In June, we made a trip to Carmel Valley Village to taste I Brand & FamilySummer 2024 releases. We were happy to see Angie and Monica (welcome back!) in the Tasting Room and timed our visit perfectly. We were excited to get a glimpse of the 2023 vintage from Monterey County.
2023 was one of the rainiest, coolest, yet longest growing seasons experienced in recent history. Each vineyard and winemaker needed to determine for themselves how long those grapes could hang, hoping for warm enough weather the reach phenolic perfection. Some winemakers say it was the best vintage, with more ripe flavors shining through, while others have shrugged and said – wait and see. Ian is all in; I’m still in the wait-and-see category. The proof will be in the final product.
The thing I like about Ian’s approach to winemaking is his pursuit of the undiscovered and daredevil approach to bottle atypical varietals, like the Melon de Bourgogne and the Cachudo, and play around with different techniques and blends, like the Supertoothy. His adventurousness keeps us excited about what he will do next. Moreover, he spins a fascinating tale about each of these wines which makes being a member extra special. OK, and he throws a great party. I also value that he carefully prices his wine so there is something for every budget.
p.s. the Melon de Bourgogne comes from the Chalone AVA!
THE WINES – A Glimpse of the 2023 Vintage
I have 8 wines to present to you today from I Brand’s 3 labels: I Brand & Family, La Marea and Paysan.Winery notes are excerpts from their Summer Release newsletter – become a member to read the whole thing! Any errors are mine and mine alone. Now, for the reviews!
2023 I Brand & Family Arneis, Vista Verde Vineyard, San Benito AVA, San Benito County, 11.9% ABV, $30 (#1397)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “Sometimes overlooked in our expensive lineup, our Vista Verde Arneis is absolutely an oddity, but deserves to be seen more than a sidelight…Arneis, limited to the mountainous Piedmont, is highly regarded by those that know, but often falters outside its home range. The small block on Vista Verde, fortified by its calcareous soils, yield a shockingly, faithful reproduction.”
My Review: Pale in the glass, ale on the nose – hops and minerals with a slightly sweet finish. June 2024
2023 La Marea Cachudo, Pierce Ranch, San Antonio Valley AVA , Monterey County, 13.4% ABV, $25 (#1398)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “Our ‘Cachudo’ is 97% Arinto from the Pierce Ranch near Lake San Antonio in the Lockwood valley. Arinto is a Portuguese variety known for its highly age worthy and structured whites.…Arinto is sometimes referred to as Cachudo ostensibly for the small protrusions on the ends of its berries in Spanish. Cachudo means having horns.…our Arinto is a resilient wine. It’s a perfect match for the higher elevation valley in the lee of the Coastal Mountains. Redolent with citrus, crest stones, serenity and acid, look for this wine to add a beeswax element if you age it.…”
My Review: This Portuguese varietal was light gold in the glass. Butter and caramel and orange blossom on the nose. Pink grapefruit and minerality on the palate. We appreciate Ian bringing another varietal to light for us. This is a very tasty wine – we took some home! June 2024
2023 I Brand & Family “Supertoothy” Skin Contact White, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 12.7% ABV, $28 (#1399)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “Based around the rare Savignon Gris grape from the calcareous hillside of the Vista Verde Vineyard blended with Verdelho, Pinot Gris and Chenin Blanc, our Supertoothy can be described as ‘responsible orange wine’. Neither cloudy, volatile nor particularly orange, when chilled the Supertoothy does white wine stuff with a little extra action in the back section. As it warms, the complexity and structure steps forward and pairs with more robust foods… The five days of skin contact bring depth of character to the Sauvignon Gris which is supercharged when blended. ‘Toothy’ used to mean, collectible or delicious. This is Supertoothy.…”
My Review: The color was one shade brown – with flavors of the golden and the orange. “Creamsicle,” Angie said. I got Sauvignon Blanc and bubble gum on the nose. Bubblegum and tart citrus on the palate. June 2024
2023 Paysan Jacks’ Hill Chardonnay, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 13% ABV, $24 (#1400)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “This is the latest in string of banner vintages of the Jacks’ Hill Chardonnay. Compared to the last two, it shows more opulent and riper fruit earlier than the ‘21 and ‘22 vintages while carrying a structural and acid backbone similar to the ‘21.…A more joyful expression of the wind, fog and rocky soil that our Jacks’ Hill bottling.”
My Review: A little sweetness on the nose. Lemon and orange on the palate. This wine spent time in concrete, stainless steel and neutral oak. Different from the usual Jacks’ Hill. Not as tropical. June 2024
2023 I Brand & Family Melon de Bourgogne, Graff Family Vineyard, Chalone AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $36 (#1401)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “The skins were so thick and developed in 2023 that our skin contact white and gris wines took on substantially more flavor and color than in the past years, yielding a more robust, almost juicy wine. To balance the robust fruit, this vintage carries one of the highest total acid we’ve had on this wine. The result is distinctly in line with the vintage – more of everything…”
My Review: Light golden in glass. Toast on the nose. Tart on the palate. June 2024
2022 I Brand & Family Pinot Noir, Flint Vineyard, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito County, 13.2% ABV, $36 (#1402)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Our second vintage of the Flint Pinot Noir shows the potential of the vineyard, even in a rough vintage for Pinot Noir.… If you like our wines… it’s because, first and foremost, we make sure our vines are on the right soils…I just vastly prefer Pinot Noir on calcareous soils and there isn’t a lot of it on the West Coast.”
My Review: A little cherry and chocolate. We disagreed with each other on smell and palate. I definitely agree with Ian that some of the region’s best Pinot Noirs come from the limestone soils of Cienega Valley and, let me add, Harlan Mountain AVAs in San Benito County. June 2024
2022 Paysan Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon, San Benito AVA, San Benito County, 12.8% ABV, $27 (#1403)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “…Made from vines from the 60’s and 70’s planted in calcareous alluvial deposits on the cooler edge of Cabernet climate, fermented and open top vats with endemic yeast and aged in older casks for less than $30, even the most knowledgeable of wine merchants would be hard pressed to find anything comparable.”
My Review: Pretty garnet in glass. Cherry and dark berry notes on the nose, carrying over to the palate. I really like this bargain wine and would enjoy it as an every day wine. It doesn’t taste like the typical California Cabernet Sauvignon. June 2024
2021 I Brand & Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Bates Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, Santa Cruz County, 13.5% ABV, $48 (#1404)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “We’re betting heavily on the Stagecoach Block at Bates Ranch…This 2021 version, the second we’ve made for our own label…shows why I’ve been trumpeting 2021 as the most age-worthy vintage I’ve worked. This wine is damn tasty unreleased and will only get better. You could pay a whole lot more for Cabernet with less pedigree and potential, but why would you?”
My Review: Cinnamon and spice on the nose. We like this wine – an age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon – a superb value. June 2024
THE TASTING ROOM
If you want a glimpse of the 2023 vintage, head on over to the I Brand & Family Tasting Room, located at 19 Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village. It is open Thursday – Monday, 11 am – 5 pm. Reservations are recommended – more information here.
I love it when wineries enthusiastically welcome the Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society for our monthly First Friday WinedUP events. And Will and Angie from the I Brand & FamilyTasting Room did just that for us in early February, sharing the latest from I Brand with our Monterey AWS group.
THE STORY – The Latest from I Brand with the Monterey AWS!
ABOUT THE MONTEREY AWS CHAPTER
The Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society was founded in early 2020 – just before the pandemic. Many of its early activities had to take place over Zoom. As things reopened, it began its monthly First Friday WinedUP events, visiting a different local winery tasting room to improve its knowledge of the region and our wines. I’ve been advising them for a while now on places to go, wines to taste.
When I reached out to Will Larkin at I Brand & Family, he was immediately enthusiastic about the idea. We set the date for February 2. In a few quick emails we established the pricing and size of the event. Piece of cake!
I Brand had its A-team – Angie and Will – on tap for the event. They had prepared a special tasting menu just for our group. We started with a rose pre-wine while we waited for everyone to arrive.
Angie and Will know everything about I Brand & Family wines. Will shared with the group some facts and figures about how the have the largest portfolio of any single winery in Monterey County. He explained the single vineyard, old vines nature of the I Brand & Family label (as opposed to La Marea and Paysan, the other two labels). We discussed the news reported by Laura Ness in Edible Monterey that Ian Brand Expands into Dorcich Facility – such a fabulous opportunity for Ian Brand.
