We are always delighted to show off Monterey wines and were thrilled that Bernardus rolled out the red carpet for our special guest in July. My best friend from high school, Jim, came down from The City for a quick visit – but we suggested he stay long enough for a wine tasting and dinner. On the heels of our winery tour the week prior, this was the perfect time to taste Bernardus’ current releases. Plus we wanted to try Maligne restaurant in Seaside, which had just been awarded a Bib Michelin rating! Alas, this is not a food blog – but check it out!
At Bernardus, we were greeted and served by Philip, whom we have gotten to know over the years. He made sure we had the best experience possible for our special guest. Thank you, Philip! He shared with us that Bernardus is investing in expanding its production and moving winemaking operations to a more accessible location in Arroyo Seco through its partnership with Mark Griva. We know of Griva due to the exceptional profile of his Sauvignon Blanc grapes, so we are excited to learn more about this expansion and what it will mean for Bernardus.
On this July day, we were excited to taste some finished products, albeit different vintage, of the wines we had just barrel-tasted at the winery. What a difference the final blends and bottling can make! In addition to the 10 wines we tasted that day, I’ve also included the 2014 Marinus Signature, which we took on a trip to Oregon.
THE WINES
Winery tasting notes come from conversations with the winemaker unless otherwise indicated. You can read more about Bernardus on their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2021 Bernardus Rosé, Coteaux d’Aix en Provence, 12.6% ABV, $30 (#677) Grenche, Syrah, Cinsault
Winery Notes: “Bernardus has been producing a small bottling of Rosé from our local vineyards for many years. Now we are now thrilled to announce the release of our first Rosé from the Provence region of France! To that end, we have partnered with a prestigious French winery: La Coste. Bernardus is very proud to present a wine based on multi-national tasting trials: Bernardus French Rosé!
“Flavors are full and rich, redolent with light red fruits on a long smooth finish. An exceptional Rosé we know everyone will enjoy!”
My Review: Angel blush in color – almost an orange- pink rich color. Lovely bouquet. Light on front palate and robust, slightly sweet finish balanced by candied orange rind. A lovely wine. This has become our house rosé this summer. Beautiful bottle, too. July 2023
2021 Bernardus Rosé, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 12.6% ABV, $30 (#1071) Pinot Noir
Winery Notes: “The color is a very light pale salmon. The aromas are classic with delicate scents of red berries accented by floral notes. On the palate, we find crisp, fruity flavors of raspberry, kiwi and lime which linger on the refreshing finish. Our Bernardus Rosé is the perfect summer beverage, as the alcohol is a low 12.6%. Enjoy!” Wine Enthusiast – 92 points
My Review: Dusty rose in color with a soft, mellow, sweet nose. Crisp palate with cinnamon and clove notes, slightly tart. Very different from the Provençal rosé. July 2023
2021 Bernardus Chardonnay, Soberanes Vineyard, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV, $50 (#1072)
Winery Notes: “Our 2021 Soberanes Chardonnay exhibits aromas of ripe white fruits, floral notes with hints of vanilla. The palate exhibits its hallmark richness and intensity showing ripe peach and yellow cherry flavors accented by subtle baking spices. The full, soft finish is long and lingering.” Wine Enthusiast – 91 points
My Review: Yellow in glass. Buttery nose with citrus notes. carrying over to the palate. Buttery and a touch sweet. I would put ice in this wine. July 2023
2021 Bernardus Chardonnay, Sierra Mar Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $50 (#1073)
Winery Notes: “On the nose we find beautiful aromas of ripe white fruits with hints of caramel. The luscious palate exhibits flavors of ripe peaches, tangerine, and white cherry fruits, accented with subtle toasty oak notes. The texture is crisp yet rich, extending through a beautifully long, finely focused finish.
