Spring is coming!

Wow, we're a little embarrassed by how long it's been since our last post. Taylor and I have been very busy preparing for the launch of our spring tie collection. I posted a picture from the warehouse to give you a sneak peek of what's about to come...

You can also visit our site to see the new colors and patterns.

Finally, don't forget to sign up for our newsletter. We're going to announce a CRAZY DEAL the day we release our new ties.

Andrew

Qupe - Los Olivos, CA

Cult favorite in the Santa Barbara area. Qupe has FINALLY opened a tasting room on the main street of downtown Los Olivos. We usually avoid the tasting rooms in town because we prefer to be out at the vineyards. But we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try a stellar line up of Qupe wines.

This particular Saturday, Qupe was pouring four of their own wines and three from their Spanish inspired label called Verdad. We have been huge fans of Spanish varietals since a trip to Spain in 2006 and were pleased to see that they’ve hit the mark as close as anyone can in the states (sorry, it always tastes better in Spain).

Legendary winemaker Robert Neil Lindquist founded Qupe in 1982 while working as a tour guide and cellar worker at Zaca Mesa Winery. Like most, he started out by simply buying a few barrels and some grapes. Robert now sources fruit from the best vineyards in California. His wines brought serious attention to the valley well before the movie Sideways.

We love Syrah from the county and our favorites from Qupe were the ’06 Syrah from Stolpman Vineyard and the ’06 Syrah from the Bien Nacido Vineyard. (If I ever get the chance to create my own wine, I’m getting my grapes from Bien Nacido. I don’t care what it takes.)

The tasting room changes the wines every week so there’s always a reason for repeat visits.

Here’s what they poured:

‘07 Verdad Rose
‘07 Qupe Marson
‘07 Verdad Alberino
‘06 Qupe Los Olivos
‘05 Verdad Tempranillo
‘06 Qupe Syrah Stolpman Vineyard
‘06 Qupe Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard

- Andrew

Nom's Announced for American Wine Blog Awards

We're HUGE fans of Tom Wark's "Fermentation" blog. He's a really good writer and our "go to" blogger for all things wine industry related. Every year he hosts the American Wine Blog Awards and people in the wine world take it very seriously. Tom has announced the 2009 finalists over at his site.

If you don't follow wine blogs, these finalists are a good place to start (including Tom).

Good luck everybody!

Melville Vineyards - Santa Ynez Valley, CA

Andrew’s friend Melissa of Boa in LA recommended we visit Melville Vineyards. We love their wines and had never been to the winery. Unfortunately, we arrived one month too early to try the really good stuff. Drat!

On March 20th, they are releasing the following wines, which typically sell out:

2007 Estate Pinot Noir - High Density
2007 Estate Pinot Noir - Indigene
2007 Estate Pinot Noir - Terraces
2007 Estate Pinot Noir - Carrie's

We’ll have to plan another trip.

- Taylor

Dierberg & Star Lane Vineyards - Santa Ynez Valley, CA

I have a soft spot for the owner Jim Dierberg because he’s from Missouri (my home state), grew up on a farm and entered pig competitions at country fairs – just like my dad. Jim, his wife Mary, and winemaker Nick de Luca are also making some of the best wines in the entire valley.

When the Dierbergs bought their vineyard in 1996, everyone told them the land was too warm. So like most smart winemakers, they planted grape varietals that were best suited for the climate – and that meant Cabernet Sauvignon. Lucky for Jim because this was the grape varietal he had always dreamed of making. It only took 10 years until his first bottling.

We strolled into the Dierberg tasting room around 11am – fresh from a 2 1/2 hour car ride. We’ve been here before and knew we needed to hit this winery early – not at the tail end of a day full of drinking (when our taste buds are shot and everything tastes great). The wines are all bright with fruit, flowerful noses, and lingering finishes – all with their own unique personalities.

Every time a new wine was poured, we immediately declared it our favorite until the grand finale – the ’05 Star Lane “Astral.” It’s a pretty powerful Cabernet and it no doubt ranks up there with the best we’ve tasted from Napa. The wine had a nice silky texture on the palatte and the taste was laced with red berries, vanilla and just the right amount of earthy tones.

