Barney Rhodes, Age 88

Posted 04/15/2008 at 07:32 AM by Ben

A founding father of the Napa Valley wine, Barney Rhodes, passed away earlier this month at the age of 88. He was truly one of the greats.

I had the pleasure of meeting Rhodes for the first time in the mid-1980s at the Napa Valley wine auction, where Rhodes was both an active bidder and a generous donor of rare wines from his extensive cellar. Despite his fame, he could not have been more down to earth and gracious to everyone around him.

Rhodes will best be remembered for his association with another Napa Valley legend, the late Joe Heitz. The prune vineyard that Rhodes planted to vines in the 1950s and 1960s, Martha's Vineyard, became Napa's first cult Cabernet Sauvignon. Martha's was clearly recognizable by its strong eucalyptus scent and flavors. Ironically, this is strong minty note was a flaw caused by the presence of nearby eucalyptus trees, but at the time it served to give budding American wine collectors a notable characteristic to hang their connoisseur's hat upon.

Rhodes eventually bought the nearby Bella Oaks vineyard, named after his wife, the Belle Rhodes. Bella Oaks was also vinified and marketed by Heitz. Personally, I always preferred Bella Oaks to Martha's, largely because it had all of the good characteristics of Martha's, without the rather to overt eucalyptus note. However, Martha's was and still is the more famous wine.

Although Rhodes came to fame due to his Napa Valley holdings, he was also a notable collector of great Bordeaux and Burgundy. In truth, he loved all great wines, and made a lasting mark in the field he loved.

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