I introduced you to Boëté in August here: https://decantingmonterey.com/boete-exceptional-cabernet-franc-from-carmel-valley/. Please take a peek at that link for more about the winery. Since that post, there have been some new releases, including their 2018 Cheval Rouge, a red blend. I also noticed the release of a 2018 single varietal Merlot, something I don’t recall seeing before – picked one up to try for a future post!
When Jana Saunders advertised a couple of weeks ago that they were doing a painting and sipping virtual event, I signed right up. Here was the teaser: “Boëté Winery is teaming up with the talented KB of KB Studio and Gallery in hosting a Virtual Pre Valentine’s Paint and Sip. This is not your normal paint & sip as you will be learning to paint with a palate knife to create a uniquely one of a kind abstract painting while enjoying Boete’s newest Cheval Rouge!” I didn’t need to be asked twice. I am not an artist, but my daughter gave me the courage to put paint on canvas over the holidays – such a nice break from all the news!
Wine Enthusiast rated the 2015 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 90 points. “Roasted red-cherry aromas meet with charcoal, smoke, oregano and marjoram on the rustic nose. Stiffer tannins uphold both bright and dark-red fruit flavors on the palate.” Matt Kettmann, August 2020
My Review: Dense deep ruby in the glass, luscious dark berry on the nose, smooth rich flavors on the palate. Deep juicy cherry and dark berries, and a touch of cedar anise on the finish. This is an incredibly delicious wine. November 2020
From Boëté: “A classic garnet color invites you into an elegantly expressed vintage blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and a pinch of Merlot. This medium body vibrant wine elevates the palate with flavors of cherry jam, vanilla and hints of chocolate. A youthful wine that will only get better with time.” This wine was released in the Fall of 2020.
My Review: Dense deep ruby in the glass, luscious dark berry on the nose, smooth rich flavors on the palate. Deep juicy cherry and dark berries, and a touch of cedar and anise on the finish. This is an incredibly delicious wine. One of my favorites. November 2020
*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.
I don’t get to write much about Turley in this blog, as most of their wines fall outside the “Central Coast” theme. I presented some Turley Pesenti Vineyard wines from Paso Robles back in December (https://decantingmonterey.com/turley-pesenti-a-whole-other-reason-to-love-paso-robles-wines/ ). During Christmas week, we opened a Turley Zinfandel from Contra Costa County – stretching the limits of the Central Coast AVA!
I don’t know that much about the Contra Costa County AVA but I found this description on Wine Searcher here: “Contra Costa County is an AVA directly east of San Francisco Bay in California’s Central Coast AVA. Once a prolific wine-growing region, the county is home to some century-old plantings of Zinfandel, Mourvedre and Carignan that produce rustic, earthy and leathery styles of red wine.
“The county sits on the edge of the San Francisco and Suisun bays at the entrance to where the Sacramento Delta begins to weave its way inland towards Lodi. Livermore Valley is directly south of Contra Costa County, and the city of San Francisco across the bay gives the county its name – contra costa meaning ‘opposite shore’ in Spanish…
“The quality soils of Contra Costa County are the defining feature of its terroir. Gnarled old vines were planted 100 years ago on deep, sandy soils that have restricted yields, particularly as the vines have aged. Deep and free-draining, the sand offers little resistance to wandering root systems, and the lack of water in the ground means that the vines produce small, concentrated berries with thick skins. This in turn leads to concentrated wines with firm tannins and excellent structure.”
2017 Turley Zinfandel Salvador Vineyard, Contra Costa County, 15.9% ABV, $38** (#224*)
Photo of the Salvador Vineyard, courtesy of Turley Wine Cellars
About Turley Zinfandel Salvador Vineyard fromwww.turleywinecellars.com: “Salvador Vineyard in Contra Costa County is a paragon of old vine Zinfandel. These organically farmed vines were planted on their own roots in 1896. The roots are free to roam deeply as the soil is solid sand for 40 feet down. The wine is stunning: suave, complex and powerfully elegant.”
Winemaker Notes: “The Salvador feels like truly old-school California, reminiscent of what wine might’ve tasted like when it was first made from these vines well over 120 years ago! Aromas of dark berries, peach skin, sandalwood & leather make this one of the most intriguing iterations of Salvador to date. The palate is intensely concentrated, co-mingled with an energizing acidity. These ancient, ungrafted vines in sandy soils make for some of the suavest tannins and most elongated finishes around.”
