Philip Bernot explores the Barrett family legacy and raises a glass to Chelsea Barrett for her accomplishments
Over the years, there have been countless winemakers who have followed in the footsteps of the generations before them. Many winemakers, whether they be male or female, had to fill the shoes of an especially talented, famous parent. This parent was usually a father, only because winemaking has been male dominated for much of the last several hundred years. The industry is becoming quite different today.
Still, few have had the daunting task that Chelsea Barrett of Materra by Cunat Family wines has faced. Chelsea had to follow her famous father, Bo Barrett, who had to follow his father, Jim Barrett, the maverick founder of Chateau Montelena. As if those shoes weren’t big enough, Chelsea’s mother is Heidi Barrett, whose CV includes her own labels Amuse Bouche, Paradigm and La Sirena, along with stints at Dalla Valle, Jones Family and Grace Family wines—all Napa Valley legends. Did I forget to mention Barrett’s work at Screaming Eagle? That almost certainly makes Heidi the more famous of Chelsea’s parents, which is saying a lot in the world of wine.
I suppose you could argue that growing up in a household of such accomplished winemakers gave Chelsea an early advantage. It certainly helped Morgan Twain Peterson of Bedrock Wine Co. The son of the legendary Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood Winery, Morgan could blind identify wine varietals by smell at age five.
But there must also have been great pressure on Chelsea Barrett to succeed. I’m very pleased to report that she has done just that with the excellent Materra wines by Cunat Family Vineyards, located in Napa.
I expect a high level of excellence when tasting wine of this pedigree, but Materra wines are something beyond that. They’re good values, at least in the context of Napa Valley.
Today, I want to talk about three selections that deliver an authentic California experience without the triple digit pricing that has become so common in Napa.
Materra Chardonnay 2021, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley
The classic elements of Napa Chardonnay are present in Materra, but in my opinion these arrive in a more delicate proportion than in many others. I readily confess that I do not care for a large intrusion of oak in Chardonnay, or in any other wine for that matter. Barrett puts a skosh less than 30% of Chardonnay grapes into new oak, and ages that bit for ten months. Fans of the style will be extremely pleased; little licks of butterscotch and toffee from the oak are there to taste for sure. Doubters may also be swayed, however. Heck, it’s delicious and that’s all that matters. Let’s steam some lobsters and whip up a batch of creamy Yukon Gold potatoes topped with garlic butter for this one.
Materra Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley
Excellent versions of Sauvignon are still produced in Napa, and Materra is one of them. Avoiding the often overly grassy elements of Sauvignon from Napa, Materra expresses a vivid nose of fresh melon and faint notes of lemongrass. Borrowing only a few pages from the old Robert Mondavi playbook, Barrett ages just a portion of this wine in oak. Oak aging is rarely my first choice for Sauvignon Blanc, but who am I to argue with the delicious results? This is a perfect lunch wine for a summer sendoff featuring the last of the season’s tomatoes and melon, perhaps topped with grilled shrimp wrapped in balsamic glazed Prosciutto.
Right Bank Bordeaux-inspired blend 2021, Napa Valley
The much-maligned Merlot grape, possibly the second most misunderstood wine grape behind Chardonnay, takes center stage on Materra’s Right Bank bottling. Merlot can easily pump up the volume, so to speak; doing so led to its poor reputation in the Sideways era. The ultra ripe style of Merlot has been largely replaced by more balanced wine, but I don’t want to kid you—at 15.1% ABV, Materra Right Bank is a big boy. The addition of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc to the Merlot, in the classic sense, add balance and intrigue to Right Bank. I like Filet Mignon with mushroom duxelle paired with a wine like this—and I think you might, too.
I expect a high level of excellence when tasting wine of this pedigree, but Materra wines are something beyond that. They’re good values.
Philip developed his passion for wine at an early age, and became a Sommelier in his early twenties. Philip has developed wine programs for multiple restaurants, worked in wholesale wine sales, and has been the Wine Director at Wishing Well Liquors since 2008. In that time Wishing Well has become the must-stop destination on the Shore for wine aficionados of all levels of experience and budgets. When not working and writing about wine, Philp enjoys cooking and entertaining with his wife, Darcy. Philip and Darcy have been married for 34 years and have lived in Easton for 24 years.