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.
We were out in the valley one afternoon checking out the tasting rooms and saw something new had moved into the old White Oaks Shopping Center, now primarily a “wine tasting row.” In my memory, this fellow inside was playing guitar, but maybe he was just playing a record. He stopped to pour us wine. We learned he was the “I” of I. Brand – Ian Brand. We were attracted to his wines, range of varietals and vineyards, his affordable prices, and humorous labels, akin to those at Bonny Doon. And it is no wonder, as that is where he got his introduction to the wine business – doing an entry-level job at Bonny Doon.
I. Brand’s Tasting Room in Carmel Valley Village
Winemaker Ian Brand has come a long way since those early days in the wine business. He and his wife Heather now produce over 10,000 cases annually in a warehouse in Salinas under three wine labels: Le P’tit Paysan (French Inspired Wines), La Marea (Spanish Inspired Wines) and I. Brand & Family (California Inspired Wines). Wine Spectator published this illuminating 2015 Winemaking on the Edge article about Ian Brand, his wines and his family. And, most significantly, Ian was named the San Francisco Chronicle 2018 Winemaker of the Year.
From I. Brand & Family: “We did not set out to make these wines. We discovered great vineyards at the edge of sensible farming and decided to bring them to light. The farther we looked, the more we found – remote, challenging vineyards, with hard depleted soils, and intense sunlight tempered only by the coastal breeze. Vineyards capable of producing only the most idiosyncratic wines. Our goal as winemakers is to lightly polish the roughest edges and leave the idiosyncrasy intact. It is here in the back country, filled with individual character, where Le P’tit Paysan comes to life.”
“La Marea, made by Ian Brand of Le P’tit Paysan, is a tiny winery focused on single vineyard Spanish varietals “rooted in the sea, the soil and the sea air”. Brand believes Monterey and San Benito to be some of the most ideally suited climates in California for Spanish varietals like Albariño, Grenache (Garnacha) and Mourvedre (Monastrell). The proximity to the cool ocean waters Monterey Bay provides an optimal climate for Albarino while the warmer San Antonio and San Benito Valleys closely resemble the Spanish regions where these grapes thrive. This region, once the site of a shallow ocean bed millions of years ago, is one of the few spots in California with a high percentage of limestone found in the soil which gives the wines a high naturally acidity. As with his P’tit Paysan wines, Brand works with fruit harvested at lower Brix, ferments using a combination of native and cultured yeast, and favors neutral oak.” (Couer Wine Company)
Another Fun I. Brand Release Party with Exceptional Catering and Great Music, 2018
You can see the influence from his time at Bonny Doon in not only his labels, but also his style of wines – they tend to be flavorful, while lower in alcohol, more in a European style. And, back in the day when we could gather, his release parties were a fun time: wine, food and live music. That’s where I was introduced to the music of ¿Qiensave? Quiensave Music.
Today’s post is about his wines we have been drinking since March from the Monterey AVA, specifically. Other regions and labels to follow.
2017 Le P’tit Paysan Chardonnay Jacks Hill Vineyard, Monterey County, 12.5 % ABV, $22, (#139*)
When I was asked to present a Monterey County wine class to the Northern Virginia American Wine Society, I looked far and wide for what I thought would be the best representation of our region while also available for purchase in Washington DC. I ran out to the tasting room to try the Jacks Hill, declared it a winner, and came home triumphant. When I shared my great find with my husband, he replied, “Well, of course it’s a great wine – we tasted it at their release party and have it in our wine room.” :-/
The 2017 Jacks Hill Chardonnay comes from Chualar, east of the Salinas. Whole-cluster fermentation, racked in neutral oak barrels, one new French oak barrel and a stainless-steel tank, aged for 5 months. 40% undergoes malolactic fermentation to round out the acids, creating a balanced expression of Chardonnay.
Jacks Hill was my pick for a Monterey County Wine for my 2019 AWS class.
Wine Enthusiast Review : “This bottling by Ian Brand always packs bang for the buck, but he really nailed it in the 2017 vintage. Clean and delicate aromas of Asian pear, lemon rind and edgy chalk lead into a racy, crisp and tightly wound palate. Flavors of grapefruit, nectarine, blanched almond and sea salt are delicious.”92 points, Matt Kettmann, February 2019
My Review: Pale gold in color, refreshingly floral, creamy peach, and pineapple nose. Full-bodied in flavor with pineapple, citrus and the slight bitterness of lime zest. A slightly tart wine with none of that over-oaked, buttery or cloying characteristics we often see in a California Chardonnay. Refreshing and delicious. August 2020
2019 La Marea Albariño Kristy Vineyard, Monterey County, 13.2% ABV, $24 (#103*)
The 2019 La Marea Albariño has been our wine of choice on these warm, coastal days.