Wine Spectator Review – 89 points: “Briary and loaded with zesty pepper, smoky plum and eucalyptus flavors that build speed toward mildly rustic tannins. Drink now through 2023. 545 cases made.” TF, 2018
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate highly rates other vintages giving the 2014 and 2017 94 points and the 2016, 95 points.
My Review of the 2015: Vanilla and spice on the nose, berry and cedar on the palate. Spice on the finish. Could be that sandalwood and eucalyptus! December 2020
**I bought this through their mailing list at the prices above. Found this wine at Napa Cabs for $65. Take a look at Turley’s special packs open to everyone – very good opportunity to get some Turley in your wine cellar. They will ship wine and do tasting room pickups (Paso Robles and Amador). https://www.turleywinecellars.com/shop/?view=products&slug=PTRRemotePurchases. No tastings available right now.
*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.
We were pleasantly surprised when Twisted Roots launched a tasting room in Carmel Valley (I love Zinfandel and Petite Sirah – and Lodi big reds)! But we wondered why. Took us a while to learn that there was a local connection: Josh Ruiz, partner and winemaker, is originally from Salinas! Twisted Roots opening their tasting room at 12 Del Fino Place gives us yet another reason to come to Carmel Valley to taste wine. In addition to Monterey County wines, you can find wines from Santa Cruz, Clarksburg, Lodi and even Napa (both Rombi and Bunter Spring feature wines with grapes from Napa) in Carmel Valley Village! We like to check in at Twisted Roots when we can catch them open to check out the latest releases, including what special wines/blends they may have.
This is the second article about non-Central Coast wineries with tasting rooms in Carmel Valley.
The Twisted Roots tasting room at 12 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley Village
From the Twisted Roots webpage: Twisted Roots Vineyard includes vines (Zinfandel) planted in 1918, but the small lot winery didn’t start making its own wines until 2005 by producing its flagship Petite Sirah. In 2009, they expanded to produce wines based on the other grapes in the vineyard, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Old Vine Zinfandel (1918) along with yearly “Limited Release” wines.
There is a great article about vintner Josh Ruiz fromEve’s Wine 101 and another great article from LodiWine.com here if you want to read more about why Lodi makes such great Petite Sirah.
2016 Twisted Roots 1918 Old Vines Zinfandel, Lodi AVA, 14.7% ABV, $40 (#32*)
According to its website, the 2016 Twisted Roots “1918” Old Vines Zinfandel is made from “the grapes that started it all for Twisted Roots… Originally planted on the “Dairy” Vineyard in 1918! Three generations of our family have cared for these vines, and they are still producing to this day. This wine presents itself as big and fruity on the nose, but on the pallet (sic) it has gentle fruit and smooth tannins. We aged this wine in 100% neutral French oak barrels to showcase the depth of flavor these old vines produce.”
My Review: Very dark purple in color, the nose and palate match on this wine: dark fruit, currant and licorice with a touch of alcohol. An almost port-like finish. April 2020
2015 Twisted Roots Petite Sirah, Lodi AVA, 15.8% ABV, $30 (#128*)
Reviews: From the above Lodi Wine article: “This is a dryer, slimmed down version of the varietal, which suits a Petite Sirah lover looking for the black color and blue fruit, but underlined by more of an edgy, angular tannin than the big, rounded, overtly fruit driven styles more typical of California iterations. Slightly caramelized, toasted vanillin oak helps drive the point home in this zesty, toothsome yet moderately sized (as Petite Sirahs go) wine.” The current release is the 2016 and sounds more up my alley: “…intense berry flavors up front, followed by a smooth, subtle finish.” It sells for $33 and you can for sure buy it through the winery’s website.
My Review: A rich, deep ruby red in color, with a strong berry nose. There is still quite a bit of tannin and acidity in this wine, with a tobacco finish. August 2020
Twisted Roots has a beautiful, spacious outdoor setting and a private room for wine tasting in better times.
Twisted Roots currently is offering free shipping. Check out Twisted Roots Vineyard on Facebook for their current specials. Check out their webpage to hear more about their wine tasting options – whenever we are able to reopen. “For more information or to make a reservation, call (831) 594-8282 or email info@twistedrootsvineyard.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.
