Monthly Archive: December 2021

2021 Wrap-up #2: Spanning Arroyo Seco to SLH to Carmel Valley – and a local Napa!

As promised last week, here is my catchup post of 7 Monterey County wines/vintners to close out 2021! I’ve reserved a few “fr emergency posts” and am excited about the winery visits I’ll be starting with in January! If you haven’t signed up to receive my blog by email, do so today – in the bottom right corner of this page!

Before we get started, may I ask, “What are you drinking New Year’s Eve?”  Please share in the comments below. We might be enjoying a Caraccioli Cellars Brut Rose – to be determined!

2013 Chesebro Las Arenas, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, 14.6% ABV, $27 (#564*)

While I didn’t have any photos of the 2013, I hope these 2015 Las Arenas images will do!

I presented the 2016 vintage of this wine back in June.  This is one of the wines I like to present in my East Coast wine classes!

Wine Enthusiast – 90 points: “Black raspberry, blackberry, lavender and pepper show on the deeply purple nose of this blend of 67% Grenache and 33% Syrah. Dense black fruit shows first on the palate, followed by a zesty explosion of acidity, flowery spices and cola.” Matt Kettmann, 12/2016

My Review: Garnet in the glass. Anise and berries on the nose. Berries, cherry and leather on the palate with lingering anise flavors. August 2021

2016 Rombi Petite Sirah, Napa Valley, $75 (#565*)

Sal Rombi had recommended his club members open one of his Petite Sirahs as it was drinking beautifully.  We opened this one by mistake, but it was a very happy mistake! I include this wine here since Sal is one of our local vintners!

My Review: Very dark ruby, almost purple in the glass.  Plum and blueberry on the nose.  Rich on the palate brimming with smooth dark fruits:  blackberry, blueberry, dark cherry and a touch of smoke.  This is fruity yet elegant, smooth and rich, with a little tobacco on the finish.  Very pleased with how these wines have matured! September 2021

2020 Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, 12.3% ABV, $28 (#566*)

From the Bernardus Website: “All our Sauvignon Blanc grapes come from a block specially planted for Bernardus in the Griva Vineyard with the celebrated “Musqué” clone. All our grapes are hand-picked during many successive pickings at various ripeness levels in order to have a broad palette of flavors and acidity levels from which to create our final blend…

“Tasting notes:  Our 2020 Griva bottling shows aromas of lime zest accented by grassy notes. The palate is soft and long, exhibiting crisp fruit flavors with notes of lime and grapefruit. Our 2020 version exhibits a beautiful balance of rich texture and a gently crisp, refreshing acidity.” 10,550 cases produced

My Review: Quite pale in color.  Fresh, tropical notes on the nose – honeysuckle and white nectarine.  Smooth, tropical flavors of papaya and gentle pineapple with bright acidity and a lime zest twist on the finish.  We liked this wine so much that I brought a couple of bottles home – it remains a favorite! October 2021

2018 Bernardus Pinot Noir, Rosella’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $80 (#567*)

From the Bernardus Website: “The Santa Lucia Highlands are known as one of the premier Pinot Noir appellations of the world. One reason for this lofty reputation is Rosella’s Vineyard, one of the finest Pinot and Chardonnay vineyards in California. Gary Franscioni planted his home ranch, named for his lovely wife, in the heart of the Highlands. His home vineyard is planted with a selection of the best available Pinot Noir clones and farmed with unparalleled passion and attention to detail. We at Bernardus are fortunate to have access to three small blocks: 2 planted with clone 777, and the third with the celebrated Pisoni clone.

“Our 2018 Rosella’s Pinot displays gorgeous aromas of ripe red fruits along with notes of cola and toasty oak. The palate is beautifully lush, exhibiting bright ripe red cherry and plum flavors, accented by subtle hints of spice.” 93 points – Vinous. 866 6-packs produced

My Review: Bright ruby in the glass.  Nice mellow cherry and cedar on the nose.  Oak (structured tannins) on the palate – dark cherry and berries (slightly sweet fruit) with leather on the finish.  Very good. October 2021

2018 Boëté Reserve Merlot, Carmel Valley, 14% ABV, $50 (#568*)

During one of our visits to the winery this year, we got to taste this wine – the first time I know of that they bottled a Merlot as a single varietal – it usually is blended in their popular Cheval Rouge.  They weren’t sure they were going to continue to bottle it alone – we encourage them to do so, *if* supply permits! You can find all their available wines here:  https://www.boetewinery.com/

My Review: Purple in the glass.  Rich and juicy in the mouth with some solid dark fruits, blackberry and black currant.  Balanced and very smooth on the finish.  This wine is a big hit.  I just bought more of it!  October 2021

2017 Spring Cabernet Franc, Carmel Valley, 14.34% ABV, $35 (#569*) 86% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon

We opened this wine just after my recent, big post about their amazing wines.

