THE STORY – Monterey Catch Up
Time for a short, Monterey Catch Up Post of wines we have enjoyed at home!
THE WINES:
Today I’m bringing you a little Monterey catchup post on 4 wines, 2 new ones and 2 revisits! The Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir we found in our fridge and enjoyed on one of those rare, warm June coastal days. I picked up the Galante Vineyards Merlot at a tasting there long ago – but did not get to sample it until this past winter (amazing what we find hidden in our wine room!). We picked up the Pierce Ranch Vineyards Claret as they were closing their Cannery Row tasting room (they are open at their winery – see below!). Finally, we enjoy re-tasting Carmel Valley wines from the 2016 Soberanes Fire year to see how they are holding up. The Parsonage Tanner Reserve is one which, through creative winemaking, I still don’t detect even a hint of the smoke – it is drinking beautifully.
Winery notes come from their website, newsletters or tasting room. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2022 Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $24 (#1431)
Winery Notes: “If the Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir offers any preview into the quality of the coming wines for a given vintage, rest assured that 2022 will certainly be a vintage to remember. Sporting shades of melon, salmon, and coral that are classic for a Lucy Rosé, this beautiful offering packs unyielding aromatic intensity as it chills and condensates on the sides of the glass. Delicate at first with notes of fresh strawberry and subtle, mineral driven undertones, this wine begins to offer complexities seldom seen in rosé as it opens up in the glass. Plush notes of peach blossom and watermelon waft into the air, as the first sips offer citrus-driven flavors of tangerine and orange peel, backed by tart raspberry and rose petal. Brief but impactful aging in 100% neutral French oak barrels offer an added layer of texture that pairs seamlessly with fresh acidity.”
“The Pisoni Family has always been committed to making exceptional wines, and Lucy allows them to combine this passion with philanthropy. The Pisoni family donates one dollar of each bottle sold to Breast Cancer Research. Since inception, over $200,000 has been raised for this cause.”
My 2024 Review: Pale salmon in the glass. Peach and apricot with strawberry notes on the nose. Kind of tart on the palate like underripe strawberries and raspberries. Refreshing. Complexity is revealed as wine warms in the glass. More than a pool wine. June 2024
2018 Galante Merlot, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $100 (#1432)
Winery Notes “This Wine Gang favorite is EXTREMELY limited – only 50 cases produced – and as you all know, it always sells out quickly. Lush, ripe strawberry and toasted vanilla flavors abound in this classic Merlot.
My Review: Dark garnet in the glass – like a juicy, dark cherry. Dark fruit and a touch of vanilla on the nose. Sweet tart on the palate with an undercurrent of dark berries and plum. Cherry on the finish. March 2024
2016 Pierce Ranch Vineyards Claret, San Antonio Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.8% ABV, $28 (#142)
Winery Notes: “…Benefiting from the region’s high elevation, rocky soils, and wide variation in diurnal temperature, the 2016 vintage is a nuanced, well-balanced wine with an elegant texture, restrained fruit, and a solid tannic structure. Produced on a very limited scale, its components were fermented in small lots and aged in French oak for 18 months. Flavors and aromas of red cherry, black currant, and plum combine with hints of cedar and tobacco leaf.”
My 2024 Review: Cranberry, blackberry, plum and musky herbal on the nose. White pepper, black raspberry and currant with grapefruit notes on the finish. December 2023
My 2020 Review: Raspberry and blackberry on the nose. Raspberry, tart cherry and plum on the palate, with a smooth, licorice finish. This is a very tasty, everyday Claret. May 2020
2016 Parsonage Estate Reserve Tanner Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $80
Winery Notes: “This Cabernet Sauvignon is a burly beast of a wine and the fastest selling vintage we’ve ever made. When folks try it, they buy it. The nose is full of dark fruit with hints of barrel toast. The palate is full of blackberry, black cherry, and tobacco leaf. Nicely integrated tannins and a long finish. We aren’t fancy and like to pair it with a burger.” 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
My 2024 Review: Medium purple in color. Crushed blackberry and cherry and brewed coffee, with a hint of sulfur, on the nose. Melange of berries and spearmint on the plate with a dry, wooden finish with lingering licorice notes. Blind tasting this wine, you wouldn’t know it was from the year of the Soberanes Fire.
My 2020 Review: Glass-coating rich, this wine had a little sulphur and green olive on the nose, followed by umami flavors of pepperoni dipped in a good marinade. Very robust and delicious Cabernet Sauvignon. Little to no detection of smoke taint, despite the 2016 vintage. June 2020
THE TASTING ROOMS – A Monterey Catch Up:
Lucy Wines doesn’t appear to have a tasting room.
Galante Vineyards: Come visit our Wine Tasting Room and Western Emporium in beautiful Carmel-by-the-Sea. Located off Dolores between Ocean and Seventh Ave., Galante Vineyards is proud to be Carmel’s first “Wine Tasting Room”. We cordially invite you and your guests to stop by to say “howdy” and to taste our renowned estate wines.
“Our tasting room is located in Carmel-by-the-Sea off Dolores between Ocean Street and Seventh Ave. We are currently open DAILY for outdoor tastings: Monday-Thursday 12:30-6:30pm, Friday & Saturday 12:00-7:30pm, Sunday 12:00-6:30pm”
Pierce Ranch Vineyards : “We are now hosting regular tasting hours at the winery in Lockwood every Saturday from 12:00 to 4:00 pm…The official winery address is 53527 Bradley-Lockwood Road, Bradley, CA 93426. (We know. Apparently whether or not we’re actually in Lockwood is a matter of interpretation. It might be a quantum thing.) If you need directions or if you have questions, feel free to contact us at tastingroom@piercevineyards.com. We’ll see/observe you there.”
Parsonage: “Carmel Valley Wine Tasting Room: Hooray! We are open for both indoor and outdoor wine tasting daily. Hours: Monday – Friday: noon to 5pm, Saturday & Sunday: 11am to 5pm. Last seating for wine tasting: 4:15pm. Reservations can be made here or by phone. Please call us at 831-659-7322 for same day reservations.”
© Decanting Monterey 2024
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