I’m a pretty impatient person, but if I were the wine maker responsible for the Astral ($80), I’d say it was worth the 10 years of waiting.

We also enjoyed spending time with Amy – the woman pouring our wine. Not just because she was responsible for giving us the Astral, but because she noticed Taylor’s Little Barrel Purse Tote the moment we walked through the door. Her enthusiasm caught the attention of the entire room and we found ourselves talking up our company.

It’s definitely a blessing and a curse to start our day with such incredible wine.

-Andrew

Valentine’s Weekend in Santa Barbara Wine Country

We’re coming off a very exciting (and much needed) vacation in Santa Barbara and Paso Robles wine countries. I usually go a little “Clark Griswold” when mapping out my itineraries but, Little Barrel was slammed last week (in a good way!) and we decided to let other people’s recommendations guide our way. This weekend proved that there is always more to discover no matter how much you think you know about wine.

We were also fortunate enough to stay at our friend’s cabin that’s perched on a hill overlooking the Santa Ynez Mountains and the green foothills that roll across the valley. This has been home base to a couple Little Barrel photo shoots and we’ll name our first born after Eli – who keeps letting us indulge in his slice of the vineyard lifestyle.

Here’s a list of the wineries that we visited. Some are places we frequently visit and others were recommended by people we met along the way.

Dierberg/Star Lane
Melville
Qupe
Demetria
Firestone

We also toured Paso Robles yesterday. Here’s a list of the places we stopped by:

Tablas Creek
Zin Alley
Booker
Terry Hoage
Linne Calodo
Grey Wolf

People write us for recommendations – which we love – and we'll send you a more thorough list of suggestions. Andrew@littlebarrel.com

- Andrew

Trailer Tasting in Napa, CA

Recently, we crammed our friends into this little vintage 1940's Westcraft trailer. It's the new tasting "room" at the Behrens & Hitchcock Co-Op in Napa, way up on Spring Mountain. Not many wine lovers are really after that hole-in-the-wall experience when it comes to wine tasting. Especially in Napa. But we drank some of Napa's best bold reds right off the kitchen sink in this old movie studio trailer (bought off ebay).




Some of our favorites/purchases included:

Relic’s Mourvedre and Grenache based ‘07 “Ritual.”
Erna Schein’s ’06 Homage to Ed Oliviera Syrah, ’06 Spare Me Cabernet, the cab based ’06 Cemetery, and the ’04 Erna Schein Red Wine.
Behrens & Hithcock’s ’04 Herrick Moulds Cabernet and ’05 Ode to Picasso.

- Andrew

Celebrate Valentine's Day & Tie The Knot!!

Make it count this Valentine's Day and give your wine lover something special from Little Barrel. Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you a code to get 20% OFF any order between now and Valentine's day.

- Taylor

The Old & Rare Wine Company

Our “go to” guy.

I’ve been torn about whether I should share this because I’m afraid you’ll buy out all my favorite wines. But, Little Barrel is all about spreading the love.

James Yobski, who owns The Old & Rare Wine Company (www.oldandrarewineco.com), is one of those passion guys who quit a lucrative law career to pursue his love for wine. After time spent in Burgundy and working as the wine buyer in some highly esteemed wine stores in LA, James has opened his own online shop specializing in exactly what the name of his company says – old and rare wines.

But don’t let the idea of “old and rare wine” scare you in these recessionary times. He’s got plenty of highly rated, quality rarities for under $25. Check out James’s site often as his inventory is always expanding due to high demand.

- Andrew

The Bike Racks in the Showers at Frog's Leap Winery - Napa, CA

Ever had a dream house only to discover that someone has already built it? This happened on our last trip to Napa when we toured the Frog’s Leap Winery.

When you drive onto the property there’s a sign that gives you two choices. Go left to “work.” Go right to “play.” Although we chose “play,” I imagine their version of work would be just as fun.

The inside of the house (Hospitality Center and Administrative Office) is something to be marveled both from a design perspective and environmental achievement. Frog’s Leap winemaker John Williams achieved a “Gold” LEED certification in 2005 and they are setting the standard for sustainable farming and winemaking.