From the Bunter Spring Winery Website: “This wine is from a historic organic vineyard in the hills high above the Carmel River.  The AVA gives a distinct and recognizable character to its fruit, something midway between Napa and Paso Robles- which is exactly where it is! Super ripe red fruit flavors with a whiff of lavender and spice.”  20 months in French and American oak barrels, 50% new.

My Review: Blueberry and blackberry on the nose and palate.  Smooth and perfectly balanced.  I really was impressed by this Cab Franc and hope we can get some more! November 2021

2017 Silvestri Red Ranger Estate Syrah, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $75 (#570*)

I couldn’t find any notes about the 2017 vintage, but I did review the 2018 here: https://decantingmonterey.com/moving-on-inside-for-a-tasting-at-silvestri/.

My Review: Deep purple in color. Dark fruit on the nose. A bit heavy handed dark fruit upon opening with a tobacco finish. Smoother after it opened up, rounding into blackberry and plum with a touch of mint on the dark fruit palate. Some clove on the finish. Paired very well with dark chocolate. I think it is still too young to drink this wine and we should have decanted it. November 2021

2021 Wrap Up #1: from Contra Costa to Santa Maria!

When I reduced my posts to once a week and started hitting the tasting rooms, I didn’t realize how far behind I might get! I’ve decided to present some of these single wines tasted from August to November over the next few weeks to close out 2021.  Today I am presenting 7 of them from outside Monterey County, in the order of tasting date.  Next week I’ll have a collection of Monterey County wines/wineries to close out 2021. Starting in January, I’ll be back to winery tastings with the occasional one-off wines.

PLease share this blog with your family and friends – the more the merrier! If you have not yet subscribed to my weekly blog, you can enter your email at the very bottom right of this page – then confirm it from your email. I promise no selling of your address, just my weekly post delivered straight to you. And I encourage your comments – maybe you know a winery I should check out. Also, feel free to share back what local wines you are enjoying!

2015 Donati The Immigrant, Paicines, San Benito County, 14.5% ABV, $35 (#555*)

From the Donati Family Vineyard Website: “Albino Donati immigrated to the United States from Italy in 1907.  Just like many others who came to America, he arrived with a commitment to create a better life for his family. His hard work, determination, and perserverance have created footsteps for our family to follow for generations.  The creation of “The Immigrant” is in honor of his legacy.”

Wine Enthusiast – 89 points: This bottling is very shy on the nose, offering tight boysenberry and wet gravel aromas with patience. The palate is a bit flat as well, but eventually delivers flavors of baked cherry and baking spice, held together by tense tannins. MATT KETTMANN 12/2018

My Review: Ruby in the glass. Mellow berries on the nose. Very smooth on the palate, nice berries, cedar and mint.  This is one of those super smooth reds I could just keep drinking. I would have given it a much higher score – in the 92-point range. August 2021

2019 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant, Central Coast, 13.5% ABV, $16 (#556*)

Wine class chose the varietal Cinsault, intending a foreign wine.  I found this Bonny Doon wine at Whole Foods in Washington DC.  My notes say I paid $23 for it, but it is generally available for less than that! 

Winemaker’s Notes from the bottle: “In 1954 the mayor of Châteauneuf-du-Pape was quite perturbed and apprehensive that UFOs are flying cigars might do damage to their vineyards. So right thinking man all, they passed a legal ordinance prohibiting such landings. The ordinance has worked well, as there have been no such landings since the adoption of this far sighted legislation. The stellar composition of our cigar Volant call flying cigar” contains 56% Grenache 30% since so 13% Sarah and 1% petite Sirah.”

