We were so happy to learn that the Chesebro tasting room in Carmel Valley Village had reopened and stopped by on a quiet Friday before a 3-day weekend. I admire the wineries that put their own staff’s safety and winemaking first and discouraged gatherings during the height of the pandemic to help stop the spread of the virus. But I sure am glad they are open now! It was great to see tasting room manager Alex Lallos after well over a year. He has been helpful to me over the years with my wine classes and is one of several winery subscribers to Decanting Monterey!
We tasted a lot of wines that day across three tasting rooms – and there was a lot of catching up to do – so not all of my own notes are very detailed. Fortunately, I do have the winery’s tasting sheet to help me along! Most wine descriptions come from the tasting sheet – except the Grenache Rose! I will be splitting our tasting into 2 posts – the whites today and the reds, next week!
Current Tasting Sheet at Chesebro, May 2021
I’ve written about Chesebro several times – just search “Chesebro” and you will find them all!
Chesebro 2019 Grenache Rosé, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, 13.2% ABV, $19 (#360*)
Winery Notes: “This Provençal style 100% Grenache Rosé is beautifully light pink in color. Aromas of fresh picked strawberry, grapefruit skin and raspberry essence. Perfect for a warm afternoon. Classic!”
My Review: Very pale pink/salmon in the glass. Light and refreshing in a similar style to the 2018, which our French Rosé wine pod members loved. By the way, this wine is getting in short supply according to their webpage. May 2021
Chesebro 2019 Vermentino, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $23 (#361*)
Winery Notes: “Vermentino is a variety most often associated with Sardinia. Corsica and Liguria. It has appealing aromas of pines and citrus and a smooth palate balanced by mouthwatering acidity. It is late ripening in this cool site allowing the development of complex and elegant flavors. Refreshing and vibrant.” 98 cases produced.
My Review: Perfume on the nose, a touch of lime on the palate and a smooth finish. Classic. Chesebro was the first California Vermentino we had ever tasted and probably my favorite Chesebro white. May 2021
Chesebro 2017 Grenache Blanc, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, $25 (#362*)
Winery Notes: “Brilliant light almost translucent gold in color with a kaleidoscope of aromas including white peach, grapefruit, citrus blossom and tangerine. A subtle hint of vanilla and butterscotch really round out the nose. On the palate, citrus and stone fruits. Round yet refreshing through the finish.” 100 cases produced.
My Review: Sweet aromatics, white peach and citrus on the palate, slightly metallic, and a lingering finish. May 2021
Winery Notes: “Pale yellow gold in color. Fabulous aromatics with white flowers, lemon verbena and ever so subtle vanilla bean. The palate is fresh and vibrant, almost Chablis-like in its cut and precision. Each sip has amazing energy and tension balanced by the inherent richness of the clean Chardonnay fruit.” 80 cases produced.
My Review: I said pork rib BBQ on the nose. Alex suggested “gun flint.” Well, ok, fine. Intense flavors on the palate. May 2021
Buying Chesebro Wines: You can buy Chesebro wines via their website (www.chesebrowines.com) or in their tasting room at Updated information on its tasting room hours and reservation link is here. They are open Thursday through Sunday from noon until 6:00 PM by reservation. Chesebro has curbside pickup and has always been great about shipping wines to the East Coast for me.
Chesebro price list as of May 2021
*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 reassembled the fully vaccinated (yay!) COVID Wine Pod for a patio tasting last week and, for the first time, we were able to move inside when the weather turned chilly and windy. Mr. H pulled out this 2011 Tanner Cabernet Sauvignon to see how it would stand up to the 2011 Napa Cab we had just tasted. Watch out, Napa – let’s hear it for Carmel Valley Cabernet Sauvignons!
I’ve presented Parsonage to you in several prior posts and won’t repeat about them here (just type “Parsonage” in the search bar to see them all). You can check out their website here: https://www.parsonagewine.com/.
The 2011 Tanner stood up well to a Napa 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon!
We had this wine in our collection and opened it to compare a high-end Carmel Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with a high-end Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. We decanted it immediately prior to consumption. 2011 is not known for being a great growing season in California, so we really lucked out with both of these wines.
My Review: Very dense and dark in the glass with a super intense bouquet. The quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon flavors on the palate and a slight bitterness on the finish. We all thought this was super impressive. Well done! May 2021
Photo Courtesy of Parsonage!
Open daily for outdoor tastings – plus indoor tastings on the weekends!
Parsonage is open for tastings by reservation only every day – clickherefor the details. You can obtain their wines directly from the winery here or at their tasting room located at19 E Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village.
