As you take a walk through the vineyard with Charlie Barra, you’ll find yourself surrounded by 50 year old, craggly, grapevines that resemble the sun-baked hands of the farmer that has nurtured them. These hearty, twisted vines, located on the bench lands at the headwaters of the Russian River in Redwood Valley, CA, are the source of the superior organic fruit that goes into each bottle of BARRA of Mendocino wines.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Antonio Barra, and his maternal grandfather, Guiseppe Rovera (who immigrated to Mendocino County from Piedmont, Italy in 1906), Charlie began farming grapes in the mid 40’s. By 1954 he had purchased Redwood Valley Vineyards, the ranch that is home to over 175 acres of organically grown Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Muscat Canelli. 

With over 6 decades of experience in the back pocket of his Wrangler jeans, Charlie Barra, now 83 years old, farms his organic vineyards with the goal of producing rich, distinguishable fruits that “shine through” in every glass of BARRA of Mendocino wine.