“This is a superb example of one of California’s finest vineyards!” Wine Spectator – 93 points
My Review: Caramel and lean notes on the nose. Palate finishes with some bitterness. Very different from the 2022 barrel samples we blended at the winery! July 2023
2021 Bernardus Pinot Noir, Garys’ Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14.7% ABV, $80 (#1074)
Winery Notes: “Seductive, with gently mulled plum and boysenberry fruit flavors gliding through atop licorice, sweet spice and bramble hints. Ends with a swirl of black tea around the fruit. Drink now through 2026. 231 cases made. – J.M.” Wine Spectator – 91 points
My Review: A pretty, bright red ruby color. Bright cherry and raspberry nose. Bright fruit on palate with some complexity on the palate. A lighter Pinot Noir. July 2023
2021 Bernardus Pinot Noir, Rosella’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14.7% ABV, $80 (#1075)
Winery Notes: “This has a nice rich feel, with crushed raspberry and boysenberry preserves underscored by hints of mulling spices and red tea. The finish is carried by understated juicy energy as the fruit plays out. Drink now through 2025. 446 cases made. – J.M.” Wine Spectator – 91 points
My Review: Darker ruby and a little cloudy in appearance. A darker, jammier nose. Cocoa and jam on the palate. Heavier. More complex. I like this wine. July 2023
2018 Bernardus Marinus Signature Red Wine, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $125 (#1076)
Winery Notes: “The 2018 vintage is a stunning wine, exemplifying the superb potential of this unique vineyard. The gorgeous aromas exhibit dark red stone fruits with notes of violets and spice. The flavors are deep and very intense, with cedar, black cherry, cranberry, and boysenberry fruit essences on a long, velvety finish.”
My Review: Jammy nose packed with big berry notes with herbal (rosemary) notes. Structured, tannic palate with hints of sandalwood. Tasty now, but it is way too soon to be drinking this big wine. Cellar for a few more years! And then enjoy! July 2023
2018 Bernardus Marinus Red Wine, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, $75 (#1077)
Winery Notes: N/A
My Review: Deep garnet. Dark berry fruit on the nose. Complex with Cab driven palate. Solid tannins on the finish. This will be a great wine. March 2023
2015 Bernardus Marinus Red Wine, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.4% ABV, $75 (#1078)
Winery Notes: “The robe of our 2015 is a deep ruby-red. The aromas exhibit scents of candied cranberry and plum, accented with baking spices. The flavors are intense and well-structured insuring a long bottle ageing potential, much like a fine Bordeaux.” Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Uncorked! Awarded TOP RED WINE! Wine Enthusiast – 92 points
My Review: Dark berry, cherry and caramel notes with at first hints of barnyard and hay on the nose. Earthy palate of dark fruits. Much more of a big cab style wine. We like it. July 2023
2014 Bernardus Marinus Signature Red Wine, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV, $125 (#1079)
We took this wine on a road trip to Oregon and opened it during our last dinner at XXX restaurant. At dinner, we did not take tasting notes. So this was recreated from our memories of this fine wine.
Winery Notes: N/A
My Review: Rich, brimming with dark berries across an intense and smooth palate, with a very lovely finish. This was perhaps the most wonderful Signature we have ever tasted. Exceptional. June 2023
2013 Bernardus Marinus Red Wine, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey, 14.1% ABV, $75 (#157)
Winery Notes: “The robe of our 2013 Marinus is a very deep crimson. On the nose we find dried cranberry aromas accented by subtle spice notes. The palate is intensely flavored with impressions of bright red cherry and plum.
“The finish shows excellent tannic structure promising a long life for this vintage of Marinus, much like that of a fine Bordeaux.”
My Review: Inky, purple in color. Lovely dark fruit on the nose like plum, prune and cassis – delightful. The palate is wow. Inky, dark, rich with a slightly bitter finish perhaps reflecting the alcohol? July 2023
WHERE TO TASTE
Tasting Bernardus Wines: As of this writing, their tasting room, located at 5 West Carmel Valley Road, is open daily! Reservations are not required but encouraged!: Sunday- 12:00pm to 4:00pm, Monday- 12:30pm to 4:00pm, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday – 11:00am to 4:00pm, Friday & Saturday 11:00am to 5:00pm. You can see more information and book a tasting here or email tastingroom@bernardus.com or call them at 831-298-8021.
In July, the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod experienced the best winery tour ever at Bernardus! Last November, at the Marinus dinner, Jim McCabe, assistant winemaker at Bernardus, invited us to come up to the winery in Cachagua for a tour. We finally made it there in July! And I would say the fun wine education aspects of the tour were what made it so special.
Winery notes for this post come from conversations with the winemaker unless otherwise indicated. You can read more about Bernardus on their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
Also, with all the wine events and special tastings we have done, I will be posting twice weekly for a bit to get caught up! My, we have been busy!!
Jim McCabe met us outside where he explained what happens to the grapes from the moment they arrive at the facility. He indicated that harvest is looking 2-3 weeks late this year due to the winter and spring rains. Veraison is a little late, but every really hot, sunny day we get speeds it up. Chemistry and appearance will tell them when to harvest the grapes.
In response to our questions about white grapes, they expect 2-3 tons per acre. They gently press the white grapes to avoid any off flavors. They shoot for 150-170 gallons of juice per ton.
We grabbed our glasses as we moved inside.
