Today marks the third anniversary of Decanting Monterey, A Central Coast Wine Blog! And what a year it has been! With 291 wines presented and reaching over 10,000 views, we have a lot to celebrate. Please read to the end for today’s small ask.
OUR HISTORY
Deep in the unvaccinated period of the pandemic in July 2020, Decanting Monterey was founded on wines from our own collection sampled at home, with or without our neighboring friends and our daughters, who quickly became known as the COVID Wine Pod. It was 2 posts per week and, mostly, one wine at a time. Back then, some wineries had just reopened with their COVID procedures and we still weren’t venturing out much. I also established the @decantingmonterey Facebook page.
During Year 2, as we became fully vaccinated and boosted – and double boosted, we were able to get out to more local wineries at a more deliberate pace. And the COVID Wine Pod was renamed the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod! I also moved to a single post per week and presented a single wine class to my old DC wine group. Most of the posts were based on event-driven or winery tastings and fewer individual, cellar-driven posts. And I started the @decanting_monterey Instagram feed.
During Year 3, I began to get recognition as an entity with some stature behind it:
I have some high-level stats to share with you about Year Three of Decanting Monterey!
www.decantingmonterey.com hit the 10,000 “views” mark! This statistic is very important to me. If you are seeing my blog on social media or via email, please be sure to click the link and open it!
291 wines were presented on Decanting Monterey for the first time.
207 red wines were presented, as well as 62 whites, 20 rosés, and a couple of oranges – including 6 sparkling and 2 fortified wines.
Over 39 distinct varietals were presented with Pinot Noir topping the list thanks to the SLH festival I attended, followed closeky by Red Blends, and Syrah – no surprise if you know me!
Wines from 12 California counties are represented, with 181 from Monterey, 30 from Santa Barbara, 20 from San Benito, 15 from Santa Cruz, 11 from San Luis Obispo, 9 from San Benito – and more! Plus 12 wines from Italy!
Wines from 6 of the 9 Monterey American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) were covered, capturing 39 varietals!
I Brand was the most represented family of wines, followed by Parsonage. I attribute that to the steady and wonderful release events offered by I Brand & Family wines. Parsonage was one of the first local wineries to put Monterey wines squarely on our consumption radar way back when. Their wines match my palate perfectly – what else can I say?
While I have some posts already queued up for Year 3, let me ask my mighty readers: Where should I visit next? Please leave me a comment on this post and let me know what some of your favorite, local places are to wine taste that I should not miss in Year 3! I have a list of not-yet-covered wine tasting rooms and other wine venues to check out – happy to add to it. I don’t know what I don’t know.
SUBSCRIBE
And, if you have not signed up for my free, weekly blog email, I encourage you to do so – the subscription button is on the right-hand side of each page of the Decanting Monterey website. I judge how well I am doing by how many views, subscribers, and comments I receive. Please help me spread the word and please feel free to comment on my posts! And follow my Facebook (@decantingmonterey) and Instagram (@decanting_monterey) sites.
OUR SUPPORTERS
I am grateful to Chesebro, Bernardus, Bunter Spring, Idle Hour, Pierce Ranch and Rombi for their generosity this year in donated wines or discounts. Grateful to Kim Stemler and the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association for their support – what a great resource! And to Erin O’Reilly of tèr·ra·ve·nosfor her partnership and advice as we navigate this world of wine. I remain grateful to those vintners who have comped me wine tastings, given me discounts, and especially those who have comped me bottles of wine! And, of course, the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod!
DONATE
Now, to my ask:
As my avid readers know, Decanting Montereyis 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. While I do this, I protect your data from being sold or used by anyone other than for my own website statistics. Here is my Privacy Policy.
As I come up on my 3-year renewal of my website, I am asking my readers to consider making a small donation to keep this effort going. I donate my time, energy, knowledge, and to date personally have funded this website and my wine education travel expenses.
Here is what it takes to make Decanting Monterey run:
$1200-2400/year in travel expenses (airfare, car rental only)
While this blog is open and free, donations to this not-for-profit effort are always welcomein any amount! You can donate here: Donate to Decanting Monterey. All donations go toward the operation of this website and to offset travel expenses for out of area wine classes. Even the smallest amount would be greatly appreciated.
So, here we go – Year 4! This should be an even better one! Thanks for your support to me on this crazy journey.
A short recap of the Festival (repeated from previous event posts): The Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans said this about this event: “Sun, Wind & Wine. The Santa Lucia Highlands is a small but mighty winegrowing appellation in Monterey County that cultivates California’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With generations of family farming, innovation and sustainability as our legacy, our growers and vineyards have earned their place among the state’s most prestigious names for appellation and single-vineyard cool-climate varieties.” The number of wineries present was staggering! We had a strategy going in – to focus on wineries we did not know, to share pours, and to dump the rest.
I did not capture detailed tasting notes at this event; rather, I’ll talk about some of the wineries we met. As a reminder: Pinot Noir is not my wheelhouse, so I can only go by impressions. That said, I would attend this event again for the experience, take a lot more pictures, and focus on any new/new-to-me Central Coast wineries!
In this final post on the event, I am presenting 5 out-of-area (non-Monterey County, non-Central Coast AVA) wineries which make wines with the Santa Lucia Highlands designation. According to the Monterey Vintners and Growers Association, my go-to source for all things Monterey wine, about half of the grapes grown in Monterey County are procured by wineries outside of the county. Today’s post includes Bruliam, Cattelya, Landmark, Miner Family, and Rombauer. Any winery notes are from their websites or from the presenters at this event, unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
BRULIAM
I had never heard of Bruliam before. Winemaker Kerith Overstreet was presenting her wines herself, which is always a great thing. Her winery is named by combining parts of the names of her three children. Clever and sweet!
“When she was small, her dad used to say, “You can be whatever you want after medical school.” So she did. After completing medical school (U. of Rochester), residency, and two fellowships (UCSD), she thought winemaking sounded more fun. So she enrolled at UC Davis to study enology and catapulted into the 2008 harvest.
“Starting with a single barrel, Kerith has grown Bruliam Wines to 1000 cases a year (plus/minus). It’s mostly single vineyard pinot noir with a smidgen of Rockpile zinfandel. With delight and an “OK” from the CF-NO (aka the hubby), she added chardonnay in 2017. Cherishing her grower relationships, Kerith has aligned herself with top vineyards and growers to supply her fruit. Today she cherry picks her fruit from the top vineyards in Sonoma County, Santa Lucia Highlands, and her own Torrey Hill vineyard in the Russian River Valley.”
Wine Enthusiast – 94 points: “Baked black raspberry, rose petals tea leaves, smoked sage and a hint of blood show on the complex nose of this bottling. It lands with weight and chalky texture on the palate, which is full of roasted plum and sagebrush flavors, leading into a finish wrapped in sizzling acidity and vanilla-cookie spice.” — Matt Kettmann
Wine Enthusiast – 90 points: “Black cherry, cola and smoky root beer aromas make for a fairly rich nose on this bottling. Blackberry and red-plum flavors mesh into cardamom spice on the palate, which is clean though hearty and ripe.”
Winery Notes: “Wowza! Beautifully integrated with brambly berries, exotic spices, and hints of soft herbs, the 2019 Soberanes is nuanced and complex. This pinot captivates with fine grain tannins and mouthcoating texture that belie her cellar worthy pedigree. She’s a food friendly, age worthy showstopper. But we won’t judge if you simply sip and find yourself transported.” Wine Spectator – 92 points.
Wine Enthusiast – 90 points: “An ample show of dust and herbs consume the nose on this bottling, which picks up scents of raspberry and rose as well. The palate’s blend of hibiscus and black tea flavors are wrapped in an oaky spice.” — Matt Kettmann
CATTELYA
We didn’t know what “Cattleya” meant (something to do with Colombian orchids, I think) – or that an out of area winery located in Rohnert Park would make so many Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah wines! I can find very little information about the newly-released vintages. Based on the prices of previous vintages, these well-respected wines likely are priced in the $70 range. In general, we liked these wines and I would like to try them again!
“I grew up in a country where vineyards are virtually non-existent. My exposure to wine was limited only to rare occasions at the dinner table. A few sips occasionally stolen from my father’s wine glass were enough to inspire an all-consuming dream—to become a winemaker. So I packed my bags and left for France. And in that moment I set the course of my life, a never-ending journey pursuing inspirational wines. During the summer of 2001, I immersed myself in all things wine, ultimately earning a BTS degree in Viticulture and Enology from Cognac followed by a degree in Enology from the University of Bordeaux, graduating with honors.
“Driven by the tenacity which first took me to France, I pruned vines during ice-cold winters, trimmed shoots in sweltering summers, and tended to the vines that cling to the sheer slopes of Côte-Rôtie—first at Domaine Stéphane Ogier, then at Domaine Clusel-Roch. At the famed estates of Château Haut-Brion & La Mission Haut-Brion, I completed research for my thesis. This hard work paid off – I had the privilege to work among other family-owned wine producers in Burgundy, Alsace, and Cognac. My passion for wine whisked me around the globe, sending me between California, South Africa, and France for several years before I decided to call California my home.
The birth of cattleya wines
“By the end of 2011, after many harvests perfecting the craft of making wine, I set upon my own adventure—a label known today as CATTLEYA WINES. Meanwhile, I became a viticulturist and winemaker consultant; focused on vineyard optimization to produce exceptional wines from Sonoma and Napa Valley.
“In 2015, I was awarded “Winemaker of the Year” by the San Francisco Chronicle, just over a year after being named one of Wine Enthusiast’s “40 Under 40 America’s Tastemakers”.”
2021 Cattleya The Initiation Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (#1019)
This wine was very purple in the glass and comes from the Soberanes Vineyard.
2021 Cattleya The Reward Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (#1020)
I couldn’t locate any winery notes about this inky and lovely wine, but I suggest reading Kerry Winslow’s writeup of it at this link on grapelive.com.
“We are very excited to be offering our 7th vintage from this highly regarded source of Pinot Noir for Landmark. Our partner growers at this vineyard, nestled in the hills on the ear side of the Santa Lucia Range, focus on the commitment to exceptional fruit quality. The single-vineyard source for our Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir continues to consistently provide high-quality wine grapes, year after year. This exciting appellation is enhanced by the maritime influence from nearby Monterey Bay, providing a very long growing season with a mild summer and typically dry fall.
