Earlier this month, I connected with my old wine group – and presented Monterey wines to them. I do this class about once a year and am always glad to be sharing my passion and enjoying Monterey wines on the East Coast.
This class was a bit easier to put together than ones I have done in the past. Why? 1. An improved budget for the class allowed me flexibility to include some higher priced wines. 2. I had a free case of wine from one of the wineries (thank you!). 3. I stumbled onto some incredible shipping rates ($1 – really??) and huge sales on a couple of wines. As a bonus, most of the wines presented had Wine Enthusiast ratings. Writer-at-Large Matt Kettmann does a great job covering Central Coast wines.
I have boasted that, while Monterey is known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, I usually don’t present either. I set out to make this class is different. I felt it was time to show my East Coast friends a value (but tasty) Chardonnay representative of Monterey County – and what a really good Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands can be!
I could not pull off these classes without the generosity of our local wineries and the Monterey Vintners & Growers Association. I have worked to develop deep relationships with Monterey wineries, including the winemakers, tasting room staff, and even some vineyards! They give me steep discounts on their wine (sometimes they even donate wine!) in return for me giving their wines visibility to a new audience. Many thanks to Bernardus, Corral Wine Co., McIntyre Vineyards, Parsonage and Scheid for their support and generosity. I’m so grateful.
BernardusCorral Wine Co.McIntyre Vineyards
*Readers: Is there a Monterey County winery you know or would like to know for my next class or a future post? Wineries: Is there a deal on one of your wines you would like me to showcase next Spring? Leave me a comment below or email me!*
ParsonageScheid
THE CLASS ITSELF – ENJOYING MONTEREY WINES ON THE EAST COAST
It Takes a Village: Before I launch into this class, I need to give a huge thank you to my many friends who helped me with this class: Paula, the board member who got me on the calendar and introduced me; my former neighbors Howard and Nora, who patiently received my wine shipments; Stephen who chilled the whites and found excellent cheese pairings; my good friend Steve, who helped me transport the wines to the event. And, during the class, those friends plus Dina who helped pass out the wines to those East Coast wine aficionados.
I started this almost-sold-out class (57 people!) by ensuring everyone knew where Monterey County is on the Central Coast. I talked about our climate, the Blue Grand Canyon under the Monterey Bay, creating a Thermal Rainbow® – our high valley temperatures brought relief by the afternoon winds coming off the bay the stress and cool the vines – with accompanying fog to keep them from getting too cold overnight. I briefly ran through our winemaking history and current stats and encouraged them to visit! I highlight the ease and affordability of coming to Monterey to taste wine. Armed with our tasting room brochures provided by Kim Stemler of the Monterey Vintners & Growers Association, I invite them all to visit.
I then talked briefly about the four Monterey County American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) from which today’s wines originated: Monterey, Arroyo Seco, the Santa Lucia Highlands and, for the first time, San Lucas. You can read more about our AVAs here.
Finally, I gave a short overview of each winery and presented each of the wines. As we moved through the tasting, the group had extremely positive reactions and asked good questions.
They asked if wines were available locally – The Bernardus Chardonnay should be available locally; all others can be found via the wineries directly.
They cheered at the quality and expression of flavors in the Corral Sauvignon Blanc.
They asked how long the McIntyre could be cellared (another 8-10 years). And they seemed to really enjoy the two big red blends from Parsonage and Scheid.
One observation was that these wines were all rather high in alcohol – I assured them that it is not the trend, just happened to be the wines selected for this class.
Overall, the attendees were very happy with both the educational component and the quality of the wines themselves.
THE WINES
Today I am presenting the 5wines from this May tasting. Winery notes come from their tasting sheets or websites, unless otherwise indicated. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
2020 Bernardus Chardonnay, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV, $30 (#884)
Winery Notes: “Bright white fruit aromas accented by subtle oak notes. The palate is intense and beautifully focused with vibrant peach and tropical fruit flavors along with spice accents. The long finish is supported by a refreshing acidity.”
Wine Enthusiast – 88 points: “Lime spritz and apple-slice aromas show on the nose of this bottling. The palate shows an earthier side, offering baked lemon and toasted nut flavors.”