*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.
Special occasions call for special wines – and we’ve had a few relatives visiting – time to open some Parsonage reserves! Why not drink the good stuff?
I’ve presented Parsonage to you in several prior posts and won’t repeat about them here (just type “Parsonage” in the search bar to see them all). You can check out their website here: https://www.parsonagewine.com/.
We received this as a library wine in a recent allocation. This vintage pre-dates the “Tanner” designation. Our experience has taught us that these library wines are ready to drink.
grapelive– 93 points: “Cabernet did really well here in 2005 and I think it is showing much more character as well, I think the grape is star here and it seems to be so correct that I have a hard time finding any flaws! Pure classic fruits and depth make this vintage remarkable and especially noteworthy. Mixed black and red berry, plum, currants, cassis and chewy tannins scream Cabernet and don’t let up. The complex underbrush, herb and tobacco notes are very subtle and the hints of licorice, vanilla and cranberry are lovely.”
We shared the 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon with our visiting niece and nephew-in-law one chilly April night.
My Review: Dark in the glass with rich, smooth flavors of cassis and plum. This wine is drinking well, with the dark flavors reflecting its age. Two thumbs up! April 2021
**Monterey County Weekly: “Hedonistic – that’s how winemaker Bill Parsons describes his 2015 Parsonage “Rocco” Syrah. Not that the wine is self-indulgent, although it does seem hell-bent in pursuit of a good time, spilling bushels of ripe blackberries and blueberries from the glass. The revelry begins with a swirl. Fresh aromas spring from the glass, tromping over the grumbles of pepper and licorice. The party continues unabated on the palate, as dense dark berries mingle with a flirtatious impression of fresh plum. What develops on the fringes – raspy pepper, dry clove, bittersweet chocolate and toasted tobacco – are too faint at first to slow things down. It’s only on the finish that the wine’s demeanor changes, developing a more stolid, earthy character and a richer berry compote aspect that stills some of its liveliness.”
My Review: Almost opaque in color. Big dark fruit – blackberry and currant on the nose. Super rich, smooth dark fruit blackberry, plum and a touch of cassis and cedar on the palate. Sweet-tart on the finish. It looks like it smells like it tastes. Love this wine, as did our visiting family. April 2021
Parsonage is open for tastings by reservation only every day – click herefor the details. You can obtain their wines directly from the winery here or at their tasting room located at 19 E Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village.
*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 had a milestone birthday over the weekend and chose to celebrate with a private Boëté wine experience at Saunders Vineyard. We have been members at Boëté since long before we moved back to California – they make big reds in the style I like and, IMHO, deliver the best single-varietal Cabernet Franc and one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons in the region. Our tasting was very special – we were greeted by Jana Saunders, along with Oreo and Cabi, their dogs. The winery was in full operation. Not only did we get to taste their current releases, but also sampled the not-yet-released 2018 Reserve Cabernet Franc and the 2017 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon! We were privileged to get an education by John Saunders on some of the Library wines we have in our wine room, influencing our decision to open the 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon for my birthday dinner!
A beautiful start to our afternoon!
This delicious food platter accompanied our private tasting!
Over the past few months at home, we have opened several Boëté wines, including an older vintage of the Cheval Rouge red blend, and both the 2015 and 2017 Estate Cabernet Sauvignons (vs. the reserves).
A rare photo of the 3 of us celebrating my birthday at Boëté! This is our half of the COVID Wine Pod!
The Cheval Rouge is a red blend comprised of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
My Review: Ruby/purple in the glass. Blackberry and plum on the nose. Medium-to-full bodied, with flavorful dark berries on the palate, with a slightly chalky finish. Very nice. March 2021
This was the first vintage of the Cabernet Franc that took me to the moon – I have been a huge fan ever since!
My Review: Super dark ruby in the glass. Black plum and blackberry on the nose and palate. Still tastes young and not quite resolved. Super smooth. Went very well with our lamb dinner. April 2021
Boëté 2018 Reserve Cabernet Franc, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA (#336*)
Oreo made sure we were tasting wine properly: Pet the dog, sip the wine, pet the dog…!