AND, SO, HOW WAS THE TASTING?
We were delighted that so many of our members turned out for the occasion. Everyone enjoyed the tasting room venue, the quality and value of the wines, the hospitality, and the ability to mingle about and socialize. As a special treat, we welcomed some new members to our group!
I have 6 wines with updated tasting notes to present to you today from I Brand’s3 labels: I Brand & Family, La Marea and P’tit Paysan.Winery notes come from their newsletters or other websites as noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone. Now, for the reviews!
Winemaker’s Notes: “Initial aromas of watermelon and cantaloupe are inescapable, transitioning to trailside strawberry with a touch of air. Melons and strawberries persist on the palate, and bright red fruits continue into the finish transforming into a pleasing strawberry-basil herbaceous salinity.”
My Review: Pale pink in color. Slightly sweet watermelon on the nose, followed by a perfect rose palate. I would use this in a class and would drink one in the micro-climate! February 2024
2022 I Brand & Family Arneis, Vista Verde Vineyard, San Benito AVA, San Benito County, 13.8% ABV, $30 (#1056)
According to Will, Arneis is a northern Italy varietal which is planted to help fight phylloxera!
Winemaker’s Notes: “This is our third vintage of Arneis from Vista Verde. We originally tried this block out because we were looking for anything white after the fires of 2020 in case the smoke taint was worse than we thought. It turns out that the Vista Verde hillside does a damn good version of this rare and resurging Piedmontese variety with textbook apricot, honey and raw almond flavors. Our wine making remains largely unchanged over the last three years: Nail the pick, press whole cluster, settle, ferment and age in the same barrels and let it rest on lees until we are ready to bottle. Every time I open a bottle, I’m happy I did.”
My Review: Light golden in the glass. Caramel and floral on the nose. Crisp and clean on the palate with honey notes and a long finish. A very nice wine. February 2024
2021 I Brand & Family Chardonnay, Escolle Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 13.7% ABV, $36 (#1059)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Aromatics of Meyer lemon and nutty pralines lead the way on the nose, quickly evolving into a beautiful floral bouquet of honeysuckle. Bright acidity starts things off on the palate with layers of fruit; including underripe pear and granny smith apple, rounding out with a warmth reminiscent of quince. The bright acidity blends with well-integrated tannins, finishing neatly with toasted oak.”
My Review: Hint of burnt sugar and honey on the nose. Balanced, with a slightly buttery finish. The French oak aging presents itself in a very balanced way, with the toasty notes and hint of butter. This wine is year over year perhaps the best Chardonnay made in Monterey County. February 2024
2020 La Marea Old Vines Grenache, Central Coast AVA, 14% ABV, $30 (#1060)
Winemaker’s Notes: “This blend of three ‘old vine’ Grenache vineyards from the Central Coast is a unique wine. There aren’t more than a handful of old vine Grenache vineyards on the Central Coast and we’ve gone about collecting every significant block (and some fairly tiny ones) we can because we believe in the history and future of Grenache in our region. We’ve tried bottling grenache every which way, but this three-vineyard blend is tops for depth and approachability –– it’s like everything you want from a great Pinot Noir at a third of the price. Try it with a slight chill on a warm summer evening with light fare from the grill or stash it in the cellar for a couple of years. Our experience, is our Grenaches really start showing their full potential between years 4 to 8.”
My Review: Translucent ruby in the glass. I detected cherry and caramel on the nose. The savory palate was laced with crushed berries and root beer flavors, with a touch of smoke on the finish. February 2024
2021 Paysan Le P’tit Pape, Central Coast AVA, 13.2% ABV, $25 (#1226)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “The nose begins with wet river rock and California chaparral combined with cherries and plum skin leading the way toward a meaty, teriyaki, black olive reminiscence. Composed on the palate, notes of white pepper and dried herbs – bay laurel and thyme, provide a complex complement to the fruit on the nose. A distinct umami soy/hoisin silkiness finishes with an understated balance and subtle minerality.”
My Review: Dark in the glass. Sweet and herbaceous on the nose. The “California chaparral” shines through, with cherry notes on the finish. This is drinking well – good and tasty. Excellent quality for value. February 2024
2021 I Brand & Family Cabernet Franc, DeRose Vineyard, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito County, 12.7% ABV, $36 (#1224)
Winemaker’s Notes: “The initial bouquet is a lovely perfume of wild raspberry and Santa Rosa plum with subtle hints of sweet tobacco and violet. Red fruit persists on the palate, incorporating a vibrancy reminiscent of Ranier cherries. Underlying the ripeness of the fruit is a bright acidity melded with pronounced tannins to create a well-integrated interpretation of the variety.”
My Review: Garnet, almost purple in the glass. Sweet plum on the nose. Plum, red and black berries and green pepper on the palate. Presents as a Cabernet Franc, light and lean. February 2024
2021 I Brand & Family Cabernet Franc, Bates Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, Santa Cruz County, 11.9% ABV, $48 (#1225)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “The bouquet is rich with aromas of dried red fruits and cocoa nibs. Hints of espresso and chocolate-covered cherry lead the way on the palate, rounding to strawberry. Coastal fir lingers with pronounced tannins that create a wonderful tension with the wine’s mellow acidity.”
My Review: Garnet in color. Bright, crushed fruit on the palate with cherry notes and a slightly tannic finish. Richer than the DeRose. Lovely wine. Would be great with a meal. February 2024
THE TASTING ROOM
The I Brand & Family Tasting Room is located at 19 Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village. It is open Thursday – Monday, 11 am – 5 pm. Reservations are recommended – more information here.
I Brand & Family had a low key Autumn Release in November with pickups in the tasting room and not at a party at the winery. Ian explained why: harvest and crush were very late this year due to the cool spring and long growing/ripening season. Instead, he hosted a member holiday party in December, where we were able to taste verticals of their Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre wines. What a treat! There was also great music by El Pecado de Juana, delicious tamales Oaxaquenos by Pedro Martinez & Family and a vegan pozole by Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Cultura.
I decided to enjoy that party and not try to take notes, as we sorted out which, if any, wines we would take home – one of each variety the 2013 La Marea Grenache, the 2017 I Brand & Family Mourvèdre, and the 2018 P’tit Paysan Cabernet Sauvignon – one of the last with the old label!
I have 7 wines to present to you today from 3 labels: I Brand & Family, La Marea and P’tit Paysan.These wines were all from that low key Autumn 2023 Release. As typical with Ian’s wines, they span a number of our local AVAs across 3 counties! Winery notes come from the winery’s tech sheets (thank you, Will!). Any errors are mine and mine alone. Now, for the reviews!
2022 La Marea Alt-Cut’ Albariño, Kristy Vineyard, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 13.3% ABV, $30 (#1222)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “Green pears, lanolin, almond blossom and brioche on the nose. Tart mango and honeysuckle lead the attack on the palate. Mild tannins balanced with mellow acidity contribute to a well-rounded white with a complex bouquet.”
My Review: Pale golden in the glass. Honeysuckle on the nose. Bright acidity on the palate – a very tasty wine. November 2023
2022 I Brand & Family Melon de Bourgogne, Graff Family Vineyard, Chalone AVA, Monterey County, 12.8% ABV, $30 (#1223)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “This wine is bursting with bright honeydew melon and white pepper on the initial nose, evolving into savory notes of saffron and tarragon. The attack on the palate is full of juicy fruit with a prevalent creamy salinity on the back reminiscent of Salazar oysters. Soft acid builds on the front and provides a distinct glycerin mouthfeel that lingers into more of a hum of soft acidity that permeates the palate.”
My Review: Hay in the glass. Honey on the nose. Baking spices and honey on the palate. Fairly sweet. November 2023.