My Review: Golden in the glass. Tropical and buttery on the nose and tasty with some grilled pineapple on the palate. Butter, caramel and slight metallic notes on the finish. I believe this Monterey Chardonnay is quite representative of our region. October 2023 & February 2024
2022 Corral Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc, Zabala Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.4% ABV, $30 (#1088)
Winery Notes: “Vibrant aromas of lemongrass, citrus, fersh herb, and guava with hints of gooseberry. Flavors of lemon, peach, and citrus finishing with a nice minerality and racing acidity.”
My Review: Straw in the grass. A slightly sweet nose of grapefruit & melon. The nose follows over to the palate with a grapefruit twist on the finish. It’s a lot, in a good way. September 2023
2016 McIntyre Vineyards Block 3 Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $56 (#1290)
Wine Enthusiast – 92 points: “Roasted cherry and plum meet with turned earth and toasty oak aromas on the nose of this single-block bottling. The palate is wrapped in that savory oak flavor, which complements the dried sage and rich dark-fruit flavors, as strong tannins hold it all in check.” Matt Kettmann
Prince of Pinot – 91 points: “A combination of the Swan clone and the “Old Vine” Block. The crop was thinned to a maximum of three tons per acre or 1.5 lbs of fruit per foot of cordon. Indigenous yeast fermentations. · Dark garnet color in the glass. The nose offers aromas of blueberry-pomegranate and a compliment of toasty oak. An onslaught of purple and black berry fruits greet the palate. Not particularly nuanced but plenty of ostentatious fruit. Modest tannins, low acidity and a finish of modest length. The slightest warmth shows up on the finish.” July 2022
My Review: Dark ruby in color. Delicious nose of dark cherry. Palate is packed with dark, tart fruit like a dark cherry jolly rancher and some sandalwood. We liked this wine. March 2024
Winery Notes: “This iteration of the beloved Wildcard, our preposterous melange of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Pinot Noir, will rock your world. The nose is a fragrant and seductive melange of exotic spices, wild flowers, boysenberry, and cranberry. The palate is marked by cedar notes and blueberry with a vibrant backdrop of red and black fruit in this medium-plus mouthfeel beauty.”
My Review: Bright garnet. Subtle nose of crushed red and black fruit. The bright fruit on the palate mellows out on a soft finish. Really well melded and delicious. May and November 2023
2020 Scheid Arbolitos, San Lucas Vineyard, San Lucas AVA, Monterey County, 15.5% ABV, $40 (#1287) 28% Primitivo, 28% Barbera, 19% Charbono, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignan, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Winery Notes: “Our 2020 vintage is intense and focused, with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, ripe plum and elderberry. Acidic, bright and medium-bodied, it is framed by soft tannins. A rich red fruit finish prevails with notes of vanilla and mocha.”
Wine Enthusiast – 91 points: “From a head-trained vineyard of “little trees,” this proprietary blend pairs black plum and purple flowers with peppercorn and soy on the nose. The palate is firm in texture, offering ripe blueberry and violet flavors.”
My Review: A Super Tuscan-style field blend. Cassis on the nose – intense delicious fruit. Very delicious. Jammy smooth complex palate. I really like this wine and selected it for my next class. February 2024
THE TASTING ROOMS
All of these wineries presented today have tasting rooms in one or more of our three wine tasting areas of Monterey County: Bernardus, Corral and Parsonage are in Carmel Valley Village. Scheid and McIntyre are in Carmel. Scheid also has a tasting room way down the Monterey Wine Trail.
You can see a map of Monterey County wine tasting rooms and get more information here.
I wanted to take a moment on this crisp and sunny coastal Thanksgiving weekend to give a warm Thanksgiving thanks to you!
To Our Monterey Wineries and Winemakers: I write this blog from my heart for you. You work hard to create delicious, impressive wines from our unique earth and climate, sometimes challenging. I am so hopeful for our very promising 2023 vintage. I thank you in return for the consideration you give me in terms of industry discounts and even sometimes donated wine for my nonprofit classes.
To My Readers: I write this blog to you – to help share our Monterey and Central Coast wines that sometimes don’t get seen outside of our local area. We’ve got good stuff here and I want you to know about it. Wine tasting here is so much fun – good wine, friendly staff, low key and affordable. I love it when you will go to the actual website and leave me a comment or two. I hope to see more of that. And thank you so much for nominating Decanting Monterey as Best Local Blog. While I didn’t win, I am so grateful for your efforts to get this website seen and heard.