My Review: Cherry on the nose. Very smooth on the palate and quite young. Will be glad to retaste this upon release! April 2021
My Review: Garnet in color. Fresh crushed berries and chocolate on the nose. Vibrant dark fruit on the palate on the palate with lingering cherry and vanilla flavors. February 2021
Wine Enthusiast rated the 2017 vintage 91 points: Quite dark in the glass, this bottling from a vineyard near Carmel Valley Village offers blackberry jam and leather on the nose. The palate is thick with firm tannins, delivering dark berry, dark cocoa and violet flavors. MATT KETTMANN, August 2020
My Review: Dark ruby/purple in the glass – nice legs. Delicious blackberry jam with a hint of vanilla on the nose. Mouthfilling dark berry jamminess on the palate – very smooth and drinkable at this young age. Highly recommended. Might have to buy more of this! March 2021
My Review: Now this was a delicious wine – perhaps one of the best Monterey County Cabernet Sauvignon wines we have ever tasted! Dark ruby in the glass with notes of menthol and nicotiana, maybe a little anise, on the nose. Dark raspberry and plum on the smooth palate. A little chewy and savory in a good way. Would not guess this was a Carmel Valley Cabernet Sauvignon! May 2021
Boëté 2017 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Grown, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, not released (#340*)
Winery was busy while we were there!
My Review: Deep, rich nose. Dark fruit and complex tannins, a bit tart. This wine is so very young. April 2021
You can read more about the winery and purchase their wines here https://www.boetewinery.com/. You can also taste their wines by reservation. For more information, please call 831-625-5040 or email boetewinery@comcast.net.
*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.
When Sal Rombi gave me the opportunity to preview some future releases, I jumped in my car and drove to his tasting room in Carmel Valley Village. Sal had a box of wine for me to take home – I am a lucky girl! I fund this blog out of my own pocket, so I deeply appreciate the occasional donation of wine for the purpose of the blog – and I will always tell you when that happens. We tasted most of these with the COVID Wine Pod and tasted/retasted some with the Bailey-Houy clan! I’ve presented Rombi Wines to you several times before – just type “Rombi” in the search bar!
Rombi’s Generous Support to Decanting Monterey!
Rombi’s fruit from his Carmel Valley Vineyard is so flavorful, creating wines with up-front intense flavors. His wines are very big and complex – resist the temptation to open them too soon! And we highly recommend decanting to get the full fruit flavors. (I’ve said this before…) In today’s post I will review five wines –most not yet released!
2018 Rombi Merlot, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $65 (327*)
The 2018 Merlot is not yet released – but highly recommended!!
This was his 12th year of production.
My Review: Beautiful dark ruby, raspberry swirling in color. Intense berry on the nose. Very good. Well balanced. I’ll put this away for years to come! March 2021
2018 Rombi Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $85 (328*)
Sal Rombi considers his 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon on par with his 2015, my favorite vintage!
My Review: We decanted this wine just before drinking. It needed much more time to breathe. It is a very young wine – almost a crime to even open it for this tasting! Dark ruby in the glass. Dark berry and pencil lead on the nose. Rich dark berries on the palate – black cherry, blackberry, chocolate and a very dry finish – the tannins are still very present in this wine – a big finish. I get hints of that berry fruit so distinctive from Carmel Valley Vineyard, woven into this big, structured wine. Needs more time. Resist the temptation to open early! We all agreed this might be his best Cabernet Sauvignon yet. April 2021
2017 Rombi Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $85 (329*)
This 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has been released and is currently available from Rombi Wines!
My Review: Garnet in color. Intense berry, cassis and caramel and vanilla on the nose. A classic Cabernet nose. Intense flavors on the palate. Graphite, lean “St. Estèphe-like.” “Like biting into a poached pear.” That’s pretty good. Tongue-coating. Highly recommend picking some of this up now! March 2021
2018 Rombi Petit Verdot, Napa Valley, 14.4% ABV, $75 (330*)
This exceptional 2018 Petit Verdot can be purchased in Rombi’s tasting room now!
My Review: Inky purple. Great blackberry nose. So smooth. Blackberry blueberry with a touch of menthol tobacco mid- palate. Licorice dry long finish. It did taste a bit like we were drinking it “while sitting in a freshly mowed field.” Best Petit Verdot I’ve ever had! March 2021
2017 Rombi Petite Sirah, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.6% ABV, $75 (331*)
The 2017 Petite Sirah won’t be released for a couple of years!
The fruit for this wine comes from Galante Vineyards in Cachagua, thusly relocating Rombi’s sourcing from Napa to Carmel Valley!
My Review: We decanted and tried this wine twice. On the first try, the COVID Wine Pod declared it not ready for consumption and we didn’t drink it. On the second try, with a different audience, we got the following: Berry and alcohol on the nose. A bit sour on the palate at first, later smoothing out into big berry fruit flavors as it opened up further in the glass. Went well with our celebratory meal. Even Sal says it is way too soon to sample this wine – it won’t even be released for a couple of years! March & April 2021
You can learn more about and purchase his wines online at Rombi Wines. You can also contact Kathy and Sal at kathy@rombiwines.com or sal@rombiwines.com for more information about buying wine. The tasting room is open Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Come on out and spend some time with Sal.
