Monthly Archive: July 2021

Manzoni Vineyards: In the “Heart of the Highlands”

Today’s post is about my second “dog gets groomed in Carmel-by-the-Sea” wine tasting. 

We visited Manzoni at their “tasting garage” back in 2019 – a simple, straight-forward, serious affair as you begin your journey down the River Road Wine Trail heading toward the Santa Lucia Highlands.  Their move into Holman Ranch’s former tasting room space in Carmel-by-the-Sea makes their wines much more accessible in a very lovely setting with space both indoors and out.  I had a wonderful tasting experience here.

We enjoyed this view of the vineyards and the Santa Lucia Highlands while waiting for mud to be cleared from the road in March 2020

About Manzoni Vineyards: “…For almost 100 years, our family has lived and farmed in this beautiful little part of California’s Monterey County – today known to wine lovers as the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation. The SLH – one of the New World’s prestige addresses for growing cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Syrah.

“Our home estate, in the heart of the Highlands, is only six, focused acres small. Here, hands-on wine growing and traditional winemaking combine to create limited production wines of elegance and balance. We hope you enjoy these wines as much as we enjoyed growing and making them – from our family to your table, many thanks for your support…”

About its Pinot Noir: “The Manzoni Family Estate Vineyard, in the “Heart of the Highlands,” is an ideal spot to grow world-class Pinot Noir. Here the cool Region I climate is heavily influenced by winds off nearby Monterey Bay. The porous, granitic, shaly loam soils recall this noble grape’s Northern Rhone Heritage, stressing the vines, thus providing low, concentrated yields. The Family Estate Vineyard is planted to three Dijon clones: 115, 777 and the proprietary “La Tache.”

Today I am presenting 6 Manzoni wines.  The winery notes come from their tasting sheet and website linked above.

2020 Manzoni Sauvignon Blanc, Arroyo Seco AVA, 13.5% ABV, $27 (#418*) 

Winery notes: “Aromas of grapefruit. The palate is rich with bright tropical fruit flavors with notes of lime and grapefruit zest. Perfectly balanced with a gentle crisp refreshing acidity.”

My Review: Pale in the glass. Tropical fruits on the nose.  Bright acidity on the palate with lemon rind and pineapple flavors. July 2021                                                                                                                             

2019 Manzoni Chardonnay North Highlands Cuvée, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.2% ABV, $30 (#419*) 

Winery notes: “The 2019 Manzoni Chardonnay is a vibrant example of the Santa Lucia Highlands in an exceptional vintage. Aromas of dense tropical fruits leap out of the glass wrapped in subtle brioche that hints towards uncommon richness and weight. In the palette, this wine is unusually nimble while maintaining the intensity and mouth-feel promised by its exotic aromatics. Flavors of mango, mandarin orange and guava are led by hard spices and vanilla into a long finish. Crisp acidity allows this wine to flow over the tongue with focus and clarity that completes the experience.”

My Review: Light golden in color.  A perfumy, bold, tropical bouquet.  The intense pineapple on the palate reminded me strongly of some candy I used to eat in my childhood. July 2021              

2020 Manzoni Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 13.9% ABV, $27 (#420*) 

Winery notes: “As this wine sits in the glass, you notice the rich hues and colors are pleasing to the eye and give hints to the aromas and flavors to come. This wine is a deep Garnet with a beautiful clarity. In the nose, rich strawberry and cream notes with hints of rose petal rise out of the glass with startling focus and intensity. On the palate, intense ripe red berry fruit is matched with and creamy, unctuous mouth-feel and balanced acidity to provide a seamless flavor profile. While certainly on the more opulent side of Rose styles, this wine is marvelously clean and nuanced in its rendering of a Rose of Pinot Noir and is a classic example of what this style has to offer the discerning wine drinker.”