Wine Enthusiast – 93 points & Best Buy:  A delicate color in the glass, this blend of 56% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 13% Syrah and 1% Petite Sirah pops with bright raspberry, crushed rock, turned earth and lilac aromas on the nose. The palate is tense with rocky edges and yet zesty with pomegranate and strawberry flavors. MATT KETTMANN

My Review: Ruby, somewhat translucent in the glass. A little sulfur on the nose upon opening. Cherry and leather on the palate. Nice on a hot DC evening. August 2021

2017 DeRose Dry Farmed Zinfandel, Cedolini Vineyard, Cienega Valley, San Benito County, 15.1% ABV, $45 (#557*)

I picked up this wine back in 2019 and finally had the chance to try it at home.  You can read more about DeRose from a previous post here:  https://decantingmonterey.com/derose-dry-farmed-vineyards-in-the-cienega-valley/.

My Review: Beautiful ruby in the glass. Berry jam and crab (shellfish) on the nose. Berry pie on the palate – it’s a berry-o-rama in the mouth, chalky, slightly sweet, slightly ripe or cooked, with a peppery finish. September 2021

2016 Lone Madrone Dry Farmed Zinfandel, Bailey Ranch, Adelaida District, Paso Robles, 13.8% ABV, $43 (#558*)

A DC friend (Scott Gudes) brought this wine from his very first wine tasting in Paso Robles! We had it with our dinner at Poppy Hall – very nice. 

From the label: “David Bailey planted this vineyard on the old family property on Peachey Canyon Road.  This is a head pruned, dry farmed vineyard.  This wine is 100% Zinfandel – old time Paso baby! Yeahh! It is all you might expect and then just a wee bit more.”

My Review: Purple in the glass.  Jammy and spicy on the nose.  Juicy and smooth on the palate.  Opened up nicely to dark berries with an even darker, intense fruit finish.  October 2021

2015 Trinitas Old Vines Petite Sirah, Contra Costa County, 16.2% ABV, $36 (#559*)

I love a good Petite Sirah and found this for $18 at Costco!

From the Trinitas Website:  “This is by no means elegant, its rather a massive hulking bruiser of a wine! In fact, this might be the most decadently textured dry red wine we’ve ever made. Which doesn’t surprise us. 2015 was not only the third year of the drought, but also the vines we source from in Contra Costa County are mainly planted in sandy soils, so they are well drained and receive much more heat. Trust us, this all shows in the wine! This deep, dark-purple elixir has skyrocketing aromas of baked blueberries, blackberries, and toasted vanilla. With just one sip, its heavenly texture completely saturates the palate with baked berry cobbler and vanilla bean flavors that are lifted by dusty tannins as it trails off into a very persistent finish. This is so opulent, juicy, and scrumptious, that it’s nearly impossible to resist. Which is probably why Wine Enthusiast awarded it 93 points and Editor’s Choice!”

My Review: Inky in the glass with aromas of smooth dark berries.  Very dark blueberry and blackberry fruit on the palate with cassis and black currant on the finish.  Very smooth.  Great value for the flavor – I would buy this again!October 2021

2017 Turley Zinfandel, Duarte Vineyard, Contra Costa County, 15.3% ABV, $33 (#560*)

From the Turley website: “This wine is an homage to Joe Duarte, a prominent grape grower in Contra Costa who first introduced Turley to the incredible vineyards of the area. The wine is comprised of fruit from the turn-of-the-century Evangehlo, Mori, and Salvador vineyards, planted between 1890 and 1960.Thanks to the sandy soils and impressive age of the vines, the wine has some of the softest, silkiest tannins we’ve ever seen in a Zinfandel.”

My Review: Very dark ruby in color.  Smoke and plum on the nose.  Jammy brambleberry with spice on the palate.  A spicy finish with a touch of tobacco. If you stumble on a Turley Duarte, pick it up – I usually recommend decanting Turley wines. October 2021

2015 The Ojai Vineyard Syrah, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley,13.5% ABV, $45 (#561*)

The Ojai Vineyard Tasting Notes: “Aromas come on with many of the usual suspects from Bien Nacido—cured meat, purple flowers, rock dust—but also a concentrated fruity exuberance that tilts toward liqueur. It drinks with that same balance, coming on with an lavish blanket of dark fruits before gaining pitch and lengthening into a smoky savory beauty, closing out late with those cool-climate notes of herby tapenade, wood smoke and peppery meat crust. The forward feel will have many drink this sooner than later, but for peak rapture age this for several years, at least.” 97 points- Jeb Dunnuck!!