“Medium purple/ruby at the core with a slightly lighter rim, aromas of ripe black fruit, baking spice, oak, leather and subtle roasted coffee notes. The palate is dry, nearly full bodied, with ripe black cherry, ripe plum and vanilla on entry. Toasty oak, tobacco and leather join sustained ripe black fruit on the mid-palate with balanced acidity and mouth-filling tannins that meet the generous fruit nicely through a moderately long finish.”
“The 2021 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir bottling represents our ninth vintage working hand in hand with our grower partners and is once again defined by their commitment to achieving the highest-quality fruit from vintage to vintage. A long growing season, slow fruit maturation, and night hand-harvesting at ideal ripeness allow Landmark to craft a wine of exceptional balance, structure, quality, and longevity.
“Ruby colored at its core with moderate tearing on the glass. Aromas of dried cranberry, cola, cocoa powder, and holiday spice lead to dark cherries. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe red and black fruit that blend into toasted oak. The finish is moderately long featuring notes of porcini mushroom, coffee, and dried orange peel as well as balanced acidity and finely textured tannins.”
My Review: Ruby in color. Berry on the palate. This wine was nice. I preferred its intensity and overall flavor profile over the earlier vintage. Mind you, it was VERY LATE in our tasting by the time we found Landmark. May 2023
MINER FAMILY WINES
We have been long time fans of Miner Family Oracle, a Bordeaux-style red blend. We were quite surprised to see them at this event. They are part of that growing trend to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the renowned Santa Lucia Highlands AVA.
About Miner Family Wines: “Miner is a dynamic family-owned winery tucked along the eastern hills of the Oakville appellation in the heart of Napa Valley. Founded in 1998 by Dave and Emily Miner, Miner Family Winery crafts reserve-style wines by sourcing fruit from Napa Valley and other specially selected California vineyards.
“Winemaker Stacy Vogel uses a combination of old world winemaking techniques and modern technology to make wines that reflect the unique characteristics of individual vineyards or “terroir” where specific varietals grow best. This fusion of superb vineyard sites and thoughtful winemaking allows Miner to deliver elegant, expressive wines.” (from the tech sheet below)
2019 Miner Family Sierra Mar Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.5% ABV, $75 (#1024)
Winery Notes: “Sierra Mar, meaning Mountain Sea in Spanish, sits just over 1,000 feet and is one of the highest altitude vineyards in Santa Lucia Highlands. This high elevation paired with the naturally thin soils pave the way for low yields of highly intense fruit. This powerful wine offers dark fruit and violet aromas with a smooth, toasted oak finish.” 482 cases produced.
2019 Miner Family Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.3% ABV, $65 (#1025)
Winery Notes: “With nuanced flavors of plum, nutmeg, cedar and cherry, this Pinot Noir is appealing for its velvety texture, finesse and purity of fruit. Rosella’s Vineyard benefits from its hillside location and weather patterns of foggy mornings and long, sunny afternoons.”
2019 Miner Family Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $75 (#1006)
Winery Notes: “This 50-acre vineyard was planted in 1995 by friends and growers Gary Franscioni and Gary Pisoni along the terraces of the Santa Lucia mountain range, overlooking the Salinas River Valley. With plenty of lovely, rich tannins, this Pinot offers up flavors of dark red fruit, subtle oak, nutmeg-clove spice. Aged for 14 months in French Oak.”
ROMBAUER VINEYARDS:
This was another surprise to see at a Santa Lucia Highlands event. Turns out this is their first vintage of this wine.
About Rombauer: “Koerner and Joan established Rombauer Vineyards in 1980, and in 1984 they released their first California-style Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Four decades later–and still family owned–the winery has become widely acclaimed for its distinctive, fruit-driven expressions.”
Winery Notes: “Aromas of plum, cherry, and crushed cranberry are lifted and concentrated on the nose, complemented by light lavender notes and hints of spice. You will find this wine to be rich and silky, with vibrant red fruit flavors, subtle notes of earthiness, and warm spice all finding expression in this beautifully balanced wine. The finish builds on the back palate, a signature of all Rombauer wines.”
A short recap of the Festival (repeated from the previous event posts): The Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans said this about this event: “Sun, Wind & Wine. The Santa Lucia Highlands is a small but mighty winegrowing appellation in Monterey County that cultivates California’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With generations of family farming, innovation and sustainability as our legacy, our growers and vineyards have earned their place among the state’s most prestigious names for appellation and single-vineyard cool-climate varieties.” The number of wineries present was staggering! We had a strategy going in – to focus on wineries we did not know, to share pours, and to dump the rest.
I did not capture detailed tasting notes at this event; rather, I’ll talk about some of the wineries we met. As a reminder: Pinot Noir is not my wheelhouse, so I can only go by impressions. That said, I would attend this event again for the experience – and take a lot more pictures!
In this post, I am presenting 3 Central Coast wineries which are not in Monterey County. (For local, Monterey wineries, see the previous 2 posts above). Today, this means Sarah’s Vineyard, Three Furies and Tudor Wines. Any winery notes are from their websites or from the pourers at this event, unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
One more post is coming about this event! Next week will be out of area wineries making wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA.
SARAH’S VINEYARD
We have tasted wines from Sarah’s Vineyard grapes made by some of our local vintners, but this was the first time we were able to taste their wines directly. Unfortunately, I did not capture tasting notes. The winery is located in Gilroy, a short drive from the Monterey Peninsula! The vineyards for their estate wines come from the Mt. Madonna District – we will need to go up and taste those wines and tell you more in a future post!
Marilyn “Sarah” Otteman purchased 10 acres in south Santa Clara County’s Hecker Pass area in 1977. She began the vineyard with an initial planting of seven acres of Chardonnay. The winery itself was founded 1978.
“Marilyn was a creative, free spirit, with a love for the land (she had an actual teepee on the property) and an innate sense of style. Both her and the early wines’ character caught the public and media’s fancy – the ornate Sarah’s Vineyard label quickly developed a loyal following and a reputation for top-flight Chardonnays.
“The small, rustic tasting room soon became a “must stop” for early Central Coast wine excursions. Today, Sarah’s legacy can still be seen in the attention to detail and warm hospitality on display daily around the winery.
Tim Slater, Proprietor & Mad Scientist…
“Tim Slater took the helm at Sarah’s Vineyard when he purchased the vineyards and winery in 2001. Tim in his former life has been a DJ, a musician, and a successful “micro-machining” engineer with many patents to his name. He brought a scientific approach to replanting and modernizing S.V., finely balanced by an artist’s sensibility and a traditionalist’s love of the land.
“Tim is a very hands-on proprietor. He is both grower and winemaker, constantly experimenting in the vineyard and in the cellar. Tim is often to be found in the tasting room, sharing his latest discoveries with guests.
“By channeling both his inner “mad scientist” and his artistic side, the S.V. estate and wines have flourished. Tim’s philosophy is a fairly simple one: bottle by bottle, vintage by vintage, to capture the “music of the vineyard” – to grow and produce some of California’s finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.”
About Tondré Grapefield, Santa Lucia Highlands:
“Tondré Alarid established a vineyard on his family’s historic ranch in Monterey’s Santa Lucia Highlands. In the hands of his son Joe Alarid, the estate has become one of the S.L.H.’s best known properties. The Highlands’ sparse mountainside soils and windy Monterey Bay-influenced climate produce some of the country’s best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The combination of a perfect site and meticulous farming makes for truly great wines.”
Winery Notes: “The ’21 Tondré Grapefield Chardonnay displays enticing aromas and flavors of white flowers, citrus, and pastry crust. Time in the glass offers up golden apple, pear, and lemon curd flavors and a long finish of spice, vanilla, and peach. The balance of bright acidity and a hint of creaminess from the primarily neutral French oak barrels make this wine a great match for Tim’s recipe for Shrimp Tacos with Mexican Street Corn.” French oak, 25% new, 11 months. 194 cases produced.
Winery Notes: “The ’19 Sarah’s Vineyard Tondré Grapefield Pinot Noir has a vast red fruit and floral presence with dark cherry, raspberry, and crushed rose petal notes in the glass. On the palate, the bright fruit is complemented by baking spice, pepper, and a hint of vanilla with smooth, silky tannins. This delightful Pinot Noir pairs wonderfully with Tim’s wine club recipe for Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts.” 461 cases produced.
Winery Notes: “The ’21 Sarah’s Vineyard Tondré Grapefield Pinot Noir has cellared beautifully and has delicate dark red fruit and spice with a lovely floral bouquet of violet notes in the glass. On the palate, the rich raspberry and plum fruits are complemented by baking spice, white pepper, and a hint of vanilla with smooth, silky tannins. This delightful Pinot Noir pairs wonderfully with grilled chicken and mushrooms over wild rice.” French oak, 35% new, 11 months. 275 cases produced.
Visiting Sara’s Vineyard: “We are open daily for curbside pickups of wine orders /wine club releases and have patio reservations available daily – reservations are strongly encouraged.” Check their website for details and reservations.
THREE FURIES
Another out-if area, Central Coast winery new to us! They make wines from several regions, each named after one of the Three Furies: Constant Vengeance from Sta. Rita Hills AVA, The Angry One from Santa Lucia Highlands, and The Jealous – not yet released.
About Three Furies: “Three Furies Wines are a manifestation of Winemaker Martin Mackenzie’s insatiable curiosity and quest for truth, power, and beauty in wine.
“Martin, a New Zealand native, crafted wines for world-renowned Stonyridge Vineyard on remote Waiheke Island, New Zealand for ten years before moving to California wine country.
“In California since 2009 as consulting, flying, and head winemaker, Martin has produced wines with top scores, earning high critical praise for his craft.
“Three Furies Wines are Martin’s expression of respect for the power of nature.”
“Three Furies Wines explore the mysteries of the noblest of grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay through limited-edition, single-vineyard releases.
“These wines represent contemplative studies of place, from vineyards sought for their character, where grapes struggle to grow from dry, cracked earth, and where vines are buffeted by screeching maritime gales.
“From this harrowed fruit, we make seductive, delicious wines.
“Our collection currently includes Constant Vengeance from Sta. Rita Hills AVA and The Angry One from Santa Lucia Highlands.
“The Jealous is the third Fury in our collection, not yet released.
“These wines are available to our mailing list only as well as a few carefully hand selected on-premise placements.
“Our current placements include: The French Laundry, Torc, Sante and The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, K. Laz Wine Collection.”