Sal Rombi, outside his tasting room in Carmel Valley Village, March 2021
*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.
Our third and last River Road Wine Trail stop with our COVID Wine Pod in mid-March was at Odonata. I had given Denis Hoey a heads up that we were coming, yet we had no idea what to expect. And we were late. Which his guy Eric pointed out to us. Heh. We also didn’t understand the format – we were used to seeing a tasting sheet and picking the few wines we would taste. When we were presented with the sparkling Grenache, followed by a tray of beakers, we were worried we wouldn’t get to taste the big reds we love. We actually got to taste everything! We finally relaxed and Eric, as he had time, sat with us to give us more information on the wines and the winery. I ask a lot of questions!
Located at the former Marilyn Remark winery spot, the outdoor setting was lovely – we sat right in the middle with couches surrounding a round table. The tasting menu was virtual, so bring your smart phone! It would be a fabulous picnic location, so we are definitely going back. And we will go back as our first and only stop – would be so worth it.
We were a couple of wines in when one Wine Pod member asked another what he thought of the wine we were tasting. The response was, “It’s our 19th wine.” Enough said. Wine tasting notetaking discipline went out the window. Luckily, we had designated drivers to get us home safely.
COVID Wine Pod happily arrives at Odonata – the final stop for the day!
About Odonata: “Odonata Wines is a small family winery owned and operated by winemaker Denis Hoey. Located on the California coast, farming vineyards around the Monterey Bay Area. Odonata produces small batches of each of their wines and focuses on local grapes that are organic and grown sustainably. Hoey works closely with local growers to ensure the highest quality wines from the vines to the glass.” “The credo we subscribe to is blending of old world winemaking methods and attitudes with new learning and a continuous search for improvement. We always want it to be interesting and exciting when you come to the tasting room or winery.” While they own some vineyards, they also source grapes from others well known and maybe not so well known throughout the Central Coast AVA. Odonata is the Greek word for dragonflies and damselflies.
A celebratory welcome with this sparkling Grenache!
Odonata Tasting Notes (website): “Strawberry in color, fresh baked bread, guava, and peaches on the nose. The palate is filled with texture! It finishes with under ripe tropical fruit that brings fresh acidity to balance out this bubble.”
2019 Odonata Viognier, Marin’s Vineyard, San Antonio Valley AVA, 14.3% ABV, $25 (#312*)
Odonata Tasting Notes (website): “Notes of creamsicle, peaches and other stone fruit provide a tropical lift to the nose. The palate is lush and creamy, and is accentuated by moderate acidity through the mid-palate.”
My Review: Pear, apricot and peach, with burnt honey, taffy and toasted marshmallow – not your typical Viognier!
Odonata Tasting Notes (website): “Our first time ever making a “sauvi-b” and we couldn’t be more excited about the outcome! This wine has it all! Vibrant and fresh, with notes of key lime, grapefruit and melon. The palate is filled with fresh acidity, and is balanced out by passion fruit and kiwi!”
2016 Odonata Remembrance, Circle B Vineyard, Paso Robles AVA, 12% ABV, $28 (#314*) 75% Petite Sirah & 25% Grenache. “All Proceeds from this wine are being donated equally to three important causes. 1) Alzheimer’s Research 2) Cancer Research 3) Our local Women’s shelter.”
Winery Notes: “Ripe and luscious on the palate. Pleasant texture, with a lengthy finish. This wine is an easy drinker that will pair perfect with any grilled meats, Italian fare, etc. Pretty versatile all round fun glass of wine.”
2019 Odonata Cote-Du-Denis Carbonic Carignane, Circle B Vineyard, Paso Robles AVA, $28 (#315*)
Wine Enthusiast – 93 points: “Winemaker Denis Hoey hops on the carbonic train with this elegantly labeled bottling, and it hits all the marks. Bright raspberry, hibiscus and rainy cement aromas lead into a zesty palate of plum, strawberry and more wet rock flavors.” Matt Kettmann, September 2020
My Review: Beautiful translucent red in the glass, sweet on the nose, light cherry on the palate.
Winery Notes: “Vibrant and lively on the nose with alluring nuances of fresh flowers and berry fruits. On the palate you’re treated with pepper herbs, fresh minerality and delightful tannin. The richness and depth of this Grenache erupts with every sip, while conveying texture and balance.”
My Review: A nice red color in the glass with a touch of bitterness on the finish.
