The 2022 Tank Garage Winery Appassimento is a wine that's got it all: it's rich, bold, and concentrated, with complex flavors of dried fruit, caramel, and spice. And it just might be the coolest wine we've ever made.

To prove we're not f*cking around, we went to two of the sickest Barbera vineyards in California: Shake Ridge Ranch and Siletto Vineyard. These iconic properties in Amador County and San Benito County have quickly become some of our favorites to source from, producing fruit with deep, concentrated flavors, spice, and complexity.

Shake Ridge Ranch is owned and overseen by renowned viticulturist Ann Kraemer. Originally planted in the 1870s, this now sustainably farmed vineyard sits 1,800 feet high in elevation in rocky soils. Each row is meticulously planted and cared for – in one visit to the property, Ann explained just how far she went to create the perfect environment for her vines:

When we planted the vineyard, we plotted out each of the vines and hung sheets on wires to figure out the perfect angle to plant the rows, so each cluster would get the perfect balance of sunlight and shade to reach optimal ripeness.

In contrast to the Sierra Foothills vineyard, Siletto Vineyard is perched in the rolling hills of San Benito County, just south of Hollister, CA. A second generation Italian-American Farmer, John Siletto honors his father’s roots by planting unique Italian varieties, like Barbera and Ruché. The grapes here are subject to scorching heat during warm summer days, followed by cool evenings where maritime fog creeps through the valley.

This wine is made using the traditional Appassimento method, a process used in the Veneto region of Italy to produce Amarone wines. The grapes are dried on racks for up to several weeks before pressing the juice and beginning fermentation. This process concentrates the flavors and sugars in the grapes through evaporation, resulting in a wine that's full-bodied and complex.

But we're not just talking about any Appassimento wine here. This is a Tank Garage Winery Appassimento, which means it's made with our own unique twist. After fermenting in barrel and pressing the juice, we saved the skins and passed another lot of stainless-steel fermented Barbera through the skins – a method known as Ripasso.

The result is a wine that's truly unique and special. Appassimento is a wine that's perfect for sipping on its own or for pairing with rich and decadent foods like cured meats and aged cheeses. But it's also a wine that's perfect for any occasion, whether you're raising a glass during the holiday season or just having a casual night in.

Featuring a leather-like embossed label and graffiti text, we only made 24 cases of this special wine. So if you're lucky enough to get your hands on a bottle, savor it while you can.