To theDecanting Monterey Wine Pod: My husband and our friends, including our daughters who were trapped on the Monterey Peninsula with us during the pandemic. They were with me when this all started as a Facebook pandemic pastime and watched it grow into a real website and blog. I rely on the Wine Pod for tasting notes and opinions so you don’t always get just mine. Oh, and fun. We have had a number of fun adventures together exploring wineries and tasting wines.
To My Donors: I am so grateful to the people who have donated to Decanting Monterey. This is a self-funded wine blog with real operating expenses. I am proud that my handful of donors have come from our local wine industry, our local wine organizations, and from my readers. Thank you for your support.
WHAT WINES DID YOU SERVE FOR THANKSGIVING?
Now, to the most important question of the day: What local wines did you serve on Thanksgiving? We took a magnum of 2015 Rombi Cabernet Sauvignon, my favorite vintage of his Cabs. I previously wrote about it here.
MAKE A COMMENT TODAY!
I encourage you to make a comment on today’s post sharing the local wines that you enjoyed on Thanksgiving or over the weekend! I raise a toast to all of you in gratitude.
When I found out that this year’s Monterey Winemakers Celebration was happening on June 10th, I had some juggling to do. I had a wine class scheduled in DC, but was able to move it to be able to attend this event. The bonus was getting extra quality time in DC with our daughter! As soon as I straightened out my class, I got brave and asked Kim Stemler of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association if there was any way I could be comped a couple of tickets – and she immediately said yes! And I convinced the rest of the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod to attend!
As my avid readers know, Decanting Monterey is a self-funded labor of love to help educate others about our local vintners and their wines. The only “compensation” I receive is free tastings (most places), discounted purchases, an occasional comped bottle, and, most importantly, the appreciation of our vintners. I was grateful for this opportunity. And the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association is my go-to resource for all things Monterey wine.
About the Monterey Winemakers Celebration: “Join the vintners (winemakers) & growers of Monterey County and enjoy the incredible wines and culinary abundance from one of the world’s premier wine regions in the quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea. This iconic Monterey County wine festival, in its 30th year, will be held on Saturday, June 10, during Carmel’s Culinary Week. The event is moving back to the streets – Dolores (between Ocean and 7th) and 7th Street (between Dolores and San Carlos). Some of our favorite Chefs and food purveyors will join us to delight you with their magic.
I can’t wait to learn the date of next year’s event and get it on my calendar early!
WINERIES: I’m so pleased that the event website contained live links to all the wineries in attendance, making it easy to spot and research those wineries that are new or ones where we have never tasted wine, as well as to see which of our well-known wineries were there.
There were also quite a few delicious food options, which is important when you are sampling a lot of wine. Here’s who was there (from the event website):
I could have just hung out at Basil and Yafa all afternoon.
My Strategy: I had a strategy going in – to focus on wineries that were new or ones I had never presented in my blog, sample one wine, and dump the rest. I stuck to that approach for the most part. I also was able to have a few tastes of some of our favorites, too. 2 hours at the Main Event were plenty to talk to the new or new-to-us vintners and catch up with friends. We began at Shale Canyon and ended at Bernardus, with a nice, long stop at Corral Wine Co. in the middle. I was happy to connect with newcomers JL Wood,Pelio Estate, Tira Nanza, as well as try Rustiqué Wines, Folktale and The Riboli Family wines. I somehow missed tasting a wine at Carmel Road. I was still able to do a quick reach back in the middle to Chalone, Lepe, McIntyre, Puma Road, I Brand & Family, Joyce, and others. Maybe I will write a bit about them in the coming weeks!
Unlike the Santa Lucia Highlands Sun, Wind & Wine Festival in May, this one was – for the most part – just our local wineries plus The Riboli Family from Paso Robles and Los Angeles, and a few big names like Robert Mondavi and J. Lohr. And a great chance to sample wines from across the county. If you love Monterey wines, this is the event for you!
I did not capture detailed tasting notes at this event, so I’ve cobbled together my reviews from memory. Today is more about showcasing these new/new to me wineries. This post focuses on JL Wood,Pelio Estate, Tira Nanza, Rustiqué Wines, Folktale and The Riboli Family. Each is worthy of a future visit and a full tasting. Any winery notes are from their websites or from the presenters at this event. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
JL WOOD WINES
We had never heard of JL Wood. They have long been producing grapes and decided to make their own wines. They only make Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco – the wines they brought to this event were all Gold or Double Gold Medal winners. Their first vintage was 2021. Their winery operations are up in Napa and they have no tasting room. You can order their wines on their website and they ship to several states for free!