2018 Three Furies Wines The Angry One Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.5% ABV, $85 (#1011)
Winery Notes: ““Pure, clean aromatics exhibit bright and floral red fruit notes. Violets, red cherry, pomegranate and raspberry mingle with fresh-bread and mineral notes. Red velvet cake comes to mind. Intense in color with a vibrant crimson hue.” ~ Martin Mackenzie, Winemaker From the time spent in barrel she has been lavished upon resulting in firm tannins offering structure while maintaining racy acidity keeping her fresh and clean. An instant favorite of those who encounter her, she contrasts sharply with the more reticent and brooding older sibling, Constant Vengeance, who demands patience and a certain period of getting to know.” This was the first vintage of this wine.
2019 Three Furies The Angry One Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.5% ABV, $85 (#1012)
“Bright hue of crimson-rose red with a good depth of color. Pretty notes of cranberry, blueberries and cherry dominate the generous aromas. Hints of violets, sage, licorice and cedar lurk beneath, hinting at things to come. Initially fresh, bright and firm of structure, the wine soon opens up to reveal pools of glycerol laden fruit, very much reflecting the aromas. Framed with firm but fine tannins the flavors remain through the long-lasting finish. With the acid and structure to age for ten years, The Angry One nevertheless leaves the impression of volume and generosity of fruit on the palate, making it enjoyable upon release as well as for cellaring.” ~ Martin Mackenzie, Winemaker
TUDOR WINES
We’d also never heard of Tudor Wines from Paso Robles. They brought three library wines for us to taste! Impressive! Please note that the Wine Enthusiast reviews are at or near time of release and may not reflect the current taste of these now-library wines!
About Tudor Wines: “Every year our grandfather Tudor used to make wine for his friends and family. It’s a family tradition we continue to this day on the Central Coast of California.
“We believe that in an increasing mechanized world, there are still a few handmade products that stand out. Fine wine is one of them. We select fruit from family owned vineyards and transform it into wine using traditional techniques. These include small fermentations mixed by hand and aging in French barrels. The resulting wine has a purity of natural expression that cannot be duplicated on a larger scale.”
“On the island of Hvar in Croatia, the Tudor family has grown grapes and lavender for hundreds of years in a small village called Velo Grablje. The island of Hvar is the longest Adriatic island. It has plenty of lavender fields, olive groves, and vineyards. Hvar is, no doubt, an exceptional island, both in summer and winter. Due to its mild winter climate and rich subtropical vegetation, it has also been called the Croatian Madeira. An average of 2724 hours of sunshine per year makes Hvar one of the sunniest places in Croatia.
“The Tudors began growing grapes in California early in the 1900’s and continue to operate one of the largest table grape vineyards in the country.
“This tradition of growing grapes continued when Christians’ grandfathers moved to California and planted table grape vineyards in the 1920’s. These are Dan Tudor and Sons and Vincent B. Zaninovich farms located in Delano, California. Christian worked at Dan Tudor and Sons during the summer picking seasons throughout high school and college 1988-1998.”
Wine Enthusiast – 85 points: “Has a heavy, jellied taste that detracts from elegance. Hard to tell why, for the fruit certainly got ripe in cherries, cola and raspberries, and acidity is fine. Drink now.”
My Notes: Barnyard and earth. May 2023
2006 Tudor Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $40 (price at release) (#1014)
Wine Enthusiast – 87 points: “A very nice Pinot Noir. Rich and ripe in jammy, pie-filling black cherry, currant and cola flavors, with complex notes of dusty spices and smoky oak, it’s dry and full-bodied, and ready to drink over the next few years.”
Wine Enthusiast – 92 points: “This is a really beautiful Pinot Noir. It’s rich in flavor, but also strong in structure, with good acidity and firm, dry tannins framing a silky texture. The flavors suggest raspberries, cherries and vanilla cream, accented with smoky sweet oak. Drink now.”
Wine Enthusiast: “A very good Pinot Noir. Shows just what you want in a fine coastal bottling, with a smooth, silky texture, crisp acidity, and fine, delicate but powerful flavors. In this case, the wine shows cool-climate notes of raspberries, cherries and red currants, with umami, salty smoked meat and oak-inspired vanilla toast complexities. Drink now–2013.” S.H. (12/15/2010)
My Notes: Best of the bunch – very smooth. May 2023
Taste Tudor Wines: “The Tudor downtown Paso Robles tasting lounge, in the historic Acorn Building, is steps from City Park and every art, dining, shopping and entertainment experience you can wish for in a wine destination. Treasure a glass of highly-rated, Grand Cru level Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands. Experience unique tasting flights of current releases and rare vintage library wines. Or, enjoy a few sweets and espresso.” Open Thursday-Monday noon – 6 p.m.
Before I launch into today’s post, Decanting Monterey has reached a milestone:1,000 wines presented since the beginning of the pandemic! 🎉🍷 Yes, some of these were written and posted elsewhere before I began this website, so the total includes non-Central Coast wines. Nonetheless, that is a staggering number in just over a 3-year period, even if I do say so myself! And we have a special wine today as number 1,000. Read on!
A short recap of the Festival: The Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans said this about this event: “Sun, Wind & Wine. The Santa Lucia Highlands is a small but mighty winegrowing appellation in Monterey County that cultivates California’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With generations of family farming, innovation and sustainability as our legacy, our growers and vineyards have earned their place among the state’s most prestigious names for appellation and single-vineyard cool-climate varieties.” The number of wineries present was staggering! We had a strategy going in – to focus on wineries we did not know, to share pours, and to dump the rest.
I did not capture detailed tasting notes at this event; rather, I’ll talk about some of the wineries we met. As a reminder: Pinot Noir is not my wheelhouse, so I can only go by impressions. That said, I would attend this event again for the experience – and take a lot more pictures!
In this post, I am presenting 3 more local wineries. I define local as having their vineyards, winery or tasting room in Monterey County. Today, this means Mer Soleil, ROAR and CRŪ. Any winery notes are from their websites or from the pourers at this event, unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
More posts are coming about this event. Next week will be non-Monterey wineries that are still in the Central Coast AVA. And the following week will be out of area wineries making wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA.
MER SOLEIL
I was super excited to go to the Mer Soleil winery. As I mentioned last week, we had thought this event was going to be outdoors and were surprised it was indoors – an excellent space for this large event. We were taken aback by how HUGE the barrel room was. It was quite an experience to be in there.
“Mer Soleil began thirty years ago with a drive from the Napa Valley down to the Santa Lucia Highlands in search of the best land to plant Chardonnay.
“We put down roots in the region, drawn in by its down-to-earth vibe, rich farming history and weather that could not be more ideal for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Started by Chuck Wagner — known for founding Caymus Vineyards with his parents in 1972 — Mer Soleil is now led by Chuck’s son, winemaker Charlie Wagner. Inheriting his family’s love of farming and adventurous spirit, he first spent time at the Mer Soleil vineyard in middle school as “punishment” when he got in trouble for bringing firecrackers to school. Like other members of his family, Charlie feels most at home in the vineyard. He has led Mer Soleil’s evolution, creating both SILVER unoaked Chardonnay and a more recently released Pinot Noir. Charlie is always eager to escort people in his truck down the area’s rustic roads, so that they too can experience a place unlike any other.”
2013 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (#1000) 🎉
Winery notes from wine.com: “Golden and sun-kissed, the 2013 vintage opens up with evocative scents of lemon and peach, layered with the subtle toasted notes of freshly baked bread. The palate is full and fresh, with ripe flavors of fruit blossoms and a hint of mango balanced by natural, vibrant acidity. Medium to full-bodied, the wine has a finish that is lengthy but never heavy, its mix of oak, butter and fruit characteristics blending seamlessly and leaving a harmonious, lingering impression.”
Wine.com Wilfred Wong Review – 90 points: “The 2013 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay is a teaser of a wine; begins with up-front butterscotch and crisps up towards the finish, with some nice acidity; youthful when I tasted it, which was pretty nice, time will bring into better balance. Right now, I serve this with Dungeness crab, if the season ever opened, but lobster Newberg would do nicely in its place. Medium yellow color; heady aroma of butterscotch and cream, big apples too; full bodied, surprisingly crisp on the palate; dryish, medium acidity, well balanced; playful ripe apple and wood flavors stay nicely focused; medium finish, lively aftertaste.” (Tasted: December 10, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
My Review: Golden amber in color. A musty nose with whiskey notes. Rich, deep flavors on the palate. Pretty impressive. This was the very best Chardonnay we tasted that day. Why taste any more? May 2023
2021 Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $18 (#1001)
Winery Notes: “Fresh from start to finish, Mer Soleil SILVER is a pure expression of Chardonnay, produced from the ideal coastal conditions of Monterey County, California. Never seeing the inside of an oak barrel, it is fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel and small concrete tanks imported from Burgundy, France. This wine features scents of creamy citrus and a distinct minerality that evokes wet granite encountered on a hike. SILVER is round and layered on the palate, with vibrant acidity and depth.”
My Review: Clear in color. Lychee on the nose. A light palate. Would be great on a hot day or paired with food. Too light on its own. May 2023
2021 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14,5% ABV, $24 (#1002)
Winery Notes: “Taking its name from the sea and sun – the two forces of nature that shape its exotic character – this wine is as dramatic as the place where it is sourced. With morning fog, bright sunshine and gusting winds, the Santa Lucia Highlands (40 minutes south from Monterey, California) has an extended growing season. Grapes stay on the vine longer, leading to the development of intense aromas such as custard and toasted almonds, rich fruit flavors and enlivening lemon/lime.”
ROAR
Roar was also at the top of my must-taste list for this event, but we were not alone! At first, we were daunted by the line to taste, but realized it moved very quickly, so we jumped in. We had a chance to try 3 Pinot Noirs and one Syrah. Sadly, due to the crowd, I did not capture detailed tasting notes, just overall impressions. I was glad to finally try these wines!
About Roar: “ROAR Wines welcomes you to experience our handcrafted wines from family vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands of California. Four generations of farming here has given us 100 years of experience working this terrain. Our tradition of meticulous farming has played a large part in elevating our region to the highest quality of wine California offers. Please join us to learn why our wines and vineyards are unique to anywhere else in the world.”
“Gary and Rosella Franscioni started ROAR Wines with the knowledge that Pinot Noir had a shining future in the Santa Lucia Highlands, and a dream that their farming know-how would translate amazing grapes into amazing wines. Rosella’s Vineyard was planted on their home ranch in 1996, followed by Garys’ Vineyard in 1997 in partnership with the Pisoni family. The first vintage of ROAR was released in 2001, made from these two vineyards. From the beginning, Gary and Rosella’s mission was to make wines that they themselves would love to drink. Their approach was met with critical recognition almost immediately. Two more beautiful vineyards were planted about a decade later: Sierra Mar and Soberanes. Today, Gary and his sons continue to improve and innovate in the vineyards and winery to produce the best quality their land can create.”
