I was trying to come up with a place for the March monthly wine tasting for the Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society when my neighbor dropped by a Shale Canyon tasting menu. She had been working there for a while and we thought this might be fun to do together! I am a fan of Shale Canyon wines and have written about them a couple of times – just search “Shale Canyon” in the search bar. Their space seems small, so we went back and forth with the owners to determine a maximum capacity – and put it on the calendar. In early March, the Monterey AWS members turned out in force (right up to the limit!) and everyone had a great time.
About Shale Canyon from their website: “Shale Canyon Wines started vinting small lots of hand crafted varietals in 2008…Currently Shale Canyon Wines is comprised of Keith Prader, the winemaker, and Tim Prader tasting room and vineyard manager.
“Current production is about 1000+ cases per year with our main focus on producing wines that have outstanding nose, mouth feel and finish. For the Estate wines we are currently growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah and Mourvèdre. We source fruit from larger, well established vineyards whose farming practices are exemplary in the industry and whose fruit is second to none. The varietals include Syrah, Malbec, Chardonnay and Petite Sirah. We enjoy making classic and unique blends as well . Our Consortium is a classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The Striation is 75% Zinfandel and 25% Mourvèdre, a wonderful floral wine. And Amalgamation, a very interesting blend of Zinfandel, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah. Quality is our main goal. Quantity is always secondary. We hope you try and enjoy our wines!”
Today I am presenting 10 Shale Canyon wines. Some of these wines have been presented here before, but this was an opportunity to revisit a few of them, with a little input from our AWS members. As usual, the winery notes come from their tasting sheet, website, or conversations with the owner.
2019 Shale Canyon Chardonnay, Vigna Monte Nero, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $25 (#498)
Winery Notes: “Aromas of toasted marshmallow, subtle green apple, pear, peach and a hint of lemon peel. A long finish of vanilla bean and butterscotch. This wine was not cold stabilized or filtered and has noticeable tartrates in the bottle. We recommend pouring this wine through a cheesecloth or a screen to remove them. Aged in 100% French oak.” Naturally fermented. 165 cases produced.
My Review: Golden in color. Butter and yeasty notes on the nose. Tropical palate of pineapple, peach, and a touch of caramel. Nicely balanced and delicious. A great price for an SLH Chardonnay! March 2023
2017 Shale Canyon Striation, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $40 (#500) 75% Zinfandel, 25% Mourvèdre
Winery Tasting Notes: “Rose petals and cinnamon on the bouquet with cranberry, pomegranate and raspberry gracing the middle. A very long finish with vanilla bean and hint of licorice. Medium plus tannins to make this an excellent wine for food pairings.”
My Review: Dark ruby in color. Aromas of strawberry. Smooth and rich on the palate. Dark, intense tobacco and Mourvèdre enveloping the dark cherry flavors. March 2023
2017 Shale Canyon Cabernet Franc, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $30 (#948)
Winery Tasting Notes: “Our award-winning varietal starts with aromas of dark fruit, slight oak and a touch of floral. Distinguished flavors of dark cherry, blueberry, and cassis envelope the middle. The finish of leather, vanilla and medium firm tannins complete the experience of our flagship wine.” Best of Show, Best of Class.
My Review: Dark ruby in the glass. Sweet blackberry on the nose. Smooth and yummy palate of dark, lean fruit. Very balanced. My favorite of the day. I have selected this wine for an upcoming DC wine class! March 2023
2017 Shale Canyon Amalgamation, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $50 (#504) 48% Zinfandel, 36% Tempranillo, 16% Petite Sirah – all estate grown!
Winery Tasting Notes: “This unique blend is like no other!…All Estate Grown! The color of this wine is beautiful. Take a glass out in the sun and let the rays reflect through the wine onto a simple piece of white paper and you will see what I mean. A lovely floral bouquet starts the experience. Deep fruit with cherry, dark berry and a hint of color. Long finish with tobacco and firm tannins. This wine will also compliment rich foods so fire up the barbeque and pull out the rib eyes!”
