Tried this with the Venge Vineyard, Scouts’ Honor - have to say that this was an interesting wine.
Besides Foley, I believe, anyone else making 100% Charbono?
2 Likes
Tons of producers in Argentina.
Although they call the variety Bonarda there.
3 Likes
Judd’s Hill in Napa
Otto, can you verify that all of what is called ‘Bonarda’ in Argentina is the same grape as Charbono?
I am not a student of ampelography, but I’ve had hundreds of Argentine Bonardas and at least a dozen California Charbonos and have only found tangential similarities.
Thanks.
Ridge bottles one: 2019 Frediani Charbono - Ridge Vineyards
I think Louis Martini used to make one.
2 Likes
I have a few bottles of Turley Charbono. Not sure if they make it anymore.
3 Likes
Right, I think I once had the Turley bottling.
I had a fairly lengthy talk with a wine store owner in BA who tried several times to get me to try a Bonarda but I told him I didn’t especially care for the grape. I don’t necessarily dislike it, I just prefer others. He knew I have spent a fair amount of time in Italy and with Italian wines so he emphatically said the Bonarda that is widely planted in Argentina is not the same grape that is called Bonarda in Italy and IIRC it is the same one as Charbono in California. I still passed.
Inglenook made one back in the 1960s. Had it a couple times in blind tastings. Maybe it was BV. Don’t exactly remember, and my notes are lost to internet history.
1 Like
If you can find an old Inglenook, they are holding up well. I brought a 1970 to a wine dinner recently that was well received.
Portalupi in Healdsburg has made charbono from Mendocino and Russian River. I really liked the mendocino in the past
1 Like
Fulldraw in Paso did it at least once
I did a podcast episode on Charbono in early California winemaking a couple months back. It was a relatively early importation in CA and some thought it had real potential but it fell out of favor in an amazingly quick fashion once more varieties became available. Santa Cruz and Santa Clara seemed to have the standout examples. A telling quote about it from Professor Hilgard around 1885 - “The Charbono having fully justified in the valleys of California its French reputation of producing a rank tasted, low quality wine, is deservedly falling into disfavor for such localities, and is being grafted over to better varieties. At some points, however, it shows qualities that will continue to commend it for certain purposes, notably for deep color and tannin.”
4 Likes
I think Fredaini in Napa produces some. Ridge made some in 2018 from there. Foley too I think.
1 Like
My favorite has been the Papagni Charbono’s from the early 70’s. Have aged incredibly well and are both delicious and interesting.
Looks like i have one 1975 left - I’ll look to pop it sooner than later and post a TN 
1 Like
Ahhh, GREAT call my friend! I (somehow) completely forgot about the 1968 Inglenook Charbono i drank NYE 2020, which was literally phenomenal. TN below. They’re not cheap when they occasionally pop up at auction…but can definitely be worth it when they’re on
Wow. This was really special. From a very well stored bottle with an almost flawless cork. Excellent nose of crisp autumn leaves, leather and a hint of sweet dark fruits. In the mouth this is wonderfully balanced with literally loads of acidity, and a perfect balance of fruit and secondary characteristics. Sweet Tobacco, leather, and an almost bright citrus note thanks to the acidity with a long, smokey finish that lasts for 30+ seconds. An incredible wine that kept morphing over the hours that we drank it. Hard to believe this is 52 years old. A true pleasure to drink and one of the more memorable bottles that I’ve had in a very, very long time.
1 Like
Quite a few wineries have small bottlings of Charbono now, though the total acreage is very small, maybe 100 acres across the state? Much in the northern part of Napa Valley, a bit in Paso. I think the wines can be nice in good hands. I enjoyed Pax’s from the Luchsinger vineyard in Lake County a few years back - not sure if he’s still making that.
2 Likes
came here to say this
One of the grapes that wowed me early in my wine consumption days. I have very specific benchmark characteristics in mind that make this a singular grape, and most takes I’ve had don’t deliver. Like, too much oak, late picked, over-extracted. The best I’ve had were all from Calistoga. Shypoke made a good one for awhile, then disappeared. When a new vintage popped up at K&L maybe a decade later it was very woody, which was sad. We made 3 vintages from Hecker Pass fruit. The '11 and '12 were like good nondescript low-end Italian wine. The '13 was pretty good and had the right character. I should dig one out. The Ridge version was pretty much what I want, needing a little bottle age to see if it got there. Should dig one of those out, too.
2 Likes
I can’t but J. Vouillamoz can in the book Wine Grapes by Robinson, Vouillamoz et al. They both have been found to be identical to Douce Noire, a variety grown in Savoie, according to both ampelographical analyses and DNA research.
From my experience in tasting French Douce Noires and Argentine Bonardas, it’s quite hard to believe they are the same grape variety, but I think it all boils down to clonal differences, different terroirs and climates and winemaking choices.
I’ve never had any Californian Charbono, but I can imagine these same things apply here as well.