THE STORY
Earlier this month, I connected with my old wine group – and presented Monterey wines to them. I do this class about once a year and am always glad to be sharing my passion and enjoying Monterey wines on the East Coast.
This class was a bit easier to put together than ones I have done in the past. Why? 1. An improved budget for the class allowed me flexibility to include some higher priced wines. 2. I had a free case of wine from one of the wineries (thank you!). 3. I stumbled onto some incredible shipping rates ($1 – really??) and huge sales on a couple of wines. As a bonus, most of the wines presented had Wine Enthusiast ratings. Writer-at-Large Matt Kettmann does a great job covering Central Coast wines.
I have boasted that, while Monterey is known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, I usually don’t present either. I set out to make this class is different. I felt it was time to show my East Coast friends a value (but tasty) Chardonnay representative of Monterey County – and what a really good Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands can be!
I could not pull off these classes without the generosity of our local wineries and the Monterey Vintners & Growers Association. I have worked to develop deep relationships with Monterey wineries, including the winemakers, tasting room staff, and even some vineyards! They give me steep discounts on their wine (sometimes they even donate wine!) in return for me giving their wines visibility to a new audience. Many thanks to Bernardus, Corral Wine Co., McIntyre Vineyards, Parsonage and Scheid for their support and generosity. I’m so grateful.
*Readers: Is there a Monterey County winery you know or would like to know for my next class or a future post? Wineries: Is there a deal on one of your wines you would like me to showcase next Spring? Leave me a comment below or email me!*
THE CLASS ITSELF – ENJOYING MONTEREY WINES ON THE EAST COAST
It Takes a Village: Before I launch into this class, I need to give a huge thank you to my many friends who helped me with this class: Paula, the board member who got me on the calendar and introduced me; my former neighbors Howard and Nora, who patiently received my wine shipments; Stephen who chilled the whites and found excellent cheese pairings; my good friend Steve, who helped me transport the wines to the event. And, during the class, those friends plus Dina who helped pass out the wines to those East Coast wine aficionados.
I wrote about my approach to presenting Monterey wines in last year’s post: Decanting Monterey Tells All: Introducing New Monterey Wines and Wine Regions in DC! Check that out for the details! I’ll give a short synopsis here:
I started this almost-sold-out class (57 people!) by ensuring everyone knew where Monterey County is on the Central Coast. I talked about our climate, the Blue Grand Canyon under the Monterey Bay, creating a Thermal Rainbow® – our high valley temperatures brought relief by the afternoon winds coming off the bay the stress and cool the vines – with accompanying fog to keep them from getting too cold overnight. I briefly ran through our winemaking history and current stats and encouraged them to visit! I highlight the ease and affordability of coming to Monterey to taste wine. Armed with our tasting room brochures provided by Kim Stemler of the Monterey Vintners & Growers Association, I invite them all to visit.
I then talked briefly about the four Monterey County American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) from which today’s wines originated: Monterey, Arroyo Seco, the Santa Lucia Highlands and, for the first time, San Lucas. You can read more about our AVAs here.
Finally, I gave a short overview of each winery and presented each of the wines. As we moved through the tasting, the group had extremely positive reactions and asked good questions.
- They asked if wines were available locally – The Bernardus Chardonnay should be available locally; all others can be found via the wineries directly.
- They cheered at the quality and expression of flavors in the Corral Sauvignon Blanc.
- They asked how long the McIntyre could be cellared (another 8-10 years). And they seemed to really enjoy the two big red blends from Parsonage and Scheid.
- One observation was that these wines were all rather high in alcohol – I assured them that it is not the trend, just happened to be the wines selected for this class.
Overall, the attendees were very happy with both the educational component and the quality of the wines themselves.
THE WINES
Today I am presenting the 5wines from this May tasting. Winery notes come from their tasting sheets or websites, unless otherwise indicated. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
2020 Bernardus Chardonnay, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV, $30 (#884)
Winery Notes: “Bright white fruit aromas accented by subtle oak notes. The palate is intense and beautifully focused with vibrant peach and tropical fruit flavors along with spice accents. The long finish is supported by a refreshing acidity.”
Wine Enthusiast – 88 points: “Lime spritz and apple-slice aromas show on the nose of this bottling. The palate shows an earthier side, offering baked lemon and toasted nut flavors.”
My Review: Golden in the glass. Tropical and buttery on the nose and tasty with some grilled pineapple on the palate. Butter, caramel and slight metallic notes on the finish. I believe this Monterey Chardonnay is quite representative of our region. October 2023 & February 2024
2022 Corral Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc, Zabala Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.4% ABV, $30 (#1088)
Winery Notes: “Vibrant aromas of lemongrass, citrus, fersh herb, and guava with hints of gooseberry. Flavors of lemon, peach, and citrus finishing with a nice minerality and racing acidity.”
My Review: Straw in the grass. A slightly sweet nose of grapefruit & melon. The nose follows over to the palate with a grapefruit twist on the finish. It’s a lot, in a good way. September 2023
2016 McIntyre Vineyards Block 3 Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $56 (#1290)
Wine Enthusiast – 92 points: “Roasted cherry and plum meet with turned earth and toasty oak aromas on the nose of this single-block bottling. The palate is wrapped in that savory oak flavor, which complements the dried sage and rich dark-fruit flavors, as strong tannins hold it all in check.” Matt Kettmann
Prince of Pinot – 91 points: “A combination of the Swan clone and the “Old Vine” Block. The crop was thinned to a maximum of three tons per acre or 1.5 lbs of fruit per foot of cordon. Indigenous yeast fermentations. · Dark garnet color in the glass. The nose offers aromas of blueberry-pomegranate and a compliment of toasty oak. An onslaught of purple and black berry fruits greet the palate. Not particularly nuanced but plenty of ostentatious fruit. Modest tannins, low acidity and a finish of modest length. The slightest warmth shows up on the finish.” July 2022
My Review: Dark ruby in color. Delicious nose of dark cherry. Palate is packed with dark, tart fruit like a dark cherry jolly rancher and some sandalwood. We liked this wine. March 2024
2020 Parsonage Wildcard, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $38 (#1231)
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: Bright garnet. Subtle nose of crushed red and black fruit. The bright fruit on the palate mellows out on a soft finish. Really well melded and delicious. May and November 2023
2020 Scheid Arbolitos, San Lucas Vineyard, San Lucas AVA, Monterey County, 15.5% ABV, $40 (#1287) 28% Primitivo, 28% Barbera, 19% Charbono, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignan, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Winery Notes: “Our 2020 vintage is intense and focused, with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, ripe plum and elderberry. Acidic, bright and medium-bodied, it is framed by soft tannins. A rich red fruit finish prevails with notes of vanilla and mocha.”
Wine Enthusiast – 91 points: “From a head-trained vineyard of “little trees,” this proprietary blend pairs black plum and purple flowers with peppercorn and soy on the nose. The palate is firm in texture, offering ripe blueberry and violet flavors.”
My Review: A Super Tuscan-style field blend. Cassis on the nose – intense delicious fruit. Very delicious. Jammy smooth complex palate. I really like this wine and selected it for my next class. February 2024
THE TASTING ROOMS
All of these wineries presented today have tasting rooms in one or more of our three wine tasting areas of Monterey County: Bernardus, Corral and Parsonage are in Carmel Valley Village. Scheid and McIntyre are in Carmel. Scheid also has a tasting room way down the Monterey Wine Trail.
You can see a map of Monterey County wine tasting rooms and get more information here.
© Decanting Monterey 2023
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