THE STORY
I’ll be writing a “Catch-Up Monday” post for several weeks to catch up on wines from the summer. These are what I would call “Classic Decanting Monterey Posts” – about a single wine or two we opened and tried. Today I have one wine from Mission Trails Vineyard and one from Morgan Winery.
My “Sometimes Neighbors” invited me over to join their group for a BBQ after they had played a whole lot of golf together. There were a couple of Monterey County wines to try. They are members of A Taste of Monterey, where we have been able to taste wines from some of our smaller producers, including Mission Trails Vineyard. In addition, they offered us a wine from Morgan Winery.
They also teased us by showing us a wine I had never heard of, a 2018 Bond Vecina Napa Valley Red Wine. Wow!
“VECINA is coined from the Spanish word for neighbor. This is our endeavor with the property situated directly southeast of the BOND winery. The beautifully terraced volcanic soil slopes of this property reside in Oakville’s western foothills. The 11-acre site faces due east and is the recipient of cool morning sun. Vecina, which appeared with the 1999 vintage in the inaugural BOND release, is always powerful, intense and savory. Vecina’s other hallmarks are blackberry fruit, with wild forest floor and mineral associated overtones.”
This 100-point wine, with a price of $650 (!!!) per bottle, was not opened on this day. It needs to be cellared for a more appropriate occasion. I hope they will invite me to join them when they do!
OK, back to our Monterey wines…
Each of these Monterey wineries has been presented only a single time in Decanting Monterey in these two posts: A Taste of Monterey: “The Official” Regional Wine Visitors’ Center” and Morgan : “artisan, vineyard-centric wines” from SLH and Monterey. I really owe Morgan Winery a full visit soon!
ABOUT MISSION TRAILS VINEYARD from their website:
Welcome to Monterey Wine Country!
“Nearly 230 years ago Franciscan friars planted wine grapes in Monterey County. Although these early vineyards are no longer around, they foretold the story of the thriving grape growing industry of today. To help them navigate from mission to mission, these early missionaries would mark their trails along the California coast with mustard seeds. The mustard plants reveal the trail traveled by those dedicated missionaries. Today, one can still follow the mustard plants along the trail that the missionaries traveled. And along the way, we see vineyards planted beside the California mission trail.
“Today, Monterey County grows over 40 different varieties of wine grapes. A large portion of these varieties are blended, and many of these grapes are sent elsewhere for processing. Rare varieties like Cabernet Franc and Refosco are seldom available to consumers as a stand-alone varietal. For years, only vintners had the pleasure to sample these fine varietal wines in an individual form. Each and every variety grown in Monterey County has something special to express with its color, aroma, and flavor. It is in the spirit of exploration and promotion of the area’s quality that proprietors Ken and Robyn Rauh created Mission Trail Vineyards.”
Monterey Quality
“Mission Trail Vineyards is dedicated to showcasing the promise that Monterey wine country has to offer. Only small lots of hand-crafted wines are produced. The grapes for these wines are selected from choice locations throughout Monterey County. Ken and Robyn believe wine should be a reflection of the true varietal character with little man-made influences. Mission Trail whites; Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Marsanne and Sauvignon Blanc, are refreshing and vibrant. While the reds; Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Grenache, Mertiage, Syrah and Zinfandel, are fruit-forward and robust.”
ABOUT MORGAN WINERY from their website:
“With more than thirty years’ experience, Dan Lee and the Morgan label have been synonymous with artisan, vineyard-centric wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Monterey.
“Coming from a small town in California’s Central Valley, Dan Morgan Lee had prepared initially for the study of veterinary medicine at the University of California, Davis. It was late in his college career that he discovered enology satisfied his interest in both science and agriculture. Immediately enrolling in the graduate enology program, Dan completed his studies and was hired as winemaker at Jekel Winery in Monterey County.
“After serving his apprenticeship at Jekel, Dan moved up the road to Durney Vineyard where he continued to make Monterey wines. While making wine full-time for Durney, Dan aspired to craft his own label. It was at a meeting of the Monterey County Winegrowers Association that he shared his vision with a banker. In addition to becoming his business advisor, that banker would also become Dan’s wife.
“In 1982, Dan and Donna Lee opened the doors of Morgan Winery. Their very first Monterey Chardonnay earned a Gold Medal at the LA County Fair and a Platinum Medal from Wine & Spirits Magazine. Since then, Morgan has become one of the Central Coast’s most recognized labels, earning “Winery of the Year” honors from Wine & Spirits in 1996 and from the San Francisco Chronicle in 2003.
“Able to pick and choose fruit sources from around the state, Dan eventually turned more of his attention to the Santa Lucia Highlands and single vineyard releases. Dan and Donna invested in their belief in the Highlands with the purchase of the Double L Vineyard in 1996. Today the Double L is one of the best known vineyards in California. Dan’s leadership and expertise in the district led to his being named the first Board President of the newly formed Santa Lucia Highlands’ winegrowers association in 2005.”
THE WINES
I have just 2 wines to present to you today. Winery notes come from their website, unless otherwise indicated. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2018 Mission Trail Vineyard Tusca, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 13.8% ABV, $28 (#1156) 58% Syrah 25%, Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Sangiovese
Winery Notes: “Inspired by the powerhouse wines of Tuscany’s “Super Tuscan”, this vintage of Tusca has a twist. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from Carmel Valley and Sangiovese from Arroyo Seco and Syrah from Santa Lucia Highlands. These three wines, on their own, were promising, but when brought together in this blend, a very special wine resulted. The Syrah provides acidity dark fruit elements, Cabernet Sauvignon provides the backbone, the tannin structure. While the Sangiovese lends copious amounts of black cherry and cassis fruit varietal characteristics. The Sangiovese brings the brighter fruit of raspberry, wild cherry and hints of exotic spices like nutmeg and dried orange peel. The smooth tannin, silky mouth-feel and lingering finish were achieved by careful blending. Tusca is an excellent example of the beauty and balance that blending can bring to a wine. Said to go with anything from marinara to meatloaf. Also, it is great with anything off the grill. Tusca is a “go to” wine that will delight a wide range of palates.”
My Review: Pretty garnet in the glass. Sweet plum and dark, jammy fruit on the nose. Mellow and rich on the palate with smooth berries. A little tart on the finish with cinnamon stick notes. June 2023
2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 13.8% ABV, $38 (#1157)
Winery Notes: “The grapes were hand sorted in the vineyard and again at the winery before being completely destemmed. Whole berry fermentation started using native and cultured yeasts in small, open top tanks. After fermentation, the wine was transferred to 35% new French oak for nine months of aging. The 2020 Twelve Clones demonstrates the finesse typical of pinot noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands. Aromas of black cherry, tobacco, and espresso bean are complemented by flavors of black fruit and a hint of sweet and savory spices. Perfectly poised, this medium plus bodied wine is supported by rich tannins. A wonderful accompaniment to roasted chicken and grilled salmon, as well as almost any duck, beef, or lamb preparation.”
My Review: Medium ruby in the glass. Intense cherry on the nose. Cherry and raspberry on a heavier than typical Pinot Noir palate. A touch of smoke on the finish. Complex, delicious, but the finish reminds us this was a 2020 wildfire year. June 2023
THE TASTING ROOMS
You can try Mission Trails Vineyard wines at A Taste of Monterey, 700 Cannery Row, Ste. KK, Monterey, CA, Sunday-Thursday 12-6 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 12-7 p.m.
Taste Morgan is in the Crossroads Shopping Center at 204 Crossroads Boulevard, Carmel, CA. open daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
© Decanting Monterey 2023
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