Looking to taste some new wines in Carmel Valley Village, we suddenly realized Chesebro Wines new releases had somehow escaped our attention! We are very happy our random stop yielded so many delicious wines, including the latest Las Arenas and La Montagne Sauvage red blends.
This tasting offered some additional and rare opportunities: to taste the 2010 and 2015 Roussanne/Rousanne blend wines side by side AND to sample their estate Cabernet Sauvignon bottled as a single varietal. That was a first for me!
Alex Lallos, Chesebro Wines’ tasting room manager, has been one of my biggest supporters back to before the pandemic. The up-front quality and value of Chesebro Wines makes them a favorite to include in my wine classes. Moreover, Alex has offered me great discounts and has helped me get my wines to their destination. I’m grateful for his support.
The Wines
Today, I am presenting 9 Chesebro Wines. Looking back in my blog, it has been a while since I have presented a full tasting from there. My last post was this one about the 2014 La Montagne Sauvage release. However, I have written about Chesebro Wines several times – just search “Chesebro” and you will find them all! Winery notes come from their tasting sheet or their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
Also, here is my post on Wine Gadgets You Gotta Have, in case you missed it.
2022 Chesebro Albarino, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 12.5% ABV, $25 (#1047)
Winery Notes: “Our take on a traditional Spanish white variety. Aromas of Apricot blossom and kumquat. Lots of stone fruit and citrus loaded with minerality and verve. Vibrant and refreshing on the palate. The perfect Summer white!”
91 Points Wine Enthusiast: “Crisp and vibrant aromas of lime blossom, tart apple and a hint of tropical fruit dance across the nose of this bottling. There’s an acidic and textural edge to the palate, where apple, pear and citrus zest flavors align.” (Note: this is the 2021 vintage’s description and rating)
My Review: Pale in the glass, with a slightly musty note. Grapefruit on the palate with a tart finish. This is a very clean and crisp Albarino. June 2023
2022 Chesebro Sauvignon Blanc, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $22 (#1048)
Winery Notes: “100% Musque clone of Sauvignon Blanc. Aromatically bright with citrus, white peach, honeydew melon and passionfruit notes. The mouth is medium bodied with similar flavors as the nose along with some minerality and a long crisp finish. Pairs well with many lighter foods and is a great apperatif.”
92 Points Wine Enthusiast: “This is a benchmark Sauvignon Blanc for Arroyo Seco, representing the hallmark elements of the windswept region. Crisp aromas of lime peel, white flower blossom, cut grass, wet cement and peach invite the nose into the stony palate, where forest grass and passionfruit flavors work in harmony.” (Note: this is the 2021 vintage’s description and rating)
My Review: I sadly did not capture specific tasting notes, but we all agreed this wine was delicious. June 2023
2015 Chesebro Piedras Blancas, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.1% ABV, $27 (#1049)
Winery Notes: “A Rhone style white (85% Roussanne, 10% Vermentino, 5% Sauvignon Blanc) Our richest and most complex / ageworthy white.”
My Review: Light golden in the glass. Faint notes of pineapple and petroleum on the nose. Light fruit flavors on the palate. June 2023
2010 Chesebro Estate Roussanne, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $30 (#1050)
Winery Notes: “LIBRARY RELEASE – A Rhone style white (85% Roussanne, 10% Vermentino, 5% Sauvignon Blanc) Our richest and most complex / ageworthy white. From deep in our cellars we saved 25 cases of this wine because we knew it would turn into something special with age. It has done exactly that now with 12 years of age. A blend of mainly Roussanne, it is modeled after the most famous white wines in Chateauneuf du Pape, France. A nuanced dame of a wine. Rich and viscous with aromas of honey and baked pear, framed by oak. A full bodied and very serious white, with a hint of butter and a dry apricot finish. Pair this sturdy white whith soft cheeses, cream sauces, roasted fowl and sweetbreads.”
