Tagged: Bernardus

Bernardus: Creating “wines that flatter the palate and stimulate the imagination”

Bernardus has one of the nicest tasting rooms in the valley – we would always stop in to taste their wines and see what was on sale.  They kept telling us we should join their club, but we are very specific in the wines we like to buy.  One day, I realized they had a “Marinus only” club and we joined immediately.  In addition to lovely allocations of Marinus wines, we have reaped many benefits from private tastings to winemaker dinners since we joined.  I exposed you to their wines back in July: Bernardus 2010 Marinus and Parrot Ranch 2005.  Let’s dig a little deeper into the Marinus wines, among the very finest wine from Carmel Valley.

We love being members of the Bernardus Marinus-Only Club!

About Bernardus Vineyards & Winery: “The focus of Bernardus is to create wines that flatter the palate and stimulate the imagination. Founder Ben Pon appreciated wine as an art – a form of art that transcends the ordinary. His dream with Bernardus was to make a red wine equal to the finest from Bordeaux.” 

From Bernardus: “Carmel Valley is surrounded by the ridges of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Cachagua Valley is a sun-trap, a “bowl” in a high elevation that is shielded from the coastal fog and ideal for growing Bordeaux-style grapes. The daily temperatures vary from over 100° F. during the day to 50° F. during the night…Marinus vineyard soils are varied. They range from clay loam to sandy loam…Each vintage of Marinus represents the artistic interpretation of the vineyard cultivation along with the flavor elaboration in the winemaking process. A blend of Bordeaux varitetais, Marinus is the signature Bernardus wine from the Carmel Valley estate vineyard…”

2011 Bernardus Marinus, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.1% ABV, $75 (#156*)  Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 23%, Petit Verdot 7%, Cabernet Franc 5%

The 2011 Bernardus Marinus is a Cabernet-Sauvignon-driven Bordeaux blend.

Winemaker Notes: “The robe of our 2011 Marinus is a very deeply-colored ruby-red. The aromas express beautiful red fruits accented by classic notes of cedar and spices. The delicious flavors are very dense and full, with spicy black cherry and ripe plum flavors. The finish is very well structured, promising a long life for this superb bottle, similar to a fine Bordeaux.”

Wine Enthusiast Review: “Black and white pepper, boysenberries and roasting pork notes show on the fresh and vibrant nose of this blend of the five red Bordeaux varietals. Light and lively on the palate, it offers lots of boysenberry energy, with more pepper, thyme, cardamom and tea elements. It’s a refreshing change of pace from a cool vintage.” 90 points. Matt Kettmann, April 2016

My Review: Dense, dark red, garnet in color.  Black fruits on the nose with deep blackberry and leather. A mouthful of dark, dense fruit.  Leather, pepper and licorice on the finish. This Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wine is best enjoyed decanted.    August 2020

2013 Bernardus Marinus, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.5% ABV, $75 (#157*) Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 35%, Merlot 30%, Petit Verdot 25%, Cabernet Franc 2%:

The 2013 Marinus is a rich, smooth, and complex blend of deliciousness!

Winemaker Notes: “The robe of our 2013 Marinus is a very deep crimson. On the nose we find dried cranberry aromas accented by subtle spice notes. The palate is intensely flavored with impressions of bright red cherry and plum. The finish shows excellent tannic structure promising a long life for this vintage of Marinus, much like that of a fine Bordeaux.”

My Review: Inky deep, dense garnet in color, this wine has a bouquet of blackberry, plum and cedar. It is rich, smooth and complex in cherry and cassis flavors, with balanced tannins revealing licorice and a touch of leather on the finish.  This wine is so delicious, I forgot to stop to taste it and simply began to enjoy it. One of the best wines we have opened lately – and perhaps my favorite Marinus vintage to date (don’t tell 2010!). September 2020

Ooh, ooh – Bernardus is reopening its Tasting Room for outdoor tastings for Wine Club Members only beginning October 8th!  By appointment only – read more HERE.

We’ve missed being able to drop in here to see what they are pouring and what’s on sale!