I love their intro on their home page: “Visiting friends? Going to a party? Celebrating at home? Having a relationship thing? Just got home from a required work in office day? Try a glass of JL WOOD Chardonnay. At JL WOOD, Chardonnay is all we do.”
From their website: “We are proud to announce that our 2021 Premier won Double GOLD and 97 points at the just concluded Sunset International Wine Competition. Our Nouveau won GOLD and 91 points at the 2023 Sommeliers Choice Awards, an international competition in San Francisco. In the same competition, our No-Oak won a GOLD and 90 points. Premier won GOLD and 93 points and the No-Oak won GOLD and 92 points at the 2023 Winemaker Challenge. The No-Oak won GOLD and 90 pts at the 2023 Monterey International Wine Competition. The Nouveau won GOLD at the 2023 Monterey Wine Festival. Our No-Oak won SILVER at the 2023 New Orleans Food and Wine Experience International Wine Competition and was judged to be one of the top Chardonnay wines.”
About JL Wood: “JL WOOD is a family-owned winery with a laser focus on a satisfying and modern customer experience. We create modern affordable luxury wines that are true to the fruit, delivering clean and bold flavors sip after sip. We use our independence to showcase outstanding lots of wine that otherwise would have disappeared into the oblivion of a 60,000 or 160,000-gallon industrial winery tank.”
Building on a legacy
“Our family has been on the same land for over 100 years. The land has been very productive. The family has farmed grains, vegetables, livestock feed, cattle, and sheep. A UC Davis study in the late 1950s identified our district as being ideal for certain types of wine grapes, like Chardonnay, that enjoy a combination of hot summer days and cool nights.
“JL Wood led the family into the wine business. Our wine grapes were planted in the late 90s. The rootstock and clones we have were carefully selected to match our soils and climate. The result has been very efficient farming and outstanding Chardonnay wine.”
2021 JL Wood Premier Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV, $36 (#1028)
Winery Notes: “Fruit and citrus flavors. Smooth acidity and signature long finish. Flavors layered with a pleasing vanillin, spice, and toasted oak background notes. Fully fermented. No malolactic fermentation. No added sugar. Pairs well with a multi-course meal of fish, meat, or sophisticated dishes. Award winning: GOLD and 93 points at the Winemakers’ Challenge Competition.”
My Review: Pale golden in the glass. Nice aromas of white citrus blossoms and tropical fruit on the nose. A very tasty and balanced palate – oak is very well integrated in this wine so that it is almost imperceptible. June 2023
PELIO ESTATE WINES
We first heard of Pelio Vineyards from the labels of other wineries – then I saw they were opened a tasting room in Carmel Valley next door to Blue Fox. Pelio Estate Wines was on my must-taste list for this event, as I am hoping to arrange a future Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society event there. You can taste their wines by contacting them directly or making a reservation on their website. They are located at 25 Pilot Road in Carmel Valley and open Friday – Sunday 11:30 am – 6 pm.
About Pelio: “As sisters we have always dreamed of owning our own business. When we thought about what we wanted to do, our first thoughts went to our two loves: wine and Carmel Valley.” -Lindsey & Shelby Pelio.
“In the year 2000, we purchased a piece of land where we made great memories of family picnics, learning to ride bikes and playing hide-and-go-seek in fields. Most importantly, it was the place as kids, where we let our minds run free and learned how to dream big. This piece of land was the catalyst of many firsts for us as sisters. It is where we first learned how to ride a bike, first learned how to drive a car and now it is the foundation of our first business endeavor together. We are the proud owners of this beautiful land and fabulous vineyard. As in the blending of fine wines, we took our grapes, added family, friends, winemakers, and here we are today with PELIO ESTATE VINEYARDS.”
Winemaking Description: “The 2020 Pelio Rose is produced in the whole-cluster to press method. Specific sections of the vineyard were hand harvested to produce a wine that highlights crisp acidity with balanced bright fruit characteristics. Clusters were loaded into the press and pressed to a minimal 120gallons/ton before overnight settling and fermentation. Juice was only in contact with the skins for the 45-minute press cycle giving this wine it’s delicate color. A cool ferment was carried out to dryness over two weeks before racking and maturation in stainless steel.”