THE WINES
We started out tasting some Monterey Chardonnay at the filtration stage, followed by a Pinot Noir at the cold fermentation stage. We then went deep into the barrel room to do more wine education. We examined how different barrel ages affect the wine, how different yeasts influence the flavor profile, and how to recognize and resolve reduction! What fun!
2022 Bernardus Chardonnay, Monterey County (#1065)
We tasted this sample at the filtration stage.
My Review: Light golden. Nice delicious tropical nose. Pineapple and butter. Rich and sweet on the palate with a bright finish, some bitter notes yet nice. July 2023
2022 Bernardus Pinot Noir, Gary’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highland AVA, Monterey County (#1066)
This sample was at the cold fermentation stage.
My Notes: Garnet. Cold. Plum and perfume. Tasty palate. Smooth. July 2023
2022 Bernardus Chardonnay, Rosella’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highland AVA, Monterey County (#1067)
We compared 2 samples from different aged barrels.
My Notes:
New oak barrels: Buttery, tropical nose with some sulfur dioxide. Rich and viscous on palate with pineapple flavors on the finish. Wow. Big. Delicious. July 2023
3-year-old oak barrels: Faint tropical notes on nose and more sophisticated palate. Leaner yet tasty with more subtle flavors and more acidity. July 2023
2022 Bernardus Chardonnay, Sierra Mar Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highland AVA, Monterey County (#1068)
We compared 2 samples made with different yeasts – and then a combined sample! Wow – we made some wine!!
Winery Notes: Every 2 weeks, they top off the barrels and perform battonage. They expect to bottle 19 barrels of Sierra Mar Chardonnay.
My Notes:
D47 yeast: More acidic on the nose. Citrus notes. Mouthfilling, completely different flavor profile. Explodes on front end. Crushed pineapple a hidden bitterness on the finish. More acidic overall to me.
Montrachet yeast: Totally different. Pale in glass. Butter and mild pineapple on nose. More vanilla and tartness on the palate. Rounder flavors.
Blended samples: Crushed pineapple on the nose. Balanced palate. Burnt caramel on the finish. Very nice.
2022 Bernardus Cabernet Sauvignon, Marinus Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County (#1069)
Winery Notes: A little Hungarian oak. Intended for Marinus red blend.
My Notes: Intense dark ruby in color. Tart jam on nose. Juicy on the palate.
2022 Bernardus Merlot, Marinus Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County (#1070)
Jim had just talked to us about reduction a few moments before we tasted this wine. One of our members identified it right away, so we got to see first hand how to mitigate reduction.
Barrel sample: Rubbery notes. Reduction is starting! Bright and dark raspberry on the palate. Dark and bitter on finish.
Post-copper treatment: Immediately changed flavor: lots of jammy, berry fruit and no reductive flavors. Tasted amazing.
Other fun facts (any of which I could have captured wrong):
They have a small, full-time staff of 8 people, plus contract support for busy times.
In their winemaking, they use French oak barrels for a period of 3 years.
They have some huge, 2000-gallon oak tanks which they can use for Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, taking the place of stainless tanks.
Grapes from Santa Lucia Highlands vineyards that don’t make the vineyard designate bottlings can then become part of their Santa Lucia Highlands program.
They are elevating their Marinus vineyard. Doing more hand work and replacing some of the old vines.
The label: They are dropping the “B” label and going to a cleaned-up version (see the one on the right below) of the old one for brand recognition.
They also switched cork sources to improve the reliability of their corks. Their “Monterey” line has screw tops.
He showed us a brand new barrel and even let us sniff inside!
They produce 45,000-61,000 cases in an average harvest year.
And, finally, examine your spit after drinking Cabernet Sauvignon – it might surprise you. (But none of us can remember why…)
Tasting Bernardus Wines: Their tasting room, located at 5 West Carmel Valley Road, is open every day! Reservations are not required. You can see more information and book a tasting here or email tastingroom@bernardus.com or call them at 831-298-8021.
As soon as we got word that the I Brand & Family’s summer releases were available for pickup, we assembled most of the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod and head to sunshine in the valley. We were on a mission to taste these wines and make our selections. We were thrilled that Angie was managing the tasting room that day. She encouraged us to compare and contrast varietals from different AVAs side by side. What fun!
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES
Interesting note: According to the I Brand & Family website, the 2023 Summer Release wines are only available to wine club members for the time being! There are a couple of factors at play, both addressed in Ian’s Summer 2023 Winemaker Letter:
1. Climate Change: The small yields of 2020-2022 due to wildfires, storms and hot weather significantly reduced the production for many of our local vintners. According to the latest County of Monterey Crop & Livestock Report, there was a 20% reduction in the value of grapes harvested in 2022, dropping them from 5th place to 7th in crop value in Monterey County. This was due primarily to the end-of-summer heat wave. Fingers crossed for a better 2023…so far, so good…lots of rain, just bring on more warm, sunny days!
