As K&L Wine MerchantsInsiders, we often get access to wines at special prices. My better half’s approach to wine buying is to hunt for highly rated wines at a discount – or wine otherwise not available. That’s how we acquired today’s wine.
About Jonata: “Dedicated to expressing a range of red—and a handful of white—wines from its estate in the Central Coast of California’s Ballard Canyon appellation within Santa Ynez Valley, Jonata is one of a new breed of producers throughout the world who are thriving with a non-traditional amalgam of varieties and blends. With a commitment in particular to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, and informed by cutting edge viticulture, winemaking and a polyface approach to their estate, the Jonata wines are on the vanguard of an emerging quality movement in California winegrowing.”
THE WINE
Today, I am presenting just 1 Jonata wine. Winery notes come from the label, their tasting sheet or their website, unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone; however, as a general rule, I do not correct any typos from the winery’s website.
2019 Jonata Todos “Everyone” Red Wine Vineyard Blend, Ballard Canyon AVA, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, 14.5% ABV, $50 (#1510) 48% Syrah, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Sirah, 9% Merlot, 2% Sangiovese, 5% Misc. others (white and red)
Winery Notes: “Incense and Nag Champa fragrance. Bidis. Clove and cigar and black and red licorice. Dark and brooding with sweet blackberries, blueberries, cinnamon and baking spice. Black figs. Cracked white pepper. Like 2013 Todos in its power and breadth. Salty and tight today. Spicy and dark. Lovely depth of fruit. Tannins that start to build on the 3/4 pallet and slowly coat the entire mouth. Bundle of fruit wrapped in a formidable package of complex structure. Will reward those who decant and those who give it a few years in the cellar. One of my favorite Todos to date, no doubt.” Matt Dees, Winemaker
Ryan Woodhouse, K&L Buyer: “Every year this wine gives a great insight to the phenomenal wines of Jonata Estate (which just so happens to be the SoCal sister property to Screaming Eagle in Napa). The 2019 Todos is simply spectacular and truly gives the high-end bottling from Jonata a run for their money in every way. Built around a powerful, muscular core of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is masterfully composed to include at least a small amount of everything grown on the estate giving a truly panoramic expression of a given vintage. Jonata’s Matt Dees is well know as one of the most talented winemakers of his generation with many 100-point wines to his name, and a plethora of the best vineyard sites across Santa Barbara County at his disposal. Jonata’s estate in Ballard Canyon is incredible – intricate blocks of vines put down deep roots in the pure sand soils. The fruit from here is immensely concentrated and presents heightened aromatics and fine-grained tannins. The 19 Todos is redolent with woodsy spices, black raspberry, bramble fruit, charred meat with rubbing spices, some redcurrant paste, bay laurel, crushed rock mineral, subtle oak spices frame the complex mélange of spicy, brambly, smokey fruit. Reminiscent of something from the northern Rhone, but with a little more density and hints of singed cedar from the Cabernet. Such a fascinating and layered wine. I’m also certain this wine has 10+ years of positive development, and probably 20+ years of excellent drinking ahead of it. A very serious wine for a very modest price point.”
Wine Enthusiast – 97 points: “Winemaker Matt Dees is considered one of the best winemakers anywhere, and this blend is ample reason to believe the hype. Intense, focused and dry but rich aromas of dark fruit, roasted wood, crushed rocks and wild herb enliven the nose, while the palate is weighty yet expertly tense. Flavors of dried red fruit, peppery spice and milk chocolate float into the finish.” — Matt Kettmann, March 2023
My Review: Inky in the glass. Concord grape, dark plum and red fruit notes on the nose. Brambly, dark fruit on the palate. A bit dark and brooding with a touch – just a touch of sweetness. Very smooth. Easy drinking. We enjoyed this wine. November 2024
“JONATA wine experiences are offered at our sister winery The Hilt Estate in their new tasting room The Barn. The Hilt Estate is a dramatic property located within a 30 minute drive west of JONATA in Santa Barbara County’s Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Located just miles from the Pacific Ocean near the intersection of the historic Highway 1 and Santa Rosa Road, The Barn at The Hilt Estate is ideally situated as the starting or ending point for a Santa Barbara wine trip.
“With wines from two renowned estates—JONATA and The Hilt—The Barn at The Hilt Estate offers one of the most diverse lineups of wine in Santa Barbara County. From highly acclaimed pinot noirs and chardonnays from The Hilt to JONATA’s sought after Bordeaux varietals such as cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and Rhône varietal syrah, there is something for every palate.”
This is the second of a two-part series highlighting my recommendations of standout wineries and wines based on our November visit to Amador County. Today’s post focuses on Turley Wine Cellars, Andis Wines, Deaver Vineyards, and PleinAir Vineyards. I have been a Turley member forever – yet had not visited their Amador winery. Andis showed us that the region is much more than Zinfandel and Barbera. Deaver is one of the oldest vineyards and original wineries boasting exceptional Zinfandels and more. And PleinAir not only focused on Rhône varietals but also had a Central Coast connection!