My Review: Salmon in the glass.  Bouquet was sweet, with crisp apple and pear dominant and a touch of celery.  Very nice crisp apple and pear flavors on the palate. July 2021                   

2019 Manzoni Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.2% ABV, $35 (#421*) 

Winery notes: “Aromas of dark cherries, blackberry and smoky, spicy oak rise out of the glass. Cassis and hard spices are supported by concentrated red and black berries. In the mouth, this wine has a velvety richness and fine, ripe tannins that support the dense, ripe and concentrated fruit. Red plums and berry compote are followed by firm acidity that keeps the wine fresh and balanced. The wine finishes with hard spices and fine vanilla flavors with hints of toasty oak. A great combination of New World ripeness and old word structure. Ripe tannins support a core of rich fruit in this opulent and larger framed wine. All the flavors hang together in great balance for this intensely flavored and well-heeled Pinot Noir.”

My Review: Translucent, light ruby in the glass.  Very much a traditional nose and palate, as one would expect from one of our premier Pinot Noir growing regions – the Santa Lucia Highlands.  July 2021                     

2018 Manzoni Estate Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.2% ABV, $32 (#422*) 

Winery notes: “Ripe black fruit and berry aromas mingled with hints of smoky oak and vanilla. The palate follows with intense flavors of ripe red fruits, hard spices and a core of silky tannin. The finish is exceptionally long with balanced acidity bringing the combinations of fruit, spice and vanilla to a clean and satisfying resolution.”

My Review: Beautiful ruby in color.  A bit smokey (sulfur?) on the nose – perhaps it was just opened?  Rich and full berry flavors on the palate with a touch of white pepper on the finish.  I am usually not a big fan of SLH Syrah, but this one was in my wheelhouse!  Grown on one of the lowest vineyards of the Manzoni Estate – that could explain it! July 2021                 

2018 Manzoni Cuvée Louie, Paicines AVA, 14.1% ABV, $47 (#423*) 

Winery notes: “Aromas of dark berry and fruit lift lazily out of the glass followed by hard spices and well-heeled vanilla and hints of oak. They are intense and rich with real visceral weight to the experience. Rarely are the Bordeaux varietals so giving in the nose. The palate is no less joy with flavors of blueberry, darkest cherry and bright plum combining with lively acidity to provide for an intensely focused mouth-full of flavor. The complexities brought on by the combining of all five Bordeaux varietals, the cinq cepage, has both a mesmerizing and invigorating effect. Enjoy with the richest of steaks, a fine roasted joint of lamb and all of your favorite soft cheeses and roasted nuts.”

My Review: Lovely rich berry nose following through on the palate.  My favorite from today’s tasting. I have a fondness for the Paicines AVA and this was the wine I chose to take home with me!  20% each Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot from the Pedregal de Paicines Vineyard. July 2021                 

You can buy Manzoni wines online or at one of their tasting rooms:  daily in Carmel-by-the-Sea on 7th Ave between San Carlos and Dolores or at the vineyard on the weekends. “We’re located on the beautiful River Road Wine Trail in the Salinas Valley with wonderful views of the Santa Lucia Highlands. We hope to see you here soon!”

*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.    

Happy Birthday, Decanting Monterey!

When I began this wine blog a year ago, I knew I was venturing into unknown territory – I knew nothing about writing a public-facing blog. I wanted to build on my four months of experience writing a private wine blog for family and friends.  Building my own webpage was exciting, confusing and nerve-wracking.  My main goal was to expose others to the depth and quality of our Monterey/Central Coast wines, often under-appreciated by wine snobs.  I like to champion our vintners and their wines out of passion, not for profit.

I have some high-level stats to share with you and some thoughts about the way forward.  You might need to click on the graphics to read them – sorry. I write two blogs – a private one on Facebook documenting every wine tasted since the beginning of the pandemic and Decanting Monterey, focused exclusively (with a few exceptions) on Central Coast wines, including those wineries that have tasting rooms in Monterey County.  Of the 412 (!!) wines from all regions we have been tracking since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, 229 of them have been captured in this blog.

