Bernardus has one of the nicest tasting rooms in the valley – we would always stop in to taste their wines and see what was on sale. They kept telling us we should join their club, but we are very specific in the wines we like to buy. One day, I realized they had a “Marinus only” club and we joined immediately. In addition to lovely allocations of Marinus wines, we have reaped many benefits from private tastings to winemaker dinners since we joined. I exposed you to their wines back in July: Bernardus 2010 Marinus and Parrot Ranch 2005. Let’s dig a little deeper into the Marinus wines, among the very finest wine from Carmel Valley.
About Bernardus Vineyards & Winery: “The focus of Bernardus is to create wines that flatter the palate and stimulate the imagination. Founder Ben Pon appreciated wine as an art – a form of art that transcends the ordinary. His dream with Bernardus was to make a red wine equal to the finest from Bordeaux.”
From Bernardus: “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…Marinus vineyard soils are varied. They range from clay loam to sandy loam…Each vintage of Marinus represents the artistic interpretation of the vineyard cultivation along with the flavor elaboration in the winemaking process. A blend of Bordeaux varitetais, Marinus is the signature Bernardus wine from the Carmel Valley estate vineyard…”
2011 Bernardus Marinus, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.1% ABV, $75 (#156*) Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 23%, Petit Verdot 7%, Cabernet Franc 5%
Winemaker Notes: “The robe of our 2011 Marinus is a very deeply-colored ruby-red. The aromas express beautiful red fruits accented by classic notes of cedar and spices. The delicious flavors are very dense and full, with spicy black cherry and ripe plum flavors. The finish is very well structured, promising a long life for this superb bottle, similar to a fine Bordeaux.”
Wine Enthusiast Review: “Black and white pepper, boysenberries and roasting pork notes show on the fresh and vibrant nose of this blend of the five red Bordeaux varietals. Light and lively on the palate, it offers lots of boysenberry energy, with more pepper, thyme, cardamom and tea elements. It’s a refreshing change of pace from a cool vintage.” 90 points. Matt Kettmann, April 2016
My Review: Dense, dark red, garnet in color. Black fruits on the nose with deep blackberry and leather. A mouthful of dark, dense fruit. Leather, pepper and licorice on the finish. This Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wine is best enjoyed decanted. August 2020
2013 Bernardus Marinus, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.5% ABV, $75 (#157*) Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 35%, Merlot 30%, Petit Verdot 25%, Cabernet Franc 2%:
Winemaker Notes: “The robe of our 2013 Marinus is a very deep crimson. On the nose we find dried cranberry aromas accented by subtle spice notes. The palate is intensely flavored with impressions of bright red cherry and plum. The finish shows excellent tannic structure promising a long life for this vintage of Marinus, much like that of a fine Bordeaux.”
My Review: Inky deep, dense garnet in color, this wine has a bouquet of blackberry, plum and cedar. It is rich, smooth and complex in cherry and cassis flavors, with balanced tannins revealing licorice and a touch of leather on the finish. This wine is so delicious, I forgot to stop to taste it and simply began to enjoy it. One of the best wines we have opened lately – and perhaps my favorite Marinus vintage to date (don’t tell 2010!). September 2020
Ooh, ooh – Bernardus is reopening its Tasting Room for outdoor tastings for Wine Club Members only beginning October 8th! By appointment only – read more HERE.
*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 2020
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