Winery Tasting Notes: “A beautiful pale pink in the glass, this rose gives aromas of fresh strawberry and guava, with bright tropical esters of banana. The palate shows grapefruit and mixed citrus over crisp acidity. The texture is silky for a light rose and matches the flavors well.”
My Notes: Very pink in color, this rose is exactly what one is looking for on a warm, sunny day. Very balanced, crisp. Recommend this wine. June 2023
Tira Nanza is a true, local newcomer. We first heard of them on the event website and were eager to seek them out. They are located in Cachagua on the former Galante ranch and have already invited Decanting Monterey to visit!
About Tira Nanza: “From its sumptuous taste to scenic vineyard views, wine evokes feelings of luxury, sophistication, and indulgence. Like most consumers, this view of wine was all that we initially knew. It wasn’t until we dove head first into the industry and experienced the entirety of the winemaking process that we truly fell in love with it.
“Our goal is to offer a more authentic way to interact with and enjoy wine. Our wine experiences are process-driven, fostering deep connections, rather than overly product-driven, formulaic walkthroughs that only create surface level connections. It’s our hope that this will give our guests newfound excitement and deeper insight into the world of wine.”
“In order to make great wine you must have great fruit. Every decision we make is centered around growing the best fruit we possibly can. Where the soils allow, we dry-farm our vineyards to foster plants that are self-sufficient and not dependent on a weekly shot of water. Dry-farming forces the vines to send their roots deeper to find water and results in fruit that is more concentrated and more connected to its terroir.
“We rely on natural solutions to get the most out of our vineyards. We count on our healthy population of owls and hawks for pest control, and we use cows to clean between the rows and to improve our soil health. We use only organic and biodynamic sprays to keep our fruit healthy and untainted. Our approach requires an intimate relationship with our vineyards garnered by walking them daily. Every vine at Tira Nanza is hand-pruned and hand-harvested by the same hands that make the wines.”
Winery Notes: “Our inaugural vintage of Cab is finally here! Harvested from the oldest vines on our ranch, this dry farmed fruit exceeded all of our expectations for our first vintage. Blended with 20% Merlot and aged entirely in French Oak (75% neutral/25% new) this wine combines rich red fruit flavors with an inviting freshness seldom seen in California Cabernet.”
My Review: Impressive first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon. Lively in color – a vibrant garnet. Cherry notes on the nose and palate. This was quite good and drinkable now – will improve with age. June 2023
RUSTIQUÉ
We have seen Rustiqué located next to Odonata and have tasted wines from the Silacci Vinayard, but this was the first time interacting with Rustiqué directly. Their tasting room is open Friday – Sunday 11 am to 5 pm at 1010 River Road, Salinas. They also do some nice special events there.
About Rustiqué: “Rustiqué is a family owned and operated estate winery established in 2006. Made with the grapes from Silacci Vineyards, we are dedicated to learning from the land and evolving alongside it to make high quality pinot noir and chardonnay. Our tasting room is located in Monterey County in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range.”
Winery Notes: “This Chardonnay highlights the cold climate growing region of Monterey County, with aromas and flavors of golden pear, peach, melon and floral accents. It’s full bodied and accentuated palate leaves you with a beautiful structured oak toast and well rounded mineral driven finish.”
My Review: Pale yellow in the glass. If you like an oaky Chardonnay, this is the one for you. I still need to visit their tasting room.June 2023
FOLKTALE
We haven’t been to Folktale since they first opened, mostly because we prefer a traditional wine tasting setup. They have blossomed into a beautiful wine and food venue which we have not yet experienced. Moreover, they have just opened a tasting venue at Now that they have been making wine for a while, it was time to taste their wines! Plus they just opened a tasting bar at Seventh & Dolores Steakhouse in Carmel-by-the-Sea. I was very pleased to be invited to the winery for a tasting, which I will do soon with my friend Erin of tèr·ra·ve·nos! While I tasted their big, Bordeaux-style red blend, I was also intrigued by their cloudy orange wine. Keeping to my 1-wine rule, I was unable to taste both!
About Folktale: “In 2015, a band of artists, craftspeople, and lovers of life brought their wandering imaginations and lofty aspirations to a magical piece of land in Carmel, California. Out in the sunny valley, we cultivated grapevines and gardens to craft beautiful wines and experiences to delight the senses. We named this place Folktale Winery & Vineyards.