2021 I Brand & Family Cabernet Franc, DeRose Vineyard, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito County, 12.7% ABV, $36 (#1224)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Location: DeRose is a 25-year-old own rooted planting of Cabernet Franc. The DeRose Vineyard is part of the old Vaché planting and is the oldest continuously producing commercial vineyard in California. It was subsequently owned by William Palmtag and Almaden Winery, at which time it housed the largest barrel storage room in the world. Soils are a mix of lime and granite. The hill above the Cabernet Franc block is occupied by a lime mine…
“Tasting Notes: The initial bouquet is a lovely perfume of wild raspberry and Santa Rosa plum with subtle hints of sweet tobacco and violet. Red fruit persists on the palate, incorporating a vibrancy reminiscent of Ranier cherries. Underlying the ripeness of the fruit is a bright acidity melded with pronounced tannins to create a well-integrated interpretation of the variety.”
My Review: Garnet, almost purple in the glass. Sweet plum on the nose. Plum, red and black berries and black pepper on the palate. Delightful. November 2023
2021 I Brand & Family Cabernet Franc, Bates Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, Santa Cruz County, 11.9% ABV, $48 (#1225)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “The bouquet is rich with aromas of dried red fruits and cocoa nibs. Hints of espresso and chocolate-covered cherry lead the way on the palate, rounding to strawberry. Coastal fir lingers with pronounced tannins that create a wonderful tension with the wine’s mellow acidity.”
My Review: Garnet in color. Cinnamon on the nose. Bright, crushed fruit on the palate with a slightly tannic finish. This will age into a nice wine. November 2023.
2021 Paysan Le P’tit Pape, Central Coast AVA, 13.2% ABV, $25 (#1226)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “The nose begins with wet river rock and California chaparral combined with cherries and plum skin leading the way toward a meaty, teriyaki, black olive reminiscence. Composed on the palate, notes of white pepper and dried herbs – bay laurel and thyme, provide a complex complement to the fruit on the nose. A distinct umami soy/hoisin silkiness finishes with an understated balance and subtle minerality.”
My Review: Garnet in color. Cinnamon and plum on the nose. Cherry on the palate. Tart palate with a touch of central coast funk. November 2023.
2021 I Brand & Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Fellom Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, Santa Cruz County, 13.9% ABV, $85 (#1227)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “The bouquet is rich with dusty, overripe plum, cedar, graphite, and hints of pine pitch resin. This translates to the palate and reveals the iron in the volcanic soil, which becomes present on the back. Super juicy acidity lingers and melds with mellow tannins creating a velvety finish.”
My Review: Almost purple in the glass. Black berries on the nose. Delicious berries on the palate. Smooth on the palate. Nice tannins. Maybe a touch vegetal on the finish. Buy this wine – it has great potential. November 2023
2021 I Brand & Family Syrah, Graff Family Vineyard, Chalone AVA, Monterey County, 14.2% ABV, $45 (#1228)
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: “Earthy, meaty notes of peppered beef jerky. Graphite and clay transition into a savory mix of fire-roasted tomato confit and guajillo chili, which evolve into dark fruit reminiscent of a spiced blueberry compote ending with cumin and cardamom on the finish.”
My Review: Inky in the glass. Rich dark berries on the nose with a touch of smoke or dirt – in a good way. Very dark palate. IMHO, this is his best Syrah to date – I took one home. November 2023
THE TASTING ROOM
The I Brand & Family Tasting Room is located at 19 Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village. It is open Thursday – Monday, 11 am – 5 pm. Reservations are recommended – more information here.
Since the I Brand & FamilyAutumn 2023 Releases have recently become available, there is no time better than now to issue this quick catch-up post. I’ve been collecting these reviews of I Brand & Family wines we have enjoyed at home over this past year. If only I had created Catch-Up Mondays earlier in the year!
I have 5 wines to present to you today from 2 labels: I Brand & Family and P’tit Paysan.These wines were all from our home cellar and were tasted throughout 2023. 3 of these are new writeups, plus a couple we’ve had before. The wines in today’s post span a number of our local AVAs across 2 counties. This demonstrates great breadth in their continual efforts to uncover and highlight the region’s best grapes. Winery notes come from their newsletters or websites as noted. However, I seem to have a gap in my collection of tasting notes. Any errors are mine and mine alone. Now, for the reviews!
2020 I Brand & Family Melon de Bourgogne, Graff Family Vineyard, Chalone AVA, Monterey County, 12% ABV, $30 (#1211)
Winemaker’s Notes: N/A
My Review: Beautiful golden in the glass. Honeydew and pear on the nose. Full palate of round honeydew notes on the mid palate surrounded by a slightly bitter lemon twist. Robust yet delicate. I liked this wine. July 2023
2019 I Brand & Family Chardonnay, Escolle Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, (#1212)
Winemaker’s Notes found on K&L Wine Merchants: “When Honoré Escolle purchased a summer property for his family in 1878, he established one of the most desirable benches in Monterey County. Over 130 years later, three agricultural families developed the land with the intention of carrying on the propertie’s rich tradition through quality driven vinicultural practices. The Caraccioli, Nunes and Hibino families focus on delivering a distinctive expression of northern Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah.”
My Review: Beautiful dusty golden in the glass. Tropical notes of white peach, lychee and pineapple on the nose. Balanced acidity and a palate of juicy, tropical flavors. One of the best Chardonnays I’ve had lately. I can always count on Ian’s Escolle Chardonnay to be nothing short of exceptional. March 2023
2020 I Brand & Family Pinot Gris, Eden Rift Vineyard, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito County, $30 (#741)
Winemaker’s Notes: N/A
My Review: Pale pink in the glass – balanced acidity on the palate. February 2022 Lovely light orange in the glass like an orange lollipop. Nose of citrus blossom and yellow peach. Balanced acidity with peach, melon and tart notes amplified by a lingering finish. Lovely wine for a nice May afternoon patio tasting. May 2023
2019 I Brand & Family Old Vine Mourvèdre, Enz Vineyard, Lime Kiln Valley AVA, San Benito County, $43 (#1213)
Winemaker’s Notes from www.wine.com: “Planted in the late 1800’s this fruit is among some of the best Mouvedre plantings on the continent. This wine tantalizes the palate. Dark brambly fruits and rose petals open the nose. Black pepper and lush fruits balance subtle savory notes. Zesty tannins and light acidity on the finish.”
My Review: Pale purple in color. Plum, blackberry and eucalyptus on the nose. Thin cherry mid-palate, followed by a robust punch of tannic and slightly acidic flavors of cherry, blackberry, tobacco and pencil lead on the finish. April 2023
2014 P’tit Paysan Petite Sirah, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 13.6% ABV, $42 (#788)
Wine Enthusiast – 89 points: “Dried herbs, elderberries, peppercorns and a strong streak of gamy meat show on the nose of this bottling, which is less dense and more nuanced in style than many other Petite Sirahs. The gamy element extends to the palate, giving complexity to the black fruits and sticky tannins. ” — Matt Kettmann June 2018
My Review: Inky purple in the glass. Red raspberry, plum and a touch of brown sugar on the nose. Cassis and dark berries on the palate. A slight tartness balances the jamminess of the fruit. We like this wine. July 2023
THE TASTING ROOM
The I Brand & Family Tasting Room is located at 19 Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village. It is open Thursday – Monday, 11 am – 5 pm. Reservations are recommended – more information here.
by Central Coast Sharon and Erin O’Reilly at tèr·ra·ve·nos!
THE STORY
We met David Baird of Folktale Winery at the 30th Anniversary Monterey Winemakers Celebration in Carmel-by-the-Sea this past June. He offered us, my friend Erin O’Reilly and me a tour of the winery and a tasting. We could not manage to schedule our visits for the same date, so we visited him separately. Erin visited him in late June and my partner and I, in early August – during perhaps the busiest wine tasting week of our summer! Lesson learned: pace these things out! We each deeply appreciated the private tour and detailed discussions we had about the evolution of Folktale wines and his own path to becoming a winemaker!
Readers: You are getting a real treat today, as this post is co-authored with my friend Erin O’Reilly at tèr·ra·ve·nos! My notes today are a combination of what I think I heard from David during our visit 😊, significant input from Erin, and information from the Folktale website.
If you drive out Carmel Valley Road just a few miles from Highway 1, you will see the Folktale entrance on the right. Located on the site of the former Chateau Julien Wine Estate, this winery has a beautiful, spacious setting for all the outdoor events it holds there. In addition to its tasting room, Folktale has 5 acres of vineyards, an estate home, and a 10,000 square foot barrel room. In 2015, winemaker Gregory Ahn purchased it and renamed it Folktale Winery & Vineyards.
