THE STORY
With an out-of-town friend in tow, we stopped into The Barrel Room in Carmel Valley Village to taste Boëté wines and pick up our allocation. The guys loved the setting – there was a tv screen to view the football game no matter where you sat! And we were served by both Dillon and Jana Saunders over the course of our tasting. Always great to see them! According to my records, the only new wine was the 2019 Boëté Cheval Rouge. I remember when the 2018 came out during the pandemic and I participated in their hearts painting activity over a Zoom call. How far we have come since those times.
The Boëté Cheval Rouge is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and, in this particular vintage, only a touch of Merlot. This wine has an irresistible, dark yet sweet jamminess and as my favorite of the day. We served the 2018 vintage to friends in January and it has matured in the bottle to a point of extreme deliciousness.
I last wrote about Boëté Winery here: 2018 Boëté Cabernet Franc Revisit: Scrumptiousness in a Glass.
THE WINES
Today I am presenting the five wines we tasted in December, including the newly released 2019 Cheval Rouge. The rest of these have been presented before – over the lifetime of Decanting Monterey – but all have new, updated tasting notes. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2021 Boëté Reserve Merlot, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $50 (#1560)
My Review: Garnet in color. Plum, black currant, and eucalyptus on the nose. Medium weight on the palate with a tart cranberry, red currant finish. December 2025
2019 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $54 (#1489)
My Review: Dark garnet in color. Eucalyptus, dark fruit, alcohol and some spice on the nose. Very dark berries and eucalyptus notes on the palate. One of the very best Cabernet Francs from Monterey County. December 2025
2021 Boëté Cheval Rouge, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $50 (#1704)
My Review: Very dark in the glass. Black plum, BBQ sauce, and stems on the nose. Sweet jamminess like raspberry jam on toast on the smooth palate. This was my favorite wine of the day. December 2025
2018 Boëté Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $52 (#1490)
My Review: Prune, bacon and hints of smoke on the nose. Medium palate with tasty cherry flavors and mild acidity on the finish. December 2025 (2019 has been released since I wrote this)
2017 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $80 (#339)
My Review: Dark plum, blueberry and cedar on the nose. Prune, blackberry, and blueberry with balanced acidity. Drinking well. December 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
You can taste and purchase Boëté wines at The Barrel Room every day (closed Wednesdays), 12-5 p.m. 5 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley Village.
© Decanting Monterey 2025
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