*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 2020

Where There’s Fire, There’s More Than Smoke Taint

Billowing Smoke from the Carmel Fire Photo Courtesy of Deborah Stern

Over this past week, one fire after the other has sparked in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, turning our sunny blue skies into a creepy gray and orange. Things are not normal. When the River Fire started burning this past Sunday, my first thought was our Santa Lucia Highland and Monterey AVA grapes all the way down the River Road Wine Trail. Alert after alert about residences being evacuated made this much more concerning and real – lives and homes at stake. When the Carmel Fire down east of Cachagua broke out on Tuesday, my worry turned to all my favorite Cachagua vintners – which I had just talked about in this blog. And to my friends who live in the valley. This fire goes well beyond smoke taint as residents, including our vintner friends, are evacuating and their wineries are being threatened of destruction. And then there is the Bonny Doon Fire up in Santa Cruz, with its evacuees sheltering in my little town and its smoke turning our skies so strange, with our sun at times appearing red. These fire threaten more than a single vintage – they threaten residences – including vintners and their families, entire vineyards, wineries, inventory, and years of production. Let us hope they can be contained.

Carmel Valley Smokey Sunset Photo Courtesy of Deborah Stern

I had planned to take a moment out of regular wine reviews to talk about what happens when things don’t go right.  But I wasn’t expecting them to go so devastatingly badly.  This is a retrospective of the impact of fire and smoke of what happened to wine production when the Soberanes fire hit Big Sur in 2016.  What happened in 2016 will now look like a blip compared to what I expect will be the damage from these August 2020 fires.  I only know of one winery which sustained direct fire damage from the 2016 Soberanes Fire. 

The 2016 Soberanes Fire started in July from an illegal campfire, before the grapes were fully mature, but it kept going through October, growing to a 90,000-acre fire.  The smoke from this fire was intense throughout the region, but only a single Monterey County AVA suffered the smoke damage – Carmel Valley AVA.  I became obsessed with learning more about the impact of this fire and what steps my usual wineries took as a result. 

First, I had to discover why just Carmel Valley.  After much research, I came up with 2 primary reasons.  First, the location, with Carmel Valley just north of the fire.  Second, the Monterey Bay’s 2-mile deep Submarine Canyon.  The winds off the Monterey Bay are stronger in the other AVAs, as it goes swooping down the Salinas Valley all the way down and throughout even the most southern AVAs.  Those winds just lightly creep into Carmel Valley. 

What did the Carmel Valley wineries do?  Many wineries tossed their fruit, some bottled it anyway to capture the unique flavors, some blended smoke tainted juice with juice from another AVA and changed their maturation techniques, some only offer their smokey wine if you inquire about it in the tasting room and refuse to sell it if you haven’t tasted it – know what you are buying, or they instead sourced grapes from one of the other AVAs.

I presented a class for the Northern Virginia American Wine Society last fall and I challenged them to identify what was so different between two 2016 Syrahs – same vintage, different Monterey AVAs:  one from Arroyo Seco and one from Carmel Valley.  I didn’t tell them about the fire.  There were a lot of guesses around the room, but only Chris Pearmund, the owner/vintner of Pearmund Cellars, guessed right:  smoke.

The wines aren’t ruined – they are interesting, different.  A high-quality smoke tainted wine can still be a very good wine.  And sometimes only a discerning palate will figure out it is smoke taint.  They are surprised I can detect it on the nose or palate, saying I am especially sensitive to it – but maybe it is simply because I know it is there.  Some wines might taste a little like ham hock, while others might leave a stronger aftertaste of smoke or ash.  It doesn’t dissipate over time – it will never truly go away.  And you might appreciate the wine because it represents a moment in time when things didn’t go right, yet the winery had the guts to produce it anyway. 

As an example, we were consumers of the Bernardus Marinus 2008 because it was special.  And Parsonage boldly made their 2016 wines – either sourcing fruit differently, blending it, or maturing it in neutral oak.  Sometimes when I taste their 2016 Rocco Reserve Syrah, I notice it more – as if you are at a camp fire, roasting S’Mores.  Recently, we decanted the Rocco and barely detected any smoke taint at all – just its usual deliciousness.  And smoke taint is barely detectible – sometimes not detectible at all – in their 2016 Tanner Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Clever winemaking techniques saved these precious 2016 Parsonage Reserves

My advice is be an educated consumer – know which vintage you are drinking and which AVA your grapes are coming from if you are looking at wines from a region affected by fire.  Read the reviews, taste before buying if you can, and figure out for yourself if you like it or not.  It is all subjective!

