I’m grateful I follow some of our local wineries on social media – Chesebro Wines is one of them. When they recently informed us that they had released the 2015 Chesebro Sparkling Rosé, we made a beeline for Carmel Valley. They opened a bottle for us to try it and we snapped up a couple to take home. It was worthy of a trip to the valley!
I’m also including here a couple of their red blends. The 2015 Las Arenas was recently consumed at home. On the other hand, the 2012 La Montagne Sauvage was part of a vertical tasting at their tasting room in Carmel Valley Village. We have quite a few vintages of this blend at home awaiting the right event!
THE WINES
Today, I am presenting 3 Chesebro Wines. I last presented their wines to you in August 2023 here: Chesebro New Releases Wow Decanting Monterey! Winery notes come from the label, their tasting sheet or their website, unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone; however, as a general rule, I do not correct any typos from the winery’s website.
2015 Chesebro Brut Rosé, Mission Ranch Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 12.8% ABV, $50 (#1264) – Worthy of a Trip!
Winery Notes: “100% Mission Ranch Swan clone Pinot Noir. Aged on the lees for 7 years before being disgorged in 2016. Bottled with 6 grams/L dosage this wine is a light onion skin color, very fine bubbles and has aromas of brioche and bruised red apple that follows through on the palate with red berry and bright acidity.”
My Review: Beige-pink in color. Apple cider on the nose. Palate of fine bubbles and mouse with soft, raspberry notes. We bought some of this and have enjoyed it at home! February 2024
2015 Chesebro Las Arenas, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV, $27 (#1265)
Winery Notes: “Las Arenas refers to the sandy soils of Cedar Lane Vineyard. This Rhone style blend of 67% Grenache and 33% Syrah combines intense aromatics with smooth texture and bright acidity.”
My Review: Plum and blackberry on the nose. The palate has fruity blackberry notes balanced by a tobacco finish. This is a tasty wine. March 2024
2012 Chesebro La Montagne Sauvage, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV (#1266)
Winery Notes: “This Rhone style blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre is grown on our family ranch in the mountains of upper Carmel Valley. We feel it convey the wild character of this place we love.”
My Review: We tasted the 2014, 2013 and 2012 vintages at the same time. This vintage is all dark fruit, a touch jammier than the others. Smooth, yet chewy, with more tobacco on the finish. Delicious. February 2023
THE TASTING ROOM
The Chesebro Tasting Room is located at 19D East Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village.
“We are now open for tasting on Friday through Sunday from noon until 5 PM and by appointment on other days. Due to our limited capacity please make an appointment on all days so that we may better serve you. Appointments can either be set up through this page below or by contacting Alex directly at Alex@chesebrowines.com or 831-238-2618.” You can walk in or schedule an appointment at the tasting room link.
Last week I brought you Part 1 of my coverage of the August 12thArroyo Seco Winegrowers celebration here: Let’s Have a Big Party to Celebrate Arroyo Seco Winegrowers. Please take a look at that write-up for more information about the Arroyo Seco AVA and the event. Today’s post brings you the rest of the wineries and their wines: Martin Ranch Winery, Chesebro, Bernardus, Blair, J Lohr and Joyce Wine Co. I am grateful to have been able to attend this festive occasion, surrounded by the vineyards we were there to celebrate.
THE WINES
As I indicated last week, despite the small nature of the event, there are always more wines than we can possibly taste and my own note taking was minimal. I am relying on the wineries’ websites for their notes, unless otherwise stated. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
This was the first time I had encountered Martin Ranch Winery at one of our local wine events – and I was glad I did. Looking at the range of wines they make, I see a road trip to their Gilroy winery and tasting room in my future!
From their website: “For nearly three decades, winemakers Thérèse and Dan Martin have crafted wines in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The rich history of this husband and wife team is reflected in each bottle of wine, and everything they do…
“In 1993, Thérèse and Dan Martin began planting rows of Cabernet Sauvignon along their 17 acre property, with the intent of selling their fruit to local wineries. Four years later, Thérèse and Dan got the itch to give winemaking a go, and by 2002 they released their first commercial crush of 625 cases.