K&L said this about ROAR: “Josh Reynolds writes on the family behind the wines of Roar in Vinous: “Gary and Rosella Franscioni planted their first vines in the Santa Lucia Highlands in 1996, at what is now known as Rosella’s vineyard. The inaugural vintage for ROAR (named for the winds that come off the ocean) was 2001, and the family has since expanded to include the Sierra Mar vineyard and, in partnership with the Pisoni family, the Garys’ and, most recently, Soberanes vineyards, all of which must be counted as among the New World’s elite sites for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and now Syrah. The Franscionis’ sons, Adam and Nick, have been steadily assuming more duties here, with Adam coming on board in 2011 and Nick in 2017. ROAR is another winery whose style has been making a gradual shift from emphasizing richness to focusing on finesse and detail.” (09/2020)
“Turns heads with elegance, charm and charisma while never letting you forget the power of her femininity…Deliciously floral, with raspberries and rose petals. There is a touch of bold elegance in its supple texture. Like Versailles – serious, but pretty.”
My Notes: Smokey
2021 ROAR Wines Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (#1004)
“Quick witted and intuitive, more cowboy than scholar in the earthy, grounded way. Perseveres to get it right…Juicy berries, leather, herbs, and chapparal are tell-tale flavors of this Pinot. Earth and herbs underly flavors of freshly picked, perfectly ripe red cherries and blackberries.”
My Notes: Balanced.
2011 ROAR Wines Sierra Mar Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $75 (#1005)
“Our adventurous maverick, the first to jump into the pool or off the cliff. But don’t be fooled, this explorer is complex and sensitive, a deeply layered original…Dark mountain berries and spice dominate this Pinot, with a stream of fine minerality snaking through. Wild, savory elements interplay with plump fruit flavors. A delicate, yet mysterious red that plays well with many cuisines.” 93 points Wine Spectator
My Notes: This library wine was the best of the bunch. Grateful this wine was shared with us.
2021 ROAR Sierra Mar Vineyard Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands (#1006)
“Otherworldly like a sage or maybe a wizard, its aura is expansive and ethereal with an air of sorcery and magic emanating from its soul…Freshly cracked cloves, crushed blackberries, and expansive breadth of texture mirror the mountain wilderness it comes from. A softening finish of dark chocolate lingers on the tongue long afterward.”
My Notes: Deep garnet in color. Raisiny rich. I’d like to taste this one again. May 2023
CRŪ
This was my first chance to taste a CRŪ wine – and it was appropriate that my first wine of the day was a Chardonnay. CRU was on my short list of wineries I had not previously tried. Now that they have a tasting room here, we need to plan a road trip!
About CRŪ: “Deeply rooted in family & friends, CRŪ Winery sources fruit from some of the finest vineyards throughout the Central Coast of California.
“With a focus on Burgundian and Rhone varietals such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah – which are best suited to this region, we craft wines for quality everyday drinking.”
Winery Notes: “We have long admired wines crafted from the Sarmento Vineyard and in 2020 were delighted to have the chance to produce a Chardonnay from it. This wine is a gorgeous balance of bright fruit and toasty notes imparted by aging in French oak barrels.
“It opens with notes of Meyer lemon, pineapple, butterscotch and vanilla that develop into mouthwatering flavors accented with a hint of honey and hazelnut. The finish is long, creamy and leaves you wanting another sip.”
Aged 13 months in French oak barrels.
My Review: Light honey in the glass. Butter and tropical notes on the nose. Balanced palate with minerality on the finish. The nose outperforms the palate in this wine. Overall, very nice. May 2023
Visiting CRŪ: CRŪ has two tasting rooms. One in Madera, where the winery is located, and a relatively new one in the Santa Lucia Highlands, which I have not yet visited – sounds like a Decanting Monterey Wine Pod outing! CRŪ Santa Lucia Highlands, 37500 Foothill Rd. Soledad, CA 831-678-0300
“Visit our beautiful tasting room in the heart of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Located in the Paraiso Vineyard, the CRŪ Winery Santa Lucia Highlands tasting room is perched on the east-facing terraces of the Santa Lucia Mountain range with stunning vineyard and valley views.”
Last year, I was offered a media ticket by Chef’s Palette Spice Rubs to go to the Santa Lucia Highlands Sun, Wind & Wine Festival, but I was unable to go. This year, I decided to ask the festival directly! I was generously offered early access tickets to this year’s event on May 13th. Thank you so much!
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.
We were surprised to find that the event was indoors – inside the large barrel room of Mer Soleil. We ditched our hats and sunglasses and went inside. The event reminded us a bit of the California red barrel tastings that Addy Bassin’s MacArthur Beverages in DC used to hold. I miss those events and am sad they are no longer happening.
The Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans said this about this event: “Sun, Wind & Wine. The Santa Lucia Highlands is a small but mighty winegrowing appellation in Monterey County that cultivates California’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With generations of family farming, innovation and sustainability as our legacy, our growers and vineyards have earned their place among the state’s most prestigious names for appellation and single-vineyard cool-climate varieties.” The number of wineries present was staggering! Here’s the list from the event website:
Belle Glos | Bernardus Winery | Bruliam Wines | Caraccioli Cellars | Cattleya Wines | Clarice Wine Company | CRU Winery | Folktale Winery & Vineyards | Hahn Family Wines | Integrity Wines | J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines | Joyce Wine Company | Kori Wines | Landmark Vineyards | Luli Wines | Mansfield-Dunne Wines | McIntyre Vineyards | Mer Soleil | Miner Family Winery | Mooney Family Vineyards | Morgan Winery | Odonata | Pessagno | Pisoni Vineyards | Puma Road Winery | Rexford Winery | ROAR Wines | Rombauer Vineyards | Sarah’s Vineyard | Scheid Family Wines | Siduri | Testarossa | Three Furies Wines | Tolosa | Tondre Wines | Windy Oaks | Wrath
We had a strategy going in – to focus on wineries we did not know, to share pours, and to dump the rest. We stuck to that approach – but stopped for a bite to eat before we started tasting wine. There were so many delicious food options – and the portions were not exactly “finger food” but more of a mini meal! Here’s who was there (from the event website):
Ardent Culinaire | Carmel’s Hidden Gem | Carmel Valley Ranch | Cheesecake Dreamations | Chef’s Palate Spice Rubs | Chef Jacques Zagouri | Dollycakes | H Jackson Events | Lula’s Chocolates | Luigi’s | Rancho Cielo Drummond Culinary Academy | Real Good Fish | Schoch Family Farmstead Cheeses | Star Market | Woody’s at the Airport | Yafa Carmel | Zio Brand Meats, and more.
The pork sandwich provided by Chef’s Palette Spice Rubs, a delicious schnitzel, Schoch Dairy cheeses (which makes the only Monterey Jack cheese produced in Monterey), and Lula’s Chocolates were a few delicious. Yes, Lula’s Chocolates…yum.
If you like good food – and love Pinot Noir – this is the event for you!
Our strategy worked pretty well. For the most part, we did not have to stand in line and tried many wines from wineries we had not experienced before, as well as catching up with a few well-known-to-us wineries. I tried to take notes and pictures, but the whole thing was a bit overwhelming. We did have some good conversations with the new-to-us wineries.
One of my biggest takeaways was how many out of area wineries were present, banking on the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA name on their bottles. After all, according to the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association (my go-to resource on Monterey wine), Monterey County is the largest producer of Chardonnay in the United States and the largest producer of Pinot Noir in California and roughly 50% of Monterey County grapes are purchased outside the county.
I’ve broken the coverage of this event into several posts, beginning with our true Monterey County wineries. To make it even more special, I am starting today with 2 local wineries we had not heard of before this event. They deserve it! Any winery notes are from their websites or from the pourers at this event. Any errors are mine and mine alone. Instead of detailed tasting notes, I’ll talk about some of the wineries we met through this event and impressions of the wines we tasted.
I will present the rest of the Monterey wineries the following week, then the other Central Coast wineries, wrapping with the out of area wineries. And, consistent with our tasting strategy, I have only included wineries we have not presented before.
As a reminder: Pinot Noir is not my wheelhouse, so I can only go by impressions. That said, I would gladly attend this event again – and take even more pictures!
Let’s go!
LULI WINES
We had never heard of Luli Wines. This was our very last stop on this day and was a great discovery. Yes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – but also a very nice Syrah, a varietal I seek out wherever we taste. We had no idea in the moment that this was a very special Sara Floyd-Pisoni Family project!
“Wine offers expression of people-in-relation rather than selves apart. Luli, the result of a partnership between a master sommelier, a distinguished vineyard manager and an expert winemaker, provides a particularly happy example of the way in which wine creates community, because Luli is itself a collective enterprise. Sommelier, grape-grower, and winemaker, we three approach wine from different angles, but work synergistically to craft exceptional hand-crafted vintages at comfortable prices. We thrive together—and have fun doing so. And why not? The pleasure of wine supplies us with a way to enjoy life. So open a bottle, pour the swirling liquid into a glass, and celebrate, as we do, the bonds between family and friends.
“Sara Floyd, our sommelier, owns Swirl Wine Brokers and has a long history finding and distributing delectable wines for restaurants. Mark Pisoni, our grape grower, coaxes the vines to produce top-notch fruit with which Jeff, his brother, crafts outstanding vintages. With Luli, we set out as a team to create a new line of wines from high-quality fruit that is both affordable and top-notch.
“Luli wines are sourced from vineyards in or near the Santa Lucia Highlands, the Pisoni family’s home base. Together with Sara, the goal of Jeff and Mark is to illustrate the very best this beautiful wine region has to offer. Accordingly, we purchase grapes from old friends in the area and in this way stay close to the process of farming.
“We live wine. We are a master sommelier, grapegrowers and winemakers. Our partnership—Sara Floyd and the Pisoni Family—came together from different aspects of the wine business. Sara is a Master Sommelier, the owner of Swirl Wine Brokers and has a long history in wine and restaurants. The Pisoni Family is known for its eponymous vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands and for Pisoni Estate and Lucia wines. Deciding that we would make a great team and noting the shortage of handcrafted wines at reasonable prices, we set out to create a new line of wines that you would love, at prices you can afford. We seek high quality fruit and craft exceptional wines.”
