbing another case if I had space.
@kitkat34
Yes, great every day drinker to keep your paws off the spendy stuff. Do decant and realize this is made in a more restrained style for Paso–not meant to be a hammer, more of a dulcimer.
/giphy poof
Yes and we LOVE the almost on-topic SPAM!
Nice work, Ron
Another lab rat coming when I get back from the gym. I concur with the other review though, for the price it’s worth a case.
@GatorFL Have a great workout and looking forward to your labbing.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon - $20 = 16.66%
I was excited to learn I was ratting again! 2018 Barrel Burner Cabernet Sauvignon. The bottle arrived Monday and it was pretty warm so I threw it in the wine cooler to chill down.
Yesterday was tasting day, and with having a Cab in the cooler, I decided to marinate a sirloin. We paired the wine with the steak, loaded baked potatoes and sautéed broccoli rabe.
I took the wine out when I laid the steak on the counter to warm before grilling. I examined the bottle and although I am a traditionalist when it comes to labels, I sort of like the funky Barrel Burner label.
I opened the bottle and it was full, all the way to the cork. I was sprayed a bit as the cork popped out. Not sure I’ve ever had this happen before.
The color is amazing. It’s a dark garnet wine, but clear. It looks more like a Pinot than a Cab to me.
After the alcohol, there is not much of a nose. I had to work at it to get a scent more than earth and leather. I smelled stone fruit and peppercorns, but like I said I had to work at it.
First taste was a bit of tart cherry and leather. I concur with @ddeuddeg that this wine needs some time to open up a bit. After dinner was ready I poured another glass. This time I got the same subtle nose, but the taste was more developed. Along with the tart cherries, I was tasting a bit of earth and ripe plum. The plum note gives the wine a nice sweetness. This is not an acidic wine by any means but you can feel the tannins. The finish is long.
If I had to sum this up, I would say this is a light drinking and very balanced Cab. I was surprised at how much I liked it. This is an enjoyable and smooth wine and at the price point I think it is a bargain.
@GatorFL thank you for the rattage
@WCCWineGirl My pleasure, it’s always fun to rat!
@GatorFL “ it was full, all the way to the cork. I was sprayed a bit as the cork popped out”
That’s the one! I couldn’t remember which wine I opened this year that was so full up that I didn’t even notice, until…sploosh.
Thanks for the memories
@GatorFL @KNmeh7 We got our moneys worth, eh.
@GatorFL Thanks for the proper rattage, and I hope you have a great week!
@WesHagen Thanks, it was a pleasure, I’ll be making a purchase of this today. Nice stuff.
/giphy instrumental-crummy-yam
Well now y’all know there has to be a Wine Enthusiast review right? Right!
86 Points. Light aromas of ripe berry jam meet with oak and tar on the nose of this bottling. The palate is a bit tart, with dried elderberry and fennel flavors. MK 11/1/20
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/barrel-burner-2018-cabernet-sauvignon-paso-robles/
fwiw
@kaolis Always good to know the whole story! Thanks for posting.
@WesHagen Not sure what story I told but you are welcome
@kaolis As a skeptic myself, I like to dig deeper into things, and appreciate those that do the same. Thanks for posting.
/giphy rambunctious-grimy-wafer
The name made me think of wines made with bourbon casks or the like. Big turnoff for me. However, the rattage reports indicate otherwise. Interesting
@losthighwayz I was thinking the same thing. I wonder how often that unintended association is made – I could see that affecting sales
@james @losthighwayz Ditto
@losthighwayz Definitely not barreled in old bourbon casks.
@losthighwayz
The wine has surprisingly integrated French oak and was picked less ripe than most Paso cabs. The blend is cool too, with some Lagrein.
I reckon Right Said Fred Cab or whatever his handle was on WW would appreciate this offer
@losthighwayz
He actually used his real name, fredrinaldi but there was an offer in his honor at one point called “Red Said Fred”, a play on the musical duo Right Said Fred known for their “I’m Too Sexy” song.
EDIT: …and yes, he would definitely like this one
@chipgreen @losthighwayz
Cab said Fred was the common motto; iirc
@losthighwayz @rjquillin
He was only into Cab, so the offer’s title was slightly misdirected but I am nearly certain it was “Red Said Fred”.
@chipgreen @losthighwayz
cab said fred
@chipgreen @losthighwayz @rjquillin Too bad he didn’t follow over to here. He and Kyle, among others, are missed.
@chipgreen @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin Copy that.
Can’t resist, I’ll try a case.
Sounds like it is something I will consume (as long as my sense of taste returns after a mild COVID case).
/giphy cloudy-discursive-jupiter
Very nice I like it more than some of my expensive wines.