THE STORY
The tasting rooms in the Carmel Valley Village “East End” (the old White Oaks shopping center) decided to share “Members for the Day” – a member at one winery could taste at all the tasting rooms! With our Tasting Passport in hand, we could taste at Parsonage, Corral Wine Co., Chesebro, Windy Oaks, Austin Harlow, and I. Brand & Family! How cool was that!
ABOUT THE EAST END “MEMBERS FOR THE DAY”
Each winery sent an invitation to its members, inviting 2 members plus 2 friends to spend a Sunday afternoon visiting the 6 wineries. Each prepared a limited menu from which attendees could pick a couple of wines to try. Or that was the idea, anyway. From the members’ perspective, this was a great way to try wineries we had never been to, bring a friend or two, and meet new people.
From the tasting room staff perspective, this was a bit of crowd-management chaos, in a fun way. Lots of people signed up and the fine print of only picking a couple of wines at each one was totally lost on the members. Some wineries told us verbally, others printed it on the menu, and yet another simply opened 2 wines as the only ones available that day – smart.
Members who were used to tasting the whole menu showed no restraint. 😊 At one winery, the event overlapped with their spring release, creating added confusion to who was “allowed” to try what! We could see in the eyes of the tasting room staff that some were doing the best they could with as much enthusiasm they could muster, while others looked simply shell-shocked. We members, on the other hand, had a wonderful time. At some wineries, the sales were flowing, so the idea worked for them.
In hindsight, some said that *if* they were ever to do this again, they would limit the invitation to 2 members (no extra friends), make it clearer that people could only pick 2 wines (or only serve 2). Good ideas. I would add: make this an annual event and try not to overlap your releases so there is a single menu. (I know, easier said than done and I am guilty of showing up to do both at once).
If you attended this event, I would love for you to leave a comment today on your experience at East End “Members for the Day”!!
THE WINES
Today I am presenting 10wines I have not presented before from 5 of the East End “Members for the Day” – Austin Harlow, I. Brand & Family, Chesebro, Windy Oaks and Parsonage. We also tasted the wines at Corral Wine Co. – you can find my previous reviews of those wines Corral Wine Co.: A Beautiful Portfolio of Tasty Wines! and Corral: Newly Released Pinot Noirs Available Now! Winery notes come from the event tasting sheet or their website. You can read more about each winery on its respective website. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
2021 Mid Life Crisis Chardonnay, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV , $21 (#1303)
My Review: Pale gold in color and viscous in the glass. Butter on the nose. We found this Chardonnay to be pretty tasty with a buttery and light grapefruit finish. April 2024
2021 Austin Harlow Sharon’s Chardonnay, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $36 (#1304)
My Review: Faint peach on the nose. A nice palate with a grapefruit twist on the end. April 2024
2023 Paysan Rosé, Central Coast AVA, 12.5% ABV, $19 (#1305) 78% Mourvèdre, 11% Cinsault, 11% Grenache.
Winery Notes: “Even though it wasn’t a warm vintage, our 2023 rosé shows more warm climate character, not unlike Spanish rosés, than in past years. The long hang time and ample canopies brought full phenological ripeness for a red wine at rosé sugars and acids. The resultant flavors are more cherry and plum than underripe strawberry and watermelon but in the same refreshing composition as usual.”
My Review: Pale pink in the glass. Light in flavor. Very refreshing. I would drink this in the micro-climate! April 2024
2023 Paysan Sauvignon Blanc, Zabala Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 12.5% ABV, $24 (#1306)
Winery Notes: “I feel like this last year people finally ‘got’ the Zabala Sauvignon Blanc. It’s not a gooseberry and cat pee SB like we were taught to like from New Zealand (and which has become, in the vein of buttery Chardonnay, a parody of itself) nor the laser thin acid bomb of Sancerre. The Musqué clone it’s based on gives a distinctly melon driven presentation, underscored by river rocks and crushed seashells. It also retains less acidity than other SB clones, which is essential in Arroyo Seco because the winds and cold nights make everything acidic. Our Zabala Sauvignon Blanc is an exceedingly pleasant wine, joyful, friendly, consistent. It’s the white wine you always want in the fridge for when you need a splash.”