When they first opened as Folktale, we noticed right away that it wasn’t going to be a quick taste of wines, but more of an experience – sit down, spend some time with us, enjoy our wine garden. What a great destination for weddings or a relaxed wine tasting. With its proximity to Highway 1, the location is a great one for locals and tourists alike.
The pandemic hit them hard with the mandated shutdowns, but they found a creative way to come out of it, creating a popular outdoor dining experience in their wine garden, differentiating itself from the typical Monterey tasting room. It has evolved into a sit down, order some food, taste the wines, and listen to music kind of place – and has always been a great wedding venue. Shoot, they even have a Sunday brunch! I have friends who enjoyed being able to go there with their families to enjoy food and wine in the height of the pandemic.
Folktale prioritizes best vineyard practices and finding more appropriate wines for their growing locations. Their estate 5-acre vineyard is “100% organically farmed meticulously by hand.” Their 300 acre vineyard in Arroyo Seco is Sustainability In Practice (SIP) Certified®. That vineyard is being replanted over time. I think David told me 40% of their production comes from and long-term relationships with other vineyards in the area. They like the sandy, rocky, granitic soil, great for grapevines.
Since taking ownership, they have already transformed the barrel room into a full-fledged wine production facility, moving in the tanks and adding a catwalk, a new cooling system, and upgraded electrical for production operations. David shared with us the longer vision to replant the vineyards on the property and turn the estate home into a luxury hotel-type operation. Today they produce about 15,000 cases of wine across 30 different wines, reflecting their diverse portfolio. They have a goal of increasing production 10% per year.
David was excited for harvest, hoping the nice weather would hold through veraison, harvest and crush, all outdoors activities before the juice is brought inside for fermentation. Due to our cooler spring, harvest was looking a week or two late (as of early August). He said he checks the weather every day – every warm day we get helps us catch up. He suggested maybe we think it has been colder than it really has – that we coastal dwellers are just “sissies.” 😊Unfortunately, the previous couple of years can’t be used for comparison due to the wildfires of 2020 and the extreme heat of 2021. And this is predicted to be an El Niño year, another concern for the vineyards. I am hoping the warm August and September temperatures have brought things back in line – before the fall rains come!
Sangiovese
After touring the wine production facility, we walked through the vineyard on the way back to the Tasting Room. Currently, there is Sangiovese planted on site, but it is too cool of a climate for that. They plan to rip it out and plant something more appropriate, such as Chardonnay – not yet decided. We talked about the new Carmel Coastal AVA which has been proposed. It would encompass the Folktale property. It has been taking a long time for it to come up for discussion and decision.
Our mutual assessment: We are excited and hopeful for Folktale’s potential in the coming years. They have the perfect venue to showcase everything Monterey can do with wine and it certainly looks like they’re going to embrace the opportunity ahead of them. Their strategic plan is solid and they give David the leeway to lean into his creativity to dare to do something different.
“David Baird is an innovative winemaker with his roots deeply grown in the vineyards of the Central Coast of California. With his winemaking degree from Cal Poly, David has previously made wine at Halter Ranch, Edna Valley, Justin Winery and Fess Parker.
“In 2015, David moved back home to the Monterey peninsula where he began collaborating with Greg and Madigan. Together they opened Folktale Winery & Vineyards in the summer of 2015, with a focus on high quality, delicious wines that embrace organic farming and natural winemaking. A blank slate for Baird, the opportunity to establish an entirely new winemaking strategy for a brand-new winery was a little daunting at first, but ultimately has provided the freedom to be creative. “There is a lot of fear and adventure in creating wines for a new winery. There’s no safety net below you. During our first year at Folktale we played it safe with very practical decisions. Since then, we’ve had a lot of fun creating new small batch wines like a Pet-Nat, whole cluster barrel fermented Syrah, and a Rosé of Grenache Blanc.”
“Folktale is the perfect place to stretch his wings. Having grown to nearly 500 acres of estate vines in Monterey County, the winery offers exceptional opportunities to innovate. “The Central Coast offers such an excellent selection of varietals, but it hasn’t seen much winemaking development over the last 50 years. My goal is to reinvent the wheel a little, refreshing old techniques to come up with new ideas. We want to have some fun while evolving as a winery and as a brand, all the while focusing on fine wines that people will enjoy, and new wines that people may not otherwise try.”
THE WINES
I have 7 wines to present to you today from our overlapping tastings across 3 labels: Folktale, Le Mistral and Common Thread. Winery notes come from my conversation with David, the Folktale website, or as otherwise indicated. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
We were curious how they got the Le Mistral label, as we knew it as belonging to Joseph Phelps. Here’s the story: Le Mistral was sold by Phelps to Brosseau and Folktale acquired it from them. Their Joseph’s Blend is in honor of Joseph Phelps!
Le Mistral is a nod to the howling winds that whip down through the Rhône Valley, similar to what we experience in the Salinas Valley with the coastal winds that can tear through vines, prolong the growing season, and concentrate flavors in the berries. We feel this to some extent almost every afternoon in our little coastal town.
Common Thread is the winemaker’s own label. The name “Common Thread” comes from a single palmar crease on the hand associated with various conditions, including Down syndrome. The label has the outline of three hands, David’s and his two sons, one of whom has the condition. Sales from this wine go to supporting non-profits. You can the find Common Thread wine label online and in local shops throughout the region. Cheers to that!
Winemaker’s Notes from The Wine Stop: “Pétillant Natural is a natural sparkling wine using the ancestral method. Bottled just before the primary fermentation finishes, the natural effervescence and sediment are the evidence of things finishing in the bottle. The wine is bright, with notes of green apple, banana cream pie, grapefruit blossom, and undertones of guava and pineapple. The palate is lively and fresh, benefitting from the abundance of bubbles and bright acidity.”
Our Review – Powered by tèr·ra·ve·nos: Light and sparkly in the glass. Champagne notes on the nose. Soft and creamy on the palate with white peach and nectarine. Everything you’d want in a pét nat. Well balanced with bright acidity. They did disgorge and David shared a few highly entertaining videos that included dry ice and bursting bottles. Craftsmanship at its finest. August 2023
2022 Le Mistral Grenache Barrel Sample, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County (#1121)
Winemaker’s Notes: David let us taste this barrel sample in the middle of active winemaking operations. My garbled notes say he considers this wine to have good complexity and an intrigue that he just loves.
My Review: We tasted this as a barrel sample. Resembles a light Pinot Noir in the glass – pale ruby. Light cherry nose. Very balanced with cranberry and sour cherry flavors. Good tannins on the back palate. August 2023
NV Folktale The Lion for Real – an orange wine, 5-Year Solera, Monterey County, 13.7% ABV, $40 (#1122)
I didn’t know anything about solera wines, so David gave us a little tutorial on how this one is made. Again, my notes are a little garbled, so this is how I think he explained it: You create a pyramid of the barrel racking system and connect them with hoses. You place your fresh wine in the top barrel, and continue to move it down, one barrel at a time, as you continue to top off the lower barrels. By the time you get to bottling wine from the bottom barrel, you really don’t know the exact blend or vintage of what is in the bottle. David is excited to play with these types of wines. It is these kinds of ventures that prove him to be a creative winemaker.
I found this Wine Spectator article which explains solera winemaking far better than my notes:
“A solera system is a collection of barrels, traditionally stacked (with the bottom row containing the oldest vintage), for the purpose of fractional blending across vintages…It’s a way to create a house style, and to keep a historic thread running through a beverage that is made year after year. I find it helpful to picture a tower of barrels from multiple vintages, with the youngest barrels on the top of the pile and the oldest at the bottom. You start by removing some wine from the oldest barrel on the bottom, but then you replace that missing portion with wine from the next oldest barrel, and that portion is then replaced with the next oldest barrel, and so on down the line so that the missing amount is always replaced by the next-oldest available wine. Because you never entirely empty the barrels, the barrel on the bottom will always have at least a small amount of the oldest vintage.”
Winery Notes: This 5-year Solera is made from Riesling and Viognier wines.
Wine Enthusiast – 90 points: “A mustard-yellow shade in the glass, this skin-fermented, solera-style orange wine shows ripe melon, fresh tangerine and apple-juice aromas on the nose. The texture is very grippy on the sip, where apple and orange-peel flavors meet with a slight tonic element, proving rather clean.” — Matt Kettmann.