In the past year, I have published 109 posts representing 56 wineries from more than 10 counties.  150 wines came from Monterey County (66.5%), followed by 10% from San Benito County (including one of my favorite areas – Paicines) and 6% with the “Central Coast” designation.  180 of those wines were red, followed by 35 white and 14 rose wines.  And I’ve enjoyed exploring some new-to-me wineries, such as Odonata and Seabold, which source their fruit across the broader Central Coast area. 

Inside Monterey County, we have “traveled” together to tasting rooms in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Valley, and over to the River Road Wine Trail.  44% of the wines presented come from Carmel Valley, with half of those from Cachagua and the rest from just past Carmel Valley Village.  It’s the terroir, the fruit, and the climate that lead to the big juicy reds made in the style I like.  Arroyo Seco AVA wines come in third place (15.3%) in my blog – it remains one of my favorite sources of fruit from flavorful Albariño and Sauvignon Blanc whites to rich Syrahs. 

So what does Year Two look like for Decanting Monterey?  Yes, you will still see some of my Carmel Valley favorites – I can’t help myself.  With a primary focus on Monterey County, I will visit some wineries I have not been to since the pandemic started and will venture out to find ones I haven’t ever been to – yes, some of those exist in my own back yard!

The pandemic and aging dogs have put a crimp in my overnight travels – I have not been down to Paso Robles or Santa Barbara County, nor have I even been able to take day trips up to the Santa Cruz Mountains, over to San Benito or way up to Livermore.  All in due time.

I am indeed grateful to those vintners who have comped me wine tastings, given me discounts, and especially those who have comped me bottles of wine! Those small acts of generosity have justified my blog expenses. When that happens, I am transparent with my readers.  I welcome such gestures! They have allowed me to keep this blog ad-free. 

The pace of my blog may slow down in Year Two.  Who says I have to publish two blogs/week?  I’m going to slow it down a bit through Labor Day and then we’ll see how it goes. July and August are busy months for me.  I hope to have more time to visit wineries starting in the fall. 

One thing I would value is getting readers to sign up for this blog to be delivered in your email or to follow Decanting Monterey (@DecantingMonterey) on Facebook or @Decanting_Monterey on Instagram (new – not sure if it works yet!). (As of this writing, Facebook is giving me some trouble in automatically publishing my blog, making subscribing by email even more important!)  Just scroll down to the lower right corner on this page (or on any review) and enter your email.  You won’t get any other emails, ads or anything from me or from WordPress.  And please spread the word!  Our local vintners are the ones I am championing here – they appreciate I am giving them a little more visibility!

Another thing would be feedback.  Maybe you’ve had an experience with the winery I write about.  Maybe you have a question or even a smart-a$$ comment.  My guarantee is, if you make a comment, I will respond!

Bottom line: Year One was a steep learning curve and a lot of fun.  I hope Year Two will be a year of exploration – getting out of my comfort zone to really getting out there.  Hope you have enjoyed being along for the ride!  Please leave me a comment!

Central Coast Sharon

Monga Zin – Venturing Outside the Central Coast to Cucamonga!

This wine blog is focused on Central Coast wines, mostly from Monterey County, with few, defined exceptions.  Today, I am presenting a wine from south of the Central Coast AVA border.  Why?  Because it has an interesting story, it was extremely delicious, I’m a Zin girl, and I have adored Carol Shelton from afar ever since we went met her at a ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) event in Washington DC a long time ago.  Plus, it’s my blog – I can make the rules and break them, too! 