I’m going slightly off brand, but with a purpose. With the boom of tasting rooms in Carmel Valley Village came a couple of what appeared to be interlopers – wineries not based in Carmel Valley or even Monterey County. Yet, they are also part of our winery/tasting room fabric. We are quite fond of them and are including them here. Idle Hour is one of them. This post is long, but includes all their wines we have tasted since March 2020. For most, I don’t find professional reviews, so you are stuck with mine.
Idle Hour is Relocating its Carmel Valley location to Big Sur Vineyard’s tasting room at 1 Delfino Place!
We learned of Idle Hour Winery when they opened a tasting room in Carmel Valley. Idle Hour is Oakhurst’s (near Yosemite) first winery, making handcrafted wines (idlehourwinery.com). All of their wines are fermented using native yeasts, those which come from the vineyards with the fruit, also known as resident yeasts, making their wines “truly indicative of the vineyards they come from.” These are award-winning wines for affordable prices.
Owners Deb Payne & Anna Marie dos Remedios are always gracious hosts, whether at one of their tasting rooms in Oakhurst or Carmel Valley. You will often find winemaker Anna Marie pouring wines and inviting you to come up to Yosemite to stay at their inn. I love Idle Hour’s bottle labels – fine art by Tim Cantor (www.timcantor.com).
The Madera Tribute reported that Idle Hour Winery in Oakhurst received best of class for its Blanc de Blanc, a double gold for its 2015 Tempranillo and silver for its 2016 Petit Verdot in the January 10 2020 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
The Clarksburg AVA, best known for Bogle Vineyards & Winery, is the home to the Heringer Estates, a prime source of Idle Hour’s grapes.
Most of their wines come from the Clarksburg AVA, which spans three counties in California’s Sacramento Valley, including nearly 65,000 acres near the town of Clarksburg (more than Napa and Monterey County!). Think Bogle. The growing region has dense clay and loam soils. Fog and cool breezes from San Francisco Bay keep the Clarksburg area cooler than nearby Sacramento.
Idle Hour Blanc de Blanc, Lodi AVA, 11.2% ABV, $?? (#59*)
The Idle Hour Blanc de Blanc is a nonvintage méthode champenoise sparkling wine made of 100% Chardonnay from the Clement Hills Vineyard, Lodi. This wine won Double Gold and was rated 93 points, as well as named Best Sparkling Wine at the North of the Gate Wine Competition, April 2019. With only 44 cases produced, it has sold out.
My Review: Crisp, clean and a bit peachy. Refreshing.
My Review: Appearing medium gold and slightly effervescent in the glass, we detected a slight stinkiness on the nose, like a touch of sulfur, which rapidly dissipated. The bouquet was lightly floral and pineapple. This was a nice wine, with a little sweetness, creamy in the mouth with pineapple flavors and bright acidity. We enjoyed it – perfect for the occasion – and would buy it again!
2016 Idle Hour Petit Verdot, Heringer Estate Vineyard, Clarksburg CA, 13.8% ABV, $30 (#3*)
My Review: Petit Verdot is a blending grape typically found in Bordeaux blends, but makes a nice red wine on its own. This is an enjoyable bold red, a bit tight, and we did not get the fruitiness expected from the varietal. I am not the biggest Petit Verdot fan, but my friends just love this wine. Maybe hold for a bit. March 2020
My Review: My daughter called this wine “spicy and good.” In addition to spice, I picked up cherry and raspberry on the palate with a little oak and green pepper. It is one of my favorites, but I would hold this wine a bit.
My Review: Garnet and inky in color. Grass and SweeTart on the nose. A little vegetal, yet intense flavors of SweeTart, tart cherry and plum on the palate. Black currant, orange peel and licorice notes on the finish. 100% Tannat – sold out. August 2020
My Review: Deep ruby in color. Cherry and raspberry on the nose, upon opening, with dusty notes appearing over time. At first it was bright cherry and cranberry on the palate, but opened up into deeper, lush flavors. I highly recommend this wine. November 2020
2012 Idle Hour Syrah Owlbox, Love Ranch Vineyard, Madera County, 14.4% ABV, $28 (210*)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Ripe plums surprisingly alive after aging almost 6 years sur lie. Medicinal aromas in this menthol finish. This 94% Syrah co-fermented with 4% Viognier, in a Coté Rotie style, giving a bright acidity and smooth mouthfeel.” (from their website)
My Review: Garnet in color. Old World smell. Deep aromas, followed by an initial SweeTart flavor with a dry finish. As the wine opened up, deep, dark cherry flavors emerged. I’m personally not a big fan of the Coté Rotie style. December 2020
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. I want more of this wine. December 2020
My Review: Dark in color, with a fresh and bright nose. A bit tart yet sweet on the palate like a juicy mix of wines. This is one of those blends that, upon opening, I am not sure what it wants to be. As it opens up, it melds together to a lovely red.