Our Review: Cloudy, creamy and light brown sugar in the glass. Nice bouquet of peach and apricot with a touch of Mandarin orange, with those notes following over to the palate. Fruity. August 2023
Erin’s addition: This is the wine that caught our attention at the 30th Annual Monterey Winemaker’s Celebration. That we have a local winemaker playing with orange wines and showcasing these bottles at a festival was noteworthy. David’s exploring winemaking beyond the mainstream (even though orange wines are arguably one of the oldest wine styles going back millennia). I was actually surprised that the wine wasn’t as grippy as I was expecting and still had noticeable freshness. No doubt thanks to the multifractional blending and maturation that is a solera system. Anyone who loves orange wine needs to get their hands on a bottle of The Lion for Real.
Kudos to Folktale for supporting David in exploring these exciting styles.
2021 Folktale The Ruler Pinot Noir, Central Coast, 13% ABV, $75 (#1123)
Winemaker’s Notes: “The savory and rich mouthfeel spotlights dark fruit, dried herbs, forest floor, and tobacco leaf notes on wild chalky tannins.”This wine includes grapes from both Monterey and San Benito Counties. The grapes are from Monterey and San Benito Counties: 44% Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 42% Cienega Valley AVA, 14% Chalone AVA. As David said, “Trying to make the best Pinot requires going outside SLH.” 45% whole cluster, 30% new oak.
Our Review – Powered by tèr·ra·ve·nos: Bright ruby in the glass. Robust for a Pinot Noir, with that bright Monterey cherry, raspberry, and strawberry. Toast, caramel, lavender, a touch of pepper and a hint of sous bois that points to exciting things to come for this wine. Tasty. August 2023
2021 COMMON THREAD 100% Whole Cluster Pinot Noir, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 12.0 % ABV, $40 (#1124)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Fermenting wines whole cluster, or not taking the berries off the stem, produces wines that tend to have an elegant savory and dried herb quality that just fermenting grapes on their own can’t produce. It’s in this vein that this Pinot Noir was crafted – from the organically farmed Pelio Vineyard in Carmel Valley…”
Wine Enthusiast – 94 points: “This whole-cluster bottling, which supports Down’s syndrome initiatives to honor the winemaker’s son, offers dark berry jam aromas and a hint of herb on the nose. Firm tannins frame the sip, where plump red currant, lavender and violet flavors lead into a peppery finish.” — Matt Kettmann
Erin’s Review: A pretty red, featuring cherry, strawberry, currant, kirsch, and supple floral flavors. More fluid than dense, this unfolds nicely with soft, ripe tannins and a velvety finish. Despite the ample core fruit, this is a restrained, elegant Monterey Pinot. June 2023
2018 Folktale The Hound Red Blend, Carmel Valley AVA, 13.7% ABV, $95 (#1032)
Winemaker’s Notes: “THE HOUND is a classic blend of Bordeaux varietals, combining 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 11% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, and 9% Cabernet Franc sourced 89% from Massa Estate Vineyard and 11% from Cedar Lane Vineyard. The not-so-little brother of our Reserve Bordeaux blend, this wine is complex and elegant with aromas and flavors of blueberry, mocha, floral lilac, frisée, dusty vanilla, brown sugar, creme de cassis, pencil lead, cedar wood, and hibiscus. The texture offers nice richness with round and full tannins. The Hound is a beautiful, bold wine that will benefit from aging.”
Erin’s Review: “Ripe, and well-built, with a racy core of blackberry, black currant, red plum, melted brown sugar, warm baking spice, an inlay of violet, and a touch of graphite. Grippy, generous tannins with a tug on the focused finish. (Let’s see what this tastes like in another 5 years, it’s still showing young, and probably has another 5-10 to go – comfortably. I hope the hold some of this back in their library.)”June 2023 (Central Coast Sharon previously presented this wine on Decanting Monterey here)
2020 Le Mistral Syrah, Brosseau Vineyard, Chalone AVA, Monterey County, 13.3% ABV, $60 (#1125)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Brosseau Vineyard in the Chalone AVA has a remarkable combination of limestone soils, weather patterns and organic farming that produces intense minerality, texture and richness in its wines. The Syrah was natively fermented in bins and 500L puncheons, then aged for 11 months in 17% new French oak barriques producing a wine that has rich, dark flavors and can be enjoyed for years to come.” Co-fermented with 4-8% Viognier.
My Review: Dark ruby in color. Alcohol with a touch of earth, burnt oak and bubble gum on the nose. Nice intense berries and dark plum on the palate. August 2023
The Folktale Tasting Room (Wine Garden) is located at 8940 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel, CA 93923. Phone: (831) 293-7500. They are open: Monday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday: 11:30 – 7:30; Sunday: 10:00-4:00. They are closed Tuesday & Wednesday. They also have a Sunday brunch from 10-4 and have recently begun offering tours every Thursday – Monday at 11:30 am, 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm. You can get more information and make a reservation here.
The Decanting Monterey Wine Pod looks forward to an I Brand & Family release party – a tradition for us. There is always something surprising to taste. And the most recent one in March was no exception. It is a great opportunity to taste the new releases in a festive and relaxed setting. In addition to their consistently great Albariño, standouts at this event were the Chenin Blanc from Carmel Valley and the Pinot Noir (yes, I said Pinot Noir!) from Cienega Valley, plus the most unique Cabernet Pfeffer, also from Cienega Valley. The food and entertainment were both high quality. Oysters and small bites were provided by Oystertown and the music, by El Pacado de Juana.
I have learned there is no rush to taste the wines at these events. There is plenty of time to experience a wine fully (color, nose, body, flavors, finish), compare notes with the wine pod, and dump the rest so I can get us home safely. Then comes the great part: deciding which wines we will take home!
I have 8 wines to present to you today from 3 labels: I Brand & Family, La Marea and Paysan – tasted at the release party. Winery notes come from their Spring 2023 Winemaker Letter or their website: https://www.ibrandwinery.com/. I used the full notes, as this blog is about wine education and I find them so interesting! I used the microphone in my phone to transcribe the long, descriptive paragraphs. I think I corrected the sometimes-amusing text it recorded (had a hard time with Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Pfeffer, but igot Tellicherry and Cachagua right the first time), but, as always, any errors are mine and mine alone.
2022 La Marea Kristy Vineyard Albariño, Monterey County, 13.2% ABV, $24 (#955)
Winemaker’s Notes: “At this point, what’s left to say about our Kristy’s Vineyard Albariño? We began making Albariño in 2011 to test our theory that the Salinas Valley was best suited to saline, mineral-driven, high acid whites. Steve McIntyre, the gentle caporegime of Monterey County winegrowing, pointed us to several options but said he thought Kristy’s was the best quality. By 2013 we were pretty much locked in on our winemaking program. We tried varying our winemaking a couple of times since then but have always come back to the original because it just works. 2/3 direct press, 1/3 skin contact for two days. Cold fermented in stainless steel, arrested malic. We’ve been told several times this is the standard for aromatic whites in the new world. The biggest issue is, with the drought, yields have been down on the vineyard. We just don’t have enough of this wine. The 2022 vintage is full of intensity and bright acidity, combining the open fruit flavors of the 19 and the direct bite of 2020. A spectacular wine.
“Tasting Notes – Aromas of white nectarine and honeysuckle abound. Bright acidity leads on the palate framed by a redolence of underripe pineapple and stone fruit, which persist and blend with wet river rock on the finish.”
My Review: Straw in the glass. Nose of bright citrus, balanced by the sweetness of honeydew melon. A tasty palate with grapefruit zest on the finish. Super fresh. March 2023
2022 Paysan Zabala Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $24 (#956)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Maybe five years ago, I told my friend Eben Drucker that Sauvignon Blanc would soon be on the rise. Eben has helped us with national and international sales of our brands for almost ten years and had been mixed up in the wine business for twice that. Sauvignon Blanc was at its nadir, totally disregarded in the wake of Kim Crawford and grassy New Zealand mass production. I saw the quality of the vineyards in the ground, the budding renaissance of Sancerre on east coast wine lists, and whispers on the hippier edge of California winemaking oddly about a variety associated with country clubs and gala balls. We had been getting our toes wet in Sauvignon Blanc for a consulting project and I was closing in on an idea for a wine. We worked on the idea for a couple of years in small lots and, in 2021, we made the leap and took the bulk of the vineyard. It sold like hotcakes, and we expect the same with the 2022 vintage. The Zabala Vineyard is among the rockiest you’ll see, resplendent with river stones, reminiscent of the galets roulés of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Sauvignon Blanc at Zabala is the Sauvignon Musqué variation, which means the wine has more fruit notes, especially ripe melon.