I was absolutely inspired by the design of this house by the way it looked and how the place made me feel. I would love to describe the inside, but I’ll save us both the words and post a few pictures:

Lisa (our tasting guide) explained how the different wood features around the house (chairs, tables, floor, ceiling, etc.) were all made from barrel staves, recycled corks, etc. But you couldn’t tell. I was amazed at how tasteful and stylish everything looked. Now, I’m sure someone from Frog’s Leap might read this and get insulted. But when people reuse barrels for furniture they look like, well… barrels.

This leads me to the bike racks.

In addition to using certified and composite wood for the house, there are other aspects one must use to get LEED certification, such as: installing non-PVC piping throughout the house, using all low emitting materials, heavy use of renewable energy sources such as geo-thermal and solar, and lots of other expensive upgrades. Each area only earns you one point. The more points you get, the higher the level of certification (Platinum is the highest "Al Gore" level).

What’s great is that you also earn one point doing smaller things like installing bike racks (encourages workers not to drive), stuffing the walls with used jeans (great insulation), and building a shower for your employees (saves on water if everyone does it together!). This makes everything equally important and easily achievable.

- Andrew

Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley - Yountville, CA

Newly opened, and right across the street from The French Laundry, Ma(i)sonry is a “living gallery” for those looking to experience a little more aesthetic and intimate tasting than you might typically find at your usual tasting room “bar.”

Ma(i)sonry was founded by Blackbird Vineyards proprietor Michael Polenske who restored this beautiful 104-year-old private stone residence in Yountville. There’s plenty of great art ranging from 16th century European craftsmen to contemporary artists and designers. There was a pair of vintage leather club chairs that I was very tempted to walk out the door with. But instead, we got to sit in these chairs for our tasting. There are many cozy nooks throughout the space (and some great one by an outdoor fireplace – but it was a little too chilly in late Dec.) where you can enjoy their wine.

You get your own private “pourer” who provides all the wine and answers your questions about the place. Our tasting expert was Anthony who poured us wines from Lail Vineyards and Blackbird Vineyards. Here’s the list of wines:

Blackbird Vineyards
’06 Arise (100% Merlot)
’06 Illustration (86% Merlot, 11% Cab Franc, 3% Cab Savg.)
’06 Paramour (48% Merlot, 44% Cab Franc, 8% Cab Savg.)
’06 Contrarian (38% Cab Franc, 34% Merlot, 28% Cab Savg.)

Lail Vineyards
’07 Blueprint White (100% Savg. Blanc)
’05 Blueprint Red (71% Cab Savg., 25% Merlot, 4% Cab Franc)
’05 J. Daniel Cuvee (100% Cab Savg.)

Lail and Blackbird were the only two labels available to taste, but Anthony explained that, in the coming months, Ma(i)sonry will showcase a rotating collection of limited wines from boutique wineries such as: Brown Estate, Joel Gott, Pedras and Renteria.

The two things we liked most about Ma(i)sonry:

1. They’re open until 9PM every night. We’re not always ready to be done when the wineries close at 5PM so, if our palates aren’t completely destroyed, it’s nice to have a quality place to lounge and taste after hours.

2. The personal taster. At first we were a little skeptical because we hate being pressured into buying anything just because you show up. But Anthony was cool and everyone working there seems proud – which always creates a good vibe.

We took a few bottles home of both vineyards.

- Andrew

P.S. Anthony’s wife owns Xroads Sea Salts (www.philippineseasalts.com). It’s a family owned company and we like to support husband and wife businesses whenever we can! (For whatever it’s worth, Michael Mina and Thomas Keller use it too.)

New Years at Domaine Chandon

Every New Years party tends to be a let down. We always want to be at the hub of whatever fun is going on, but for some reason, the night never pulls through.

Not this year.

We danced out 2008 and swaggered into 2009 at Domaine Chandon’s black tie “Roaring 20’s” New Year’s party. So much so that I might have “celebrated” enough to last until 2019.