“That same year, the Martins decided it was time to turn their dream of building a community around a winery into a reality. They embarked on the monumental task of building a commercial winery, including a garden area, pond dock, tasting rooms, barrel room, and production facilities.
“Today our vineyard has rows of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Nebbiolo, and Pinot Noir, in addition to the original Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Each year we produce wine under our three award-winning labels: J.D. Hurley, Soulmate, and Thérèse Vineyards.”
2020 Martin Ranch Thérèse Vineyards Grenache Blanc, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.2% ABV, $35 (#1135)
88 points – Wine Enthusiast: “Soft nectarine, peach and toasted-oak aromas are cut by Meyer lemon on the nose of this bottling. Ripe apricot and pineapple flavors show on the juicy palate, with oak adding spice.” Matt Kettmann, November 2022
My Notes: My only notes were that this was a little sweet – and spicy!
2018 Martin Ranch Thérèse Vineyards Pinot Noir, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.6% ABV, $45 (#1136)
91 points – Wine Enthusiast: “Toasty oak aromas meet with dark-cherry compote on the nose of this bottling. The oak is also strong on the palate, but in pleasant ways, warming up the cherry-compote, anise and clove flavors, as vanilla lingers into the finish.” Matt Kettmann
My Notes: Someone told us we should go back and try this wine right as we were heading out for the day. It was quite good and made in a style I prefer – a richer Pinot Noir.
I’ve been presenting Chesebro Wines in my DC-area wine classes since my very first one, long before we moved here. I admire Chesebro for their quality and affordability – they are easy to fit into the wine class budgets and are a big hit with the class attendees. I’ve been quoting Mark Chesebro in my presentations for years, yet I had never met the man until this Arroyo Seco celebration! It was great to spend a few minutes with him at long last. Alex Lallos, has been a great supporter of my wine education efforts over the years.
We tasted several new releases at their table, some of which I already covered in this recent post, so I only have one of their wines in this article.
2022 Chesebro Grenache Rosé, Cedar Lane, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $23 (#1137)
Winery Notes: “For lovers of our Grenache rosé, you are in for a real treat. Provençal in style, beautiful light pink in color and bright profile. Aromas of fresh picked strawberry, grapefruit skin and raspberry essence. Perfect for a warm poolside or beach afternoon.”
My Notes: I presented the 2020 vintage of this wine in one of my DC-area classes and I like this new release even better!
2022 Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $28 (#1138)
Winery Notes: “Our 2022 Signature Griva bottling has aromas of lime zest and grapefruit, accented by mineral nuances. The palate exhibits rich, crisp, tropical fruit flavors with notes of guava, lime peel, blue agave and grapefruit, supported by a refreshing acidity.” 90 points – Wine Enthusiast
We rarely catch Jeffrey Blair himself in his Carmel Plaza tasting room anymore, so it was great to see him here. I’ve written about Blair’s award-winning wines before, with my most recent post here: Blair: It’s All About Delfina’s Vineyard in the Arroyo Seco!I enjoyed trying some of his new releases.
90 points – Wine Enthusiast: “Hints of orange blossom, kumquat and jasmine show on the nose of this bottling. The palate keeps the wine quite dry, offering wet stone balance to the plumeria and Tuscan melon flavors.” Matt Kettmann
My Review: Sweet Grilled pineapple palate carried over the pineapple with a raw pineapple acidity/bitterness on finish. I liked this wine. August 2023
2018 Blair Estate Chardonnay, Roger Rose Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $40 (#1140)
91 points – Wine Enthusiast: “Hints of butter, toasted Marcona almond, crushed rock and light truffle show on the nose of this single-vineyard expression. Lemon-butter-glazed-toast flavors meet with sea salt and nuts on the palate, where a rocky edge adds complexity.” Matt Kettmann, April 2022
2021 Blair Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.1% ABV, $25 (#1141)
Winery Notes: “…This Blair Rosé of Pinot Noir is a serious “pink” wine. Our goal was an Old World style that would be bright and refreshing. But also one that would be a versatile companion to a wide variety of foods. The nose and palate is full of ripe strawberry, cherry and watermelon. It finishes crisp and dry. Serve well chilled with a Salade Nicoise or an herbed salmon steak fresh off the grill.” 88 points – Wine Enthusiast
My Notes: Hey this is good tasting wine! Time to get back to Blair for a full tasting!