2017 Odonata Sangiovese, Machado Creek Vineyard, Santa Clara Valley AVA, $32 (#318*)
Winery Notes: “Cool nights and warm days make this marvelous complex wine. It starts with darker berries, met with sweet strawberry notes. finishes with a smooth rustic and smokey nose. On the palate, I make this wine to embody the true Italian varietal that Sangiovese is. Earth and spice driven, with subtle fruit drive this wine to pair wonderfully with any Italian dish!” We liked this wine!
2018 Odonata Zinfandel, Enz Vineyard, Lime Kiln Valley AVA, San Benito County, 15% ABV, $32 (#319*)
Winery Notes: “Aromas of sweet blackberry jam, strawberry puree, and loamy soil on the nose. The palate is held together by bright acid and tannins, offering flavors of violets, blueberry, and black licorice.”
My Review: I have yet to find a Monterey/San Benito County Zin I love. This one was OK! Worthy of a re-taste soon!
Winery Notes: “Elegant cherry fruit, red berry, cinnamon and spices on the nose. Bountiful fruit with opulent texture smooth out the palate. Enjoy this classic S.L.H. Pinot on its own or with a wide variety of food!”
My Review: Purple in the glass, a bit smokey with cherry on the finish.
2016OdonataPetite Sirah, Machado Creek Vineyard, Santa Clara Valley AVA, 14% ABV, $28 (#321*)
Winery Notes: “Opulent fruit, herbs and spices on the nose. The palate is perfectly balanced with loads of dark fruit, tannin and graphite.”
My Comment: This was our favorite so far of all the wines we tasted on this day!
Winery Notes: Sweet berry, mocha, and touch of sage. This is a very balanced expression of Dessert Wine, which allows it to be enjoyed on its own or added to any dessert you like!
My Review: It was a very good dessert wine! I would pick up one of these if we were still doing dinner club and I needed one!
We picked up the Brunello and the Spiketail for a future review!
Visiting Odonata (from their website): This winery is very easy to drive to from many points – not far off Hwy 68!! “Nestled at the northern edge of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA and at the beginning of the River Road wine trail lies the Odonata winery and tasting room. We hope you will stop by our tasting room and sample a selection of our current releases. We are open 7 days a week and no appointments are necessary.”
*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.
In normal times, the Bernardus tasting room is filled with members and visitors. During the pandemic, Bernardus has taken a very conservative approach to focus on winemaking while limiting even outdoor tastings – I respect that! When asked by Heather, the tasting room manager, if I would like to do a tasting when I picked up my wine shipment in early March, I jumped at the opportunity! Little did I know how solo it would be – I was the only person on their lovely patio! I felt very safe, as well as catered to! I am presenting six Bernardus wines for today’s blog.
The expansive Bernardus patio is perfect for outdoor tastings!
Winery Notes: “Our 2019 Signature Griva bottling has aromas of grapefruit accented by mineral nuances. The beautifully rich palate exhibits bright tropical fruit flavors with notes of lime and grapefruit zest. The 2019 version is beautifully rich, yet perfectly balanced with a gently crisp, refreshing acidity.”
My Review: Pale straw in the glass. Pineapple on the nose, nice crisp acidity on the palate with pineapple notes. I’m a fan of Griva Sauvignon Blanc, so this was a real treat. March 2021
2018 Bernardus Chardonnay Soberanes Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $50 (#286*)
Winery Notes – 93 Points by Wine Enthusiast and Vinous: “Our 2018 Soberanes Chard exhibits aromas of ripe tropical fruits and baking spice. The palate exhibits its hallmark richness and intensity along with ripe peach flavors and toasty oak notes, which linger on its long, well textured finish.”
My Review: Golden yellow in color, grassy/buttery on the nose with caramel, gardenia, butter and alcohol on the palate. March 2021
2016 Bernardus Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $70 (#287*)
Winery Notes: “The 2016 Soberanes displays a beautiful ruby robe and vibrant red fruit aromas. The palate exhibits crisp flavors of ripe red cherry and raspberry with a long finish, promising an excellent future ahead.”
My Review: Ruby in the glass, Red currant and light cherry on the nose. Earth and cherry notes on the palate – cellar this wine! March 2021
2017 Bernardus Pinot Noir Rosella Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $80 (#288*)
Winery Notes –GOLD – San Francisco Wine Competition: “The aromas beautifully express the intense red fruits so typical of the finest Pinot vineyards of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Flavors are very intense with succulent ripe red cherries and cranberries, along with subtle notes of French oak. Our 2017 iteration is a superb expression of this unique vineyard.”