We went with Andrew's brother, his friend Lindsay, and our friends Jay and Dana (pictured kissing on our homepage). The guys had a great excuse to wear our Little Barrel ties and the girls had no problem matching scarf belts to their dresses.

I gotta say, seeing Andrew's brother and my friends THIS dressed up in Little Barrel got me a little emotional. This time last year our company seemed like a pipe dream and, tonight, everyone wore OUR designs!!

As soon as we arrived, the dance floor swallowed everyone up and I barely saw my friends halfway through the first bottle (apparently Jay took it dancing). There was plenty of champagne and the live band kept everyone moving for hours. The best part about the crowd was there we so many people of different ages! I swear I saw the spitting image of my uncle doing the Charleston. People were in a festive mood and it was easy to make friends. Nobody wanted to stop.

Nobody really remembers what time our driver took us home, but we all had plenty of stories the next morning. I’d share them with you but a) you will judge and b) you just have to experience it yourself.

- Taylor

Holidays In Napa

For the second year in a row we rented a house with some friends for the last week of December and New Years. We’re up here for meetings, but we’ve also scheduled plenty of time to do what we do best - trying some new wineries and visiting some of our favorite places.

Some of the wineries we’ll be visiting:

Behrens & Hitchcock Co-Op Tasting Room
Spottswoode
Bremer Family
Corison
Frog’s Leap
Von Strasser
Viader
Anomaly
Silver Oak

We’ll be posting about our experiences in the coming weeks.

Happy New Year!

-Taylor & Andrew

RECESSION FRIENDLY WINES FOR THE HOLIDAYS ($15 OR UNDER)

Every year we visit Taylor’s family in Boston for Thanksgiving and she cooks the entire meal for 30+ people. It’s an insane day and we buy everything at the local grocery store in one big trip – including the wine. Since it’s a group of 30, it’s hard to splurge on the good stuff, so here are our “best bets” on easily accessible wines under $15:

2006 Lincourt Sauvignon Blanc ($15)

This crisp and fruity wine will pair perfectly with your turkey, salad, and any salty foods you might serve. And don’t be afraid to drink this during cool weather. The lingering aftertaste will have you longing for summer.

2005 Grans-Fassian Riesling ($12)

A quality Riesling for the price. Not only does it pair naturally with poultry and fish, but it’s a great example of how wine and food truly enhance one another.

2008 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau ($14)

Beaujolais Nouveau is made specifically for the holidays. It’s purposely released on the third Thursday of November and it’s only good until just after the New Year. It’s soft, fruity, and goes with just about everything you would serve during the holidays.

2007 Francis Coppola Diamond Label Pinot Noir ($14)

For the price, this is a wonderful pinot noir. The wine is soft with red berry flavors and a smooth aftertaste. If you’re stuck on red, this wine will pair well with turkey, goose, duck and fish.

2006 Steele Zinfandel Pacini Vineyards Old Vines. ($14)

We love it for the price, the taste, and because it’s a wine you don’t have to think about. It’s a soft, fruit forward wine that adapts to any dish with medium to strong flavors.

2006 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon ($15)

A Chilean wine that’s bold and has well-structured tannins. This means it’s going to taste smooth and silky with a roast, steak, or any other red meat you might serve.

Little Barrel Launch Party

Little Barrel officially launched with a celebration in New York City. Taylor’s parents (who live in Manhattan) were very generous to throw us a party in a loft in Chelsea. It was the first time we displayed our products in front of a massive group of strangers – including several journalists – and the enthusiasm was worth all the hard work over the last year to get this business off the ground.

As you know, the idea for Little Barrel came from our wedding (we made our first items for our guests) and many people from our wedding were there. It was fun to finally show them how our gifts have expanded into an actual business.

We couldn’t imagine celebrating our launch without serving great wine. So, we teamed up with one of our favorite wineries, Behrens & Hitchcock, and poured their 2003 Merlot and their 2003 Syrah Homage to Ed Oliviera. People were pretty pleased (and relieved) to finally be drinking great wine at a cocktail party.

Check out some of the great press we got from the party, including PAGE SIX!!

Page Six
The NY Observer
Women's Wear Daily
Variety's Stylephile