You can purchase their wines from the Idle Hour website here. This wine can be purchased directly from the winery here. For other inquiries and status of tasting rooms, contact them here: wine@idlehourwinery.com, Tel: 559-760-9090. Check for specials, as well as the opportunity to buy gift certificates for future wine purchases and stays at their Queen’s Inn near Yosemite National Park’s southern entrance. Check them out at www.idlehourwinery.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.
DeRose was our third stop on my girlfriend outing to Hollister in August 2019, when we were hosted by Alphonse DeRose, winemaker! Our tasting was inside the actual winery where we got to talk to actual winemakers!
Both DeRose and Eden Rift (Pietra Santa on this map) straddle the San Andreas Fault.
The Cienega Valley AVA (established 1982) is located in western San Benito County, California, United States. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA. “The valley was once a major source of wine grapes for Almaden Vineyards before it was acquired by Constellation Brands in 1987. Approximately 1,100 feet (340 m) above sea level, the valley floor is divided by the San Andreas fault. Soil on the east side of the fault is predominantly granite and sandstone, whereas soils on the west side of the fault are predominantly granite and limestone.” http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Cienega-Valley.html
About DeRosewww.DeRosewine.com : “DeRose Vineyards was established on land with wine history dating back to the 1850s when Theophile Vaché produced the estate’s first vintages. The winery changed hands many times over the years and was eventually purchased by the DeRose, Cedolini and Miller families in 1988. Before long, Winemaker Pat DeRose rescued several acres of abandoned vines from the clenches of tall weeds and thistles, including two acres planted before 1900 that were grafted to Syrah in 1994.” You will also see links to their current wines and their imported wines on this page.
2015 DeRose Syrah Dryfarmed Old Vines, Cienega Valley AVA, 15.5% ABV, $37 (#73*)
The 2015 DeRose Syrah is a huge wine worthy of decanting – full of great berry flavors.
“The ancient Syrah vines are dry-farmed in deep sandy-loam soils on terraced hillsides…On average, they produce less than one ton per acre, and with only two planted acres, we produce about 100 cases per year, making the DeRose Syrah one of our most exclusive wines. Our Syrah underwent fermentation using native yeasts, meaning only the naturally occurring yeasts found in the winery actually fermented this wine. In addition, the Syrah underwent malolactic fermentation without using a culture. The wine is stored 100% in French oak barrels, without any pumping used to transfer our wines. The wine is then bottled un-fined and un-filtered to preserve all its flavors and mouth feel.”
“This big, bold Syrah is full of blueberry fruit, smoked bacon and a touch of toasted oak. Robust ripe tannins make this wine suitable for heavier dishes like grilled meats, game, strong cheeses and salamis. Our Syrah has more structure and tannins than many other Syrahs on the market due to the cool climate of the Cienega Valley. This makes this wine suitable for aging an additional 5-6 years. We recommend decanting this wine prior to consumption.”
My Review: We ended up double decanting this wine – overall flavor and smell was originally a bit off for me. Dense purple in color. Upon opening, oak, alcohol and sulphur on the nose (sulphur dissipated with time). Huge blueberry, blackberry on the palate, with cherry, dark fruits and smokiness on the finish – a very big wine.”
I had never heard of Donati until I started researching Paicines AVA wines. We visited their tasting room in Templeton (Paso Robles) (there really aren’t any tasting rooms in Paicines itself, just vineyards) to find a wine for my Paicines AVA wine class. We found a respectable, tasty Claret (Bordeaux blend) which was quite well received. I also got to taste their Family Reserves, which are mighty fine. And we discovered they bottle some of their wines in jugs, labeled “Naughty Donati.” Jut some fun facts for you.