My Review: Ruby in color with a nice, cherry nose. Bigger palate of cherry/berry flavors with delicious dark and red fruit on the finish. March 2021
First class service at my solo tasting!
2017 Bernardus Cabernet Sauvignon, Marinus Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, $50 (#289*)
Winery Notes:“Our 2017 Cabernet exudes spicy aromas of red berry and cranberry. The palate beautifully reflects the aromas showing juicy red fruit flavors with a subtle, refreshing acidity. Our Cabernet has been aged for six months in 28-year-old neutral French oak tanks in order to allow the fruit flavors of these grapes to shine through without any oak barrel influence.”
My Review: Dense, dark ruby like the 2014 Marinus. Cherry notes on the nose. Smooth on the palate – slightly vegetal on the finish. Very drinkable now, but recommend cellaring. March 2021
2014 Bernardus Marinus, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.3% ABV, $75 (#290)
I will be presenting this wine in a future, live WWCS class!!
Winery Notes – 93 Points by Vinous: “The robe of our 2014 Marinus is very deeply-colored. The aromas exude beautifully ripened red fruits accented by subtle spice notes. The mouthfeel is very soft and full expressing delicious flavors of ripe cherry and plum. The finish is well structured with soft tannins promising a long life for this superb bottle, similar to a fine Bordeaux.”
My Review: Beautiful dense, dark ruby in the glass. Intense fruit on the nose. Smooth palate full of dark berry fruits, a bit chalky yet fresh. Drinking so well with lots of future for cellaring. I could just keep drinking this wine. March 2021
The Bernardus Tasting Room will undergo a remodeling – This last reminder that this building was originally a bank is set to go.
The tasting room is closed until May 1, while the staff focuses on winemaking. You can order wines on line and pick them up at the tasting room. Check here for more information.
*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 is my last of three planned posts on my Spring Release 2021 I Brand wines, with this post focusing on the I Brand & Family label. This label is for their “California inspired” wines, as compared to the country French and Spanish inspired wines of P’tit Paysan and La Marea, respectively.
The 4 wines in today’s post are the I Brand & Family 2017 and 2018 Chardonnay, 2019 Pinot Noir (a first!), and a special 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, three of which I tasted in early March at their tasting room in Carmel Valley Village.
One of the things Ian Brand is known for is creative grape sourcing for his vineyards. In the case of these wines, he is using rather well-known (at least well-known to us locals) vineyards – ones known for producing quality fruit for higher-end wines.
Escolle Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands:“Honore’ Escoole purchased his summer property, for his family in 1878. He established one of the most desireable benches in Monterey County. Now, managed under the local Caraccioli Family. This site, continues to deliver a distinct expression of the northern Santa Lucia Highlands. Dominate soil Chualar Sandy Loam, which allows great root distribution and development.” (from I Brand’s tech sheet)
Enz Vineyard, Lime Kiln Valley, San Benito County:“Enz Vineyard is located in San Benito County in the little-known Lime Kiln Valley AVA. Enz currently owns about 1,400 acres and is planted with 40 acres of vines. Mourvedre and Zinfandel are the prime varietals however, they also yield small quantities of Pinot St George, Pinot Noir, and Orange Muscat. Although Enz is fairly close to Monterey Bay, the vineyard elevation site above the fog line and the steep valley walls create a warm microclimate ideal for Mourvedre.” California Wine Navigator
Massa Vineyard, Cachagua, Carmel Valley:“Overlooking the Cachagua region of Carmel Valley, (“Cachagua” is believed to be an Indian derivative of the French “cacher” and the Spanish “agua” – “hidden waters”), and framed by the dramatic surrounding hills, lie the beautiful vineyards of Massa Estate, formerly Heller Estate and Durney Vineyards.” Heller Estate
“The Massa Vineyard is the new name for the underground classic Durney Vineyard right here in Carmel Valley…We are pleased to be working with the Massa family on excellent organic farming practices…This release comes from its 1971 planting, which we consider far and away the most exceptional blocks on the vineyard.” I Brand Spring Release newswletter
2017 I Brand & Family Chardonnay, Escolle Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, 13.2% ABV, $30 (#281*)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “Amazing balance and roundness. Rich nuttiness, and fruit showcased upon the nose. Partial malolactic fermentation, allows bright acidity to shine, while the creamy characteristic follows upon the palate. Layers of fruit and baking spices envelop the mouth, providing a silky finish that lasts. Baked apples, and pineapple lead, with a slight clove finish. Enjoy now, or cellar for an optimal tasting experience.” 10 months on lees, 50% new French oak. 4 months stainless steel, partial malolactic fermentation.