We started our second day, touring the historic gold mining town of Jackson, shopping at The Biggest Little Kitchen Store (awesome!) and hunting down the original courthouse building (art deco!) before heading to the wineries. We again were able to drop in on the wineries without reservations – because it was mid-November. Reservations would otherwise be highly recommended!
Today I am bringing you 9 wines from our second day of tasting in Amador County. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a matter of practice, I do not correct any typo’s from winery websites. Let’s go!!
About Turley: “Turley Wine Cellars was founded in Napa Valley by former emergency room physician Larry Turley in 1993. Under the direction of winemaker Tegan Passalacqua, Turley now makes 50 different wines from over 50 vineyards across California, primarily Zinfandel and Petite Syrah, with many vines dating back to the late 1800s. By farming organically and focusing on old vine vineyards of these varieties, Turley aims to both create and preserve California’s unique winemaking culture.”
As a longtime member of Turley, I’ve written about their wines many times, including a visit to their Paso Robles Tasting Room in 2023. Just type “Turley” into the search bar on the Decanting Monterey website. The “Whitney Tennessee” was tasted at the Amador Tasting Room. The “Dusi” came from our home collection and was served with our Thanksgiving turkey! Everyone else drank a nice Burgundy. I prefer a Turley!
2022 Turley Whitney Tennessee Zinfandel, Alexander Valley AVA, Sonoma County (#1501)
Winery Notes: “This small, estate-owned, pre-Prohibition vineyard in Sonoma County was purchased by the winery in 2009, and we’ve since converted all to organic farming. Planted on loam and various gravel soils, the Whitney Tennessee vineyard—named for one of Larry’s four daughters—is a mixed planting as well, with small amounts of Petite Syrah and Carignane vines sprinkled throughout.
“Organically farmed pre-Prohibition vines planted head-trained and dry-farmed in the loam & gravel of Sonoma County. Garrigue, red and dark fruits, herbs de Provence and dried flowers. Some savory sweetness with a spiced finish on makes this heady wine easy to enjoy.”
My Review: Warm jam on the nose. SweetTart on the palate. Quite a contrast. Give this one a couple of years in the bottle – it will be terrific. November 2024
2020 Turley Zinfandel, Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles AVA, San Luis Obispo County, $43 (#1502)
Winery Notes: “The Dusi vineyard was planted by Dante Dusi in 1945 and it is farmed by his family to this day. The vines are head-trained and dry-farmed, planted in soil that is mostly alluvial with some very large rocks. Like our other vineyards in the area, Dusi is on the west side of Paso Robles, in the cool Templeton Gap sub-AVA.
“The darker, more hedonistic cousin to the Pesenti Zinfandel, with plenty of fruits that run the full gamut from berry to stone and everything in between. Supple, juicy, and mouthwatering on the palate with a mineral zip. Drink now.”
My Review: Earth and crushed strawberries on the nose. Sweet palate of dark berry wine and cassis. This is a Sharon kind of wine. November 2024
We noticed the sleek and modern Andis Tasting Room right off the main Shenandoah Road and decided to stop in. We caught them in the middle of a member pickup party with light food pairings with the tastings. It was a walking tour of the winery, with different stations in different parts, including local small businesses showing their wares. All in all, a fun experience. Here we tried both Bordeaux and Rhône varietals. For a moment, based on the wines alone, I felt like I was back in Monterey!
About Andis Wines: “…As an avid wine enthusiast and Napa frequenter, to discover such a secretive wine region inspired founder, Janis Akuna. It gave her a vision to share a different kind of experience with other wine enthusiasts. But even more than that, it was the rural wine region of Amador County that struck her the most; reminiscent of the early days of Napa she so dearly missed.
“In 2009, Janis and her husband, Andy Friedlander, found their own stretch of land to replant portions of the vineyard originally planted in the 1970s, while seeking out the highest quality vineyards to buy additional fruit. Working closely with Sage Architecture and Sunseri Construction, they built a state of the art winemaking facility with two tenets; design a sustainable winery to produce world class wines that is attractive, but different from all others…” I encourage you to click the “About” link above for much more to their story.
2021 Painted Fields Curse of Knowledge, Sierra Foothills AVA, Amador County, 14.5% ABV, $33 (#1503) 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot
Winery Notes: “Curse of Knowledge is our Cabernet Sauvignon made in the Bordeaux style by carefully blending Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and a hint of Petit Verdot. We aim to showcase a new dimension of flawlessly balanced, well-structured, and quality wine that will shift people’s views of the Sierra Foothills. You’ll be captivated by the intense ruby color and the sensational bouquet of dried violet, black cherry, fresh herbs, and cocoa powder. The velvety tannins create a generous and round, balanced mid-palate, with a lingering finish of dark berries and black licorice. Enjoy it now to taste the brightness of our fruits, or age it in your cellar for the next decade.”