My Review: Golden in the glass. Notes of whiskey, caramel and a touch of mint on the palate, with a slightly tart finish. June 2023
2021 Chesebro Pinot Noir, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.9% ABV, $23 (#1051)
Winery Notes: “A Estate blend of 50% Mission Ranch & 50% Cedar Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir. High toned, bright and elegant. A Pinot Noir lovers Pinot Noir…It packs so much intensity and pure Pinot Noir aromatics into such a defined and bright wine. This is truly in the Burgundian fashion. Refined, elegant and bursting with red fruits. Finding a boutique Pinot Noir of this caliber made in such small quantities for under $25 is nearly impossible these days.”
My Review: Ruby in color. Bacon on the nose with a cinnamon candy finish. June 2023
2016 Chesebro Las Arenas, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.2% ABV, $27 (#1052)
Winery Notes: “Our Southern Rhone inspired red blend. 65% Grenache 35% Syrah from the sandy soils in Cedar Lane Vineyard.”
My Review: Inky in the glass, Rich, intense berries and cherry = this is pretty tasty. June 2023
2015 Chesebro La Montagne Sauvage GSM, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.9% ABV, $35 (#1053)
Winery Notes: “Our proprietary Rhone belnd of Syrah (80%), Grenache (15%) and Mourvedre (5%) modeled after the legendary wines of the Rhone Valley, France. Grown at 1500′ elevation, this is our flagship wine and our most popular blend from a small 2.5 acre vineyard in the mountains of Carmel Valley. Rich and broading with aromas of dark berries and all-spice. An ageworthy and deeply profound example of what Rhone varietals can do on the granite soils of Upper Carmel Valley. ONLY 80 Cases Produced.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 Points: “Herb-smoked blackberry jam, lilac and chaparral seasonings make for a rustic exploration of the terroir on the nose of this bottling. The palate is full of garrigue as well, with fennel spicing up the muddled and roasted red-berry flavors.”
My Review: While I don’t have specific notes, we all agreed this was a very good, tasty and smooth wine which we would enjoy drinking any day! This is a wine I have presented in my classes over and over – always a hit. I took one home for a future vertical tasting. June 2023
2016 Chesebro La Mariposa, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.7% ABV, $30 (#1054)
Winery Notes: “A Northern Rhone (Cote Rotie) inspired Syrah. Co-fermented with 5% Viognier for aromatic complexity and texture just like they do in Cote Rotie. Deep, rich and concentrated. ‘La Mariposa’ means butterfly in Spanish. Watch this decadent Syrah explode from your glass and develop into something truly beautiful over the evening or let is rest in the cellar for a few years and watch it evolve. Very Limited – Only 70 Cases Produced.”
My Review: Alas, no specific notes on this wine – we had reached our tasting limit for the day. This is a wine I have enjoyed in the past and this vintage was quite tasty. June 2023
2018 Chesebro Cabernet Sauvignon, Chaparral Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, $48 (#1055)
Winery Notes: “Many people don’t know that Chesebro winery producers 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…
“NEW RELEASE – Limit 6 Per Customer…From the highest elevation (2400ft) vineyard in Carmel Valley (Chaparral Vineyard). Dry farmed 1.5 acres with tiny yields of less than 2 tons per acre. Aged 22 months in new French oak. Only 40 cases Produced.”
My Review: Garnet in the glass. Dark fruit, bubblegum and perfume on the nose. Smooth dark fruit balanced by herbal notes. A good expression of the fruit and a lovely wine. This was a real treat. June 2023
Tasting Chesebro Wines
You can sample Chesebro Wines or in their tasting room at Up-to-date information on their tasting room hours and reservation link is here. They are open Friday through Sunday from noon until 5:00 PM reservations encouraged. You can buy their wines via their website (www.chesebrowines.com).
© Decanting Monterey 2023
I love your analysis.
Thank you, Carole. Feedback means a lot to me!