We had the chance at the Monterey Trade event the previous week (see this post) to meet J. Lohr’s Kristen Barnhisel, their winemaker for white wines. She wrote the winery notes below. While they produce a million cases of wine every year, we won’t see most of these wines from Arroyo Seco in the supermarkets. 30% of their production is Arroyo Seco whites. 70% of their production comes from Paso Robles. They have tasting rooms in San Jose and Paso Robles. Check out their website for more information.
2022 J. Lohr Pinot Blanc, F&G Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $35 (#1142)
Winery Notes: “The 2022 F&G Vineyard Pinot Blanc displays aromas of yellow rose, apple, and pear. Complex flavors of ripe melon and Meyer lemon emerge, with a creamy texture and a long finish from fermentation and aging in the large vessels.”
My Notes: I liked this wine.
2022 J. Lohr Sauvignon Blanc, F&G Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $25 (#1143)
Winery Notes: “The 2022 F&G Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc presents aromas of honeysuckle, grapefruit, and a hint of fig. Bright flavors of ripe key lime, vanilla, Meyer lemon, and tarragon take center stage, with a rich palate texture and long finish.”
My Notes: I found this wine a bit tart.
J. Lohr Bay Mist White Riesling, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $13 (#1144)
Winery Notes: “Fun and casual. Unoaked and just slightly sweet. My goes-with-anything, toes-in-the-sand wine.”
My Notes: What a pretty bottling for this wine – reflecting the Monterey Bay and the idea this would be a great beach wine. This off-dry Riesling was a tad sweet for my preferences.
We finally make it to our host for the event – Joyce Wine Co.They have a beautiful property in the heart of Arroyo Seco, surrounded by vineyards. Way too many wines to taste for the end of our day, but we did our best. I look forward to going back there to taste again – after the fall winemaking season calms down. We have been to their tasting room in Carmel Valley Village several times. I last wrote them up here: Joyce: Exploring the Endless Potential of Monterey’s Coastal Terroir.
Winery Notes: “Vibrant and pronounced, a nose of peach and gooseberry open up to a palate of citrus and spring time earthiness.”
2022 Joyce Rosé, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $25 (#1146)
Winery Notes: “A savory-leaning nose of tomato water and oyster shell sets the tone for a lightly-fruited, pale pink thirst quencher with minerality that will make you drool.”
My Notes: Perfume on the nose and a tartness on the palate.
2022 Joyce Albariño, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $28 (#1147)
Winery Notes: “Warm-weather, tropical fruits lead the nose followed by white flowers on an ocean breeze. Bright and refreshing, supple texture and minerality on the palate.”
Winery Notes: “This Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend yields concentrated flavor, high acidity and strong tannins–all elements that suggest this wine can be cellared for many years.”
My Notes: I detected some of that “Central Coast funk” on the nose – that funky aroma or flavor I often get with Central Coast Syrahs. The plate was spicy and quite tasty! August 2023
2021 Joyce Syrah, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $30 (#1149)
Winery Notes: “A classic representation of the varietal with noticeable, dusty tannin, dark fruits and earthy, smoky, woody notes hitting throughout.”
The fruit comes from Joyce vineyards, plus Zabala plus Cedar Lane – sounds like a winning combo!
My Notes: Dark ruby in glass. Grass on the nose. Relatively light on palate. August 2023
THE TASTING ROOMS
Because there were so many wineries present at this event, I recommend checking their individual websites for information on where and when to taste their wines. You can taste Martin Ranch wines at their winery in Gilroy. Chesebro, Bernardus and Joyce tasting rooms are all located in Carmel Valley Village. Blair’s is in Carmel-by-the-Sea. J Lohr has two tasting locations: San Jose and Paso Robles.