My Notes: There was a lot going on in the room where these big reds were tasted, so my notes are lacking. The curse is people only think of Zinfandel and Barbera when they think of Amador. I was impressed enough to take one of these wines home. November 2024
2021 Andis Petite Sirah, Sierra Foothills AVA, Amador County, 14.5% ABV, $40 (#1504)
Winery Notes: “Andis Petite Sirah, sourced from the best vineyards across the Sierra Foothills, is a true expression of a robust, full-bodied, and firmly tannic wine with deep dark color, giving it a rustic appeal. Expect aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and black pepper, along with notes of vanilla from oak aging.
It offers an extraordinary concentration that will serve it well as it ages.”
My Review: Purple in the glass and chocolate on the palate. Yum. I took one home. November 2024
Deaver is one of the original, old-school wineries in the region. They have been around since the 1850’s. They have 350 acres planted to mostly Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, with some Alicante Bouchet. Their basic tasting menu is free! We, of course, opted for their Zinfandel tasting for a whopping $10! Here we tried several fantastic Zinfandels and ended up buying a case of wine!
About Deaver Vineyards: “In 1848 young John James Davis began his journey across the plains to California from Ripley County, Indiana. In the midst of his journey, he stopped in Iowa to learn the cooper trade before continuing his journey to California. By 1852, John James had completed his journey and settled in Placerville. The first few years that John James (known as JJ) was in California were marked by mining and the promise of gold and cooperage. In 1854, JJ planted his first vines, Mission grapes. By 1869 he had his own cooper shop, own vineyards, produced limited quantities of wine – marking some of the first documentation of Davis grapes in the area. According to family stories, by 1870 JJ had 117 acres; 6 acres of his original Mission grapes still remain in production in the Deaver family today. Following the advice of his good friend Uhlinger, he began to plant Zinfandel….”
“…In 1968 Sutter Home purchased several tons of Zinfandel grapes from Ken Deaver and made a wine that caught the eye of many wine enthusiasts. This marked the beginning of selling grapes to commercial wineries.
“In 1986, Ken Deaver bottled his first Zinfandel with the trademark Deaver label. Following this bottling, Ken began his dream of opening a Tasting Room where guests would be able to taste the fruits of his labor. On January 18, 1989 Ken Deaver passed away due to a heart attack. Though Ken was gone, his dream continued to persevere and the tasting room opened in 1990…” You can read their whole history here.
2019 Deaver Henry’s House Zinfandel, Amador County, 15.4% ABV, $35 (#1505)
Winery Notes: “A tasting room favorite! Medium-bodied with a deep rich palate of spice and dark berries with a silky smooth finish…This solid and well-stated Zin is full with manageable tannins and ample fruit working to buffer its minor finishing heat. It is built to last but is still very nice with braises and stews.”
My Review: All of their Zins were quite impressive but notetaking was minimal. This wine was dark in the glass and elicited a “wow” from me. November 2024
2019 Deaver Signature Zinfandel, Amador County, 15% ABV, $35 (#1506)
Winery Notes: “Ample, well-extracted, fully ripe, blackberry fruit is teamed with a savory streak of dried herbs in both the aromas and flavors of this substantial and somewhat sinewy young Zin, and, while most definitely a hearty wine, just as all of the Deaver bottlings, it is solidly structured and built for age. It is a bit ragged at the finish just now, but its fruit persists and does not get pushed aside by excessive tannin or heat, and a little more time, say three or four years, will see it round into fine drinking shape as a partner to rich and well-seasoned fare.”
My Review: Made from the top 4-5 barrels another “wow” wine – this one is very rich. I just hope we can resist opening it for the recommended timeframe. November 2024
2019 Deaver Vineyards Circa 1860’s Old Vine Zinfandel, Amador County, 15.1% ABV, $55 (#1507)
I don’t have winery notes for this wine – perhaps it is a club-only selection. I presented it to my virtual wine group in December.
My Notes: Medium purple in color. Rich plum and blackberry on the nose with saddle leather, cinnamon and a hint of bubblegum. Full palate of ripe plum and dark berries and black cherry in an elegant composure, followed by tart berries and a lot of cassis. This is not bombastic, but a true reflection of its old vines’ heritage. December 2024
We had never heard of PleinAir Vineyards – but it was highly recommended by one of the wineries hosting the Rest hotel’s daily wine tastings. We drove over to Fiddletown and stumbled upon a French farmhouse surrounded by vineyards and quite the crowd in their tasting room. I, of course, presented my Decanting Monterey business card, which led to a whole conversation with owners Tom and Sarah Malone. As you can read on their website, they previously lived in Pebble Beach and, before that, Pacific Grove – in a house on our own street! Such a small world.