The tasting rooms throughout the valley were just recovering from the lack of 2016 wines to pour to guests.  They were just starting to roll out their post-fire wines when they were shut down for COVID and some later reopened on an outdoor tasting/curbside pickup basis only.  While there is never a good time for a devastating fire like this, I can’t think of a worse time.  I believe everything in Carmel Valley Village and River Road down to Arroyo Seco is shut down right now.  Give our vintners some space and let’s hope and pray not everything is destroyed. 

© Decanting Monterey 2020

Just in Time for the Weekend: Carmel Valley Village Tasting Room Update!

As I started to write my first blog posts, I realized, if I am going to do a Real Wine Blog, that I need a lot more photos. It’s been kind of overcast and cool in Pacific Grove, day after day. Last weekend, I decided I would drive out to Carmel Valley Village where I would be sure to find some warmth and sunshine and could take some pictures of the tasting rooms. I was able to check out their outdoor wine tasting venues, as that’s what’s permitted here in Monterey County as of this writing. A nice warm sunny day, lots of wine flowing everywhere. Except to me – I was on a mission!

I parked in front of the former location of Mercy’s tasting room and set out on foot.  (I miss Mercy so much.) The tasting rooms in Carmel Valley Village are easily walk-able, unless you are intending to buy a lot of wine!  As you go through this list, please remember we are living in a very fluid situation right now.  If you are planning a wine tasting visit, the best option is to review the winery’s web page to see if they are open and if you need a reservation. Safety is the most important feature of each of these venues.

I began my trip with Massa Estate, 69 W. Carmel Valley Road, as it was where we started our Monterey County wine exploration way back when. It is the first tasting room as you enter the village. The owner, Laurie Massa, welcomed me in, showed me their tasting list, and allowed me to take photos of their outdoor space.  Massa has an incredible outdoor space to not only taste wine, but also for food. Local Chef Michael Jones is here with a very special menu – you can taste the wines and order a meal – or carry one out.  So many cute, outdoor tables with umbrellas – it’s just adorable here. In addition, there’s croquet in the front lawn so you can come, play, and relax. Open Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Massa Estate has a cute, fun, yet elegant outdoor space.

The next winery I went to was Georis, 1 Pilot Road. We’ve always had a fondness for the brand, as Gaston Georis (Walter’s brother) once taught my husband French!  Their indoors wine tasting bar and room is very large (for better times). Their outdoor spaces are incredible for significantly socially distance tables for any sized party, even a larger, private event, as appropriate. I would feel very comfortable coming to Georis to do winetasting of primarily his great Merlots. Open daily, 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Georis has the largest outdoor space with distanced tables, and a vineyard setting.

Then I walked over to Seabold, 2 Pilot Road. I am not yet familiar with Seabold, so it was a good way to meet them and see their outdoor spaces.  They have smaller outdoor tables as well as big picnic benches and the occasional late afternoon music. Open Thursday-Sunday 12-5 p.m. 

Seabold: Great space and some music, too!

Cowgirl Winery, 26 Pilot Road, has incredible outdoor space for wine tasting and fun – open 11:30-5 daily.  (Sorry, I didn’t make it there to get pictures.)

Even though their wines come from elsewhere, I include Twisted Roots in my blog because of their tasting room location at 12 Del Fino Place (oh, and we enjoy their great wines).  They also have a nice outdoor setup on the side of their building open Thursday-Sunday 12-5 p.m.  Reservations suggested.

Twisted Roots has an excellent, quiet outdoor space for wine tasting!

I walked by Bunter Spring at 9 Del Fino Place, which is not doing public tastings until further notice.  Mark Bunter told me he is doing pickups by appointment, free local delivery, 20% off any six bottles, 25% off twelve bottles, and half-price shipping to CA, DC and FL only.

Bunter Spring is closed for tastings and Idle Hour is moving down the street!