This information was distilled previously from the Donati Family Vineyard website: Ron Donati grew up in South San Francisco, the son of a first generation Italian-American family. One of his fondest memories was the sights and smells of his grandfather making wine in his basement. Ron, a successful businessman, first bought the vineyard for his son Matt to grow high quality, unique grapes for purchase by others. Soon, after rave reviews of the fruit, he got to thinking…good grapes make great wine. So, he stopped selling and started making own wine. Donati Family Vineyard makes approachable everyday wines, but also family-named reserves for a special occasion.
Also taken earlier from their website: “The Donati Family Estate Vineyard site enjoys a variety of soils from limestone to decomposed granite to clay loam, and access to the cooling ocean breezes of the Monterey Bay. Like much of southern Napa, Sonoma, and Monterey counties, Paicines has long warm days followed by cool nights. “It’s a lot cooler than people think it would be here”, says Matt. “On the UC Davis scale of growing areas and heat where Region I is the coolest and V the warmest, Paicines is a cool Region II.” The vineyard is planted to various select clones of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc and Petit Verdot. Vine selections are carefully screened for viral diseases prior to planting, ensuring that the future of the vineyard is secure, and that vine health and fruit integrity remain intact from planting through harvest.” Their red wines are matured in both French and American oak for 12-18 months.
I am presenting 3 of their Family Reserves in today’s blog: 2014 Malbec, 2014 Merlot, and the 2015 GSM.
I don’t find a lot of Central Coast Malbecs – this was a big, delicious one.
Wine Enthusiast Review: “Pure blackberry aromas are lifted by dark chocolate and mint on the nose of this reserve bottling from a historic wine-growing region south of Hollister. There’s a sweet touch at first to the palate, but then gravelly tannins and zesty acidity delivers flavors of black plum, elderberry jam and tarragon. It is still quite young, and will improve in the cellar.” 92 points, Matt Kettmann 05/2018
We tasted this wine back at the beginning of the pandemic in late March, before I was writing reviews. If you like a delicious, big Malbec, try this one out – it disappeared rather quickly in my house. 141 cases of this Malbec were produced.
2014 Donati Merlot Family Reserve, Paicines, 14.7% ABV, $45 (115*)
This was a huge wine – highly recommend decanting!
Merlot was the theme for one of our virtual wine tastings in August. I had two Merlots parked in DC for my next in-person wine class, which was not meant to be. What else did I have in my wine room? The 2014 Donati Merlot Family Reserve!
nicewines.com Review: “Pure blackberry aromas are lifted by dark chocolate and mint on the nose of this reserve bottling from a historic wine-growing region south of Hollister. There’s a sweet touch at first to the palate, but then gravelly tannins and zesty acidity delivers flavors of black plum, elderberry jam and tarragon. It is still quite young, and will improve in the cellar.”
My Review: A dark red, dense-looking wine. Rich and juicy on the palate, brimming with cherry and cedar notes. A touch of leather and tartness on the finish. Definitely decant or let this wine open up to get the full flavors. In our wine class this week, we all shared the same sentiment: decant your Merlots! August 2020
A spicy blend with some of the tannic finish one might expect from a GSM.
Wine Enthusiast Review: “This blend…offers oregano, peppercorns and salted beef against a plummy backdrop on the nose. The mouthfeel is full and chalky, delivering flavors of roasted black plum and dried herbs.” 90 points, Matt Kettmann, 12/2018
My Review: Pleasant nose of red fruit. Spicy cinnamon, blackberry and cherry with some tobacco on the palate – smooth but a bit of acidity and tannic harshness on the finish. June 2020
Check out their current releases here. They have 50% off FedEx shipping (as of 10/28/2020) (some exclusions apply). Make a reservation to taste their wines in Templeton here.
*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.
We discovered Windy Oaks when they opened a tasting room in Carmel Valley (yes, you’ve heard this before). The winery is located in Corralitos in the Santa Cruz Mountains, overlooking the Monterey Bay. While most of their wines are from their 30-acres of vineyards, where they produce Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah, they also source grapes from Monterey County. We found them interesting for what they have done with clones, making even a non-Pinot Noir lover stop to enjoy their wines. But I digress.
