My dog grooming-wine tasting afternoon in Carmel continues…but with a surprise: my little dog is ready early – yikes! We walked over to Shale Canyon to suggest rescheduling and they invited my dog and me to come on in! They closed the bottom half of their door and let him run around freely. I was a heck of a lot more worried about what he might do than they were. While he had a hard time settling down, he did fine, but was also a big distraction for my notetaking – I know I will need to go back.
I admitted to them that I was a bit confused about the source of their wines. It had been a LONG TIME since I had been there. I had it in my head they were from the Sant Cruz Mountains because one of them lived there. Instead, I learned that their vineyards and wines are from Arroyo Seco, which continues to be a favorite AVA of mine. And they focus on the bigger reds I love including some tasty red blends, using intriguing names like “Consortium” and “Amalgamation.” Definitely for me, this a winning set-up. I’m impressed with their ability to grow well Zinfandel and other varietals not usually associated with Monterey County. They must have a uniquely placed vineyard to be able to pull that off! Hosted by Keith Prader himself, I had a fabulous experience in their tasting room.
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% Mourvedre, a wonderful floral wine. And Amalgamation, a very interesting blend of Zinfandel, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah.”
Today I am presenting 8 Shale Canyon wines. The winery notes and prices come from their tasting sheet and website.
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.” 165 cases produced.
My Review: Pretty yellow in the glass. Great balance of butter/oak and acidity. This was extremely delicious – an amazing SLH Chardonnay for a fabulous price! September 2021
2015 Shale Canyon Mourvèdre, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $30 (#499*)
Winery Notes: “A bouquet of dark berry, violet ad 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: Dark ruby in glass. Very dark fruit but lean on the palate. September 2021
2017 Shale Canyon Striation Reserve, 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.” There is some story to this wine that the UPS delivery person actually helped formulate this wine!
My Review: Dark berry and some oak in the nose. Very smooth dark fruits and some leather on the finish. Lovely. A great wine for #500! September 2021
2016 Shale Canyon Cabernet Franc, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $30 (#501*)
Winery Tasting Notes: “Our 2016 Estate Cabernet Franc starts with a big bouquet of cherries, slight strawberry and a hint of cedar. I noticed strong fruit flavors with dark cherry, blueberry, plum and chocolate on the palate. It finished with some spice and structured tannins.” Scored at the California Cabernet Franc Wine Competition.
My Review: Dark ruby in the glass. Concentrated fruit and a touch of smoke on the nose. Smooth very dark fruit on the palate. September 2021
2017 Shale Canyon Partner’s Consortium Reserve, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $50 (#502*) 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot
Winery Tasting Notes: “A classic blend of Bordeaux varietals. Very aromatic with a distinctive cherry note on the nose. It is an elegant, yet complex wine with black berry, dark cherry, plum and blueberry on the palate. It has a long finish with wisps of cedar, smoke and medium plus tannins.”
My Review: Smooth, dark, and not as fruity. I was clearly distracted by my little dog for these notes! September 2021
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.”
My Review: Spicy on the nose. Delicious fruit yet lean (tannic) on the finish. Pretty amazing. September 2021
2017 Shale Canyon Amalgamation Reserve, 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: Super dark ruby in the glass. Jam on the nose following through on the palate. September 2021
NV Shale Canyon Estate Petite Sirah, Shale Canyon Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $30 (#505*)
Winery Tasting Notes: “Violets and dark cherry and blueberry on the nose. Plum, dried cranberry and raisin in the middle. Notes of chocolate, licorice and toast on the long finish with firm tannins.”
My Review: Very smooth and rich with blue and black berry fruits. Nice! September 2021
You can buy Shale Canyon wines on their website or at their tasting room on Paseo San Carlos Courtyard, Westside San Carlos between Ocean and 7th, Carmel-by-the-Sea. They are open Sunday through Thursday 1–5, Friday and Saturday 12-7 and suggest reservations for parties of 4 or more. You can contact them at reservations@shalecanyonwines.com.
*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.
© Decanting Monterey 2023
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