Winery Notes from the Tech Sheet: “…The 2022 Luli Chardonnay presents itself with a bold lemon-hued core that stretches to the edge of glass, where tinges of youthful green brilliance become perceptible. Ripe notes of red apple, fresh pear, and subtle hints of stone fruit act as a veritable aromatic orchard, while undertones of flint and baking spice add complexity. Seamlessly traveling from nose to palate, this Chardonnay continues with flavors of crisp apple, toasted vanilla bean, and a hint of lemon oil. Aging in 100% neutral oak and without any malolactic fermentation allows the truest expression of this variety to shine. Chalky texture from sur lie aging and fresh acidity from the influences of the Pacific Ocean create a dazzling and lengthy finish.” 1,129 cases produced
THE VINEYARD: “The Lemoravo Vineyard is set 400 feet in elevation in the southern hills of the Santa Lucia Highlands. The vineyard is planted among the decomposed granite alluvial fans that make up a series of isolated islands among the bench lands. This site places the vineyard in rugged soils and heavy fog. As a tribute to this land’s history, the name is a three-word portmanteau as a tribute to the region’s former crops: Lemons, Oranges, and Avocados…”
TASTING NOTES: “The 2021 Luli Lemoravo Vineyard Pinot Noir is a refreshing example of the dynamic terroir and climate within the Santa Lucia Highlands. Deep ruby to its core, this wine slowlyunfolds with layered aromas of strawberry crème, fresh-cut sage, red cherry, and sandalwood. Staying true to its aromatic profile, flavors of candied Bing cherry, kirsch, black tea, and fresh earth immerse the palate completely. This is a deliciously complex Pinot Noir that finishes with noticeable texture, youthful acidity, and soft, silky tannin.” 142 cases produced
2021 Luli Monte Linda Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $40 (#995)
THE VINEYARD: “Residing high above the Salinas Valley at almost 715 feet in elevation, Monte Linda Vineyard is in the southern portion of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. This vineyard sits above the morning fog line, allowing for greater sun exposure, while at the same time seeing cooler nighttime temperatures, allowing the vines to rest and achieve a longer growing season. These conditions, along with the vineyard’s rocky soils, create deeply textured wines with notable structure…”
TASTING NOTES: “Sporting a youthful, purple-tinged hue, this Pinot Noir packs a bouquet of vibrant aromas of black cherry, plum, and a spicy undertone of vanilla, clove, and cinnamon. On the palate,
soft tannin envelops juicy flavors of dark berry compote, while savory notes of baking spice and earthy hints of forest floor create added complexity. The coastal influences of the Santa Lucia Highlands permit long hang-time for each pristine cluster, resulting in optimum berry development and ripeness as well as preservation of age-worthy acidity.” 94 cases produced.
THE VINEYARD: “The 2021 Syrah was sourced entirely from various sustainably farmed vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The vines are well-trained, carry low yields and are planted to a variety of different clones. Soils are well-drained and primarily granite in composition. These factors, combined with the fog and cool winds of the Santa Lucia Highlands provide wonderful growing conditions for Pinot Noir.”
TASTING NOTES: “Sporting richly hued shades of dark ruby and near purple, the 2021 Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah is a hidden gem crafted from a notoriously difficult vintage in this prestigious Californiaappellation. Each swirl in the glass brings new life to this savory and spicy offering, with notes of freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate, new leather, and spiced plum filling setting the stage. As this deliciously pure Syrah coats the palate, waves of blackberry crumble, red cherry, and black pepper pair with hints of dried herbs de Provence and subtle meaty undertones to create a complex mélange of flavors. Approachable to its core, this wine still possesses structured tannin and remarkable acidity which suggests it will continue to age for years to come.” 475 cases produced
My Review: This Syrah was inky in the glass with rich, smooth dark fruit flavors. It is a lovely Syrah – and without what I call the Central Coast Syrah funk! I would like to try this wine again and again. May 2023
MANSFIELD-DUNNE
We had never heard of Mansfield-Dunne before and were very excited to learn about this winery. There wines were impressive. Its vineyards are here in the Santa Lucia Highlands, while its winery and tasting room, interestingly, are in San Francisco!
“Mansfield-Dunne is a grower-producer of Santa Lucia Highlands wines. Only by owning our vineyards and meticulous organic farming, are we able to represent the true essence of the Santa Lucia Highlands — for us it truly starts in the vineyard…
“Our two estate vineyards show the breadth of possibilities in the Santa Lucia Highlands.
“Since 2011, we have been producing estate Pinot Noir from Peterson Vineyard and have added additional wines from Peterson and Cortada Alta as nature and vineyard development have allowed. Our Single Vineyard wines provide age-worthy expressions of what the Santa Lucia Highlands are capable of, while our Appellation wines show how our two single vineyards compliment each other. The full range of wines is driven by a desire to showcase what grows best in the Santa Lucia Highlands and the range of the appellation.”
VISIT Mansfield-Dunne: “Mansfield-Dunne is a grower-producer of Santa Lucia Highlands wines. Only by owning our vineyards and meticulous organic farming, are we able to represent the true essence of the Santa Lucia Highlands — for us it truly starts in the vineyard.
“Mansfield-Dunne Wines sources fruit only from our estate vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands and produces wine at our winery located in San Francisco. Winery visits are available to our members by appointment. Reach out to us and we will respond as soon as possible.”
Winery Notes: “This complex, ruby pink Rosé of Pinot Noir is a perfect year-round refreshment. The nose greets you with notes of candied strawberry, fresh cut roses, and grapefruit zest. Juicy acid is framed by notes of strawberry shortcake, maraschino cherry, rose water and a subtle minerality. This wine finishes soft and creamy with pleasant bursts of toasty spice.”
Winery Notes: “Tropical and rich to its core, this vintage of Peterson Chardonnay expresses intense fruit, beautiful spice, and complex minerality. The nose opens with notes of guava, toasted coconut, and savory pineapple balanced by perfumed vanilla bean. On the palate, soft acidity frames notes of fresh melon and lemon zest. Rich baking spice, subtle pepper, and smooth vanilla peak on a long textured and creamy finish that goes on and on. Enjoy now through 2026.”
2019 Mansfield-Dunne Cortada Alta Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.5% ABV, $58 (#999)
Winery Notes: “This dark purple, elegant Pinot Noir is a true expression of the long, cool growing season at Cortada Alta. Its intriguing nose of wild sage, black cherries, raspberry, applewood, ground coffee, and toasty oak draws you into the glass. Vibrant acidity enlivens notes of Bing cherry and raspberry pepper jelly on the fruity palate. Hints of cocoa and baking spices accent the bright, structured mid palate and transcend to a long, seamless finish.”
My Notes: We found this wine to be an excellent expression of Pinot Noir – very tasty.
I was trying to come up with a place for the March monthly wine tasting for the Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society when my neighbor dropped by a Shale Canyon tasting menu. She had been working there for a while and we thought this might be fun to do together! I am a fan of Shale Canyon wines and have written about them a couple of times – just search “Shale Canyon” in the search bar. Their space seems small, so we went back and forth with the owners to determine a maximum capacity – and put it on the calendar. In early March, the Monterey AWS members turned out in force (right up to the limit!) and everyone had a great time.
About Shale Canyon from their website: “Shale Canyon Wines started vinting small lots of hand crafted varietals in 2008…Currently Shale Canyon Wines is comprised of Keith Prader, the winemaker, and Tim Prader tasting room and vineyard manager.
Many thanks to Keith Prader, co-owner and winemaker, plus his knowledgeable, hardworking and fun staff, Janice and Alicia!
“Current production is about 1000+ cases per year with our main focus on producing wines that have outstanding nose, mouth feel and finish. For the Estate wines we are currently growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah and Mourvèdre. We source fruit from larger, well established vineyards whose farming practices are exemplary in the industry and whose fruit is second to none. The varietals include Syrah, Malbec, Chardonnay and Petite Sirah. We enjoy making classic and unique blends as well . Our Consortium is a classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The Striation is 75% Zinfandel and 25% Mourvèdre, a wonderful floral wine. And Amalgamation, a very interesting blend of Zinfandel, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah. Quality is our main goal. Quantity is always secondary. We hope you try and enjoy our wines!”
Today I am presenting 10 Shale Canyon wines. Some of these wines have been presented here before, but this was an opportunity to revisit a few of them, with a little input from our AWS members. As usual, the winery notes come from their tasting sheet, website, or conversations with the owner.
2019 Shale Canyon Chardonnay, Vigna Monte Nero, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $25 (#498)
Winery Notes: “Aromas of toasted marshmallow, subtle green apple, pear, peach and a hint of lemon peel. A long finish of vanilla bean and butterscotch. This wine was not cold stabilized or filtered and has noticeable tartrates in the bottle. We recommend pouring this wine through a cheesecloth or a screen to remove them. Aged in 100% French oak.” Naturally fermented. 165 cases produced.
My Review: Golden in color. Butter and yeasty notes on the nose. Tropical palate of pineapple, peach, and a touch of caramel. Nicely balanced and delicious. A great price for an SLH Chardonnay! March 2023
Winery Tasting Notes: “Rose petals and cinnamon on the bouquet with cranberry, pomegranate and raspberry gracing the middle. A very long finish with vanilla bean and hint of licorice. Medium plus tannins to make this an excellent wine for food pairings.”
My Review: Dark ruby in color. Aromas of strawberry. Smooth and rich on the palate. Dark, intense tobacco and Mourvèdre enveloping the dark cherry flavors. March 2023
Winery Tasting Notes: “Our award-winning varietal starts with aromas of dark fruit, slight oak and a touch of floral. Distinguished flavors of dark cherry, blueberry, and cassis envelope the middle. The finish of leather, vanilla and medium firm tannins complete the experience of our flagship wine.” Best of Show, Best of Class.
My Review: Dark ruby in the glass. Sweet blackberry on the nose. Smooth and yummy palate of dark, lean fruit. Very balanced. My favorite of the day. I have selected this wine for an upcoming DC wine class! March 2023
Winery Tasting Notes: “This unique blend is like no other!…All Estate Grown! The color of this wine is beautiful. Take a glass out in the sun and let the rays reflect through the wine onto a simple piece of white paper and you will see what I mean. A lovely floral bouquet starts the experience. Deep fruit with cherry, dark berry and a hint of color. Long finish with tobacco and firm tannins. This wine will also compliment rich foods so fire up the barbeque and pull out the rib eyes!”