From Windy Oaks: “Windy Oaks was founded in 1996 by Jim and Judy Schultze, when they returned to California after living overseas for 7 years in Australia and Europe. On a windy ridge in Corralitos, overlooking Monterey Bay, they planted their first three acres and produced their first vintage of Pinot Noir in 1999. Today, they farm almost 30 acres of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah.”
Windy Oaks was named “Winery of the Year 2018 by Rusty Gaffney, PinotFile, one of the most knowledgeable wine writers in the industry.”
Windy Oaks 2015 Night Owl Red GSM, Monterey County, 13.8% ABV, $28? (#8*)
The 2015 Night Owl Red has all the fruit and complexity expected of a GSM.
Today’s wine, the 2015 Night Owl Red, is a Rhône blend – a Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre (GSM) blended from 3 different Monterey County AVAs: Arroyo Seco, Chalone, and Santa Lucia Highlands. We would expect a GSM to be a bold wine, a bit leathery with dark fruits.
My Review: A beautiful ruby red in color, this wine has bright fruit notes on the nose and palate, with a darker fruit finish and a bit of that bitterness or leather one might expect. I found the brighter fruits made it very drinkable and enjoyable, while the finish would stand up to a good meal and leave you wanting more. I don’t have notes on the exact blend for this wine, but I would expect it to be 40-45% Grenache, 25-30% Syrah, and 30% Mourvèdre. There is not much publicly available information on this vintage; 2016 is the current release.
Windy Oaks Tasting Room in Carmel Valley Village!
All of Windy Oaks tasting rooms are open: at the winery, in Carmel-By-The-Sea, and in Carmel Valley Village. Check here for the details: http://www.windyoaksestate.com/. Please call 831-724-9562 for reservations and other pertinent info.
*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.
It’s rarely warm enough to sit out on our front porch, yet we have experienced many enjoyable afternoons in 2020 to do so. I was pleased to come home one September day to the sight of my husband and our dogs, enjoying one of those warm, sunny afternoons. He was drinking a golden glass of wine. I fetched one immediately. Ahhh! I love to come home to Mercy Chardonnay on the front porch, followed by Mercy Syrah after dinner. A perfect day.
We truly miss being able to stop at Mercy’s tasting room in Carmel Valley Village.
One of the last purchases we made was this 2015 Mercy Chardonnay Riverbed from the Arroyo Seco AVA. We wish we had purchased more! It is also sad that their webpage has been taken down – it was loaded with a wealth of historical wine tech sheets. I will need to rely on information on the label!
A full-bodied Chardonnay on a warm September afternoon.
From the Label: “In the cool, maritime-influenced Arroyo Seco AVA lies a small portion of terrain encompassing an ancient, dry riverbed. The Mercy “Riverbed” Chardonnay is the composition of contiguous vineyards in this area, all of which share shallow, rocky topsoils over hardpan subsoil. Aged in French oak, orchard and tropical fruit aromas, as well as vanilla, spice and mineral notes exude from the glass.”
My Review: Golden in color, with a floral nose, like gardenia. A little buttery, creamy, this is a rich Chardonnay. Honey, floral and a little sweet. We really enjoyed this wine and, as I indicated above, wished we had purchased more of it. September 2020
*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.
I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to the San Antonio AVA and Pierce Ranch. The San Antonio Valley AVA is not one you can easily drive to – it is tucked away toward the southwestern end of Monterey County, past Arroyo Seco and nestled between the Big Sur coastline and Salinas Valley, with climate more like that of Paso Robles than the rest of the Monterey AVAs.
Appelation America has an excellent description of this AVA: “Had the Monterey grape growers and wineries of the 1970s looked at the history of grape growing in the county a little closer, they may well have planted their Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the newly approved (July, 2006) San Antonio Valley AVA, located in the southern extreme of the county. This growing area was one of the first places in the United States to be planted with grapes, as early missionaries recognized that the region’s climate was ideally suited for producing wine. The original mission, San Antonio de Padua, established here in 1771, remains standing to this day, as a symbol of this region’s rich heritage and its significance in the history of California viticulture.”
According to the Monterey Vintners and Growers Association, (my go-to resource for all things Monterey Wines – on Facebook at Monterey Wines), “As one of Monterey County’s warmer AVA’s, San Antonio Valley experiences a large daily degree differential. Warmer weather allows fruit to fully mature while colder night temperatures preserve balanced acids and sugar ratios. This climate lends itself well to many Bordeaux and Rhone Varietals as well as Zinfandel.”
