I had the chance back in October to make an extremely isolated trip with a girlfriend to Parsonage to taste the new reserve releases. The setup was good and the wines, right up my alley. We were so excited to get past the Soberanes fire vintage and get back to the fruit and flavors we all know and love.
We also opened the 2007 Parsonage Cabernet Sauvignon Tanner Reserve to share with our COVID Wine Squad on New Year’s Eve. And then my DC wine class decided Petit Verdot would be the theme for a January class, so I hunted down the oldest one in my cellar – a 2009 Parsonage Bixby Reserve. That spurred me to put together this “catch-up” post on Parsonage wines we’ve been tasting in recent months, mostly their reserves. My last review of Parsonage reserve wines is here: https://decantingmonterey.com/parsonage-reserve-wines-my-kind-of-big-reds/.
Here we go!!
2017 Parsonage Estate Reserve Dario Merlot, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $80?? (#217*)
Winemaker Notes: “The 2017 Dario Reserve is a massive, powerhouse Merlot. The bouquet is an intoxicating melange of black cherry, black raspberry, star anise, and the Parsonage terroir back-note signature of wildflowers. All of these olfactory delicacies manifest in explosive complexity on the palate. The mouthfeel is full, round, and firm, wrapped in the smoothest and silkiest tannins imaginable.”
My Review: A deep red, garnet in the glass, smoky caramel on the nose (aged in new French oak) – quite delicious. Lay this one down for ~10 years. October 2020
2017 Parsonage Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $48 (#218*)
Winemaker Notes: “This Cabernet Sauvignon field blend is joined with a mix of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It’s a full-throttle bombastic beauty, typical of younger vines. The nose is all about very dark fruit marked by brambleberry compote. Plum and cassis join with the brambleberry on a muscular palate that finishes with some major league tannins.”
My Review: Ruby in the glass. A light boquet (Pinot Noir-like), plum and cherry on the smooth palate, approachable now. Believe this is a mix of Estate and Cachagua fruit. October 2020
2017 Parsonage Estate Reserve Tanner Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $80 (#219*)
Winemaker Notes: “Wow! It’s hard to put into words how bold and beautiful this Cab is at such a young age. While we have never made a wimpy cab, the 2017 vintage stands out as one of the most full bodied. The power of the nose announces with authority what to expect on the palate. The bouquet is blackberry, blueberry, black currant/cassis, with a hint of cardamom and a back-note of Parsonage terroir signature, wildflower perfume. All of these flavors show up abundantly on the palate with hints of ripe tobacco leaf and leather, framed by massively and delightfully supple tannins.”
My Review: Purple-red in the glass. Such a great Cabernet nose with a big explosion of fruit on the palate – cherry, raspberry with a touch of chocolate and coffee. Smooth tannins with a touch of licorice on the finish. October 2020
2007 Parsonage Estate Reserve Tanner Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $80 (#220*)
Review of the 2007 Tanner (from grapelive.com): “There is no question in my mind that this cabernet is the best yet for Parsonage, though it should perform even better after a few years in bottle. Bill Parsons has shown his heart and soul in his pursuit of producing this region’s great wine. I admire his efforts and feel he is very close to world acclaim, in fact this vintage has the proof in the bottle. This vintage of the Tanner Reserve is loaded with classic cabernet fruit, thick texture and a solid tannin backbone with lush blackberry, currant, cassis and plum fruits, mountain sage, saddle leather, cedar and cigar spice, lavender, licorice and smoky sweet vanilla. Look out, Napa, Parsonage is on the rise!” Kerry Winslow
My Review: Inky purple, with a bit of barnyard on the nose. Deep boysenberry, jammy flavors. This wine was dry, austere with a leathery finish. It still needs more time in the bottle. A lot of body, but not what you are looking to with a big California cab – one might mistake it for an Old World wine! December 2020
2016 Parsonage Estate Reserve Xandro Red Blend, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $80 (#221*) 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah, 5% Merlot
Winemaker Notes: “A powerhouse in all ways. This Cabernet-Syrah-Merlot blend is all about dark fruit. A big, brooding, muscular beast of a wine. It’s “The Aussie” on massive doses of steroids. It may have fallen under the influence of the mysterious invisible stuff known as dark matter.”
My Review: Slightly hammy and dark berry on the nose, smooth and fruity on the palate with smoky cherry. A bit of tartness on the finish. Enjoy it for its smokiness (Soberanes vintage)! October 2020
2017 Parsonage Estate Reserve Rocco Syrah, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $80 (#222*)
Winemaker Notes: “Our flagship wine, this vintage is opulent. The ripe black, blue, and red fruit are immense in the nose and the mouth. The palate explodes in an essence of summer savory with exotic Asian spices wrapped in umami. The fullness and concentrated richness of the finish are suggestive of a high end Amarone.
My Review: Red with purple tinge in the glass, caramel on the nose. Blueberry and cherry on the palate, with a touch of mint and smokiness from the oak. Not too overwhelming. Very good. This is consistently my favorite Parsonage wine. October 2020
2009 Parsonage Estate Reserve Bixby Petit Verdot, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $80 (#223*)
Winemaker Notes: “The 2009 was a breakout vintage. We got the Verdot riper than ever. It was rich, round, and ripe with the same dry tannins on the finish. Every vintage of the PV Blend was marked in varying degree by a foundation of blueberries and floral almost perfumey nature. During barrel tastings there were lots of comments and questions about where the perfume came from. So as a joke I started telling tasters that I added a tiny dash of Chanel No. 5 to the barrel. Some vintages had more pronounced perfumey character than others. But it was always there whether forward or subtly in the background.
“The 2009 Bixby nose was powerfully blueberry, (and for the first time) blackberry and creme de cassis with the wildflower perfume in the background. The palate was fabulously and mysteriously complex. All the fruit of the nose played out on the palate with black cherry and pencil lead/cedar notes. The mouthfeel was quite full with a very long finish. The 2009 Bixby was a field blend of 82% Petit Verdot and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon harvested in early November.”
My Review: Garnet in color & plum/blackberry on the nose – with a touch of earth. Rich dark fruit on the dry palate. Some smoke and a bit of acidity – like sour black cherry and a touch of tobacco. Opened up intense cassis flavors. Robust yet still a bit austere. Not my favorite varietal, but this is perhaps the best I have ever tasted. January 2021
Sadly, tastings are not permitted at this time due to the Stay-at-Home order. They are open for wine purchases and pick ups. You can obtain their wines directly from the winery here: https://parsonagewine.orderport.net/wines/Current-Releases.
*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.
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