About Carol Shelton (summarized from https://www.carolshelton.com/about-us/): “…Carol started at UC Davis in 1974 as an undeclared major with a penchant for language and an aptitude for science. While on a tour of Sebastiani Winery, Carol walked into the barrel room, and was moved by the scent of red wine and oak in the air…Armed with her Bachelor’s degree in Enology from Davis, she has never looked back, working her first harvest in 1978 and every harvest since then…In 1981, Carol began working for Rodney Strong and Windsor Vineyards …with Zinfandel coming up as her favorite wine time and time again…Then in 2000, at the urging of Carol’s husband Mitch, she decided to start her own winery, acting as President and Winemaker…”

“Carol & Mitch Mackenzie, her husband and business partner, have sought out exceptional vineyards throughout California including Dry Creek Valley, Rockpile, Russian River Valley, Fountaingrove District, Paso Robles, Lodi, Mendocino County, and the Cucamonga Valley of Southern California…Carol Shelton has won Winemaker of the Year five times, has countless gold medals for her wines and was named one of eight Pioneer Women Winemakers of Sonoma County in 2005. She continues to win awards and accolades – her 2011 Wild Thing Zinfandel was included in the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2014…”

About the Cucamonga AVA: The Cucamonga Valley AVA is located about 45 miles east of Los Angeles and 15 miles west of San Bernardino.  It is part of the South Coast AVA, which extends south of Santa Barbara to the San Diego border with Mexico.  With over 80 wineries in pre-Prohibition days, it is now only a handful of wineries and vineyards, mostly producing Zinfandel and other big red varietals.  It has a Mediterranean climate, great for Zinfandel, port and sherry.  There is good information on the American Winery Guide website.

2017 Carol Shelton Monga Zin ®, Lopez Vineyard, Cucamonga Valley AVA, 14.5% ABV, $26 (#412)

About the Lopez Vineyard (from her website): “Located in the Cucamonga Valley in southern California 70 miles inland from Los Angeles, Jose Lopez Vineyard was planted in 1918 for “packing grapes” to ship to home winemakers in Chicago and the East. These old Zinfandel vines struggle in the near desert-like conditions; with rocky-sandy soil that holds very little water. After nine decades, they have only grown to about 18 inches tall, and have just a few tiny fist-sized clusters on each vine. Many of the old vineyards in this valley have fallen victim to urban sprawl. We are fortunate that Don Galleano is passionate about keeping this old vineyard alive despite its rather poor economic returns—only a half a ton per acre instead of the expected 2-4 tons per acre of younger, irrigated vineyards. Through Don’s dedicated efforts, this vineyard passed the rigid CCOF standards in 2004, and is officially organically grown.”

About the Monga Zin ®: “We christened the Monga Zin ® as we stumbled while saying its appellation too many times, probably after having too much of this HUMONGOUS mouthful of fruit and rich milk chocolate.”

Winemaker Notes: “Deep black cherry fruit, dried cranberry, orange zest, berry patch in the sun! Dusty vanilla-caramel oak, graham crackers, and cocoa.   Fragrant Moroccan-Asian spices—Chinese 5-spice mélange…

“Mouthfeel is creamy yet tangy bright cherry, firm-sturdy tannins and a long, lush finish. Super concentrated.  Quite drinkable now and will age a good 15-20 years.  Very mouthfilling!”

100% Zinfandel, 14 months aged in 25% new American oak barrels 75% older French/American oak barrels, Released February 2019.

My Review: Deep ruby, almost purple in the glass. Fragrant nose of berry jam on toast. Super dry and a bit tart on the palate with rich flavors of dark berry jam, cassis, with a lingering caramel finish. This is a big, complex red. I feel I could be very happy drizzling this on some ice cream. This was a big hit at my house and disappeared quickly.  June 2021

You can buy Carol Shelton wines on her webpage and visit them in Santa Rosa.  For more information, check out this link:  https://www.carolshelton.com/visit/.

*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.    

Galante: Now This Cowboy Makes Big Reds!

I don’t spend nearly enough time wine tasting in Carmel-by-the-Sea.  Part of it is our search for warmth and sun. Part of it is not wanting to deal with crowds of people and parking. I did make it to a couple of the Carmel-by-the-Sea tasting rooms during COVID, mostly to pick up specific wines for my weekly class. Now that things are truly open, I want to get there more often.