About PleinAir Vineyards: “We are a creative couple who honed our style renovating homes over our 40 year history together and we bring our own skill set to any project we undertake. While I focus on the overall design and creative direction, Tom specializes in all aspects of construction, development and is equally skilled in handling almost any DIY task required. While nearing completion on our last project in Pebble Beach, we turned our sites toward the Sierra Foothills and Amador’s wine valley. We bought 21.5 acres with a tiny home in dire need of renovation which had room to plant vineyards and build a winery and tasting venue. We thought it was the perfect opportunity to expand our knack for creating casual environments with touches of European charm into a business influenced by the romance of rolling vineyards and quaint wine tasting venues. PleinAir is truly a reflection of all the things we love – we call it “casual rustic elegance” and we look forward to sharing our wines and our venue with you!”
“Our estate vineyards are located in the Fiddletown AVA (American Viticultural Area) in Amador County, CA. The region was first settled in 1849 during the California gold rush and is known for its old growth Zinfandel and other Rhone varietals. The property sits between 1850 and 1950 feet elevation on 21.5 acres of rolling slopes. The soils are well drained sandy loams and decomposed granite. We currently have Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre, Petite Sirah and Viognier planted.” Yep, no Zinfandel or Barbera planted here!
Winery Notes: “Dark ruby in color, our 2023 Oblique captures the personality of our Estate Grenache- effusive red plum, grenadine, and cranberries. The decidedly opulent and voluminous palate remains elegant and lively. Completely dry of sugar, the mid palate boasts a round and supple feel, derived from our vineyard focused approach. No fining or filtration!”
My Notes: I have only had a rose saignée previously, not a red wine. This may have been the best Grenache I have ever tasted due to the unique winemaking method – a nice, dry wine with excellent flavor. November 2024
2021 PleinAir Syrah, Fiddletown AVA, Amador County, $44 (#1509)
Winery Notes: “From our estate marked by its sandy loam and decomposed granite soils nested with gently rolling slopes, our Syrah boasts aromas of boysenberry, graphite and smoked charcuterie with a rich and dense palate that reinforces briar berries and black spice” GOLD MEDAL 2024 FOOTHILL WINE FEST
My Notes: This wine was a keeper – big, dark fruit. It was the last wine of the day. Sorry I don’t have better notes. November 2024
THE TASTING ROOMS
Due to the length of today’s post, please check each winery’s website for details on how to taste their wines.
A beautiful Amador sunset leaving PleinAir Vineyards!
(Seeing this on Instagram? Click the link in my profile to read the whole story)
THE STORY
I was eating my lunch at the kitchen table, reading the Carmel Pine Cone, as I typically do. I opened the January 10th edition to the real estate section and found this ad on page 42:
It’s an ad for a Bernardus Vineyard consisting of “32-acres of vines comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Petite Syrah and Merlot.The wines produced from the vineyard are consistently awarded 90+ scores for their quality and structure that will age.”
I just about fell out of my chair and immediately called out to my husband. This sounded like Bernardus’ Marinus Vineyard – from which their founder Ben Pon fulfilled his dream to make a Bordeaux-style wine right here in Carmel Valley (in Monterey County). I was devastated to read this news, as the Marinus and Marinus Signature blends made from these grapes, are my favorite Bernarduswines. We have been long-time members of their Marinus club and have enjoyed their Marinus dinners over the past few years – my favorite event of the year.
At the most recent such dinner in 2024, which I wrote about in this post 2024 Bernardus Marinus Dinner – Nothing Short of Spectacular!, we heard for the first time the full, colorful history of the founding of this vineyard and the beginnings of the winery. It is quite a moving story. Knowing this news now and looking back on that dinner, I can see why the telling of those stories was so emotional for the winery staff as well. This must have been a difficult decision to make.
The Bernardus Marinus wines are quality, age-worthy wines. I fear this marks the end of an era, but perhaps it is simply an expression of the trends in consumption and maybe even climate. After all, even though we might feel like these wineries are providing us a service and we may be way too attached to wines from certain vineyards, winemaking at the end of the day is a business and wineries must follow the trends and the fruit to achieve their bottom lines.
THE SIGNS WERE THERE
We knew something was up when tons of the 2017 Marinus showed up at Costco for a fraction of their retail price (we bought as much as we could). In addition, at the Marinus dinner, there was talk about no longer making a separate Marinus Bordeaux-style blend and just making the higher end Signature. Now I understand why. Bernarduswill still make a high-quality reserve Bordeaux-style blend, just not from that vineyard. But from where? What fruit will match the quality and historical significance of their own estate vineyard?
And, while Bernardus was a key, early player in the Carmel Valley AVA, it is widely known for its “Monterey County” wines available nation-wide and its reputation has been soaring with its high-quality vineyard-designate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands. I have written about all their wines many times. You can find those posts by typing “Bernardus” in the Decanting Monterey search bar. Those varietals are what Monterey County is more broadly known for.