Idle Hour right next door had a big sign saying they were moving in with Big Sur Vineyard’s tasting room at the end of the street.  That was welcome news to me, as collocation with Big Sur will probably result in a more constant presence than the out-of-town Idle Hour could always provide.

Big Sur Vineyards at 1 Del Fino Place was setting up as I dropped by.  Owner Lenora Carey showed me something really cool they are using for their outdoor wine tastings – wine vials that look like big test tubes called “taste tubes!”  Customers receive the flight of wines in a tube rack and pour their own when ready, improving social distancing during the tasting. Open Thursday-Sunday 12-6 p.m.

Big Sur Vineyards is using these cool “Taste Tubes” for a more touch-free experience!

Joullian, 2 Village Drive, is open daily 12-4 p.m. – reservations required.  They had a couple of small tables visible on their front patio.

Bernardus is still closed for in-person wine experiences due to their current focus on wine production and some virtual wine tastings.

Boekenoogen, 24 W. Carmel Valley Road, has an incredible outdoor patio, so their transition to outdoor operations was very easy.  They are open daily, 12-5 p.m.

The lovely patio was occupied, so photos will have to wait.

I’d been talking to Rombi Wines, 1 Center Street, which, like the rest of the wineries, had just set it all up for indoor operations when the order came down to move things outside.  Sal Rombi was able to create a relaxing, quiet spot to taste his big wines just in front of his tasting room.   Open Saturday-Sunday 12-5 p.m.

Rombi’s first outdoor tasting guests!

Joyce, 1 E. Carmel Valley Road, has a nice outdoor space and some great wine sales.   Reservations preferred; weekends also first come, first served.  Wednesday-Friday 12-5 p.m.  Saturday-Sunday 12-6 p.m.

Over to Albatross Ridge, 9 E. Carmel Valley Road, which showed me their outdoor space behind their tasting room – a lovely space with plenty of tables.  Sunday-Thursday 12-7 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 12-8 p.m. Reservations preferred.  They are open in Carmel-by-the-Sea, as well.

Finally, a very short walk over to the old White Oak shopping center at 19 E. Carmel Valley Road, where the rest of these tasting rooms can be found: 

We were invited several weeks ago by Parsonage to help them test-drive their indoor wine tasting procedures (they learned a lot from our visit, as we tasted EVERY wine!) – only to have to revamp their procedures and space for outdoor operations.  They have built a parklet and are able to serve several tables outdoors.  Reservation required.  Thursday-Monday 12-5 p.m.

Parklet photo courtesy of Parsonage – very clever!

Rexford Winery tasting room is closed.  For a limited time, they are offering complimentary shipping on new orders of 3 or more bottles.  Chesebro tasting room was likewise closed. 

Windy Oaks is using a couple of small tables in front of its tasting room for outdoor operations.  The staff is very welcoming.  According to their website, the Carmel Valley tasting room is open Friday-Tuesday 12-5:30 – reservations recommended. Their Carmel-by-the-Sea location is open for limited tastings Wednesday-Monday 12-6 p.m. by reservation.

 I Brand also has some small outdoor tables and is open Thursday-Sunday 12-6 and by reservation.  

These wineries are so happy to be sharing their wines with you.  I hope, if you get a chance, that you will get out to the valley and try some yourself.  Check to see if they require a reservation and confirm they are open.  It all looked good to me!  Come on out, give it a shot come out and support your local vintners.

Bernardus Marinus 2010 and Parrot Ranch 2005

2010 Bernardus Marinus, Carmel Valley AVA, 14% ABV, $65 Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 59%, Merlot 29%, Petit Verdot 7%, Cabernet Franc 5%

2005 Parrot Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, $25*, 14.1% ABV. Blend:  Cabernet Sauvignon 86%, Cabernet Franc 9%, Merlot 4%

As I continue my trek through Carmel Valley AVA’s Cachagua region, it is my pleasure to introduce the truly local, long time powerhouse – Bernardus.

Bernardus – The First Tasting Room in Carmel Valley!

I relied heavily on their webpage to summarize this overview over the years I have been presenting their wines.