My Review: Inky in the glass. Vegetal notes on the nose, like caramelized onions with a touch of Creme de Cassis. A jamminess follows through on the palate, but, tonight, this tasted a bit sharp. This wine is usually a household favorite, so I definitely want to revisit it as a stand-alone. March 2023
Winery Tasting Notes: “Subtle berry & cherry bouquet. Flavors of black cherry, plum and cranberry grace the middle. A touch of spice and leather with firm structures tannins on the finish.” 100% Tempranillo.
My Review: Dark ruby in the glass. SweetTart on the nose. Dark, lean fruit on the palate. A very nice wine. March 2023.
Winery Notes: “ZSM is a complex blend of varietals. On the nose you will get bright berry fruit with a touch of violet. The middle is full of dark fruit, predominantly blueberry, followed by raspberry and huckleberry. On the very long finish you will get a whisp of smokiness from the newer oak barrels, firm tannins and notes of vanilla.” (“Let’s see what we got”)
My Notes: Yummy nose, rich palate, fruity and very balanced. This was a top favorite of the evening’s participants – everyone seemed to like this wine.
2018 Shale Canyon Petite Sirah, Paicines AVA, San Benito County, $35 (#949)
Winery Tasting Notes: “The nose on this is fruit, dark fruit, and lots of it. Blueberries, plums, blackberry, black tea and chocolate on the palate. Medium to firm tannins. 100% Petite Sirah.”
My Review: By now, it was very late in the tasting. Very smooth and rich with blue and black berry fruits. In one word: yummy. March 2023
Winery Notes: “A very nice bouquet of berries and cherry. The flavors that really stand out are dark berry, current, raspberry with a touch of plum and tart cherry. A smooth finish of licorice with mild tannins and a hint of chocolate.”
My Review: It was extremely late in the evening, but I wanted to taste this anyway. Cooked, dark fruit dominated the palate. Definitely need to retaste this wine. March 2023
Winery Notes: “A bouquet of dark berry, violet and earthy aromas of black pepper, thyme and a hint of citrus. Bright fruit characteristics, with fresh strawberry, raspberry and subtle cherry. Smooth tannins with hints of cedar and a drawn-out finish with late fruit. 100% Mourvèdre.”
My Review: Aromas of Scotch (!). (OK, like I said above, it is late in the tasting…) The palate was delicious – intense berries and balanced. We liked it. March 2023
Winery Tasting Notes: “A classic blend of Bordeaux varietals. There is a distinctive cherry note on the nose. It is very elegant, yet a complex wine with black berry, dark cherry and raspberry on the palate. It has a long finish with wisps of cedar, vanilla and silky tannins.”
My Review: Beautiful ruby color. Smooth, dark berries and mild baking spice on the nose. Nice. March 2023
Winery Notes: “Strong aromas of dark berries, black currant and a little cedar. This wine has flavors of blackberry, blue berry and cranberry. A long finish with a hint of smoke, toast and silky tannins completes the tasting experience. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.”
My Review: Pretty ruby in color. The nose was a mix of vegetal and berry jam notes. Rich and delicious on the palate. March 2023
Visit Shale Canyon’s Tasting Room! You can try Shale Canyon wines ($20 and $25 tastings) at their tasting room on Paseo San Carlos Courtyard, Westside San Carlos between Ocean and 7th, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Their Spring hours are Monday-Thursday 1–4pm; Friday 1-7; Saturday 12-7; Sunday 1 – 5 and suggest reservations for parties of 6 or more. You can contact them at reservations@shalecanyonwines.com.
Last week, I posted about a rainy day Idle Hour tasting. In addition to Idle Hour, Mark Bunter of Bunter Spring Winery (finally) showed up with his wines and Lenora Carey of Big Sur Vineyards also poured some of hers – including a limited release Pinot Noir made by…Mark Bunter! We had arrived early for Idle Hour and were just about ready to leave when these wineries showed up, so I only have 3 wines to present today. In addition, we re-tasted Bunter’s 2018 Hippie Syrah – it was meaty and delicious, as I previously reported here: Interesting Showing of Central Coast Wines at the Dome Reunion!
Some of my notes are amplified by budding winemaker Erin and Jacqueline, the President of our Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society. As always, winery notes come from the tasting sheet, website, or conversations with the winery. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone.
Mark raises the point in his writeup of the Palisades Vineyard Pinot Noir below that not all vineyards in Carmel Valley are in the Carmel Valley AVA – but now there is a brand new Carmel Coastal AVA which you can read about in Matt Kettmann’s article here: Is the Carmel Coast California’s Next Pinot Noir Star?I hope this new AVA addresses his issue!!
2019 Spring Pinot Noir Palisades Vineyard Carmel Valley, Monterey County, 12.84% ABV, $30. (#919)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Owner John Stafsnes spares no amount of trouble or expense on his vineyard. In one of the many examples of AVA nonsense, Palisades, smack dab in the center of Carmel Valley, isn’t in the Carmel Valley AVA, although vineyards many miles away, and over the ridge, in tributary Cachagua valley, are. So legally it’s not Carmel Valley wine, it’s Monterey wine. Whatever. It is subtle but complex, a wine to savor and consider at length with good food. Low alcohol with medium body, spicy, leafy, earthy aromas, tart red cherry and red currant flavors finishing with lingering cinnamon-like tannins. Can you taste the $1300 French barrel? Hope so! Ingredients: grapes, water, yeast, sulfite. Not fined, reverse osmosis filtered. At bottling: total SO2 69 ppm, residual sugar 0.3 g/L (dry).” 50 cases produced.
My Review: We had already tasted plenty of wine, so our notes on this one are a bit skimpy. This is a lighter style, food wine with plenty of expected cherry notes for a Monterey Pinot Noir. December 2022
2021 Spring Saignée Rosé, (Pre-release) (#920)
This wine is pre-release and not yet posted to their website. Made from 50-year-old vines and spent 4 hours on the skins. About 20 cases produced. If you want to read more about saignée, I found this Decanter Magazine article, “What does ‘saignée’ mean in rosé wine?”
My Review: Pale salmon in the glass, more floral, like a rosé from Provence with some tart notes on the palate. Would be a great patio wine on a warm afternoon. December 2022
2021 Big Sur Vineyards Limited Release Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, 13.8% ABV,$42 (#921) 50/50 Pommard Clone/667 Clone
Winemaker’s Notes: “Our 2021 Pinot Noir Reserve, handcrafted by winemaker Mark Bunter is light, bright and a classic Monterey County Pinot noir. Mark blended two Dijon clones; Pommard with its vevety style and soft tannins, and 667 with aromas of dark fruit and black tea. The result is a beautifully fresh, vividly ruby wine in the glass and layers of raspberry, plum, dark cherry and a hint of “Christmas spices.” It is rich and elegant on the palate while at the same time bursting with aromas and flavors, leaving you with a lasting impression of a well-crafted wine.”
My Review assisted by Erin & Jacqueline: Cherry deliciousness on the palate. This is going to be a great wine – balanced. I’m not a big Pinot fan, but I liked this wine. December 2022
You can check their respective websites for how to purchase their wines. Thanks to the cooperation of Idle Hour, Bunter Spring and Big Sur Vineyards, you can sometimes find a pop-up tasting by Mark Bunter in the Idle Hour tasting space inside the Big Sur Vineyards tasting room in Carmel Valley Village. Check out the Bunter Spring Winery Facebook Page and the Bunter Spring Winery Instagram page for more information.
Decanting Monterey is a non-profit wine education effort to promote our Monterey wineries through social media and classes. If you would like to donate to the cause, please click the PayPal button below or visit the Decanting Monterey Make a Donationpage for more information. All monies received will be used to defray the expenses of operating this website and offset travel expenses for Central Coast wine education classes.
When the Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society lost the planned location for their December gathering, the Scratch Tasting Room offered an excellent alternative! We are indebted to Scratch’s staff for accommodating us on very short notice. It allowed us to have an exceptional social and wine education event. I knew from photos announcing its opening that this tasting room was designed to the nines. But I didn’t realize how spacious it was! It would be a great location to have a quiet tasting with a girlfriend or a larger event like a bachelorette party or a reception. Really lovely. And the wines matched the setting.
Sabrine Rodems is Monterey County’s most renowned female winemakers. Not only is she the winemaker for the highly respected Wrath Winery (where I first learned of her), but also has her own label – Scratch – and serves as the winemaker for Kori Wines. While I enjoyed a bottle of Scratch’s Blanc de Blanc earlier in the pandemic, and have written up one or two of her wines, I had not had the opportunity to stop by for a wine tasting or write up a review.
About Scratch from its Website: “Scratch is a project of Winemaker Sabrine Rodems producing small-lot Chardonnay Sparkling, Riesling, Grenache, Pinot Noir and Cabernet from Monterey, Arroyo Seco, Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa Cruz Mountains AVA’s.
“Sabrine received her Bachelor’s degree from UCLA in Theatre, Film and Television and worked in the film and theatre industry for many years before deciding to go back to school to earn her Master’s of Science in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis. For the past twenty years Sabrine has been making highly acclaimed wines from some of the best vineyards in California.
“Working in the Central Coast and Monterey area has given her access to some of the best cool climate grapes in the world.”
I’m also intrigued by her edgy labels. I asked the winery about the message behind them and got this response: “Mr. Cola was once a photographer for the New York Times then eventually found his calling in producing art. Sabrine was originally drawn to Mr. Colla due to his edgy nature as well as powerful message. As we do not have a lot of female wine makers today, we really wanted to showcase strong independent “bad ass” women on our labels to celebrate the change in the industry but also in hopes of inspiring the next generation of female wine makers.” They suggested we check out the artist’s website here: https://www.eddiecolla.com/.
On Eddie’s website he says this: ” There is a visual conversation that takes place on the streets of urban environments. This conversation is dominated primarily by advertising and utilitarian signage and assumes passive participation. Whether invited or not I am going to participate in this conversation. Public spaces were never intended to be coated from top to bottom with photos of consumer products. These spaces should, in some manner, reflect the culture that thrives in that space.”