Bernardus’ Vineyard-designate Trio of Pinot Noirs
I want to say up front in this post that I’m telling you this story off the top of my head – any errors are mine and mine alone – and do let me know if corrections need to be made.
THINGS THEY BE A-CHANGING
We’ve seen so much change in our Monterey wineries and vineyards. Often it is because the original owners have aged out or passed away and their heirs don’t want to continue to produce wine. It’s sad. Because many of these vintners were the founders of winemaking in this region. We have seen Talbott and Hahn labels and winemaking taken over by Gallo Wines. We saw Galante, which still produces wines, sell its vineyards and winery to newcomer Tira Nanza, who shows great promise. We saw Joullian close and be put up for sale. The Massa Estate is also for sale – the Durney legacy vineyards of some of the most prized Cabernet Sauvignon fruit in Carmel Valley/Cachagua. Pierce Ranch Vineyardsdown in San Antonio Valley AVA closed its tasting room in 2023 and decided to focus on selling its fruit. And the Boekenoogen family recently chose to stop wine production, with Santa Lucia Highlands locals McIntyre Vineyardstaking over its tasting room and inventory. And Manzonihas kept their vineyard, while selling its tasting room and winemaking to younger players. So much change. Most recently, and last I heard, we’ve seen a merger of newer players Seabold Cellars into San Benito’s Eden Rift.
Maintaining a quality vineyard is a hard job, with the threats of fire and drought around the corner. In some of our conversations with vineyard owners, they have no interest in bottling their own juice, as it means lots of road time to market their product. Our Monterey Countygrapes are much sought after by wineries outside of Monterey County. Having the Santa Lucia Highlands designation on a bottle means something. Carmel Valley is less widely known, but remains my favorite AVA within Monterey (oops, I’m not supposed to have favorites).
And then there is the overall downturn in wine consumption and climate change, affecting wineries across the globe. Some vineyards are ripping out grapes or have left their fruit to rot on the vines. We are at a critical juncture. As one local vintner put it, it’s the “ebb and flow” of the business.
NOW WHAT?
My first reaction about the sale of the Bernardus Marinus Vineyard was pure incredulity. I kind of took it personally. I did communicate with the winery and I know what a tough decision this was for them. I know they will do their best to continue to produce a high-quality Bourdeaux-style blend to keep their consumers like me happy. I personally hope they can find the fruit from the Carmel Valley AVA, but I might be asking for too much.
Then I started to have crazy thoughts – like how we could pull together a consortium of wine aficionados/investors and vineyard/winemaking experts to purchase this prize property. It’s fun to think about, but that’s a long stretch. It would be WORK. And I’ve already got a good gig – I’m retired. And as my good friend and Decanting Monterey Wine Pod member says, “The best way to make a small fortune (in winemaking) is to start with a large fortune.” Nope, I checked…I don’t have one.
So, all I am left with is hope. Hope that someone who cares about those quality grapevines will buy the vineyard and help preserve Ben Pon’s legacy of making a quality Bordeaux-style blend from Carmel Valley.
That’s my think piece for today. I’ve gotten over myself. Not a single wine review in today’s post. See, anything is possible.
Heather Rammel and Jim McCabe of Bernardus Wine
Let’s all raise a toast to the Marinus Vineyard and Ben Pon’s legacy!
We don’t get off the Monterey Peninsula very often, but we were able to tag a weekend in the Shenandoah Valley area of Amador County onto a rare trip up north. I’m a Zinfandel girl at heart, so it was fun to get back to my wine loving roots. I had never visited the Sierra Foothills wineries, so everything was a first for me. We were able to spend 2 days wine tasting – and I am so glad we did!
The hills were very dry in Shenandoah Valley and the road to get there was narrow and windy. It didn’t look like anyplace I had been before. We are talking rural. We blew right past Plymouth in the blink of an eye. And suddenly we found our first winery! We were able to visit each of the wineries without a reservation (it was mid-November, after all) and were please by the affordability of the tasting fees – in some places there was no tasting fee at all!
Lots of grapes were left hanging in this region due to lower demand.
We stayed in tiny Plymouth at the lovely boutique Rest hotel (highly recommended) and had our first night’s meal at Taste, a first-rate experience across the board.
This is going to be a two-part series highlighting my recommendations of standout wineries and wines based on our visit. Today’s post focuses on Villa Toscano, Cooper Vineyards and Scott Harvey Wines. I’d like to share with you some of our experiences on our first day visiting. We did not make it to all the wineries recommended to us. I’m going to focus on the highlights to keep this as short and sweet as possible.
THE SIERRA FOOTHILLS WINE REGION
Let’s start at the top with a history of the Sierra Foothills Wine Region from this Wine Enthusiast article:
“The region’s wine industry dates back to the Gold Rush when, in the mid 1800s, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world arrived searching for riches. Some looked for gold and others, like businessmen Levi Strauss, Domingo Ghirardelli and Henry Wells and William G. Fargo, serviced those looking for gold. Southern European settlers, mainly from Italy, first began planting grapevines in the area. The region’s diverse soils proved ideal for growing grapes. The wine industry soon took off thanks to a population boom and by the early 1900s, the Sierra Foothills had become a major producer for California.