When I needed to find a new groomer for my dog (that is a long, pandemic story), I thought, “This could be a win-win!”  I dropped my dog at the groomer and walked to a couple of nearby tasting rooms. Perfect!  When can he get groomed again? 😊

A year after my little guy was banned by one groomer, we struck gold!

Today’s post is about Galante Vineyards.  Galante was the first winery to open a tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea.  We have visited them several times over the many years. I learned from Kaela that Jack’s great grandfather was actually the founder of Carmel-by-the-Sea! Their roots in the area run deep! According to their website, Jack’s parents bought a cattle ranch in Carmel Valley and began growing grapes (focused on Cabernet Sauvignon) in 1983.  Over a decade later, Jack decided to build a winery and make his own wine.  There is definitely a ranch/cowboy theme in his tasting room and in his wines!

If you are a big red drinker, you will find something to please your palate at Galante!

The ranch is located in the Cachagua region of Carmel Valley, home to several wineries large and small producing rich Bordeaux varietals. I contend that the climate and terroir of Cachagua result in some of the finest wines produced in Monterey County. I like my reds big – and the fruit in this region seems extra delicious.

Today I am presenting 6 Galante red wines.  The winery notes come from their website linked above.

2017 Galante Kick Ass Red, Carmel Valley AVA, 13.5% ABV, $35 (#405*) 

Winery notes: “With a blend of 73% Malbec and 27% Petite Sirah, this untamed wine from our Carmel Valley Estate vineyards has the familiar smell of saddle leather and fresh picked huckleberries.  It cuts loose with rustic flavors of blueberry cobbler rounding out its hearty finish. It’ll make any trail meal taste fancy.”

My Review: Super dark ruby in the glass. Intense deep berry on the nose (my Cachagua fruit!).  Bright acidity.  The Petite Sirah really tempers the Malbec in this blend. From one of the oldest vineyards in Carmel Valley. July 2021                                                                                                                               

2014 Galante “Ace High” Malbec, Carmel Valley AVA, 14% ABV, $40 (#406*) 

Winery notes: “If you haven’t had a bottle of this 2014 vintage lately, you’re in for a treat!  At almost 6 years old, this wine is absolutely delicious – full-bodied, soft, and fruit forward with notes of spicy plum and blackberry – there is no better pairing with a nice grilled steak or perhaps some slow-cooked short ribs.”

My Review: Very inky in the glass.  Bright acidity on the palate (I learned Jack likes lower alcohol and a bit of acidity).  Cassis flavors on the palate with a touch of raisin and a very dry finish. July 2021                     

2018 Galante Rancho Galante, Carmel Valley AVA, 14% ABV, $45 (#407*) 

Winery notes: “This lovely blend of Malbec, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon is direct and lively with excellent red fruit and bright acidity.  It will compliment most any meal or perhaps just a wonderful cheese selection.”

My Review: Smokey rich berry nose.  Smooth, intense berry fruit on the palate and a dry finish.  My notes say “Wow!” This was one of my preferred wines of those tasted today.  I took a bottle home! July 2021                     

2017 Galante Red Rose Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 13.3% ABV, $50 (#408*) 

Winery notes: “A blend of 8% each of Malbec, Petite Sirah & Melot with 76% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Enjoy this explosive mouth full…of beautiful cherry and sweet tangy cassis.” (from the tasting sheet)

My Review: Intense on the palate with acidity and a bit of sweet cherry on the finish. July 2021                   

2018 Galante Legacy Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 14% ABV, $85 (#409*) 

Winery notes: “We are especially excited to present our inaugural 2018 Legacy Cabernet Sauvignon (75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot). This series celebrates Jack Galante’s great grandfather’s vision which created the town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The photo on this first label depicts James Frank Devendorf in his buggy overlooking what is to become the town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Aged in new French Oak for a full 20 months, this wine is opulent and rich with bold, lingering flavors of ripe blackberry, cassis and vanilla. With ample, chewy yet soft tannins, this wine will be extremely cellar worthy for many decades so put a bottle or two away but enjoy some now as well. Only 100 cases were produced!”