My Review: Pale in the glass. Melon, peach and light pineapple on the nose. The palate is refreshing and light with a lingering finish. April 2024
2023 La Marea Verdelho, Pierce Ranch, San Antonio Valley AVA, Monterey County, 11.8% ABV, $19 (#1307)
Winery Notes: “I set a goal of exploring more white wines in 2023. We picked up some pretty esoteric stuff, including two grapes off Pierce Ranch. The second will come in the summer, but the first is this delightful Verdelho. Verdelho is a Portuguese grape grown predominantly on the Atlantic islands of Madeira and the Azores. It creates a bright, almost spicy wine redolent of citrus and orchard fruit. This is an exceedingly pleasant quaff. We only made 50 cases of this wine, so don’t pass on it or you’ll miss it!”
My Review: Very pale in color and lacking aromatics. Light on the palate with some ginger on the finish. We thought this would pair well with food and took one home. April 2024
2023 La Marea Albariño, Kristy Vineyard, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 13% ABV, $25 (#1308)
Winery Notes: “After several short vintages, it’s lovely to finally have a decent crop off Kristy’s. The 2023 vintage was characterized by a comparatively late harvest. Across the 2023s, sugars were late to accumulate and acids remained stubbornly high as phenolics developed in the moderate temperatures. High potassium levels in the juice resulted in higher than usual finished pHs with good titratable acidities (a measure of the total acid content in the wine) meaning that the 2023 whites are deeply flavored, supple and open while remaining focused. Our 2023 Albariño has been showing great with depth and complexity to spare.”
My Review: Pale yellow in the glass. Full-bodied and delicious. Very balanced in all its flavors. We liked this one so much that we took 2 home! April 2024.
2022 Paysan Petite Sirah, Pierce Ranch, San Antonio Valley AVA, Monterey County, 12.8% ABV, $27 (#1309)
Winery Notes: “One way to beat the fall heat spikes of 2022 is to pick before they hit. Heat is a fact of life in the San Antonio Valley and the secret is to work with well adapted varieties. Thick skinned Petite Sirah is a lovely choice and on the fractured silicate and calcareous rock of Block One it yields a wine of surprising elegance and grace. I made the wines for Pierce Ranch for several years earlier in my career, so I know the vineyard well and this is one of their premier blocks. Fermented with 30% whole cluster and aged in neutral oak for 11 months.”
My Review: Almost purple in the glass. A nice, black and blue fruit palate with a tannic finish. I think this will settle down into a very yummy wine. April 2024
2016 Cheseboro Grenache, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.8% ABV, $35 (#1310)
Winery Notes: “A savory and robust Grenache from the sandy, well-drained soils of Cedar Lane Vineyard in Arroyo Seco. Only 80 cases produced. Ripe rasberries and cracked pepper with a firm core of dusty tannins. Aromas of dried sage brush leads off followed by bright red berry fruit and a long caressing finish.”
My Review: Unfortunately, I did not take notes on this wine. I recall it being quite delicious and full, made in a style I would prefer my Grenache to be. April 2024
2018 Windy Oaks Special Release – Le Chaud, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, Santa Cruz County, 14.8% ABV, $85 (#1311)
Winery Notes: “Using a special piece of machinery that heat treats specific rows of the vineyard in rapid motion, it decreases the number of mildew sprays and actually increases the phenolics (important flavor contributors) in the grape skins. This results in amplified aromas and black/red fruit characteristics with unusual complexity and layering.”
My Review: I was unable to taste this wine, but my partner did – and I simply wanted to include it today.
2021 Parsonage Wild Card, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $40 (#1312)
Winery Notes: “This iteration of the beloved Wildcard, our preposterous melange of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Pinot Noir, will rock your world. The nose is a fragrant and seductive melange of exotic spices, wild flowers, boysenberry, and cranberry. The palate is marked by cedar notes and blueberry with a vibrant backdrop of red and black fruit in this medium-plus mouthfeel beauty.”
My Review: Garnet in color. Well-melded flavors in this red blend – a great follow-on to the fabulous 2020 vintage, which I am presenting in my DC wine class. Red and black fruits dance on the medium-bodied palate. This wine is still young and has great potential. April 2024
THE TASTING ROOMS
The Carmel Valley Village “East End” tasting rooms are located at 19 East Carmel Valley Road. Please check each winery’s website for their specific hours.
© Decanting Monterey 2023
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