My Review: Beautiful golden yellow in the glass like sunshine. Fresh citrus squirt on the nose and more of same on the palate. A lovely wine. March 2021
2018 I Brand & Family Chardonnay, Escolle Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, 13.4% ABV, $30 (#282*)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: ““bright citrus, macadamia nut, subtle spice, silky smooth” 10 months in 50% new oak, last 4 months in stainess steel.” “Like a sunny day.”
My Review: Brighter yellow than the Albarino. Mild, buttery and creamy nose. Toasted marshmallow and butter on the palate with lemon curd on toast on the finish. Delicious. March 2021
2019 I Brand & Family Pinot Noir, Enz Vineyard, Lime Kiln Valley, San Benito County, 13.2% ABV, $42 (#283*)
Winery Tasting Notes: “cherry, black tea, rhubarb, damp earth, dry acidity, will grow in expression over the next few years” “A cooler climate Pinot.”
My Review: Strawberry and raspberry on the nose. Raspberry and rhubarb on the palate. Slight tannin on the finish. March 2021
2018 I Brand & Family Cabernet Sauvignon, ‘Block 10’, Massa Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, 13% ABV, $75 (#284*)
Winery Tasting Notes: “black current, violet, bergamot, strong & graceful, will age well over 10-12 years” “On par with the Monte Bello Road” (I Brand’s Cabernet Sauvignon from the Santa Cruz Mountains)
My Review: Deep ruby – bordering on inky. Intense dark berry (great Cachagua fruit) on the nose. Inkiness continues on the palate – rich deep flavors. The challenge will be to lay it down and not touch it – we are not that disciplined! March 2021
Parsonage Valley Vineyard (photo taken Spring 2019)
On this Ides of March, I wanted to present two completely different (opposite?) Parsonage wines. When we first met Frank Melicia, we knew he made serious wines. But he also is a bit of an innovator who tries new things, so he makes some fun blends, too. I’m bringing you one of each in today’s post!
I’ve presented Parsonage to you in several prior posts and won’t repeat about them here (just type “Parsonage” in the search bar to see them all). You can check out their website here: https://www.parsonagewine.com/.
Bill Parsons always has a story and here is the story he shared with me about our first wine, the 2008 Parsonage Estate Syrah:
“The (2008) vintage was our most celebrated and sought after in our then ten year existence. As great as the Estate version was, the Carmelstone and Rocco (Syrahs) were even greater.
“Back then Arvid Singh was the sommelier at the Sardine Factory. Ted Balesteri tasted my wines at a fundraiser at Holman Ranch and asked to set up a tasting with Arvid. I did. It was the craziest tasting I’ve ever done. I opened the Estate and the Carmelstone while he looked for his small spittoon. After he found it I poured one ounce of each. He swirled and sniffed for a long time, then took in a mouthful. He gurgled a bit, then swallowed. He asked me for another shot. I complied. He repeated the ritual two more times without spitting. I asked him what the spittoon was for. He said that all of his career he had always spit. Then he said, ‘but it would be sacrilege to expectorate the greatest Syrah he had ever tasted.’
“I laughed and said, ‘Yeah, very funny.’ It was obvious that I thought he was joking and he got quite angry at me. This was very serious stuff to him. I could probably write several hundred words describing our back and forth. The gist of it was that I challenged the idea that he had an olfactory version of eidetic memory. He said, for instance, 20 years ago he had tasted a Penfolds Grange and thought it to be the greatest he ever tasted until the Parsonage. I said, ‘The Grange isn’t here to defend its ranking.’ He said he had total olfactory recall of every great wine he had ever tasted. I called bullshit on him and he was really pissed at me.
“Finally I apologized and we kissed and made up.😎 When he tasted the Carmelstone it was more of the same, even greater than the Estate. He wanted to buy a lot more than I was willing to sell him.
“Later, I reflected on our tasting and what I had learned. I learned that Arvid and I have identical palates when it comes to Syrah because we both thought the 2008 was the best we ever tasted.
“As a footnote Arvid said, ‘The Grange is not even worthy of being on the same shelf with your Syrah.’ I thought he was a bit harsh on the famous Aussie Shiraz.”
The 2008 Parsonage Syrah is a staff favorite – perhaps one of the very best vintages.