My Review: Almost purple in the glass. Slight caramel on the nose.  Intense berries on the palate with a lingering finish.  This was indeed my favorite of the day. July 2021               

2001 Galante Rancho Galante Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.1% ABV, $135 (#410*) 

Winery notes: “The color is very bright and youthful. Initially the nose may have a slight lactic scent that blows off with some air leading to expressive black fruit. The flavors are big and rich with a concentrated black currant. Very bright on the front of the palate and long on the finish. This wine will benefit from some open time but will go on for many years in the bottle. Outstanding!”

My Review: Inky dark in the glass – very different in appearance from the other wines tasted today.  BBQ ribs and some cooked fruit on the nose, reflecting the age of this library selection.  Some raisin and cassis on the palate. July 2021             

You can buy Galante wines online or at their Tasting Room on Dolores between 7th and Ocean Ave., Carmel-by-the-Sea.  They are open daily!

*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.    

Fine Monterey Wine in a Can? YES!

I stopped at Wrath’s Carmel wine tasting room early last fall to pick up some Syrah and I noticed these cans on the shelf.  I learned they contained Wrath’s AL Sauvignon Blanc.  I have presented their delicious Sauvignon Blanc in a past class, so I knew this would be a quality wine.  I tried to convince my virtual wine class that we should do a tasting of canned wines, but the idea was never accepted.  So I had to back into a topic that would allow me to present this wine:  let’s do Sauvignon Blanc! For $5.99, you gotta try it, right?

2018 Wrath AL Sauvignon Blanc, Monterey AVA, 12.9% ABV, $6 for 375 ml (#402*)

(The current release is the 2019; all info on their website is linked to that vintage vs. the 2018.)

About the AL Sauvignon Blanc from wrath.com: “AL Sauvignon Blanc is the newest addition to Wrath.  We’ve got nothing against corks or bottles but ​sometimes, a can just gets the job done.  Whether hiking, boating, or by the pool… whenever cans of beer ​go into a cooler, a can of wine should be there too.  Enjoying the convenience of canned wine shouldn’t ​have to mean sacrificing quality.  Grapes used for AL are sourced from our estate San Saba Vineyard and are ​treated with the same care and respect as our bottled wines.  So go play, relax, enjoy and recycle!”

“Estate grown grapes are hand picked and hand sorted before fermenting in steel vats; then rested on the lees for 3 to 4 months while flavors knit together.  Filtering and canning takes place at the winery.  Only BPA-free cans are used. The new wine is allowed to rest for six months before release.  Our cans have an internal liner and the air pocket created by this design helps keep the wine chilled longer if being used outside and enjoyed directly from the can.”

My Review: Pale yellow/straw in the glass.  Fragrant pineapple and lemongrass on the nose.  Palate burtsing with tropical fruits.  This is a delicious wine which I would love to drink at a picnic or on the beach at sunset (if permitted!).  The can did a nice job of keeping the wine chilled. June 2021

You can buy Wrath wines directly from their website or tasting rooms. 

Regarding Tastings: Both the winery tasting room in Soledad and the Carmel Plaza tasting room are open for tastings!  Check out this link for more details: https://www.wrathwines.com/Visit.

*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.    

Carmel Valley Library Syrah Compares in Quality to High End Napa Cab!

I wasn’t planning to post again so soon about another Parsonage wine, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to highlight this library wine as my 400th COVID wine (of all wines tasted during COVID per my broader Facebook blog – se reference below)!  400!!! We were so lucky to get this 2006 Parsonage Carmelstone Syrah in our recent allocation (thank you, Summer). I told my husband that we must open this with the COVID Wine Pod for a special occasion. Just before the 4th of July, a mutual friend of ours came to town – the man who let us know in the first place that the Dubee’s had moved to our little coastal town, much less to our street!  Small world.

The Capitol Hill stories went on for hours, fueled by our visiting long-time friend, Scott.