I have 7 Scratch wines to present to you today from this event. I was assisted in my tasting notes by Erin O of Terravinos. I’ll write more abut her in the coming weeks. Therefore, today my notes are a little more in-depth and descriptive. Erin has a much more sophisticated and trained palate than I. I’ve added “assisted by Erin” to those reviews. Winery notes come from their tasting sheet or website: https://www.scratchwines.com/. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
Winemaker’s Notes: “Extra Brut Chardonnay sparkling wine with brisk acidity and refreshing bubbles. Citrus with some tropical flair of lychee, guava and white flowers.”
My Review, assisted by Erin: Light cream soda in the glass. Pear and honeysuckle on the yeasty nose. Very crisp palate with notes of lemon zest and green apple – very balanced flavors and a creamy mousse. Super youthful. Nice. December 2022
Winemaker’s Notes: “The touch of 828 Clone Pinot Noir to the Clone 96 Chardonnay base synergistically add a juiciness to the mid-palate that makes you want to take another sip! Clone 96 Chardonnay has a round honey-dew melon mouth feel and with the addition of pinot makes you think you are biting into a fresh Fuji apple. This sparkling wine is make using the classic Methode Champenoise, fermented in the bottle.”
My Review, assisted by Erin: Dusty rose/pale pink in color. Strawberry jam with a little biscuit and red apple on the nose. Strawberry and rose petals on the palate, amplified by crisp red fruits and ruby grapefruit. A soft mousse. Fills the palate with bubbles. Youthful. December 2022
Winemaker’s Notes: “This Riesling is on fire! Big acid, bright minerality, grapefruit and lemon with a hint of flowers. There is no residual sugar in this wine so it is not sweet at all, it is completely dry. From the rocky, loamy Kristy’s Vineyard. ”
My Review, assisted by Erin: Medium lemon in color. Some lees on the creamy, biscuity nose – reminiscent of a sauterne! Nectarine, peach and minerality on the palate. Muted acidity and brightness. Drink now. December 2022
Winemaker’s Notes: “Bright energetic palate of Cranberries, pomegranate seeds, sour cherries and berries. This juicy Pinot from the near top of the Santa Lucia Highlands bench shows the classic fruit of this AVA along with nutmeg, cinnamon and hints of white pepper.”
My Review, assisted by Erin: Pale ruby in color. Bouquet of cranberry, raspberry, red plum, and warm baking spices, followed by a touch of garrigue. Raspberry and cranberry on the palate with medium minus tannins and medium acid, leading to a slightly bitter finish. Not cherry at all. The intensity of the fruit is not matched by the alcohol. December 2022
Winemaker’s Notes: “A rich and lush Pinot Noir with black cherries, plum, nutmeg, clove and hints of anise. Produced using 30% whole clusters fermentation creates a structured wine with balanced tannins and complexity.”
My Review assisted by Erin: Pale garnet in color. Dried cranberry and Bing cherry on the nose – potpourri. Medium-bodied palate presents a little jammy with medium plus grippy tannins and a touch of caramel with cherry notes on the finish. High alcohol.
Winemaker’s Notes: “This wine with nutmeg, clove, anise and black cherries will make your meal sing! This is a sneak-peek at this yet-to-be-released-wine.”
My Review, assisted by Erin: A perfume of rose petal, lavender, raspberry, black cherry and red fruits like cranberry and a tiny bit of chocolate, tobacco. Perfume carries over to palate with cranberry and raspberry flavors. This is a big wine with medium grippy tannins. December 2022
Winemaker’s Notes: “From the steep hillside of the JANACA Vineyard on Mt. Madonna. Rich flavors of plum and blackberries with juniper, nutmeg, clove. Classic Cabernet!”
My Review, assisted by Erin: Inky in the glass. Brambly, blackberry nose with baking spice, mint and sage notes. Full bodied and rich with chalky tannins. This is a lovely wine that represents well one of the top Cabernet Sauvignon growing regions in California. December 2022
The Scratch Tasting Room is located at 1 East Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village. It is open Sunday – Thursday: 12 PM – 7 PM; Friday – Saturday: 12 PM – 8 PM. You can find more information here.
I was thumbing through past issues of Wine Spectator on their way to the recycle bin, hunting for articles and reviews of Central Coast wines. One wine kept jumping out at me – Carol Shelton’s Coquille Blanc from Paso Robles. I remembered I had the 2020 vintage to write up and thought it might be a perfect time also to share the wine we had at Thanksgiving, the 2016 Calera deVilliers Vineyard Pinot Noir from Mount Harlan in San Benito County. In addition, I’ve had the 2017 Odonata Spiketail (Santa Lucia Highlands) and the 2018 Silvestri Estate Barbera (Carmel Valley) on my list. The great thing is that all of these wines came from our own wine room. Which is why it is always nice to have a plentiful supply of our very own Central Coast wines right at home!
Today I am presenting 4 Central Coast wines. Winery notes come from their website or the tasting room, unless otherwise noted. I encourage you to feel free to comment, share what wine you had for Thanksgiving dinner, or simply “like” this post – engagement is always welcomed!
I joinedCarol Shelton’s wine club during the pandemic and we have been pleasantly surprised! We met her ages ago at a Zinfandel Advocates and Producers event in Washington, DC. Over the years, our neighbors would share her wines with me. I really don’t know why it took us so long to become part of Carol’s Bunch!
About This Wine: “We originally created the 2008 version of this wine to celebrate our 10th anniversary as a winery in 2010. With the exotic complexity and food friendliness of a white Rhône-style blend, it is a “red-drinker’s white,” a complex alternative to the more one-dimensional white varietal wines like Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc. It is the perfect complement to its namesake shellfish, as well as chicken or pork dishes with buttery-creamy sauces. *Coquille is pronounced “ko-keel” and it is French for shellfish or scallop, like the scallop shells on the Shelton family coat of arms.” 931 cases produced – sold out!
Winery Notes: “Enticing nose of spicy pears and white peaches, almond paste/marzipan, a touch of honeysuckle perfume. Multi-dimensional (many layers), a hard-to-describe range of aromatics, intriguing, almost mysterious! In the mouth it is crisply dry yet creamy and round and full-bodied, with nice almond paste on crisp-yet-juicy pear fruit…100% barrel fermented, then stirred weekly for 5mos About 10% finished malolactic fermentation…”
My Review: Classic white Rhône nose, nectarine. Bright acidity balanced by a touch of sweetness. Nice tropical flavors of pineapple and pear on the palate, with a lime twist on the finish. Exceptional for a warm, summer day. September 2022
2016 Calera deVilliers Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mount Harlan AVA, San Benito County, 13.95% ABV, $79 (#874)
I picked up this wine in 2019 when I took my girlfriends to explore Hollister wines. We took a picnic lunch and sat outside at one of their picnic benches with our flights of wines in the 90+ degree heat. It was a very special time – we were welcomed so warmly and treated so well by the winery staff. While I am not a big Pinot Noir fan, this one blew me away.
About This Wine: “Calera’s Mt. Harlan Vineyards are located in the Gavilan Mountains 25 miles east of the Monterey Bay. The site was chosen for its limestone soils and ideal climate. At an average elevation of 2,200 feet it is among the highest and coolest vineyard sites in California.” You can read more about Mt. Harlan AVA here: https://www.calwineries.com/explore/regions/san-benito-county/mount-harlan.
Winemaker’s Notes: “Once again, de Villiers has produced one of Calera’s most voluptuous and dark-fruited expressions of Pinot Noir, with alluring aromas of blackberry, cassis and cedary cigar box. On the palate, lush dark berry and black currant flavors are supported by a firm tannic backbone that frames the fruit and carries the wine to a long, energetic finish.” Wine Advocate: 95 points.
Wine Enthusiast – 93 points: “Hard cinnamon candies, cherry juice, pomegranate extract and a touch of balsamic vinegar combine for sharp, nose-tickling aromas on this organically grown wine from pioneering vintner Josh Jensen. The flavor-forward palate explodes with dark fruits, noticeable tannins and solid acidity, showing allspice, Vietnamese coffee and black tea elements.” Matt Kettmann, July 2015
My Review: Beautiful ruby in the glass. Soft berry and dark plum on the nose. Nice juicy palate with some bitter tannins/tobacco on the finish. December 2022
We picked up this 2017 vintage with the rest of the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod during our first visit to Odonata in 2021 when we got their shortly before closing time. We revisited with our daughter in 2022 as the single wine tasting stop, which I would highly recommend. Eric hosted us both times and shared much information on the wines, always appreciated. You can learn more at the Odonata website.
Winery Notes: “Offering copious aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, raspberry, strawberries, licorice and roasted herbs. Bright acidity, beautiful density, and full-bodied opulence.” 120 cases produced.
My Review: Rich, dark ruby in the glass. Dark berry jam on the nose. Low key palate of jammy berry flavors – this is one delicious wine. June 2022
I picked up this wine in August 2021 while doing a birthday wine tasting afternoon with a key Decanting Monterey Wine Pod member. As I recall, they did not have it open for tasting, but I had recalled really liking this wine in the past. Their tasting room is small yet very welcoming – I miss their COVID parklet!
About This Wine: “Barbera is a red grape varietal originating from the Piedmont region of Northwestern Italy. Our small block of Barbera, which is the first planting of this varietal in Carmel Valley, was added to the vineyard to honor the Silvestri family heritage. It’s position on a warm southern facing slope allows this varietal to mature and ripen to its fullest potential before harvest. With the influence of French oak barrel fermentation and maturation our Barbera exudes a deep richness and complexity that helps balance the grape’s high acidity.” 462 cases produced.
Winery Tasting Notes: “Black cherry, dried strawberry and plum aromas blend through to like flavors and move on to full, soft tannins with sufficient acidity. A more refined yet full-flavored Barbera.”
My Review: Inky in the glass. Mocha, dark berries and alcohol on the nose. Very cherry on the palate. Crushed cranberries and berries linger on the lively palate. September 2022
In 2019, I was asked by the Northern Virginia John Marshall Chapter of the American Wine Society to present a class on Monterey wines. I was informed it would be “more educational” than the short presentation I do for another Washington DC group and it would require a PowerPoint presentation. Seriously? For something I do as a hobby/volunteer? I decided to do it – and it was very well received. I leaned heavily on information from the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association website – thank you, Kim Stemler! The AWS chapter invited me back this year – and I was finally able to do the class in October.
This time, preparing the materials was much easier – I already had a basic presentation, which I updated with the latest Monterey County agricultural report and some climatic info, including the 2020 fire season. My goal this time was to cover as many of Monterey County’s AVAs as I could. I managed to include: Arroyo Seco, Carmel Valley, Monterey, San Antonio Valley, San Bernabe, and Santa Lucia Highlands. Not bad!