Winemaker Notes:“The vintage was our most celebrated and sought after in our then ten year existence. As great as the Estate version was, the Carmelstone and Rocco were even greater…What a bomb! This is quite likely our biggest estate syrah ever. It’s more like a reserve Carmelstone or Rocco from other vintages. The nose comes with a blast of blueberry, blackberry, curry spices and cocoa. The color is pure garnet ink. The mouth feel is monumental with layers of very dark fruit, exotic spice and French oak barrel brulee. The expected signature notes of mineral and game along with hints of liquer and Amarone deliver on an exceedingly long and dramatic finish.”
My Review: Very dark in the glass with dark fruit on the nose to match. Rich dark flavors of black currant and cassis on the palate. Pretty yummy, but clearly should have been consumed some time back. Definitely need to decant and drink these older wines! March 2021
2016 Parsonage Wild Card, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $38 (#262*)
2016 was the year of the Soberanes Fire affecting Carmel Valley fruit; grapes for this wine were sourced from all over Monterey County.
Winemaker Notes: “Downright weird from Frank’s twilight zone. It really shouldn’t work but it does every time eight years running. Syrah, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Grenache, Pinot Noir, oh my. It’s yummy and if you want to make the effort you can pick out the character of each varietal.”
My Review: Deep beautiful red in color. Plum, berry and caramel on the nose. Maybe toast notes, but that could be my popcorn. Intense fruit up from on the palate – bursting with red and black berry. A little touch of smoke and tobacco on the finish. Pleasant surprise!! February 2021
Photo courtesy of Parsonage
Parsonage’s Beautiful Tasting Room and Outdoor Parklet!
Parsonage is open for tastings by reservation only every day – click herefor the details. You can obtain their wines directly from the winery here or at their tasting room located at19 E Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village.
*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.
On a lazy Saturday, I get a call from Sal Rombi asking if we’d like to come out for a tasting – like RIGHT THEN! A quick text to our COVID Wine Squad and we were all in – lucky that our adult daughters could join us on this mission. It was SO GOOD to see Sal, after what seemed like a very long time. We thoroughly enjoyed our time together, as well as the outstanding wines. Yes, these are wines tasted in 2020 that slipped through the wine blog cracks – plus a recent tasting of his 2014 Merlot!
Sal, always a welcoming host – photo taken July 2020!
In today’s post I will review the 2014 and 2017 Rombi Merlots, and the 2014 Rombi Petite Sirah. We also tasted 2 wines I’ve reviewed before – updated reviews from our recent tasting are here:
2015 Rombi Cabernet Sauvignon (one of my favorites): Garnet in color. Deep plum sage and wood scent on the nose. Puckery rich intense blackberry & dried currant on the palate. December 2020
2016 Rombi Merlot (Soberanes fire year): Garnet in color. Sweet ham hock on the nose. Rich underlying fruit, and a smokey finish. If it hadn’t been for the smoke taint, this would have been his best Merlot yet. Hats off to vintners gutsy enough to still make these wines – appreciate them for what they are! December 2020
2014 Rombi Merlot, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $65 (258*)**
This wine reflects the intense, delicious fruit fruit from Sal’s tiny Carmel Valley Vineyard.
This was his 8th year of production. His fruit from this vineyard is so flavorful, creating wines with up-front intense flavors. Rombi’s wines are very big and complex – highly recommend decanting to get the full fruit flavors. (I’ve said this before…) Sal described this wine as “wonderful” – so wonderful he only has a few bottles left in his personal stash! I still have at least one more – lucky me.
My Review: Garnet/purple in color. Rich bramble berry and cassis on the nose. Huge palate of blueberry, blackberry and a touch of acidity, with at first a very dry finish. As it opened up, lush fruit enveloped the palate with a licorice finish. Very big, very complex, very nice wine. January 2021
2017 Rombi Merlot, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $65 (259*)
My Review: Rombi’s 11th vintage of Merlot! Pretty, ruby color with some earth on the nose. This wine might have just been opened and not decanted. Awfully young and a bit tannic with cherry flavors. I will need to taste this one again! December 2020
2014 Rombi Petite Sirah, California, 14.6% ABV, $75 (260*)
My Review: Most of these grapes are sourced from Napa. Deep purple-red in the glass. A very different nose with a touch of barnyard. Delicious, chalky, deep plum and cherry on the palate with a leathery finish. December 2020
You can learn more about and purchase his wines online at Rombi Wines. You can also contact Kathy and Sal at kathy@rombiwines.com or sal@rombiwines.com for more information about buying wine. The tasting room is open Saturday and Sunday afternoons for an outdoor tasting. Come on out and spend some time with Sal.
Our daughters staying socially distant in the comfy outdoor seating at Rombi Wines!
*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 have a standing offer from Sal Rombi to replenish my cellar with any of his wines I review.
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