“Unfortunately, Prohibition dealt a severe blow to business. But vineyards were merely abandoned instead of being ripped out entirely. In the 1970s, winemakers began to discover the many old vines still producing high-quality grapes and saw potential in the Sierra Foothills. In 1987, The Sierra Foothills American Viticulture Area (AVA), with its six sub-zones of California Shenandoah Valley, Amador County, El Dorado, Fair Play, Fiddletown and North Yuba, was officially established. Today, the region has more than 200 wineries.”
ABOUT AMADOR COUNTY WINEGROWING REGIONS
We didn’t know much about Amador County wines, so relied on this Amador Vintners website plus recommendations from friends and wine ratings to pick our stops. Our experience spanned some of the oldest wineries in the region to some of the newest. Most of the wineries we visited were in the Shenandoah Valley AVA, known for its Zinfandel and Barbera wines, but it is much more than that. At the recommendation of the hotel’s happy hour winery, we also drove over to Fiddletown to check out a newer winery focusing on Rhône varietals. That will be in next week’s post!
From Amador Vintners: “Amador Wine Country: Relaxed and Unpretentious. With a stunning setting in the Sierra Foothills that delivers an authentic wine country experience. Exactly how you remember California’s wine country used to be. The 50+ wineries comprising the Amador Vintners Association are dedicated to producing premium-quality wines that offer distinctive regional character. This character can also be seen in each winery’s genuine brand of hospitality!”
THE WINERIES & WINES
I have 6 wines to present to you today from Villa Toscano, Cooper Vineyards and Scott Harvey Wines. Winery notes are from their websites, tasting sheets, or conversations with staff. I would like to add an honorable mention to the 2022 Jeff Runquist Tempranillo, $32 (#1496) – My Notes: Beautiful dark color in the glass. Balanced, big bold flavors with cassis on the finish. This was our favorite by far at this winery.
Our first stop was Villa Toscano – mostly because it boasted lunch at its Bistro and was a good place to rendezvous with our friends. It’s older architecture in a Tuscan style, reminiscent of times gone by. We got their first and made a bee line to their Tasting Room, where the staff helped us hone in on a few of the best reds. We were pleasantly surprised. It was also the first place we encountered a White Barbera!
The 2023 White Barbera was a little zippy and a fun wine!
There are so many wines to explore here (the image above is only their reds!) and it is worthy of a future visit, when we can spend more than 10 minutes in the tasting room! Here are a couple of the wines we liked so much that we took them home!
2020 Villa Toscano Gold Rush Old Vine Zinfandel, Shenandoah Valley AVA, Amador County, 15.7% ABV, $45 (#1494)
Winery Notes: “Blackberry, mulberry with bold acidity. Notes of leather and black currant.”
My Review: Cinnamon and cherry on the nose. Lingering palate of jammy, dark fruit. That is a mouthful. A Sharon kind of wine. We took a 2019 and a 2020 home. November 2024
2020 Bella Piazza Montepulciano, Shenandoah Valley AVA, Amador County, $38 (#1495)
Winery Notes for the 2019 Vintage: “Dark berry and red plum aromas with subtle notes of violet and dried herbs.”
My Review: I don’t have detailed tasting notes on this wine. The nose had some sweetness to it – in a good way, followed by a velvety palate of bold flavors. We took 2 home. November 2024
When we walked into Cooper Vineyard’s bustling tasting room, we immediately felt the down-to-earth cowboy vibe. The friendly staff walked us through each wine and several made my list. Alas, I only managed to take one home.
About Cooper Vineyards: “Since the 1970s, the Cooper Family’s mission has been to produce the highest quality fruit and present it to you in exquisite single varietal wines and beautifully balanced blends. Beginning with Barbera, Dick Cooper, family patriarch, carefully tended rolling vineyards that now boast seventeen varietals…Today our premium grapes are producing award-winning wines characterized by rich flavors and lush aromas with subtle fruitiness, balanced tannins, layered complexities, and smooth, lingering finishes.”
2021 Cooper Vineyards Barbera Riserva, Amador County, $47 (#1497)
Winery Notes: “With its perfect marriage of floral and fruity aromas, our 2021 Barbera Riserva wraps itself around you like a big hug. Caramel, apple, leather and cloves on the nose deliver pure joy and pleasure in each and every sip. A subtle spice and heat (could it be red pepper?) merge with a suggestion of raspberry to bring you a finish that is super smooth, dark and rich. A labor of love, this Riserva is barrel select and aged 34 months in 100% New American Oak. Awesome with Drunken Steak with Shitake Mushrooms.”