The Corkery Review: “Tasting Notes: Juicy, Lemon Citrus, Pineapple, Mineral. This fresh and aromatic Albarino benefits from the cool winds off Monterey Bay and the soils of an ancient sea bed. The wine has beautiful texture and minerality and pairs well with fresh shellfish and grilled fish as well as spicy cuisines, including Indian and Thai.” Wine Enthusiast has rated previous vintages from 90-91 points.
My Review: We drank this wine on a hot summer day after a Sancerre. Crisp and clean. The minerality showed up as a little bitterness “like a Sicilian green olive” and complemented our Mediterranean appetizers. Perfect for the occasion. July 2020
2019 La Marea Albariño Alternate Cut, Monterey County, 12.8% ABV, $30 (#114*)
I needed an Albariño for a wine class in August and pulled this one out of our wine room. We were familiar with the regular 2019 La Marea Albariño Kristy Vineyard in July, so what the heck is the Alternate Cut??
There is not a lot of information out there about the 2019 La Marea Albariño Kristy Vineyard Alternate Cut. The label says this: “We pulled aside 70 cases of one of the components of our Kristy Albarino to showcase a different side of what the vineyard and variety can do. Destemmed and left on the skins two days, and fermented with a ‘pied de cuvee’ yeast harvested in the vine rows, this is a broader, funkier ‘alternate cut.’“
The 2019 La Marea Alternate Cut: a funkier, bolder Albariño.
Wine Enthusiast Review of the 2018 Alternate Cut: “This experimental twist by Ian Brand shows only slight differences from his original bottling, yet they’re intriguingly fresh accents. Aromas of peach blossom, honeydew rinds and wax lead into a laser-sharp, high-toned palate that focuses on lime and the slightest touch of nectarine on the finish.” 92 points. Matt Kettmann 12/2019
My Review: Golden and slightly pink in color. A floral and peachy nose, followed by a full-flavored palate echoing the nose, perhaps slightly sweeter on the palate than a typical Albariño. The finish is big, yeasty and slightly tart and bitter in a complementary way – slightly lime rind. August 2020
I Brand is open for outside porch tastings by reservation only – email them at HELLO@IBRANDWINERY.COM. You can order their wines from the winery or via numerous shops online. As of September 7, 2020: The 2017 Chardonnay is available at Pearson’s Wine and Spirits in DC and at K&L Wine Merchants in CA for $20. The 2019 La Marea Albariño Kristy Vineyard is available from the winery and several shops around the US, including K&L Wine Merchants in CA for $20 and the Princeton Corkscrew for $22. The 2019 La Marea Albariño Alternate Cut is available from the winery and a few shops in the US, including Union Square Wines in NYC for $28, case price $25 per bottle.
*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.
My early September wine class wanted to do a bubbly. I did a quick search on line for a Monterey sparkling wine. As soon as I saw Scratch on the list, I had to have it – I wanted to present this wine! I ran over to their tasting room in Carmel-By-The-Sea and picked up a bottle. I have been curious about Scratch, a woman-owned winery by Sabrine Rodems, the winemaker for Wrath since 2006, another favorite. What’s not to like?
The Scratch Tasting Room is mid-block on Dolores Between 7th and Ocean.
According to the Scratch Website, “Scratch is a project of Winemaker Sabrine Rodems producing small-lot Riesling, Grenache, Pinot Noir and Cabernet from Monterey, Arroyo Seco, Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa Cruz Mountains AVA’s.” Sabrine Rodems says: “What I love most about Monterey, the Arroyo Seco, Santa Lucia Highland and the Santa Cruz Mountains is that I have four geologically different sites at my fingertips. Getting to work with bench Pinot Noir and river bed Riesling and Grenach, and Coastal Cabernet makes my work exciting and the wine exciting as well. Winemaking is the best of both worlds the amalgamation of science and art.”
I wanted to learn more about Sabrine Rodems and quickly saw there are many articles about this locally reknown winemaker. One of my favorites is this one in Edible MontereySabrine Rodems On Exhibit Scratch Coming to Carmel in which she talks about experimenting with Falanghina in clay in the ancient Roman method for Wrath. She also states her favorite wine growing region is Monterey, due to its long growing season (no pressure!) and coastal climate. And explains why she likes the name Scratch (no one else had it, edgy, and hard to pin down).