The charming Pierce Ranch Tasting Room in Cannery Row is open for curbside pickup.
Pierce Ranch Vineyards is a small, family-owned operation. From Pierce Vineyardsweb page: “Pierce Ranch Vineyards is a small, family-owned operation centered in southern Monterey County’s San Antonio Valley appellation. We produce limited-run, estate-grown wines with an emphasis on Spanish and Portuguese varieties.” I spoke with their tasting room manager in late September, who informed me that Pierce Ranch received many awards in the 2020 Monterey International Wine Competition 2020 Monterey International Wine Competition, including Gold Medal and Best Tempranillo for their 2017 Tempranillo (will be reviewed in a future post), and Silver for the 2017 Touriga, Petite Sirah, and Malbec!
2017 Pierce Ranch Touriga, San Antonio Valley AVA, 13.4% ABV, $30 (#31*)
The 2017 Pierce Ranch Touriga was awarded a Silver Medal at the 2020 Monterey International Wine Competition!
From the bottle: “Perched in a highland valley at the southern tip of Monterey County, our vineyards, with their wide variation in diurnal temperate and rocky soils, provide an excellent setting for the classic grape varieties of Spain and Portugal. Among these, Touriga – a native of Portugal’s Douro Valley – is undoubtedly one of the most promising. Estate grown in a hilltop block of our Y Ranch Vineyard, the 2017 vintage offers up a lovely, sumptuous wine with solid tannins and truly intriguing aromatics. A limited-run bottling, it was fermented in a single, small lot and aged in French oak for 18 months. Rich black currant and black plum are accompanied by traces of spice and floral notes.”
My Review: Plum in color, with a nose of raspberry jam with the sweetness offset by acidity, like a sweet tart with cinnamon on the finish. The nose carries over to the palate – raspberry and sour cherry with bubble gum, mint and cedar notes; tannins and clove on the lingering finish. It becomes a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon-like the longer it is open. This smooth wine is very young – cellar it for a while.
Pierce Ranch 2017 GSP, San Antonio AVA, 14.9% ABV, $22 (#56*) 62% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 2% Petite Sirah
Instead of a “GSM,” this is a “GSP” – with Petite Sirah instead of Mourvèdre!
From Pierce Vineyards: “Originating in our vineyards in southern Monterey County’s San Antonio Valley appellation, our GSP is an estate-grown blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Petite Sirah. Benefiting from the abundant sunlight, rocky calcerous soils, and wide diurnal temperature variation of our region, the 2017 vintage is a versatile, medium-bodied wine full of bright fruit and with a lively, buoyant, character. Handcrafted on a limited scale, its components were fermented in small lots and aged in French oak for 15 months. Notes of wild strawberry, cherry, and raspberry are accompanied by traces of florality.”
My Review: Light in color, this wine has a sweet, bright berry nose, Bing cherry and berry on the palate and a little leather on the finish. I was hoping for a bigger wine, so I would have preferred less “G” and more “S” and “P.” For those of you who like a lighter red, this may be the wine for you! May 2020
2015 Pierce Ranch Petite Sirah, San Antonio AVA, 15.8% ABV, $25 (#95*)
I liked this so much, I went back and bought another! The 2017 took Silver at the 2020 Monterey International Wine Competition!
From Pierce Vineyards, “…Located in the southernmost tip of Monterey County, the newly declared San Antonio Valley appellation is already showing itself to be an ideal region for producing nuanced, complex Petite Sirah. Consisting entirely of fruit sourced from our Y Ranch Vineyard’s rocky, hillside Block 1, this, our 2015 bottling, provides and elegant expression of the variety with excellent depth and solid tannic structure. Produced on a very limited scale, it was fermented in small lots and then aged, unracked, in French oak for 18 months. Aromas and flavors of blueberry, black currant, and black plum combined with a savory component and traces of spice.”
My Review: Very deep purple, dark in color. Nose of cinnamon rolls. Blueberry and blackberry on the palate – very smooth with a touch of sweetness – at 15.8% alcohol, it is creeping up on port-like qualities with dark plum and currant flavors. A very easy drinking Petite Sirah. A bargain at $25 – I bought this wine again, along with other vintages. July 2020
2016 Pierce Ranch Claret, San Antonio AVA. 13.8%, $28** (#142*) 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Petit Verdot, 13% Malbec, 1% Grenache
I enjoyed this Claret over several days – the flavors remained consistent – not overly complex, yet very delicious.
