We had the good fortune of connecting with Bar None’s Canyon Old Vine Zinfandel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bar None’s Canyon, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind our success is the appeal of our Old Vine Zinfandel. In order to sell our wine, it needs to be truly delicious — smooth, bold, flavorful. Of course it doesn’t hurt to receive a Gold Medal from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. This spotlight brought our Zinfandel onto the national stage. For this we are forever grateful… Cheers!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I manage a small, family-owned vineyard in the Moon Mountain District AVA, overlooking Sonoma’s Valley of the Moon. During my 22 years here, I have learned how little control we have over each year’s harvest. In 2017, two different wildfires came close to destroying our vineyard and home. By some stroke of luck and shifting winds, we escaped the worst of it. In 2020, we lost most of our grapes to smoke taint, although luckily we were able to save one ton of our Zinfandel grapes which yielded 75 cases. In 2021, an “atmospheric river” came through before the harvest and washed out a portion of our vineyard. In the end, farming is more humbling than romantic… we are so grateful when things go well. We are also grateful for our dedicated crew who work hard to bring out the best in our 90-year-old vines. We could not create this wine without their hard work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I were going to Sonoma Valley, I would spend the morning in downtown Sonoma which is full of unique local shops and great restaurants and a historic town square. Then I would head up/west on Hwy 12 and visit some of our favorite wineries: e.g. Madrone Vineyard & Winery, Imagery Winery, Chateau St. Jean Winery, St Francis Winery. I would spend a night or two at the beautiful, historic Beltane Ranch, one of the oldest homes in California. VGB Cellars in Kenwood is a great place for lunch. Salt & Stone Restaurant in Kenwood is a must visit for dinnner. The best time to visit is late Spring or Early Fall. Summer is also nice, although usually busier.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I can only take a little credit — for the many years, funds and natural farming methods invested in our vineyard. The rest of the credit goes to our local winemaker who takes our Zinfandel from barrel to bottle during a process that takes approximately 15 months.

Website: https://barnonescanyon.com/

Facebook: Bar None’s Canyon

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.