We debated whether to decant this library wine.  In the end, we decided to decant it right before drinking – that seemed to work! This wine compared equally in quality and taste to a 96-point rated Napa Cabernet Sauvignon we also tasted that night!  Watch out, Napa! Here comes Carmel Valley! So I have switched up the lineup, making this extremely special wine my 400th wine!

The 2006 looks miniscule compared to this double magnum of the 2005 Carmelstone Reserve Syrah we picked up for a family reunion – still waiting to happen!

Today’s Parsonage Rocco Syrah is my favorite wine – but we used to get a wine labeled “Carmelstone.”  When I asked Bill Parsons for more information about the wine over the weekend, he sent it back to me within hours!  He shared the following:

“The Carmelstone Reserve is 100% Estate Syrah from the upper northeast corner block of our vineyard, maybe one and a quarter acre.  The soil is clay-loam-silt with a generous lacing of fragmented chalk rock, what we call carmelstone.  The slope, or as I like to say “angle of repose,” is 15-20 %.

“I think we last produced the Carmelstone in 2009.  Sparse yields from 2010 to the present have forced us to eliminate its production. We thought of the Carmelstone as Rocco junior.  It had a unique character that made Frank and me want to produce it instead of folding it into the Rocco and Estate Syrah bottlings.  Now we get so little yield from that block that we put its fruit in the Estate.

“The low yield from that block has to do with drought, extreme heat cycles, pestilence, inadequate irrigation water, all of our personal horsemen of the apocalypse.  Smoke taint, my least favorite horseman doesn’t enter into it.”

2006 Parsonage Carmelstone Reserve Syrah, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $125 (#400*)

Winery Notes: “The 2006 vintage is considered one of our greatest of the first decade of the new millennium along with the ‘01, 03, and ‘08 vintages.  It is/was exceptional in my view. You confirm my view by relating the Carmelstone to a six year younger Napa cult cabernet that sold for maybe three to four times the price of our $60 bottle.” (FYI from Sharon:  )

My Review: Beautiful dark ruby in the glass. Smooth, rich dark berries. I jumped at the chance to get this Carmelstone – one of my favorites made by Parsonage and this library vintage was very good, exceptional.  The 2006 compared very favorably to a younger, high-end, 96-point Napa Cab we tasted immediately following. I’ve seen the 2005 vintage rated 96 points! June 2021

  • Tasting Room Photo Courtesy Parsonage

Parsonage is open for tastings by reservation every day – click here for the details.  You can obtain their wines directly from the winery here or at their tasting room located at 19 E Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village. 

*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.    

Bernardus Marinus: “Taste a Dream”

I was surprised to find a half bottle of the Bordeaux-style 2007 Marinus open in our wine room. Whenever we are in the valley, we stop by Bernardus to taste some wines and check out their sales. I knew we had purchased half bottles of the smoky 2008 Marinus, but had no idea we had some 2007!  What a treat in a tiny bottle!  Marinus achieves Ben Pon’s dream of making a quality Bordeaux blend wine from Carmel Valley.  It is among my very favorite Carmel Valley (and, to be frank, Monterey County and Central Coast) wines. I don’t have the blend for this vintage, but the 2009 was 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 11% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. The back of the label also mentions Malbec!

2007 Bernardus Marinus, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.2% ABV, $112 (release price $36)  (#397*)

About the Marinus Vineyard: “Bernardus owns 210 acres in the Cachagua region of the upper Carmel Valley on two sites. The Marinus vineyard comprises 36 acres. Of the 36 acres, 25 acres are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, 9 acres to Merlot, 1 acre to Cabernet Franc and 1 acre to Petit Verdot. Carmel Valley is surrounded by the ridges of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Cachagua Valley is a sun-trap, a “bowl” in a high elevation that is shielded from the coastal fog and ideal for growing Bordeaux-style grapes. The daily temperatures vary from over 100° F. during the day to 50° F. during the night. The geographic “bowl” effect traps the heat during the day while elevation and ocean proximity produce cool nights. This unique microclimate creates a prolonged growing season allowing full flavor development of the fruit while on the vine. Marinus vineyard soils are varied. They range from clay loam to sandy loam. The vineyard is divided into 15 diverse “blending blocks” each producing grapes with distinct and varied flavors.”