My Review: Berry blast on the nose, followed by some menthol and leather. Super delicious on the palate. Spice on the finish. We followed the Vineyard Aging Recommendations, opening this one before the 2012 Syrah, which is still not ready!  We served this with Thanksgiving leftovers. I loved this wine – probably one of the best Syrahs I have recently consumed. 

*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.    

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Niner Wine Estates: Not “Those” ‘Niners – This is About Farming!

My virtual wine class selected the theme of Paso Robles.  Lucky me, I had picked up this Niner “kitchen sink” wine perhaps at Costco, perhaps at Safeway, sometime back.  Perfect for the occasion. I didn’t know anything about Richard Niner or his wines, so this was a chance to explore and learn!

My classmates presented these Paso Robles wines:

  • 2018 DAOU Pessimist Red Blend, 15.2% ABV, $22 (purchase price was $11), rated 92 points
  • 2015 Pasoport Wine Company Per Caso RHN Blend, 14.3% ABV, $44 ($11 on WTSO)
  • 2012 Ancient Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.1% ABV, $20 (purchased for $15)

About Niner Wine Estates: “We currently farm a total of 240 acres across three different vineyards in Paso Robles and Edna Valley, and make all our wine in our LEED Certified Winery at Heart Hill Vineyard.  We are known for our estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as well as our flagship blend Fog Catcher; however, we grow a wide range of varietals and specialize in small lot bottlings that we allocate primarily to our Wine Club Members.  

“After growing up on a farm in West Virginia, Richard Niner spent his career building small businesses across a wide variety of industries.  One of his business ventures brought him to Paso Robles in the early 1990s and he was immediately drawn to the potential of both the land and the people who lived here.  After a long search, Richard and Pam purchased their first vineyard, Bootjack Ranch, in 2001 and spent the next decade building a tasting room and winery, finding and planting two additional vineyards, and assembling the current team. In 2013 they retired and their son Andy took over the day-to-day management of the business.”

2017 Niner Wine Estates Bootjack Red, Paso Robles, 13.5% ABV, $24 (#552*) 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 13% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Carménère, 4% Syrah, 3% Mourvèdre, 3% Zinfandel

Winemaker Notes from Wine.com: “The goal for the Bootjack Red was to treat each varietal separately using techniques that preserve the best characteristics of each. As a foundation, Cabernet Sauvignon was added for structure, Malbec for a juicy component, Cabernet Franc for fine tannin and length, and Merlot for subtle fruit and finesse. All other varietals in the blend are accent pieces, each adding spice and different fruit characteristics. The barrels selected along with the amount of time spent in barrel brought all of the individual pieces together in a cohesive way.”

My Review: Dark ruby, almost purple in the glass.  Caramel and blackberry on the nose.  Bold up front with smooth blackberry and blueberries on the palate. Intense dark fruit and a touch of ash on the dry, slightly tannic finish.  Balanced, mellow and very drinkable. September 2021                                                                                                                               

You can buy Niner wines online or at their tasting room in Paso Robles by reservation only.  My Wine Pod partners have been there and say it is fabulous – including a restaurant on site – sounds like a great outing!

*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.    

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Coquille Blanc – a Rhône-Style White from Paso Robles!

A September virtual wine class theme was a “white from anywhere in the U.S.”  While some of my good friends had already presented this Carol Shelton wine in the “Monterey South” wine class in August, I reserved the right to taste it myself.  I had the great fortune to share this with my COVID Wine Pod members over Labor Day Weekend.  As Rhône wine lovers, they truly appreciated this white blend from Paso Robles.

I have 2 more Carol Shelton wines to include today: the 2015 and 2017 Peaceland Vineyard Zinfandels from Sonoma County.  During my August stay in DC, I spent time with my former neighbors, who served the 2015 vintage with dinner and we received the 2017 in our Spring 2021 shipment, which we opened after I got back from DC.  Aren’t I lucky!

