Wine: Napa's powerhouse duo produces Barrett & Barrett

(InsideBayArea) - How do two of the world's most respected winemakers, who happen to be husband and wife, craft a wine together?

With crystal-clear roles. Razor sharp lines drawn in the vineyard and cellar. You do this. I do this. Then, we'll convene over a barrel and blend.

Fortunately, famed Napa winemakers Heidi Peterson Barrett and Bo Barrett both believe in balanced, sun-grown cabernet sauvignon that reflects the unique piece of Calistoga from which the grapes are grown. They just play different roles in getting there. Bo's place is in the vineyard; Heidi is most comfortable in the cellar and lab.

"As long as we stick to those roles, it is possible to be married and make great wine together," Heidi said at a recent San Francisco dinner debuting the newest vintage of their joint venture, Barrett & Barrett, a 300-case, ultra-premium cabernet sauvignon they launched three years ago. The wine is available via mailing list at www.barrettwines.com.

Heidi is by all accounts the first lady of wine, a trailblazer responsible for some of the country's most sought-after and cult wines, from Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle cabernet sauvignons to Amuse Bouche and her own elegant La Sirena wines.

Her husband, Bo, is head winemaker for Chateau Montelena. I've never had a bad or even mediocre Montelena wine. Bo has created a legacy with those European-style Chardonnays, and he does it all in the vineyard. The family calls him Farmer Bo.