“Folktale was inspired by the idea that in every great bottle of wine, there is a story. It is filled with uniqueness of place, a year of sun and rain, and the art and craft of winemaking. The story is about our people, our guests, and our passion. This is a love story, and the best love stories never end.”
2018 Folktale The Hound, Carmel Valley AVA, 13.7% ABV, $95 (#1032)
Winery 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.”
Wine Enthusiast – 92 points: “This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 11% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 9% Cabernet Franc, which is primarily from the Massa Estate, shows boisterous aromas of boysenberry, crumpled flowers and acai on the nose. Massive tannins and strong acidity rise up on the sip, so give the dark fruits time to emerge from behind that veil. Drink 2023–2032.” — Matt Kettmann
My Review: Dark garnet in the glass. Smooth dark berry fruit on the palate. Grippy tannins on the finish. Overall, quite likeable (with that great pedigree of using Massa Estate grapes, what’s not to like?), but the dry finish leads me to think it needs a few more years of cellaring. Would pair well with a steak. My friend Erin of tèr·ra·ve·nos and I were invited to visit and will plan to do so soon. June 2023
THE RIBOLI FAMILY
I had not heard of the Riboli Family by name, but I had certainly heard of some of its brands: Maddalena, San Simeon, among others. I was only able to taste one wine here (my choice, not theirs) and I went for one of their reserve red blends from San Simeon.
“4 GENERATIONS OF WINEMAKING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1917
“A family legacy built on hard work, family values, and a love for the land.
“Here at Riboli Family Wines, we pride ourselves in maintaining our core family values while also employing innovative techniques that will keep our legacy alive for generations to come. Each Riboli family member maintains a steadfast commitment to honoring not only our premiere craftsmanship of wines, but also our dedication to environmental sustainability and to the people that make up our family business.”
DISTINCTIVE SOILS: “The superb structure and elegant profiles found in our wines are the direct result of our estate vineyards’ unique blends of calcareous limestone, sandstone, and loam soils.”
HILLSIDE VINEYARDS: “Our estate vineyards are all situated on hillsides as we believe these aspects provide the best grape-growing conditions. The slopes provide great drainage, protection from frost, and optimal ripening conditions for our vines.”
CURATED CLONAL SELECTION: “Our vineyards feature over 15 varieties of grapes and over 50 clones carefully curated to match each vineyard’s terroir.”
About San Simeon Reserve Wines: “Ancient seas receded and revealed a unique bed of limestone on which world-class wines now grows. From our best blocks on steep hillsides with perfect aspect and drainage, creating our signature flavors and aromas.”
Winery notes: “The skies darken, the winds howl, and the waves pound the rugged shore…Stormwatch! Located near the coastal town of San Simeon, our family’s ESTATE vineyards are located within the El Pomar district of the renowned Paso Robles appellation. Steep hillsides and rocky soils produce the intense flavors and aromas of this Bordeaux-style blend. Our artisan wine is hand-crafted in small lots and aged in French oak barrels for a minimum of 18 months. Dark, rich, and mouth-filling. Ripe flavors of blackberry and raspberry with touches of spice and vanilla. Enjoy the thrill of Stormwatch!”
My Review: Very dark in the glass, this brooding wine is packed with dark fruit flavors and was one of the best reds we tasted at this event. This is my kind of wine and perhaps my favorite wine of the day. I need to get down to Paso to taste more San Simeon wines! June 2023
Loyal Fans: Thanks to each and every one of you, Decanting Monterey was nominated for Best Local Blog of Monterey County!! I am so thankful and humbled by this nomination. And now we need your vote!
Please vote for Decanting Monterey as the Best Local Blog of Monterey County. As you know, Decanting Monterey is my not-for-profit labor of love to help educate others about our local vintners and their wines. We are 1 of 4 finalists for this category in the Best of Monterey County MC Weekly. I would be most grateful for your support. Here’s how:
You may need to register with name, email and zip code, but you can also skip that part and just vote. Only 1 set of votes per email address!
Please click on the photo for “Around Town,” then search for Best Local Blog and vote for “Decanting Monterey.”
You will need to vote for 19 other local spots to submit your vote – please look around and make your favorite picks! I have a few recommendations below…
WINE-RELATED VOTING SUGGESTIONS:
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