Looking to taste some new wines in Carmel Valley Village, we suddenly realized Chesebro Wines new releases had somehow escaped our attention! We are very happy our random stop yielded so many delicious wines, including the latest Las Arenas and La Montagne Sauvage red blends.
This tasting offered some additional and rare opportunities: to taste the 2010 and 2015 Roussanne/Rousanne blend wines side by side AND to sample their estate Cabernet Sauvignon bottled as a single varietal. That was a first for me!
Alex Lallos, Chesebro Wines’ tasting room manager, has been one of my biggest supporters back to before the pandemic. The up-front quality and value of Chesebro Wines makes them a favorite to include in my wine classes. Moreover, Alex has offered me great discounts and has helped me get my wines to their destination. I’m grateful for his support.
The Wines
Today, I am presenting 9 Chesebro Wines. Looking back in my blog, it has been a while since I have presented a full tasting from there. My last post was this one about the 2014 La Montagne Sauvage release. However, I have written about Chesebro Wines several times – just search “Chesebro” and you will find them all! Winery notes come from their tasting sheet or their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2022 Chesebro Albarino, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 12.5% ABV, $25 (#1047)
Winery Notes: “Our take on a traditional Spanish white variety. Aromas of Apricot blossom and kumquat. Lots of stone fruit and citrus loaded with minerality and verve. Vibrant and refreshing on the palate. The perfect Summer white!”
91 Points Wine Enthusiast: “Crisp and vibrant aromas of lime blossom, tart apple and a hint of tropical fruit dance across the nose of this bottling. There’s an acidic and textural edge to the palate, where apple, pear and citrus zest flavors align.” (Note: this is the 2021 vintage’s description and rating)
My Review: Pale in the glass, with a slightly musty note. Grapefruit on the palate with a tart finish. This is a very clean and crisp Albarino. June 2023
2022 Chesebro Sauvignon Blanc, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $22 (#1048)
Winery Notes: “100% Musque clone of Sauvignon Blanc. Aromatically bright with citrus, white peach, honeydew melon and passionfruit notes. The mouth is medium bodied with similar flavors as the nose along with some minerality and a long crisp finish. Pairs well with many lighter foods and is a great apperatif.”
92 Points Wine Enthusiast: “This is a benchmark Sauvignon Blanc for Arroyo Seco, representing the hallmark elements of the windswept region. Crisp aromas of lime peel, white flower blossom, cut grass, wet cement and peach invite the nose into the stony palate, where forest grass and passionfruit flavors work in harmony.” (Note: this is the 2021 vintage’s description and rating)
My Review: I sadly did not capture specific tasting notes, but we all agreed this wine was delicious. June 2023
2015 Chesebro Piedras Blancas, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.1% ABV, $27 (#1049)
Winery Notes: “A Rhone style white (85% Roussanne, 10% Vermentino, 5% Sauvignon Blanc) Our richest and most complex / ageworthy white.”
My Review: Light golden in the glass. Faint notes of pineapple and petroleum on the nose. Light fruit flavors on the palate. June 2023
2010 Chesebro Estate Roussanne, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $30 (#1050)
Winery Notes: “LIBRARY RELEASE – A Rhone style white (85% Roussanne, 10% Vermentino, 5% Sauvignon Blanc) Our richest and most complex / ageworthy white. From deep in our cellars we saved 25 cases of this wine because we knew it would turn into something special with age. It has done exactly that now with 12 years of age. A blend of mainly Roussanne, it is modeled after the most famous white wines in Chateauneuf du Pape, France. A nuanced dame of a wine. Rich and viscous with aromas of honey and baked pear, framed by oak. A full bodied and very serious white, with a hint of butter and a dry apricot finish. Pair this sturdy white whith soft cheeses, cream sauces, roasted fowl and sweetbreads.”
My Review: Golden in the glass. Notes of whiskey, caramel and a touch of mint on the palate, with a slightly tart finish. June 2023
Winery Notes: “A Estate blend of 50% Mission Ranch & 50% Cedar Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir. High toned, bright and elegant. A Pinot Noir lovers Pinot Noir…It packs so much intensity and pure Pinot Noir aromatics into such a defined and bright wine. This is truly in the Burgundian fashion. Refined, elegant and bursting with red fruits. Finding a boutique Pinot Noir of this caliber made in such small quantities for under $25 is nearly impossible these days.”
