Open: 10:00am-4:30pm
Appt required? No, but accepted if you desire
Last barlinwine.com visit: 2012 (May 17, 2012 Itinerary)
Directions:
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Tasting:
Elizabeth Spencer is located in a small old post office and just down the road from one of my favorite change-of-pace lunch stops, La Luna Taqueria. The tiny room and tasting bar could accommodate a max of about 6 people comfortably. I came in after lunch at La Luna and began tasting with a gent. After my first pour, he pawned me off on his colleague Pamela, allegedly so that he could go on his lunch break.
It turned out to be a big upgrade in tasting host. The initial guy told me that it was a tasting of four wines (Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah and Cabernet) for $20. They also had two Rosés available by the glass. As Pamela prepared to pour my 2nd taste, I asked if it might be okay if I swapped one of the roses in for the Riesling.
“You don’t have to swap – you can do both,” she replied.
My kind of tasting lady! Not only did Pamela pour me both a Rose and the Riesling, she poured me both Rosés side-by-side so I could compare them, followed them with the Riesling and the Syrah, and then poured not one, not two, but 3 Cabernets: the 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet, 2005 Rutherford Cabernet, and 2007 Howell Mountain Cabernet.
The Syrahs stood out for me here. Both the 2006 Block Nine Syrah and the Rose of Syrah were my favorites of the stop. I badly wanted to love the Howell Mountain Cab, but I thought it (and the other Cabernets) were good but not amazing.
Overall, this turned out to be a much better tasting with Pamela than had I only been able to try the four standard wines, and so I struggle with how to rate it. What if I’d been stuck with the other guy? Would he have poured as many wines as Pamela? Probably not, but I always rate the experience I had. For me, this was a worthwhile, friendly and quiet stop.
It turned out to be a big upgrade in tasting host. The initial guy told me that it was a tasting of four wines (Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah and Cabernet) for $20. They also had two Rosés available by the glass. As Pamela prepared to pour my 2nd taste, I asked if it might be okay if I swapped one of the roses in for the Riesling.
My kind of tasting lady! Not only did Pamela pour me both a Rose and the Riesling, she poured me both Rosés side-by-side so I could compare them, followed them with the Riesling and the Syrah, and then poured not one, not two, but 3 Cabernets: the 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet, 2005 Rutherford Cabernet, and 2007 Howell Mountain Cabernet.
The Syrahs stood out for me here. Both the 2006 Block Nine Syrah and the Rose of Syrah were my favorites of the stop. I badly wanted to love the Howell Mountain Cab, but I thought it (and the other Cabernets) were good but not amazing.
Recommended wine: The Cabernets were pretty good, but the Syrah and Rosé of Syrah were my two favorite wines.
Ratings (out of 5):
 WINE | 4.25 |  TASTING ROOM | 4.25 |
 ATMOSPHERE | 4.50 |  VALUE | 4.00 |
 OVERALL | 4.25 | ||
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