I know, I just wrote up Idle Hour last month after my cruise, but we finally got the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod to their “new” Carmel Valley tasting room for a proper tasting in June. This is part 2 of our visit to Big Sur Vineyards’ tasting room – Idle Hour’s tasting room is nestled inside and, when they aren’t present to pour, Big Sur is kind enough to do so!
I have written about Idle Hour wines several times – just type “Idle Hour” in the search bar to find them. I include Idle Hour in this blog due to their tasting room located in Carmel Valley Village – and their increasing menu of Monterey County wines. You can read more about their winemaking approach and history here.
We were able to taste 5 wines on this day – 3 of them had been previously presented in this blog.
2019 Idle Hour Malvasia Bianca, 13.6% ABV, $28 (#767)
My Review: Very sweet on the nose: honeysuckle and earth. Crisp on the palate with pear and honeysuckle flavors, finishing with crisp apple and pear.
2019 Idle Hour Chardonnay, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, 14% ABV, $28 (Wine #726)
My Review: Powerful nose of grilled pineapple and peaches, following through on the palate. Yummy. Bouquet outpowers the palate. This is the same wine we had on our cruise – served one night in a regular wine glass and, the next time, in a Burgundy glass. This wine’s aromas and flavors really come out in proper stemware!
2019 Idle Hour Clone 667 Pinot Noir, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, 14.2% ABV, $40 (Wine #727)
Winemaker’s Notes: “The crispness and brightness of Bing Cherry followed by the earthy aromas of forest floor and the sweet and savory notes of sassafras and cola. This wine is the most Burgundian Pinot Noir I have ever made. It’s light color and silky tannins are testament to the extra year of aging on the sediment that I gave it. The wine finishes with the fine structure on your tongue of wet stones.”
You all know by now that I am not that big of a Pinot Noir fan. The way this wine was made resulted in a more complex and rich wine, one of the best Pinot Noirs I have tasted from Monterey County. I selected this wine to present at my upcoming John Marshall Chapter, Northern Virginia AWS class.
2019 Idle Hour Pommard 4 Clone Pinot Noir, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, 14.2% ABV, $40 (#768)
Winery Notes: “The crispness and brightness of Bing Cherry followed by the earthy aromas of forest floor and the sweet and savory notes of sassafras and cola. This wine is the most Burgundian Pinot Noir I have ever made. It’s light color and silky tannins are testament to the extra year of aging on the sediment that I gave it. The wine finishes with the fine structure on your tongue of wet stones.”
My Review: While the winery webpage has the same description for both of these Pinot Noirs, we found them vastly different. This one was lighter in color, with barnyard and cherry notes on the nose. Flavors of bright cherry and earth on the palate.
2016 Idle Hour Petite Sirah, Heringer Vineyard, Clarksburg, 14.5% ABV, $30 (#189)
Fresnolandia Review: “Idle Hour’s 2016 Petite Sirah is bittersweet; it begins on the tongue with a thick, sweet tart dark berry, transitions to a peppy berry, and ends with a tongue drying dark chocolate/licorice. To the nose, it is of a sweet, soy aroma; and if such a thing exists, also vibes of a dark berry vinegar.” Ronan Tetsu, 09/2020 https://www.fresnolandia.com/idle-hour-petite-sirah/
My Review: Dark purple in color, rich dark plum and blackberry. Smooth cherry some bitterness on the palate, dry and licorice finish. Super delicious. Alas, this is sold out. December 2020
You can purchase their wines from the Idle Hour website here. Check out how to visit them in Oakhurst here. You can taste their wines at the Big Sur Vineyards tasting room in Carmel Valley – just ask! The Idle Hour tasting room is in the back. Check their Facebook page Idle Hour Tasting Room @IdleHourWine for the latest info!
© Decanting Monterey 2023
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