THE STORY

Last June, I received Roxanne Langer’s (Lady Somm) business card from a neighbor. Roxanne and I started corresponding vie email with the intent of meeting up to discuss her wine business ideas. After scheduling, sniffles and holiday delays, we finally met in person in early February – after her concept for her business with her sister Tamara Carver, had been solidified. We met at their storefront located at the Barnyard Shopping Village in Carmel. There was a lot of activity in their soon-to-be shop, with workers and deliveries happening nonstop throughout our conversation as they prepared for Lady Somm’s Grand Opening on March 21. 

I was excited to meet Roxanne and Tamara and learn about their vision for the business – to make this space a place for wine education, wine tasting, special events and dinners, and a shop for wine and other cute items. Although they weren’t originally thinking of a physical location such as the Barnyard, when the opportunity was presented to them, they couldn’t turn it down. The space is super cute, with a vintage feel and a feminine touch. 

Lady Somm is an ambitious undertaking in a place already dotted with wineries and wine shops. They distinguish themselves by their breadth of offerings and their depth of experience. As a Monterey wine educator myself, I offered them my help in any capacity. They invited me to their Grand Opening and subsequently invited me to one of their tastings. Thank you, ladies!

ABOUT LADY SOMM

From their website: “At the heart of Lady Somm are two sisters, Roxane Langer and Tamara Carver, whose passion for wine has blossomed into a mission to share it with the world. With backgrounds that span the globe and the wine spectrum, they invite you to join them on a journey of discovery, education, and enjoyment. Welcome to our world of wine.”

On their website, you can dive deeper into all of their wine education, tasting salon, travel and special events. I encourage you to take a peek! I am excited about their offerings – there is something for every budget.  It looks like a place for regular wine events, running the spectrum from informal to fancy.  It will be a fun place to hang out on the regular! I’m excited to try one of their Blind Tastings – can’t make the first one and hope they will do it again!

LADY SOMM’S GRAND OPENING

The Lady Somm Grand Opening on March 21st 2024 was quite an event!  Set outdoors on a lovely afternoon, it was replete with wine tastings, catered food and chocolates, as well as acrobatic and artistic performers. The local Chambers of Commerce and press were there to assist with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony. 

Several of our local wineries were there, including Talbot, Wrath, Big Sur, Dawn’s Dream, and the Paso Robles-based Cordant Winery. I also got to speak with Qouign owner and baker/chocolatier Santana Rodriguez, who makes some of the most exquisite chocolates in our region. 

THE WINE

Today I am following my approach to events by focusing on wineries I do not know. I am presenting to you a single wine from Cordant Winery.  If I had noticed them sooner, I would have tried all their wines – this calls for a trip back down to Paso Robles! You can read more about visiting them here: “Join In Our Journey.”

ABOUT CORDANT

From their website: “Cordant wines are made without an agenda, but with close attention to detail.”

“We source grapes from a selection of the best vineyards throughout the California Central Coast from which to make our Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Rhone-style wines. Some are chosen with intention for vineyard designation because of their unique ability to express a specific location. Others are chosen purposefully to demonstrate what vineyards can do in combination, and for their ability to contribute to a greater good.”

2021 Cordant Indocile, Central Coast AVA, 14.5% ABV, $65 (#1282)

Winery Notes: “This year presented us with an opportunity to craft a new wine to showcase the uniqueness of the vintage. Cordant is known for producing both vineyard-designated and blended wines, such as our southern-Rhone inspired “Maniacal” GSM.  So it seemed only fitting that we craft a northern-Rhone inspired blend to showcase our cooler-climate Syrah vineyards. The result is the first release of “Indocile”. Sourcing Syrah from some of our favorite vineyards, many in Monterey County, this wine is brimming with a mixture of cool and warm climate characteristics: dark fruits, herbs de Provence, lavender, and cigar to name a few. At the same time, it is also incredibly silky and sensual on the palate; we can’t get enough of it.” 93 points: Decanter. 96 points Drunken Cyclist.

My Review: Typical for a big event, I was unable to take notes at this event, so I am going from memory.  This was a voluptuous, smooth, big red made in my style with lots of Syrah to make this a wine I could just keep drinking. I definitely need to get to Paso for a tasting.  March 2024

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