Edgy Photos in the Scratch Tasting Room.
2018 Scratch Blanc de Blanc Sparkling, San Saba Vineyard, Monterey AVA, 12.2% ABV, $45 (#136*):
The 2018 Scratch Blanc de Blanc Extra Brut is a crisp and delicious bubbly.
From the Scratch Website : “The excitment has been killing us!!! Our new baby, Sparkling Blanc de Blanc made from Chardonnay off of San Saba Vineyards, which is the home vineyard of Wrath Wines. High acid Clone 17 Chardonnay in an Extra Brut style. Crisp citrus, flowers and a hint of guava with a clean finish and amazing bubbles!” 100% Chardonnay, Methode Champenoise, Extra Brut
Wine Enthusiast Review of the 2017 Vintage: “This wine features a label design by artist Eddie Colla. It shows strong aromas of pear, pineapple and tropical fruit on the nose. The palate displays flavors of lime, lemongrass and green apple, enveloped in an aggressive mousse.” 91 points. Matt Kettmann, April 2019
My Review: Pale golden in color, we detected pear notes on the nose, clean and crisp pear on the palate, finishing with lemongrass and lime. I like a good Brut bubbly, so Extra Brut made it even more special. My fellow classmates did ask, “What does an aggressive mousse taste like?” I’ll have to ask Matt. September 2020
Check out their current releases on their website. Also, you can visit their outdoor tasting room 7 days a week at in the middle of the block of Dolores between Ocean and 7th in Carmel-By-The-Sea – now that is bold!
Scratch has a very cute, well designed outdoor tasting area for guests to safely taste their wines. Photo of tasters published with their permission.
*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.
The wine class theme my DC friends picked for our late August virtual class was White Burgundy or unoaked Chardonnay, if we can’t get our hands on the real deal. Since we are limiting our trips out, I hunted in the fridge and found this Arroyo Seco wine from J. Lohr. I had picked up this wine a while back as one of the Wine Spectator’s Top Value California Chardonnays. Perfect. Except my research told me it is oaked. A rule-follower by day, I still like to color outside the lines when I can.
About J. Johr from its website: “Four decades ago, the California Central Coast had not yet emerged as one of North America’s world-class winegrowing regions. With little history or viticultural precedent, planting on the Central Coast was a gamble. One of an handful of early pioneers, Jerry Lohr was among the first to realize the inherent potential of Monterey and Paso Robles for producing high quality grapes and superb wines…After Jerry Lohr’s nearly decade-long search for the right place to plant his first vineyard, he chose a site in Monterey County that was to become the heart of the Arroyo Seco appellation. Jerry planted the winery’s first 280 acres in 1972 in Greenfield.”
The J. Lohr 2018 Riverstone Chardonnay makes Wine Spectator Top Value list!
Winemaker Notes: “The 2018 Riverstone Chardonnay exhibits youthful hues of light straw. The enticing aromas are reminiscent of white peach, apricot, ripe orange, and cocoa, and complemented by the palate flavors of citrus cream and nectarine. The rich texture and balance on the palate from aging sur lie gives way to flavors of vanilla, crème brûlée, and a touch of oak can be found on the long finish.” Kristen Barnhisel, winemaker, white wine. She made a video about this wine: 2018 Riverstone Chardonnay Video. According to the video, it is made in a style that combines both Old World and New World techniques. She used 3 different kinds of oak barrels, each attributing different characteristics to the wine: American (baking spices), Hungarian (a little sweetness), and French (vanilla and mocha). This wine is the number one AVA-labeled Chardonnay in the U.S.! 100% Chardonnay.
Wine Spectator Review: “Plush green apple, pear and white peach flavors are supported by fresh acidity. The well-framed finish offers a flurry of spice details, with hints of honey. Drink now through 2023. 564,000 cases made.” 89 points, Best Value KM
My Review: Pale yellow and almost a green in color, this wine swirls with a beutiful viscosity. A classic Chardonnay nose of oak, butter and hints of pineapple and bitter citrus. Flavor explodes on the palate with intense pineapple and citrus, with butter, honey and vanilla notes. Lingering finish of all those flavors and a touch of bitter citrus. Despite the higher alcohol, it still drinks lean. This wine is overall balanced in flavors – not too oaky or buttery for those who prefer an unoaked Chardonnay and not too overwhelmingly citrus or acidic. August 2020
J. Lohr is not currently open for tastings in either its Paso Robles or San Jose locations. I found this wine in my local grocery store. It should be widely available.
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