For the most part, my stories were very local and wines selected were based on personal relationships I have developed with vintners and tasting room staff. I also needed to live within the event’s budget, so I leaned on industry discounts and donated wines in order to present some others at their full price. For that, I am grateful especially to Bunter Spring, Chesebro, Idle Hour and Pierce Ranch. Thanks to their generosity, I was able to throw in a couple of “extra” wines to the tasting. And I was excited to be able to discuss some wineries for the first time. I’m also indebted to the Monterey Vintners and Growers Association for providing me with some large maps and the latest tasting room brochure – always a hit!
The event went well, with great appreciation by the attendees. Some of the wines I presented were teaching points, such as how a sparkling wine producer makes a Chardonnay or making rose from a smoke taint year. A few attendees said a couple of the wines didn’t taste like the varietal on the label. This was the case with the Pinot Noir and the Merlot. While I agree with the Pinot Noir statement (and that’s why this non-Pinot lover liked this wine), perhaps the commenters were thinking of a French Merlot vs. a California Merlot. I am not sure. The bottom line is that they enjoyed and appreciated most of the wines.
Today I am presenting 10 wines from Monterey County. Many of them have been presented before, but I thought you might find it interesting to see what I put together. Winery notes come from their website or the tasting room, unless otherwise noted. I encourage you to feel free to comment or “like” this post – engagement is always welcomed!
About This Wine: A Chesebro Wines project, named after their winery’s location. Intended as a same quality, more affordable label.
Winery Notes: Destemmed, crushed, immediately pressed. Stainless steel for 12 months. Intense tropical and citrus aromas are backed up by a smooth mouthfeel; and long crisp finish.
My Review: The Virginia crowd, well familiar with Virginia Viogniers really enjoyed this wine. Gardenia on the nose. Some apple and lime twist on the palate, with a touch of orange blossom and honeysuckle on the finish. February 2022
2019 Diora La Splendeur du Soleil Chardonnay, San Bernabe AVA, Monterey, 14.5% ABV, $20 (Wine #652*)
Winemaker’s Notes: “This Diora La Splendeur du Soleil Chardonnay is a beautiful, golden hue, with aromas of toasted oak mingle with light spice notes of cinnamon. The delicate flavors of vanilla bean give way to a lovely, soft and light buttery layer. This reminds one of a rich, yet delicate crème brûlée with a soft, round mouthfeel that will pair beautifully with lobster or sautéed scallops. The light acidity and long finish of this wine will also be a great accompaniment to a variety of dishes.” This wine comes mostly from its San Bernabe estate vineyard, where it gets its tropical notes. The rest comes from its Santa Lucia Highlands vineyard, providing more of the citrusy balance.
Wine Enthusiast – 93 points: “Excellently presented aromas of butter, nectarine, warm almond and white flower are delicate but expressive on the nose of this bottling. An immediate acidity races through the palate, lifting the toasty and buttery elements while pairing smartly against the ripe citrus and white flower elements.” Matt Kettmann, December 2021
My Review: This was a big hit with the AWS class. I picked this wine based on Wine Enthusiast’s listing of this wine in its Top 100 Chardonnays – Top Under $25. Viscous and golden in the glass. Tropical nose with melon and a touch of smoke. Grilled peach and pineapple on the palate with toasted caramel on the finish. This was a very interesting, atypical Chardonnay (in my opinion) which everyone enjoyed. April 2022
Winery Notes: “Pale straw, light golden hue. Lemon meringue, honey dew melon along with tropical pineapple, kiwi, lychee and guava. A flirty balance of fruit, delicate white jasmine flower and salty sea. Creamy mouthfeel coupled with structural integrated fruit throughout the sip. Fruit notes reminiscent of green apple, pear, pineapple, candied peach and nectarine. Soft florals balanced with a brined mid palate acidity, mouthwatering finish that showcases the bright fruit.” 94 points, Wine Enthusiast.
My Review: I chose this wine, as the Escolle VIneyard, owned by Caraccioli, is a source of grapes for some of the region’s best Chardonnays. This particular vintage presented a bit tart/acidic for the class – a good example of how a sparkling wine producer might make a Chardonnay. Pale in the glass. Touch of soft pineapple, a little butter and woodiness on the nose “like the Lone Cypress” or a cut shrub. Clean, nice, some minerality. December 2021
About This Wine: First time they have used Gamay for their rosé instead of Grenache (a wildfire by-product!). Harvested at low alcohol solely for making rosé. Grapes pressed like a white. Juice comes out this color. Stainless steel.
Winery Tasting Notes: “Beautiful light pink in color. Aromatics of rose petals and citrus combined with a light body and crisp acidity – perfect for pairing with food or just sipping on a hot day.”
My Review: This wine was great as a teaching point of what to do with grapes affected by the fires of 2020. It is unlike the typical Pinot Noir-based rosés from the region. Pale pink in the glass. Tart grape bubblegum wrapped in sweetness. March 2022
Winemaker’s Notes: “The crispness and brightness of Bing Cherry followed by the earthy aromas of forest floor and the sweet and savory notes of sassafras and cola. This wine is the most Burgundian Pinot Noir I have ever made. It’s light color and silky tannins are testament to the extra year of aging on the sediment that I gave it. The wine finishes with the fine structure on your tongue of wet stones.” Spent 1.5 years on the sediment. Donated to this class (many thanks, Anna Marie dos Remedios!!)
My Review: The AWS audience said this did not taste like Pinot Noir to them, which is probably why I like this wine. My notes: Dark ruby, almost purple in the glass. Earth, plum and spice on the nose. So not like a typical, cherry California Pinot Noir. Richer on the palate with dark fruit flavors. April 2022
2017 Pierce Ranch Vineyards Maçon, San Antonio Valley AVA, 14.3% ABV, $32 (#656) 53% Petit Verdot, 30% Tempranillo, 17% Graciano
Winery Tasting Notes: “Something of an Ibérique Supérieur, our new Maçon brings together Tempranillo, Graciano and Petit Verdot to form a slightly idiosyncratic blend of Spanish and French varieties. Combining a hint of Iberian aromatics with the earthy, mineral palate reminiscent of a Bordeaux, this is a wine that approaches Old World character while also indulging a touch of experimentation. A floral nose balances itself against a darker midpalate and a solid tannic structure, as notes of violets and dried herbs give way to an underlying earthiness and a savory, vaguely smoky finish.” Donated to this class (many thanks, Pierce Ranch!).
My Review: The AWS group liked this little wine. This is an intriguing combination of French and Spanish grapes. Dark ruby in color with cedar, mocha and rose petals on the nose. Full bodied, with mocha, cherry, berry and black tea flavors on the palate. Our favorite wine on this tasting day in March 2022
2018 Spring Red Wine “Garagitage”, Highlands Vineyard, Monterey County, 14.64% ABV, $24 76% Cabernet Franc, 16% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker’s Original Notes: “These grapes came from a small vineyard in the hills above Arroyo Seco just north of Carmel Valley Road. They were harvested, very ripe, on Sep 30 2018. Upon release, in Spring 2021, ss I write, this wine is a rough and tumble California fruit bomb, with tons of grapey flavor, plenty of alcohol, and no manners. Maybe, someday, it will grow up. Meantime, have fun!” 15 months in once used French oak barrels. 76 cases produced.
Winemaker’s Updated Notes: “Big ripe fruity red wine, lotsa alcohol, plenty tannin, enough oak. Screams “CALIFORNIA!” Gotta love it. Why pay more?”
My Review: The AWS class thought this wine was fabulous, with some asking what it would be like in 5 years (I invited them to my house to see!). This was my favorite wine from a winery tasting in the Fall 2021 and continues to be a household favorite: Very dark ruby in the glass. Perfume on the nose, followed by a yummy palate of dark fruit. We keep drinking this wine – what an incredible wine for a bargain price! October 2021
2018 Boëté Reserve Merlot, Carmel Valley, 14% ABV, $50 (#568)
During one of our visits to the winery over the last couple of years, we got to taste this wine – the first time I know of that they bottled a Merlot as a single varietal – it usually is blended in their popular Cheval Rouge. They weren’t sure they were going to continue to bottle it alone – we encourage them to do so, *if* supply permits! You can find all their available wines here: https://www.boetewinery.com/
Winery Notes: “Ruby red in color, aroma notes of dark berries jump out on the nose of this classic medium body Merlot, with black cherries, plum & a hint of cocoa spice on the palate.”
My Review: A couple of people in the AWS class stated this did not taste like a Merlot to them, yet everyone enjoyed it. Purple in the glass. Rich and juicy in the mouth with some solid dark fruits, blackberry and black currant. Balanced and very smooth on the finish. This wine is a big hit at my house. October 2021
Winemaker’s Notes: “Fruit punchy jammy everyday red. It’s great with red-sauced pasta, too.” 75 cases produced.
My Review: This was a big hit with the AWS class – and with me – I took all the leftovers home! Very dark in color. Sweet dark fruit on the nose. Jammy dark berries and a touch of alcohol on the palate. I would like to present it to another class some day. June 2022
2014 Chesebro La Montagne Sauvage, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley, $35 (#618*)
Winery Notes: “Grown on our estate in the Upper Carmel Valley’s rocky mountain soils at 1500’ elevation, this Rhone style blend of 80% Syrah, 15% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre is powerful and rich with aromas of cassis, dark forest berries, scorched earth and spice. Blockbuster with a long lingering finish.
My Review: Rich ruby in the glass. Pleasant nose of fresh berries. Palate of berry jam, eucalyptus and chocolate with red currant and anise flavors on the finish. Super delicious. My very favorite of all the Chesebro wines. January 2022
Where can you taste these wines? I wrap up my classes by encouraging attendees to come taste our wines for themselves and walk them through the tasting room maps in the latest brochure which I received from Kim Stemler (again, many thanks!). If you want to find these specific wineries, check out their websites for the latest information. Here’s where I found these wines, some of which may no longer be available:
Carmel-by-the-Sea:Caraccioli Cellars Tasting Room on Dolores between Ocean and 7th. Diora does not have a local spot to taste, but wine was purchased at Carmel Belle.
Carmel Valley: Boëté (reservation required – by appointment only), Bunter Spring (tasting room closed, but contact the winemaker to taste his wines, Chesebro (including Tassajara Road), Idle Hour (inside the Big Sur Vineyards tasting room).
Monterey: Pierce Ranch Vineyards in the Cannery Road area of Monterey.
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