As we weigh the pros and cons of various wineries we belong to, my husband recently stated, “I hope you didn’t cancel your Carol Shelton membership – her wine is some of the best we are getting.”  I don’t think there is a higher compliment. 

2019 Carol Shelton Coquille Blanc White Rhône-style Blend, Paso Robles, 13.5% ABV, $26 (#549*)      40% Grenache Blanc, 25% Roussanne, 25% Viognier, 10% Marsanne

From the Club Newsletter: “This is the “best yet” vintage of Carol’s all-time favorite wine; it is a “red-drinker’s white,” a complex alternative to the more one-dimensional white varietal wines like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.  *Coquille is pronounced “ko-keel” and it is French for scallop, like the scalloped shells on the Shelton family coat of arms, and now on our sexy new label!

“Best White Rhone, Platinum Medal, 94 pts at BOTH the San Diego Int’l Wine Challenge and the Monterey Int’l Wine competition, plus 91 pts from BOTH Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast!” 1362 cases produced.

Winery Tasting Notes: “Exotic nose of spicy pears and white peaches, almond paste/marzipan,

a touch of honeysuckle perfume. Multi-dimensional (many layers), a hard-to-describe range of aromatics, intriguing, almost mysterious! In the mouth it is crisply dry yet creamy and round and full-bodied, with nice almond paste on crisp-yet-juicy pear fruit.”

My Friend’s Review: Yellow in color.  More minerality on the palate than fruit and a touch acidic on the palate.  Really brings the Paso/Central Coast terroir.  Complex – but not robust. August 2021

My Review: Lemony in the glass.  Honey and grass/hay on the nose.  Minerally and lean, in a good way.  The sweetness of the Viognier shines through in this blend.  My French Rhône lovers liked this wine. September 2021

2015 Carol Shelton Zinfandel Peaceland Vineyard, Fountaingrove District, Sonoma County, 14.8% ABV, $36 (#550*)

About the Peaceland Vineyard: “On a mountaintop in the Mayacamas Range, Peaceland Vineyard sits quietly on 200 acres, with less than 40 acres planted to vines. On the eastern side of the Mayacamas, the vineyard has a cooling influence that allows for a longer growing season than its Napa Valley neighbors. Its higher elevation puts it above the fog but below the frost line, making it the ideal spot to grow grapes. While they grow a variety of vinifera at Peaceland Vineyards, Carol selects the Zinfandel and a tiny bit of Petite Sirah to make a single vineyard designate wine from this amazing vineyard.”

Wine Enthusiast – 90 points: “From a vineyard planted to three clones of the variety, then blended with 12% Petite Sirah, this sees 18 months in oak, a mix of new American and neutral French. It works in its bramble of wild berry and banana, the body softly layered, rich and sumptuously lush.” Virginie Boone, 09/2018

My Review: Inky, ruby in the glass.  Dark berry and mocha-ish on the nose, with some barnyard notes.  Very dark berry, raspberry and plum on the palate.  “Grapey!” August 2021

2017 Carol Shelton Zinfandel Peaceland Vineyard, Fountaingrove District, Sonoma County, 14.8% ABV, $36  (#551*) 88% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah

From the Club Newsletter: “The name of the Peaceland Vineyard cones from the translation of its owners’ German last name – Friedland. Three separate clones of Zinfandel each bring different flavor profiles, spiced up by a dollop of “Pet.” The unique “tall-head” trained vines were planted in a wild fantasia of settings – steep hillsides, amidst groves of bay and live-oak, most with stunning vistas of the city of Santa Rosa far below.  It was this woodsy setting that brought about the near-demise in the Tubbs Fire of 2017, when the vineyard was partially destroyed – we thought that this 2017 would be its very LAST vintage release, but we are uber-excited to announce that it has come back from the fires and we will have a 2019 vintage and more!

“90 Pts Wine Spectator, 2 Gold Medals on brand new release.” 459 cases produced

Carol’s Tasting Notes: “Deep spicy jammy black raspberry, rich chocolatey oak, layers of loveliness!  Juicy razzberry jam in mouth, bright acidity and good structure for aging.  This baby packs everything that Zin should be and much more!”

My Review: Very dark, inky in the glass.  Jam and a hint of smoke on the nose. I don’t have any more notes from this wine and there was none left for a retaste the next day! Carol’s newsletter indicates its aging potential is 10-20 years – clearly, we drank this one too soon! September 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.    