Pierce Ranch Claret Notes: “…Benefiting from the region’s high elevation, rocky soils, and wide variation in diurnal temperature, the 2016 vintage is a nuanced, well-balanced wine with an elegant texture, restrained fruit, and a solid tannic structure. Produced on a very limited scale, its components were fermented in small lots and aged in French oak for 18 months. Flavors and aromas of red cherry, black currant, and plum combine with hints of cedar and tobacco leaf.”
My Review: Raspberry and blackberry on the nose. Raspberry, tart cherry and plum on the palate, with a smooth, licorice finish. This is a very tasty, everyday Claret.
Check out their Facebook page at Piece Ranch Vineyards for their weekly specials. This might be the chance to get some of their wines before they sell out (such small production means the favorites are gone before we even know they are there). You can order their wines via Pierce Vineyard Tasting Room or at (831) 372-8900, and they’ll arrange for curbside pickup or shipping (which is just $5 anywhere in California.) Also, they recently started shipping to DC and Virginia, my friends!
*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.
**This wine was given to me by Pierce Ranch to review.
It was 68 degrees on a May afternoon. For most of you, so what, right? In our coastal town of Pacific Grove, it was one of the very few days of the year when it was warm enough to sit on our front porch, which never sees the light of day or warmth of the sun. Our new isolation/Shelter-in-Place thing to do is for all of us – including our dogs – to enjoy a warm afternoon on the front porch, sunk into an old, comfy, rattan couch. On this day, we played my husband’s favorite isolation game – Guess the Wine.
He brought us each a glass of pale yellow, very chilled wine. My first guess was a Sauvignon Blanc, but there was way too much pineapple. Chardonnay was my second guess. Monterey County was a safe bet, but he wasn’t sure. I wracked my brain trying to think of whose Chardonnay we had in our house. Nope. Do they have a tasting room in Carmel Valley Village? Yes, but we don’t go there often. Hm…finally I start listing the tasting rooms we visit in order of geography…and finally hit upon Rexford.
Rolling Vineyards Just South of the Santa Lucia Highlands
We are moving into the Santa Lucia Highland (SLH) AVA, where some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the county is grown at some of the county’s most famous vineyards. You can feel the power and see the beauty of SLH while driving down the River Road Wine Trail. “SLH” on a label to me means a wine of distinction. You would expect me to be presenting a Hahn, a Talbot, a Boekenoogen, or something from one of our renowned SLH wineries. But, since I am presenting you wines we have consumed while Sheltering-in-Place by AVA, I am bringing you a Rexford.
The Rexford Tasting Room in Carmel Valley Village.
The Rexford Winery was founded in 2008. It is known for its single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot, and other premium varieties. This wine comes from the northern part of the SLH AVA. Pretty sure we drove right by this vineyard on our April River Road trip. We got to know Rexford from our many visits to the former White Oak Shopping Center, now home to some of our favorite wineries (we’ve already mentioned Parsonage, Chesebro, and I. Brand in this blog). The Rexford tasting room is closed.
Winemaker’s Notes: The grapes were crushed and destemmed, then pressed immediately. Barrel fermented and aged sur lie. “This wine was fermented and aged in French oak barrels then bottled without fining or filtration. It is a rich, full-bodied Chardonnay with an excellent balance of fruit and acidity. In the aroma are hints of oak and tropical fruits and in the taste flavors of citrus and melon.” Only 98 cases were produced and it sold out quickly.
The 2015 Rexford Chardonnay is bursting with flavor.
My Review: Light on color, brilliant pineapple on the nose and palate, with a touch of butter. This higher alcohol Chardonnay is perhaps the biggest, most flavorful one I have ever tasted – just bursting with flavor. It was refreshing after a long hike and was greatly enjoyed on our front porch on such a warm day. I would buy this again. May 2020
Check out Rexford here – their prices are mostly $30-35 per bottle and they are currently (as of 9/11/2020) offering free shipping with the purchase of 3 or more bottles. Crazy good, eh?
*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.
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