My Review: Ruby in color. Bacon on the nose with a cinnamon candy finish. June 2023
2016 Chesebro Las Arenas, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.2% ABV, $27 (#1052)
Winery Notes: “Our Southern Rhone inspired red blend. 65% Grenache 35% Syrah from the sandy soils in Cedar Lane Vineyard.”
My Review: Inky in the glass, Rich, intense berries and cherry = this is pretty tasty. June 2023
2015 Chesebro La Montagne Sauvage GSM, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.9% ABV, $35 (#1053)
Winery Notes: “Our proprietary Rhone belnd of Syrah (80%), Grenache (15%) and Mourvedre (5%) modeled after the legendary wines of the Rhone Valley, France. Grown at 1500′ elevation, this is our flagship wine and our most popular blend from a small 2.5 acre vineyard in the mountains of Carmel Valley. Rich and broading with aromas of dark berries and all-spice. An ageworthy and deeply profound example of what Rhone varietals can do on the granite soils of Upper Carmel Valley. ONLY 80 Cases Produced.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 Points: “Herb-smoked blackberry jam, lilac and chaparral seasonings make for a rustic exploration of the terroir on the nose of this bottling. The palate is full of garrigue as well, with fennel spicing up the muddled and roasted red-berry flavors.”
My Review: While I don’t have specific notes, we all agreed this was a very good, tasty and smooth wine which we would enjoy drinking any day! This is a wine I have presented in my classes over and over – always a hit. I took one home for a future vertical tasting. June 2023
2016 Chesebro La Mariposa, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.7% ABV, $30 (#1054)
Winery Notes: “A Northern Rhone (Cote Rotie) inspired Syrah. Co-fermented with 5% Viognier for aromatic complexity and texture just like they do in Cote Rotie. Deep, rich and concentrated. ‘La Mariposa’ means butterfly in Spanish. Watch this decadent Syrah explode from your glass and develop into something truly beautiful over the evening or let is rest in the cellar for a few years and watch it evolve. Very Limited – Only 70 Cases Produced.”
My Review: Alas, no specific notes on this wine – we had reached our tasting limit for the day. This is a wine I have enjoyed in the past and this vintage was quite tasty. June 2023
2018 Chesebro Cabernet Sauvignon, Chaparral Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, $48 (#1055)
Winery Notes: “Many people don’t know that Chesebro winery producers Cabernet Sauvignon because generally it is not released to the public. This is a real treat for you fans of our heavy reds. From the highest elevation (2400ft) vineyard in Carmel Valley. Chapparal Vineyard is dry farmed and gives a very small yield of less than 2 tons per acre, which means the wine is bursting with flavor, color and aromatics. Aged for 22 months in French Oak. Upon first glance this Cabernet shows a deep dark mahogany core. Soaring aromatics (both savory and fruity) emerge from the glass with dark currants on the nose complimented by fresh tobacco, cedar, sage, cassis and of course chapparal. Wondeful balance, chalky minerality and fine grained tannins. Fruit forward and charming yet densely structured – This has it all but there are only 50 cases made so get it while you can…
“NEW RELEASE – Limit 6 Per Customer…From the highest elevation (2400ft) vineyard in Carmel Valley (Chaparral Vineyard). Dry farmed 1.5 acres with tiny yields of less than 2 tons per acre. Aged 22 months in new French oak. Only 40 cases Produced.”
My Review: Garnet in the glass. Dark fruit, bubblegum and perfume on the nose. Smooth dark fruit balanced by herbal notes. A good expression of the fruit and a lovely wine. This was a real treat. June 2023
Tasting Chesebro Wines
You can sample Chesebro Wines or in their tasting room at Up-to-date information on their tasting room hours and reservation link is here. They are open Friday through Sunday from noon until 5:00 PM reservations encouraged. You can buy their wines via their website (www.chesebrowines.com).
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