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Parsonage Part 2: Virginia Wine Experts Seek Decanting Monterey’s Advice!

I usually don’t do back-to-back tastings at the same winery, but I had to make an exception.  Doug Beakes, the Chair of the John Marshall Chapter (Northern Virginia) of the American Wine Society (AWS) was in town to bike with friends and wanted to know where they should taste wines. 

(Some history here: Back in the Fall of 2019, I presented Monterey wines to their AWS chapter at Pearmund Cellars in Broad Run, VA.  Doug previously had seen me present our local wines at the Washington Wine & Cheese Seminar.  It was a fun venue – right among the winery’s barrels.  He says I’m invited back; maybe I’ll do it again next fall!)

Back to my story: I always ask people what kind of wines they like so I can recommend the right spots – do they like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (what Monterey is widely known for) – or are they looking for something else?  His answer was BIG REDS – and they only wanted to go to one spot. I decided to take them to Parsonage, even though I had just been there the week before. 

Doug was accompanied by Mike Wassenberg,  his AWS chapter Vice-Chair, and their biking buddy/wine drinking/nice guy friend Mark Svedlund from Sebastopol. We were unexpectedly joined by Bill Parsons, who just happened to be in the tasting room when we dropped by.  It was a warm afternoon in Carmel Valley Village and my companions were a bit wilted from their bike ride. Nice guy Mark fetched cheese and bread and Bill provided colorful narrative to the wines.

Bill Parsons holding court with our Virginia visitors. Alex Lallos from Chesebro Wines joined us at the end.

Today, I am presenting 5 Parsonage wines – 3 from our tasting that day  and 2 library wines from our personal collection which were tasted separately. Last week’s post included combined tasting notes for 3 wines we tasted with this group and our barrel tasting buddies – the 2018 Estate Syrah, the 2018 Rocco and the 2017 Xandro.  We tasted 5 other wines which I have previously presented here – they are not included! Winery notes come from their website and tasting sheet.

I’ve written about Parsonage to in many prior posts and won’t repeat “about them” here (just type “Parsonage” in the search bar to see them all). You can check out their website here:  https://www.parsonagewine.com/.                           

2018 Parsonage Estate Pinot Noir, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $48 (#541*)

Winery Notes: “The nose promises richness with its ripe bing cherries and that rare, fully vine-ripe raspberry that you’d get at a farmer’s market. The bouquet carries a mysterious spice akin to baking spices with a trace of black tea. The red fruit shows up in a big way on the palate – very rich and dense on the long, full, and delicious finish.”

My Review: Beautiful deep ruby in color. Cherry on the nose.  Chewy palate with a touch of acidity.  Darker, richer than a typical Monterey Pinot Noir – we liked it.  October 2021

2014 Parsonage Cyrano Red Wine, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $26 (#542*) Merlot, Syrah blend

My Review: From our cellar: Stunning bouquet.  Very big, jammy cherry-berry nose.  Rich, dark berries on the palate and anise on the finish.  Still drinking well. October 2021

2001 Parsonage Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $125 (#543*)

My Review: From our cellar: Dark ruby in the glass. Rich dark berries in the nose with prune notes (at first, sulfur, which died down to a slight cooked prunes smell.) Big mouthfeel and bursting with blackberry with cola and tobacco flavors. Still something on the finish – like cooked fruit and tobacco. This wine could go another 5 years or so. October 2021

2018 Parsonage Bixby Reserve, Carmel Valley, 15%, $80 (#544*) Petit Verdot/Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

My Review: Wow! Dusty on the nose. Pretty, intense dark fruit – berry and cherry on the palate and milk chocolate on the finish. I become a bigger fan of this wine each year! October 2021

2008 Parsonage “Snosrap” Cyrano Bordelaise Red Wine, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $90 (#545)

My Review: This Bordeaux blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon.  This was the last wine we tasted, so my notes are very weak.  I think Bill said “hoisin sauce.”  This wine was rather tasty and I took a bottle home! We are looking forward to tasting it again soon. October 2021

Parsonage is open for tastings by reservation only every day – click here for the details.  You can obtain their wines directly from the winery here or at their tasting room located at19 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.    

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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