My Review: Dark fruit/prune and vanilla on the nose. Big dark fruit on the front palate and a lot of sweet on the finish jammy. Good balance of some sweet and tart. Perhaps our favorite Barbera of the day. November 2024
2021 Cooper Vineyards Mourvèdre, Amador County, $32 (#1498)
Winery Notes: Known by many names, Mourvedre is thought to have originated in Spain but is best known as a Rhone varietal. Historically used as a blending grape, Mourvèdre arrived in California in the 1860’s. Our 2021 single varietal Mourvèdre is not for the faint of heart with unique and captivating aromas of toffee and leather, and whispers of sandalwood – earthy, woody, sweet, spicy. This complex wine presents with warm and rich flavors of espresso, oaked vanilla and smokiness. Think stews, braises and other rich and hearty dishes as perfect food pairings.
My Review: Coffee with a hint of smoke on the nose. This wine presents as a classic Mourvèdre. Herbal, dark and brooding and quite tasty. November 2024
Cooper Vineyards Ranch Red, Amador County, 14.5% ABV, $32 (#1499)
Winery Notes: “This innovative blend of Alicante Bouchet (38%), Carignane (25%), Charbono (25%) and Barbera (12%), all 2021 vintages, is rustic yet exotic. Scents of cherry, cola, clove, cinnamon, leather, pepper and sandalwood precede flavors of warm spice, black fruits and the umami characteristics of smoked meat. Soft tannins, balanced acidity and a juicy finish will have you exclaiming…a triumph, Mike Roser, another triumph”
My Review: Bright notes dance on your palate in this everyday red. We took one home. November 2024
We finished our day with a very quick stop at Scott Harvey. The impressive wines are definitely worthy of a revisit and more time to explore the whole collection – with a fresh palate.
About Scott Harvey: I encourage you to click this link and read the whole, beautiful story of Scott Harvey “Where Passion Meets Heritage”
“At the heart of our winemaking journey lies a story of love, heritage, and an unyielding passion for creating exceptional wines. It all began in the picturesque vineyards of Amador County, where Scott, our founder, grew up savoring the rich flavors of his step-grandfather’s homemade wine, crafted from the very grapes that adorned their family estate…With winemaking coursing through his veins, Scott returned to the Sierras, determined to elevate Amador County to a world-class wine region.
“Tirelessly pioneering the area’s potential, he immersed himself in various wineries, honing his craft, until destiny beckoned him to Napa Valley, a mecca for any winemaker. Scott’s winemaking mentor had just bought a small winery in Napa and needed a winemaker for the project. Dr. Richard Peterson asked Scott to make it a takeover candidate by a bigger winery. Scott went to work and created Menage a Trois which did the job. But despite the allure of Napa, his heart remained steadfast in Amador. The turning point arrived when the Napa winery he worked at was sold, presenting Scott with the golden opportunity to reclaim his dream.”
2021 Scott Harvey Vineyard 1869 Zinfandel, Amador County, 14.9% ABV, $75 (#1500)
Winery Notes: “Briary varietal layered Zinfandel, dark color, marjoram spice, bright cherry, tomato, white pepper, medium French oak, luscious center, layered complexity. Old Vine complexity and first growth quality.” “Crafted from the oldest documented Zinfandel vines in the U.S., delivering a piece of history in every sip. ALMOST SOLD OUT!” 90% Zinfandel, 10% Primitivo
My Review: Dark jammy nose. Finished with orange peel. As the last wines of the day, I did not capture thorough tasting notes. We took some home, so I will update this upon a revisit. November 2024
THE TASTING ROOMS
Due to the length of today’s post, please check each winery’s website for details on when and where to taste their wines.
I hope you had a great New Year’s celebration with some of your favorite wines. Today’s kick off of 2025 continues with another one of our local favorites.
Quite often we play the Mystery Wine game amongst the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod. We blind taste a wine, guess which continent it is from; then which country or wine region it is from, the varietal, the winery and sometimes even the year. I’m not very good at this game, but it challenges our collective wine knowledge and just makes things a bit more fun.
Last fall, we played such a game and I got it all wrong. It was a big, juicy wine which I guessed was from Napa Valley. I guessed it was a red blend. I would have never guessed that the wine was the Chesebro2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from our own Carmel Valley AVA!
I’m bringing you this wine again because of the power of blind tasting a wine – let’s see how my previous review and this one compare! And long ago, I promised to share my thoughts on the 2017 La Grava Merlot. Welcome to tpoday’s post!
THE WINES
Today, I am presenting 2 Chesebro wines. I last presented their wines to you in August 2024 here: Chesebro New Releases: the 2023 Whites Are Available Now! Winery notes come from the label, their tasting sheet or their website, unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone; however, as a general rule, I do not correct any typos from the winery’s website.