A former race car driver and Olympic athlete, Dutch Owner Ben Pon’s dream with Bernardus was to make a red wine equal to the finest from Bordeaux. He selected Carmel Valley, confident his vineyards there could produce wines to rival the greatest on the globe.

More than a quarter-century later, he’s accomplished his goal, not only with his estate Bordeaux blend, called Marinus (after his middle name) selling for $75-$125, but with a powerhouse portfolio of single-vineyard-designated Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Sadly, Mr. Pon passed away in the Fall of 2019, but his legacy continues. Making over 50,000 cases/year Bernardus has many wines available throughout the US.

A Lineup of Marinus Wines from Our Wine Room!

I’m presenting two of their wines from Cachagua today – two of the 55+ wines from the Central Coast we tasted and reviewed while sheltering in place.

The Carmel Valley’s terrain and climate is ideal for creating rich, full bodied wines; the Bordeaux varietals are favorites here, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot comprising more than 70% of the grapes grown in the AVA.

Ben Pon also had the foresight 20 years ago to open the first tasting room in Carmel Valley Village. It is one of the nicest tasting rooms in the valley – we would always stop in to taste their wines and see what was on sale. They kept telling us we should join their club, but we are very specific in the wines we like to buy. One day, I realized they had a “Marinus only” club and we joined immediately. We have reaped many benefits from private tastings to winemaker dinners since we joined. Let’s dig a little deeper into the Marinus wines…

A Fun, Private Bernardus Tasting with Friends, April 2019

From Bernardus: “Carmel Valley is surrounded by the ridges of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Cachagua Valley is a sun-trap, a “bowl” in a high elevation that is shielded from the coastal fog and ideal for growing Bordeaux-style grapes. The daily temperatures vary from over 100° F. during the day to 50° F. during the night…Marinus vineyard soils are varied. They range from clay loam to sandy loam…Each vintage of Marinus represents the artistic interpretation of the vineyard cultivation along with the flavor elaboration in the winemaking process. A blend of Bordeaux varitetais, Marinus is the signature Bernardus wine from the Carmel Valley estate vineyard…”

2010 Marinus tasting notes:

From the winery: “Our 2010 Marinus exhibits its typical deeply colored robe.  The aromas express beautiful red fruits accented by classic notes of cedar.  The delicious flavors are soft and full, with spicy dark cherry and plus flavors and a smooth texture of well integrated tannins.  Although drinking beautifully now, this Marinus will age gracefully for many years to come.”

2010 Bernardus Marinus: Drink Me Now!

My Review of the 2010 Marinus: We’ve been enjoying this wine for several years now and it does not disappoint.  Drink now.  One of my favorite events of 2019 was attending a Marinus Winemaker’s Dinner catered by a local chef.  They served a different vintage with each course.  That was an amazing night.  Sure hope we get to do that again.  This wine is available for purchase from the winery – watch for sales! May 2020

2005 Parrot Ranch tasting notes:

From the winery: “Robe: Deep crimson-red color. Youthful aromas of cherries and cranberries accented with notes of cedar, toasty oak and spice beautifully express the excellence of the terroir of Carmel Valley.  The vibrant flavors of ripe red fruits, licorice and cedar accented with mineral notes are concentrated and well -focused. Our 2005 Parrot Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is drinking wonderfully now, but the freshness of flavor and fine tannins on the finish promise a rewarding future for several years to come.” 3,000 cases produced.

2005 Parrot Ranch

My review of the 2005 Parrot Ranch: Intense red berries, sweet and pleasantly jammy. Smooth and very elegant, soft round tannins and intense aftertaste.  Any-day occasion wine with a quality feel provided by the aging process, plummy liquorish feel with earthy and forest floor flavors. Drink now. March 2020

My understanding is when the fruit doesn’t meet the quality for the Marinus label, it has occasionally been bottled under the Parrot Ranch label.  We have purchased many cases of this wine and I presented it in one of my Washington Wine & Cheese Seminar wine classes – a bit hit.  We at times purchased it for only $10/bottle and are still enjoying it.  It is sold out.

Their wines can be found in many wine shops around the U.S., with the best place to order directly on its webpage.

As of this writing, Bernardus has not re-opened their tasting room and is focusing on wine production and virtual wine tastings.

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