“Tasting Notes – Satsuma Mandarin and herbaceous notes of fresh-cut chives, tarragon, and wet limestone shine brightly up front. The attack on the palate is bright and distinctly tropical dragonfruit and papaya, evolving into dry citrus flavors reminiscent of Buddha’s hand.”
My Review: Straw in color. Perfume on the nose. Rich flavors on the palate with notes of green pepper. One in our group thought it was a touch harsh. March 2023
Winemaker’s Notes: “Over the last few vintages, our rosé has become more Mourvèdre focused, lending the wine more depth and intensity despite its pale color. With roughly 4 hours of skin contact across the lots, the 2022 has a pale, almost vin gris hue, but don’t be fooled. Hiding beneath that hint of pink is deep, textured wine. Both the Arroyo Seco Canyon Vineyard and the Siletto Vineyard are rocky and the minerality shows through. Extremely pleasurable to drink, we expect this to be peaking just as the summer heat hits. I’m in love with the new package. If you have a porch or patio, you need some of this rosé.
“Tasting Notes: Initial aromas of watermelon and cantaloupe are inescapable, transitioning to trailside strawberry with a touch of air. Melons and strawberries persist on the palate, and bright red fruits continue into the finish transforming into a pleasing strawberry-basil herbaceous salinity.”
My Review: Very pale pink in the glass. A nice, rich rose nose out-promises the delicate palate of white peach with a watermelon finish. Based on the writeup above, this wine deserves a revisit! March 2023
2021 I Brand & Family Massa Vineyard Chenin Blanc, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $36 (#958)
Winemaker’s Notes: “This is our first year working with the Chenin Blanc off Massa, (née Durney) in the Cachagua region of the upper Carmel River Basin. Planted on its own roots fifty years previous, these vines can now be called old vines, (per the Historic Vineyard Society). They produced a stunning Chenin Blanc: racy and intense. We held ours back an additional six months in bottle to allow it to flesh out. The Massa Vineyard is a special place. Still very much a rough diamond, I have seen the most stunning wines emerge from the vineyard – on par with vineyards known internationally. We made a mere 44 cases of this wine and more than half will go out to the initial club release. If you would like multiple bottles, please contact us promptly.
“Tasting Notes – Aromas of flint, toasted brioche and lemon verbena are immediately present. These flavors follow onto the palate, incorporating drier, flavors of green walnuts and more brioche; beautiful floral notes reminiscent of lavender and lilac grace the dry finish.”
My Review: Pretty, light yellow in the glass. Clean nose. Lovely, full bodied palate of fresh fruit, with peach and citrus flavors, balanced by brioche and salty notes. Our favorite of the tasting. March 2023
2020 I Brand & Family Besson Vineyard – Old Vine Grenache, Santa Clara Valley AVA, 13.5% ABV, $42 (#959)
Winemaker’s Notes: “This is our ninth iteration coming from the centenarian Grenache vines cared for by the Besson family since the 1940s. We’ve settled into a nice place with the winemaking and the wines grow into deep, thoughtful ruminations on time and place as they settle into the bottle. For those who have a chance to drive by the classic vineyard (it’s right across from Gilroy Gardens on Hecker Pass Highway heading west from Gilroy) the third generation of the Besson Family has started a small brand and you can taste their wine amid the old soldiers. We share these blocks with our good friends, winery mates and longtime fellow travelers, John and Alex from Birichino. Over the years they’ve sold small amounts to old-vine lions of California wine like Ridge, Sandlands, and A Tribute to Grace. We keep our allocation from the rockiest section next to Uvas Creek and produce it with spontaneous fermentations, 50% whole cluster, a touch of French oak influence and sixteen months on lees in barrel. It’s the same recipe we’ve used since 2014 and we keep it consistent because it really works with the site and because with consistent winemaking you can really see vintages expressed over time. The 2020 vintage was beset by high smoke covering the sun for extended periods and so the wine is less boisterous but more deep and textured at this early stage. This is always a star in our tasting room.
“Tasting Notes – Ripe red fruit, specifically red delicious apples, fresh pressed cider and savory hints of manzanita and Tellicherry peppercorn abound on the nose. The palate is similarly bright with additional herbaceous notes of fresh tarragon. This quickly evolving wine wraps up with distinct tannins and aromatic pine duff.”
My Review: 112-year-old vines! Garnet in color. Perfume, plum and cherry on the nose. A good, mid-weight, bright wine with cherry notes and a little leather on the finish. March 2023
2021 I Brand & Family Flint Vineyard Pinot Noir, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito County, 13.4% ABV, $36 (#960)
Winemaker’s Notes: “We’ve gained a reputation locally as Pinot Noir naysayers, which isn’t fair. We love Pinot Noir and I made my fair share of it when I worked in the Santa Cruz Mountains (and I still make a great deal for special projects). Because of that experience, we’re very particular about where we get our Pinot Noir from, which makes sense as Pinot Noir is very particular about where it grows well. We re-entered the Pinot Noir fray to prove a point. So much discussion in Pinot Noir winemaker circles focuses on how cold the vineyard is and what clones are used. When we worked with the Enz Vineyard, the Pinot Noir felt like a red-headed step child because the vineyard was warm, without consideration for how wonderful the site is. I am of the opinion that a great site always speaks most strongly, so we took the fruit. I was elated by the response. After the relationship with the Enz family imploded, we moved around the corner to Scott Flint‘s place. Scott is a really kind and super interesting guy. He used to make his own wine but now spends his days restoring old tractors. We used a 1946 Ford forklift to load the bins. If the bin is a little heavy, it gets difficult because the front tires don’t want to stay on the ground and that makes it tough to steer. Scott’s vineyard is at the base of Mount Harlan, home to Calera, and because the cold air sinks off the mountain onto his property it buds out late and picks about a month later than Enz and a couple of weeks later than the ‘cool climate’ Santa Lucia Highlands. All things in wine and viticulture are relative, there are no hard truths. The Flint bears the signature of the special mixed granitic and calcareous soils of the Cienega combined with the darker red fruits and cherry compote character of a cool climate pinot noir. 2021 was just a special vintage and willowy Pinot Noir often shows vintage variation more readily than other grapes. Lovely.”
“Tasting Notes – Notes of cedar and dried porcini mushrooms are present on the nose, subtly melding with undertones of cherry preserves. The palate is well-integrated but complex. The preserved cherries come back into play, evolving into the warm cherry pie flavors typical of pinot noir. Bright acidity wraps things up and leaves you with baking spices and vanilla bean.”
My Review: Rich ruby in the glass. Light cherry on the nose. Rich palate, balanced and delicious, with tobacco on the finish. Not a Pinot Noir drinker, but I like this wine. Promises to be an exceptional wine. We bought this to cellar, as we have with other reserve Pinot Noirs from this region, with excellent results. March 2023
2021 I Brand & Family Gimelli Vineyard Cabernet Pfeffer, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito County, 12.8% ABV, $36 (#961)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Only about 10 acres of Cabernet Pfeffer exist in the world, and most all of it is in San Benito County. The Gimelli Vineyard encompasses the remnants of the El Gabilan Vineyard, first planted in the 1890s in Grass Valley, a side canyon off the Cienega Valley on the east side of the Gabilan cordillera. Cabernet Pfeffer was rumored to be a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Trousseau made by San Jose nurseryman, William Pfeffer in the 19th century, but that story is apocryphal. Ken Ryan Kobza, our winery tsar, has been making Cabernet Pfeffer for the better part of a decade. We sent petiole samples to UC Davis five years ago and they matched most closely with a long-forgotten grape variety from the southwest of France called Mourtaou. Either way, Cabernet Pfeffer is a rare beast. Not fruity in the way California wine is alleged to always be, Cabernet Pfeffer is dominated by savory, umami flavors, like a cigar box and teriyaki. Special and super interesting, this is the only year we will make a single-varietal Cabernet Pfeffer. We’re proud to share this little slice of local history.