Wine Enthusiast – 90 points: “Another successful Marinus from this small Monterey County appellation. Made from all five classic Bordeaux varieties, it’s dry and rich in blackberries, black currants, crème de cassis and cedar, and is more rough in tannins than your typical Napa Cabernet blend. Drink now–2013.”  12/2010

My Review: Super dark ruby in the glass. Cassis on the nose. Super smooth on the palate, bursting with black fruit, a little chalky. This was extremely delicious and drinking well – beyond expecation! June 2021

While this is in general sold out, K&L Wine Merchants held a recent auction of 6 full bottles which sold for $150!

Ordering and Tasting Bernardus Wines: According to their website, you can place your wine order on line and pick it up at the winery or have it shipped to you. The tasting room is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 11:00, 1:00 or 3:00 by reservation only for outdoor seating for 4 or fewer people.  Please email tastingroom@bernardus.com or call 831-298-8021. Check here for more information. 

*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.    

Angel Falls Dark Angel: A Ballard Canyon Syrah-Grenache!

Wines-You-Want-to-Share-with-Friends-Night continues – another one from my June DC wine class – was so nice to taste all these wines in person! The connection for us with this wine is the proprietor David Choi used to own Pearson’s Wine & Spirits in Washington DC – back when it was a real wine shop.  Today’s wine was purchased years ago by a “classmate” at MacArthur Beverages in DC.

Outbreak Wine #395: 2014 Angel Falls Dark Angel Red Wine, Stolpman Vineyard, Ballard Canyon AVA, Santa Barbara, 14.5% ABV, $23 (list $55) 55% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 10% Petite Sirah, 237 cases produced

About Ballard Canyon from www.ballardcanyonava.org: “The Ballard Canyon AVA has been considered the premier wine growing appellation in Santa Barbara County.  The Ballard Canyon AVA also boasts as it is America’s only Syrah Focused Appellation. The Ballard Canyon AVA has also achieved this prestigious recognition and official status, as receiving its very own federally recognized American Viticulture Area.”

About Angel Falls from www.angelfallswines.com: “Angel Falls was founded in 2012, following a dream and a passion to provide you with the highest quality wines from the best regions and appellations around the world. We take pride in the art of crafting distinctive and expressive wines—putting our heart and soul into every ounce, from vineyard to bottle…” They work with 2 regions in France and 2 in Santa Barbara County. One of the key team members is Peter Stolpman!

“…Spending countless hours—in the vineyards, on the road, meeting and establishing relationships with the grape growers, winemakers, luminaries and personalities—has proven to be quite an adventure!”

“…Working with elite winemakers and using the best grapes available around the world has been a dream come true. Our team values the small production approach to making every bottle of wine we handcraft just for you. The wines we produce here at Angel Falls have character. I believe it shouldn’t cost you a fortune to enjoy a really good, high quality wine. That’s why our team will continue to break the mold, providing you with the very best wines at an affordable price, from the most elite winemakers and vineyards from around the world.”

About the 2014 Dark Angel: “Medium-bodied with fresh, bright, rich and juicy flavors. Expressive with excellent structure. Aromatic notes of plums, raspberries, and wild cherries with subtle hints of cola and mocha. Fine elegant tannins with a nice lingering finish.”

 My Review: Inky. Smoke and black berries on the nose. Palate is brighter berry and a touch acidic. June 2021

I don’t see any recent vintages and wonder if Angel Falls Wines is still being produced.  Looks like most of their wines are sold out, but I saw that Bell Wine & Spirits in Washington DC carries a non-vintage Dark Angel Syrah for $20.  I might like to try that one, too!

*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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