I’m excited to share some wonderful news from Lodi. Our 2023 Barbera from the Leventini Vineyard was awarded the Golden Bear for Best Red Wine of Show at the 2025 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. It’s the third time in ten years one of our wines has earned this top honor, following our Tempranillo in 2016 and our Touriga in 2018. My mom, Barbara St. Amant Spencer, accepted the award in Sacramento this summer, carrying forward the legacy she and my dad started over fifty years ago.
Our history with Barbera goes back to 1998, when our good friend, Ted Leventini, finally convinced us to make wine from his Barbera vineyard planted in 1972. At the time, we were already working with a handful of offbeat varieties and didn’t feel we needed another. But after Ted cooked for my wedding, we felt we owed him one. That first Barbera surprised us all. It won some awards, sold out quickly, and has been a staple of our lineup ever since.
Our history with Barbera goes back to 1998, when our good friend, Ted Leventini, finally convinced us to make wine from his Barbera vineyard planted in 1972. At the time, we were already working with a handful of offbeat varieties and didn’t feel we needed another. But after Ted cooked for my wedding, we felt we owed him one. That first Barbera surprised us all. It won some awards, sold out quickly, and has been a staple of our lineup ever since.
The Leventini Vineyard is not the sort of place that ends up on postcards. It’s an Ugly Duckling, and consistently proves that ugly vineyards can make delicious wines. And pretty vineyards sometime make relatively boring wines. The vines are gnarly and uneven, the clusters are tiny, and the cordons have shoots or arms pushing in every direction. But year after year, it produces fruit with purity, brightness, and depth. Barbera’s natural acidity thrives in Lodi’s sandy soils, creating a wine with lively energy and beautiful aromatics. It’s also what makes this my go-to “pizza wine” – the bottle I open for a simple slice and good company.
At St. Amant, our philosophy has always been straightforward: good grapes, small lots, and hands-on winemaking. Our old industrial building isn’t flashy, but it’s been carefully adapted over decades to let us do everything in-house from crushing and bottling to fermenting and aging. Every decision is thoughtful and deliberate.
This Golden Bear means a lot to us. It represents relationships built over decades, a commitment to honest winemaking, and the enduring character of Lodi’s vineyards. I’m incredibly proud of our small team and deeply grateful to the customers, growers, and friends who have supported us through every season.
Here’s to the Barbera, to my mom Barbara for carrying the torch with grace, and to the many stories still ahead for our family winery.