“Tasting notes – Our Cabernet Pfeffer smells like a humidor, with bold notes of cedar and sweet tobacco. This sweet and savory notes translate as unctuous teriyaki on the palate, quickly incorporating notes of spicy ancho chili on the mid-palate and closing with a hint of tart raspberry. Well-integrated tannins wrap up the experience.”
My Review: Garnet in color. Bouquet of enticing sweetness, balanced by cinnamon spice. A bright palate with cranberry notes. It is lean, medium bodied and unique, rare. We took one home. I hope we will cellar it for a bit. March 2023
2020 I Brand & Family Graff Family Vineyard Syrah, Chalone AVA, Monterey County, 14.8% ABV, $36 (#962)
Winemaker’s Notes: “The 2020 Graff Syrah came early in the heat of 2020, which was fortuitous because it avoided the worst of the smoke. These vines are now more than 30 years old, farmed immaculately since their planting by the ace duo of Hector and Jose Bravo. This one, to me, shows with Chalone can be – it’s among the most compelling places to grow wine in America. Granitic brightness meets suave limestone texture, stems, and the blood iron that always emerges in great Syrahs. 80% whole cluster, 18 months on lees, another 8 months in bottle before release.
“Tasting notes – Earthy, meaty notes of peppered beef jerky. Graphite and clay transition into a savory mix of fire-roasted tomato confit and guajillo chili, which evolve into dark fruit reminiscent of a spiced blueberry compote ending with cumin and cardamom on the finish.”
My Review: Rich, dark garnet. Spice and earth on the nose. Dark berries and earth on the palate. March 2023
The I Brand & Family Tasting Room is located at 19 Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village. It is open Thursday – Monday, 11 am – 5 pm. Reservations are recommended – more information here.
One of the things Ian Brand is known for is sourcing grapes wherever he can find them to create his wines. In this blog post, I am reviewing 3 of their I. Brand & Family wines – each from a different county in the Central Coast. This post prepares us for our next move into Central Coast-labeled wines.
2018 I. Brand & Family Pinot Gris, Eden Rift Vineyard, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito County, 13.2% ABV, $30 (#86*)
This unique 2018 Pinot Gris is lovely in color and flavors.
We pulled this wine out in June for a farewell for our daughter as she headed off on another adventure. I had looked at this bottle earlier in the week for a Rosé class, but there was nothing on it to say it was one. Except the wax over the cork was orange instead of yellow, as is the case in Ian Brand’s whites. And that is because Pinot Gris will naturally give you an orange wine. Who knew?
From grapelive.com – 92 points: “…Coming from the low yielding terraces at Eden Rift in Cienega Valley, not far from Calera in San Benito County, Brand’s Pinot Gris is wonderfully textural and charming on the palate with juicy peach, red apple skin, citrus and passion fruit leading the way along with a touch of mineral, mountain herb, orange zest, clove, a hint of apple better and wet chalk…”
Wine Enthusiast Review – 92 points: “With dynamic and complex expressions like this, it’s a wonder why people started stripping the naturally pink hue that Pinot Gris provides. The pinkish orange wine delivers aromas of strawberry sorbet and rosebuds and then opens onto a palate of light raspberry and watermelon. There is ample tannic tension as well.” Matt Kettmann 12/2019
My Review: Bellini pink, peach 🍑 in color, sweet peach on the nose, a balance of sweet and tart mid palate, with a refreshing finish. September 2020
2016 I. Brand & Family Old Vine Grenache, Besson Vineyard, Santa Clara AVA, 14.6% ABV, $42 (#4*)
2016 Old Vines Grenache.
Made from grapes from 100-year old vines, this wine spent about 20 months in 20% new wood barrels, making this a bigger than average Grenache.
My Review: The 2016 Old Vines Grenache is a beautiful cherry red color with bright fruit on nose and palate. Very balanced and tasty, with lingering flavors on the palate. This was more enjoyable on the second day. Enjoy now or hold for a bit.
2016 I. Brand & Family Cabernet Franc Bates Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains, 12.7% ABV, $42 (#80*)
2016 Cabernet Franc, Bates Ranch.
I. Brand & Family makes 2 Cabernet Francs: a Chinon-style one from Paicines, which I presented at my Fall 2019 Washington Wine & Cheese Seminar, and this one – Bates Ranch – a richer, Bordeaux-style wine from the Santa Cruz Mountains. They are both terrific wines, yet I much prefer the style of the Bates Ranch.
From I. Brand via www.unionsquarewines.com: “In our opinion, Bates Ranch is the least known of the holy trinity of Bordeaux varietal sites in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The other two, Monte Bello and Mt. Eden, are among the most revered vineyards in California. We first became aware of Bates Ranch through the amazing, and amazingly ageworthy, 70s and 80s bottlings from classic Santa Cruz Mountain produces like Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards and Ahlgren Vineyards. Bates Ranch is located in the extreme southeastern end of the appellation, on Redwood Retreat Road. We are honored to receive the fruit from half of a small block of Cabernet France planted in 1978 for this bottling. Soils in this section of vineyard are the red Franciscan series of volcanic influenced sedimentary rocks that runs along the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Fermented whole berry with native yeasts and a three week maceration. Aged in a neutral puncheon, a neutral barrel and a once used barrel for 20 months. 94 cases produced.”
My Review: Ian Brand makes his wines lean, lower alcohol and less fruitiness than in most California wines. What this means is you can get to the true expression of the fruit. The 2016 Cabernet Franc Bates Ranch is still a somewhat lean Cabernet Franc. The palate is bold and fruity with bright acidity and cranberry/cherry tartness. Would love to try it with a cheese plate.
You can find I. Brand & Family wines directly from the winery – email them at brandfamilywinery@gmail.com. If you want to taste their wines, they are open Thurs. – Sun. 12pm – 6pm for tastings with limited hosted seatings. Please contact: hello@ibrandwinery.com to make a reservation.
*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.
DeRose was our third stop on my girlfriend outing to Hollister in August 2019, when we were hosted by Alphonse DeRose, winemaker! Our tasting was inside the actual winery where we got to talk to actual winemakers!
Both DeRose and Eden Rift (Pietra Santa on this map) straddle the San Andreas Fault.
The Cienega Valley AVA (established 1982) is located in western San Benito County, California, United States. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA. “The valley was once a major source of wine grapes for Almaden Vineyards before it was acquired by Constellation Brands in 1987. Approximately 1,100 feet (340 m) above sea level, the valley floor is divided by the San Andreas fault. Soil on the east side of the fault is predominantly granite and sandstone, whereas soils on the west side of the fault are predominantly granite and limestone.” http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Cienega-Valley.html
About DeRosewww.DeRosewine.com : “DeRose Vineyards was established on land with wine history dating back to the 1850s when Theophile Vaché produced the estate’s first vintages. The winery changed hands many times over the years and was eventually purchased by the DeRose, Cedolini and Miller families in 1988. Before long, Winemaker Pat DeRose rescued several acres of abandoned vines from the clenches of tall weeds and thistles, including two acres planted before 1900 that were grafted to Syrah in 1994.” You will also see links to their current wines and their imported wines on this page.
2015 DeRose Syrah Dryfarmed Old Vines, Cienega Valley AVA, 15.5% ABV, $37 (#73*)
The 2015 DeRose Syrah is a huge wine worthy of decanting – full of great berry flavors.
“The ancient Syrah vines are dry-farmed in deep sandy-loam soils on terraced hillsides…On average, they produce less than one ton per acre, and with only two planted acres, we produce about 100 cases per year, making the DeRose Syrah one of our most exclusive wines. Our Syrah underwent fermentation using native yeasts, meaning only the naturally occurring yeasts found in the winery actually fermented this wine. In addition, the Syrah underwent malolactic fermentation without using a culture. The wine is stored 100% in French oak barrels, without any pumping used to transfer our wines. The wine is then bottled un-fined and un-filtered to preserve all its flavors and mouth feel.”