2018 Chesebro Cabernet Sauvignon, Chaparral Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $48 (#1416)
Winery Notes: “Many people don’t know that Chesebro Winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon because generally it is not released to the public. This is a real treat for you fans of our heavy reds. From the highest elevation (2400ft) vineyard in Carmel Valley. Chapparal Vineyard is dry farmed and gives a very small yield of less than 2 tons per acre, which means the wine is bursting with flavor, color and aromatics. Aged for 22 months in French Oak. Upon first glance this Cabernet shows a deep dark mahogany core. Soaring aromatics (both savory and fruity) emerge from the glass with dark currants on the nose complimented by fresh tobacco, cedar, sage, cassis and of course chapparal. Wondeful balance, chalky minerality and fine grained tannins. Fruit forward and charming yet densely structured – This has it all but there are only 50 cases made so get it while you can.”
My Original Review: The spicy nose is followed by a tasty palate of dark cherry and berries. It is drinking well now. Can cellar a couple of years. Another vintage (2019) is coming! We took some home. June 2024
My Mystery Game Review: Inky in the glass. Smells like a Sharon kind of big red with jammy dark cherry and black pepper notes. A New World wine, for sure. Woah – a super delicious palate with tart/bright crushed berries on the front with a jammy finish of intense berries, cassis and alcohol. I guessed this could come from Napa Valley, but I did not guess it was a Cabernet Sauvignon and I did not guess whose. This is one hell of a wine. October 2024
2017 Chesebro La Grava, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV (#1493)
Winery Notes: “La Grava is our Bordeaux inspired Merlot-based blend that pays homage to the gravelly soils of Cedar Lane Vineyard.” (from the label)
My Review: Garlic, red cherry, raspberry, cedar and mild green pepper on the nose. Palate of medium red and black fruits with a tart finish. Paired well with Trader Joe’s Organic Cacio e Pepe Puffs. December 2024
THE TASTING ROOM
Published with permission from the Chesebro Facebook page
“Come Raise a Glass with Us! We are located at 19D East Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village.”
“We are now open for tasting on Friday through Sunday from noon until 5 PM and by apointment on other days. Due to our limited capacity please make an appointment on all days so that we may better serve you. Appointments can either be set up through this page…or by contacting Alex directly at Alex@chesebrowines.com or 831-238-2618. Due to our remote location, appointments are not available for the winery itself….”
A few weeks ago, Jana Saunders ofBoëté Winery sent members an email announcing their new tasting room location. I was very happy to receive this news, as we’ve been enjoying their wines almost as long as those from their estate neighbor, Parsonage. In fact, long ago (about 20 years ago?), they shared the same tasting room space in the Wagon Wheel Shopping Center off Carmel Valley Road. Yes, that’s how long I’ve known their wines. We became instant fans of their Cabernet Franc and their reserve wines. Once they closed that location, we trekked up to their winery a few times to taste and pick up our wines, but just as often, especially in the pandemic, we waited for home delivery. But, I digress.
In December, Jana and John Saunders’ sons Dillon and Jesse opened The Barrel Room at 5 Del Fino Place in Carmel Valley Village, the former location of the Village Wine & Tap Room. While primarily a sports bar featuring beers and local wines, they are offering Boëté wine tasting from 12-5 daily for $30. The tasting includes their current releases and reserve wines. We even got to taste a new Cabernet Sauvignon their sons created!
Today I am presenting 4 wines for the first time in this blog. Winery tasting notes come from their website, the tasting sheet, or conversations with the tasting room staff. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a matter of practice, I do not correct typos from winery websites. I had previously written up the 2017 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – it is drinking extremely well – that is a must buy wine!
2019 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $54 (#1489)
My Review: Mocha and warmth (sweet and smoky like the comfort of a campfire) on the nose. Delicious palate of purple fruits – boysenberry and blueberry. I liked this wine. December 2024
2018 Boëté Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $52 (#1490)
My Review: Ripe on the nose, finishing with stewed fruit. So soft on the palate with a full fruit finish. Was opened the day before, so it had the opportunity to fully open up. December 2024
2019 Boëté Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $54 (#1491)
Winery Notes: New release.
My Review: Marshmallow, brown sugar, vanilla maybe camelia blossom (all in a good way), dark plum and subtle sweet tart on the nose. Palate is bright with red fruits including bing cherry and an herbaceous note in the finish. This is dang delicious. 😋
2022 “Saunders Brothers” Cabernet Sauvignon, Dorcich Family Vineyard, Santa Clara Valley AVA, Santa Clara County, $30 (#1492)
Winery Notes: Made by sons Dillon and Jesse, this wine will be sold only in the tasting room and will serve as one of their house wines. Expecting a label soon.
My Review: Beautiful nose of primarily red fruits, followed by a delicious palate. Very drinkable now. These young men know a thing or two about wine! December 2024
THE TASTING ROOM
You can taste and purchase Boëté wines at The Barrel Room every day, 12-5 p.m. 5 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley Village.
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