My Review: Inky in the glass. Vegetal notes on the nose, like caramelized onions with a touch of Creme de Cassis. A jamminess follows through on the palate, but, tonight, this tasted a bit sharp. This wine is usually a household favorite, so I definitely want to revisit it as a stand-alone. March 2023
2017 Shale Canyon Tempranillo, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $30 (#503)
Winery Tasting Notes: “Subtle berry & cherry bouquet. Flavors of black cherry, plum and cranberry grace the middle. A touch of spice and leather with firm structures tannins on the finish.” 100% Tempranillo.
My Review: Dark ruby in the glass. SweetTart on the nose. Dark, lean fruit on the palate. A very nice wine. March 2023.
2019 Shale Canyon ZSM, Arroyo Seco AVA, $55 (683*) 48% Zinfandel, 32% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre
Winery Notes: “ZSM is a complex blend of varietals. On the nose you will get bright berry fruit with a touch of violet. The middle is full of dark fruit, predominantly blueberry, followed by raspberry and huckleberry. On the very long finish you will get a whisp of smokiness from the newer oak barrels, firm tannins and notes of vanilla.” (“Let’s see what we got”)
My Notes: Yummy nose, rich palate, fruity and very balanced. This was a top favorite of the evening’s participants – everyone seemed to like this wine.
2018 Shale Canyon Petite Sirah, Paicines AVA, San Benito County, $35 (#949)
Winery Tasting Notes: “The nose on this is fruit, dark fruit, and lots of it. Blueberries, plums, blackberry, black tea and chocolate on the palate. Medium to firm tannins. 100% Petite Sirah.”
My Review: By now, it was very late in the tasting. Very smooth and rich with blue and black berry fruits. In one word: yummy. March 2023
2015 Shale Canyon Merlot, Arroyo Seco AVA, $25 (#950)
Winery Notes: “A very nice bouquet of berries and cherry. The flavors that really stand out are dark berry, current, raspberry with a touch of plum and tart cherry. A smooth finish of licorice with mild tannins and a hint of chocolate.”
My Review: It was extremely late in the evening, but I wanted to taste this anyway. Cooked, dark fruit dominated the palate. Definitely need to retaste this wine. March 2023
2015 Shale Canyon Mourvèdre, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $30 (#499)
Winery Notes: “A bouquet of dark berry, violet and earthy aromas of black pepper, thyme and a hint of citrus. Bright fruit characteristics, with fresh strawberry, raspberry and subtle cherry. Smooth tannins with hints of cedar and a drawn-out finish with late fruit. 100% Mourvèdre.”
My Review: Aromas of Scotch (!). (OK, like I said above, it is late in the tasting…) The palate was delicious – intense berries and balanced. We liked it. March 2023
2016 Shale Canyon Partner’s Consortium, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $50 (#951) 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot
Winery Tasting Notes: “A classic blend of Bordeaux varietals. There is a distinctive cherry note on the nose. It is very elegant, yet a complex wine with black berry, dark cherry and raspberry on the palate. It has a long finish with wisps of cedar, vanilla and silky tannins.”
My Review: Beautiful ruby color. Smooth, dark berries and mild baking spice on the nose. Nice. March 2023
2014 Shale Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon, Arroyo Seco AVA, $35 (#952)
Winery Notes: “Strong aromas of dark berries, black currant and a little cedar. This wine has flavors of blackberry, blue berry and cranberry. A long finish with a hint of smoke, toast and silky tannins completes the tasting experience. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.”
My Review: Pretty ruby in color. The nose was a mix of vegetal and berry jam notes. Rich and delicious on the palate. March 2023
Visit Shale Canyon’s Tasting Room! You can try Shale Canyon wines ($20 and $25 tastings) at their tasting room on Paseo San Carlos Courtyard, Westside San Carlos between Ocean and 7th, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Their Spring hours are Monday-Thursday 1–4pm; Friday 1-7; Saturday 12-7; Sunday 1 – 5 and suggest reservations for parties of 6 or more. You can contact them at reservations@shalecanyonwines.com.
© Decanting Monterey 2023
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