“This big, bold Syrah is full of blueberry fruit, smoked bacon and a touch of toasted oak. Robust ripe tannins make this wine suitable for heavier dishes like grilled meats, game, strong cheeses and salamis. Our Syrah has more structure and tannins than many other Syrahs on the market due to the cool climate of the Cienega Valley. This makes this wine suitable for aging an additional 5-6 years. We recommend decanting this wine prior to consumption.”
My Review: We ended up double decanting this wine – overall flavor and smell was originally a bit off for me. Dense purple in color. Upon opening, oak, alcohol and sulphur on the nose (sulphur dissipated with time). Huge blueberry, blackberry on the palate, with cherry, dark fruits and smokiness on the finish – a very big wine.”
Always on the hunt for wines to present in a wine class, I took my girlfriends winetasting in Cienega Valley, south of Hollister in August 2019. Eden Rift was the second winery we visited. Able to sit at one of their large, outdoor tables on a very hot day, we especially enjoyed their 2016 Terrace and Estate Chardonnays.
When I heard that the Monterey AWS was hosting a session dedicated to Eden Rift wines, I signed up for a chance to understand their wines in more depth. Proprietor Christian Pillsbury and winemaker Cory Waller gave us a great overview of Eden Rift wines, its rich history, and even an explanation of the meaning of the name Eden Rift – Eden from East of Eden and Steinbeck’s references to the Galiban Mountains; Rift for the location of the winery and its vineyards, straddling the San Andreas Fault. One of the things that impressed me was how the Eden Rift vintners try to maintain the true authenticity of their fruit – not try to make it be anything it isn’t. They talked quite a bit about their Old Vines Zinfandel – wasn’t what they might have wanted there, but they weren’t going to rip out vines planted in 1906!
About Eden Rift https://www.edenrift.com/Story : “Located just 20 miles from the Monterey Bay, Eden Rift is the oldest continually producing vineyard in California. Planted in 1849 by Theophile Vache, the 120-acre estate rests on the San Andreas Faultline and is part of the Cienega Valley AVA. The winery is located just two miles from famed Pinot Noir producer, Calera whose founder Josh Jensen sought out the limestone and dolomite-rich soils. Before Josh, early vintners procured some of the first Pinot Noir planting in California at Eden Rift beginning in 1860. Post prohibition, the focus on Pinot Noir & Chardonnay was lost until Christian Pillsbury acquired the estate in 2016. Christian assembled a team of young industry professionals starting with winemaker Cory Waller to once again create some of California’s most vivid energetic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The extreme terraces and diverse terroir in a single contiguous valley make California’s oldest estate vineyard it’s most exciting new project.”
From the Labels: “Under vine since 1849, Eden Rift Vineyards is located twenty miles from the cold waters of the Monterey Bay. A mountainside property nestled within the Gabilan Range, the marine-influenced site features decomposed granite and limestone, ideal for the cultivation of estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.”
I am reviewing 4 Eden Rift wines in this blog post.
2018 Eden Rift Rosé of Pinot Noir, Cienega Valley, San Benito County, 13.8% ABV, $25 (#175*) 92 points, wine.com
wine.com rated the 2018 rosé 92 points!
Winemaker’s Notes: “This classically made, dry rosé was sourced from two estate blocks; the C block & E block. Comprised of two “Dijon” clones (828 and 777), the Pinot Noir grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed with just enough skin contact to pick up a touch of color. Fermented dry on native yeasts, the was aged in stainless steel for 5 months. Replete with crisp acidity, the bouquet notes fresh strawberry, lychee, orange rind and mineral aromas.”
wine.com Review: “The 2018 Eden Rift Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir is a true-to-type and excellent wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine is fresh, bright, and piquant. Enjoy its aromas and flavors of tart raspberries and strawberries with sliced turkey breast with cranberries on a ciabatta.” 92 points, Wilfred Wong, October 2019
My Review: Light pink in the glass. Sweet, light cherry, lychee on the nose. Crisp and refreshing on the palate, with enough flavor and balanced acidity, with a lingering light cherry finish. I would enjoy this on a warm “front porch” day. October 2020
2017 Eden Rift Estate Chardonnay, Cienega Valley, San Benito County, 14.2% ABV, $42 (#176*)
IMHO, Chardonnay is truly the strong suit of Eden Rift.
Winemaker’s Notes: “A tribute and testament to the vineyard’s natural setting as well as its meticulous farmed Chardonnay vines. This offering was whole-cluster-pressed, barrel-fermented on native yeasts, and aged in 100% French oak barrels (18% new) for 10 months. This well-balanced Chardonnay went through 100% Malolactic fermentation with battonage twice per month for 6 months.”
Wine Enthusiast Review: “Extremely pure and crisp on the nose, this bottling starts with aromas of pure apple and crushed chalk. There is great zip to the sip and sharp flavors of white peach and lime custard that are vibrant and alive. Drink now–2032.” 92 points & Cellar Selection, Matt Kettmann December 2019
My Review: Light in the glass, gentle pineapple and white peach on the nose. Modest oak and mild citrus on the palate with a lingering twist of lime peel. This wine really opened up and grew into a delicious, bigger yet balanced Chardonnay. 10/2020
2017 Eden Rift Estate Pinot Noir, Cienega Valley, San Benito County, 14.2% ABV, $48 (#177*)
wine.com rated the 2017 Estate Pinot Noir 95 points!
Winemaker’s Notes: “Our flagship Pinot Noir – composition of clones and block-specific conditions. Vinification includes 30% whole cluster fermention on native yeasts. Aged 11 months in French oak (20% new), the wine is focused, age-worthy and provides the ultimate “sense of place”…Showing both red-tone and dark fruits, the bouquet features notes of spiced cranberry, wild blackberry, black cherry as well as pomegranate, violets, black tea and chalk-like, minerals notes. Found in the recesses, aromas of cherry pit, vanilla-cream and berry pie. Medium weight.”
Wine Advocate Review: “Grapes for this were harvested September 5, 14 and 21 and the wine aged 10 months in 20% new French oak. Pale ruby, the 2017 Pinot Noir Estate has very pretty scents of gravel dust, fresh cranberries, strawberry-rhubarb, cinnamon stick and dried leaves with notes of tar, dried citrus peel and lilac. It’s light to medium-bodied and restrained but nuanced with a gentle texture and mouthwatering freshness on the bright finish. Such a lovely, lifted style. 2,115 cases produced.” 91 points, Erin Brooks, February 2020
My Review: Translucent cherry in the glass. Dark berry notes on the nose. Delicious palate of blackberry and cherry, with much darker, richer fruits coming out as the wine opens up, reflecting the warmth of the 2017 vintage. A little tobacco on the finish, but mostly lingering pleasantness. Well balanced. A tasty wine. October 2020
2018 Eden Rift Zinfandel Dickinson Block, Cienega Valley, San Benito County, 14.9% ABV, $45 (#178*)
The 2017 Zinfandel was very berry and enjoyable for what it is.
Winemaker’s Notes: “From the estate’s historic Zinfandel vines that were planted in 1906, this bottling is full of youthful vibrancy rather than austere elegance. Buoyant aromas of boysenberry syrup, nutmeg and mace are ripe but fresh, while the palate’s blueberry-compote, black-pepper and licorice flavors are playful and juicy.”
Wine Advocate Review: “Grapes for the 2017 Zinfandel Estate Dickinson Block, made of 100% Zinfandel, were harvested September 29 and the wine aged 10 months in 28% new French oak. Pale to medium ruby, it has a wonderfully perfumed nose of warm yellow peaches, stone fruit cobbler, blueberry pie and baked boysenberries with gobs of exotic spices in the undercurrent. The palate is light to medium-bodied and surprisingly restrained. It’s light on its feet but still with those technicolor flavor layers, finishing long and lifted. 143 cases produced.” 92 points Erin Brooks, February 2020
My Review: Deep, rich ruby in color.Berry jam on the nose. Berry jam on the palate and a lingering finish. We’ve been tasting this bottle of wine over several days – some days it is like a berry pie and others, retaining the berry jam on the nose with more sophisticated flavors on the palate. Still drinking well a week later. I enjoyed this Zinfandel for what it is, without judgment or comparisons. I would like to see more good Zin coming from Monterey and San Benito counties – so I am glad they are making this effort. October 2020
Their tasting room is open by appointment. You can find more information and their reservation link here: https://www.edenrift.com/Taste.
*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.
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