2. Demand for Monterey Grapes: As Monterey grapes and winegrowing areas are exposed through the creativity of our local vintners, more and more of the best fruit gets bought up by others. While non-Monterey vintners have historically purchased roughly 50% of our grapes (see Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association Fast Facts), the demand goes up as specific vineyards and varietals get put on the map through the fine work of our local vintners who produce such good quality, good value wines.
THE WINES
Before I get into the new releases, let’s pause for a moment to explore those fun side-by-side tastings accompanied by my notes:
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISONS
We tasted the Cabernet Francs and then the Cabernet Sauvignons side-by-side for some AVA and winemaking style comparisons. Most of these were previously presented in this blog.
Cabernet Francs:
2020 I Brand & Family Cabernet Franc, Bayly Ranch, Paicines AVA, San Benito County, 11.9% ABV, $30 (#900): Garnet in color. Rose petal on the nose. Lean palate of dark fruit – a bit more like a Pinot Noir. This wine was made in a leaner Chinon style. It was earthier, with a touch of smoke, Kalamata olive.
2020 I Brand & Family Cabernet Franc, Bates Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, Santa Cruz County, 12.8% ABV, $48 (#901): Deep ruby in color. Very nice palate of dark fruit – seems to be made in a richer, Bordeaux style. Or is it just the fruit? Fruitier, fresher, juicier.
Cabernet Sauvignons:
This was a fun side-by-side, as it was the battle of the higher end Cabs with a more moderately priced version, each from a different vineyard. When we did the side-by-side, I had assumed we had tasted and presented all the wines previously, which evidently is not the case for the one from the Massa vineyard!
2019 I Brand & Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Fellom Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Cruz County, 13.7% ABV, $75 (#751): Caramel on the nose, followed by a lean palate. More Napa-like in overall composition.
2019 I Brand & Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Massa Vineyard Block 10, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $75 (#1064): Intense dark fruit and dust on the nose. A rich, juicy palate with a nice finish. This wine is a tad more my style.
2020 I Brand & Family Bates Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Cruz County, 13.8% ABV, $48 (#904): Dark ruby in the glass. It has a juicy, rich, dark berry and cassis nose – yummy – following through on the mellow palate, with a touch of acidity on this finish. This old vines Cabernet is very well priced. Ian is giving all the value to his fans on this good wine. We took some home.
TODAY’S WINES
I have 9 wines to present to you today from 3 labels: I Brand & Family, La Marea and Paysan – tasted at their tasting room on June 30th. Winery notes come from their Summer 2023 Winemaker Letter. I used the full notes, as this blog is about wine education and I find them so interesting! Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2022 I Brand & Family Arneis, Vista Verde Vineyard, San Benito AVA, San Benito County, 13.8% ABV, $30 (#1056)
Winemaker’s Notes: “This is our third vintage of Arneis from Vista Verde. We originally tried this block out because we were looking for anything white after the fires of 2020 in case the smoke taint was worse than we thought. It turns out that the Vista Verde hillside does a damn good version of this rare and resurging Piedmontese variety with textbook apricot, honey and raw almond flavors. Our wine making remains largely unchanged over the last three years: Nail the pick, press whole cluster, settle, ferment and age in the same barrels and let it rest on lees until we are ready to bottle. Every time I open a bottle, I’m happy I did.”
My Review: Pale golden in color. Sweet grapefruit and apple on the nose. Tasty palate with round flavors, crisp yet some honey notes, and a long finish. We liked this wine. June 2023
2022 I Brand & Family Pinot Gris, Eden Rift Vineyard, San Benito AVA, San Benito County, 13% ABV, $30 (#1057)
Winemaker’s Notes: “We continue to put about 5 days of skin contact on our Eden Rift Pinot Gris, flirting with a ramato (copper) style, but not driving into the esoteria that can characterize ramato Pinot Gris in Friuli. Now in our 5th year of working with the Eden Rift site, we’re really dialing in our pick times to capture maximum complexity and depth in the wine. It can take time in bottle or in the decanter for this to reach its apex of enjoyability, but we think it’s worth it. When our Pinot Gris is at its peak, it’s a super compelling wine, unique in its marriage of lightness on the palate and grip on the finish.”
My Review: Salmon in the glass. Very delicious palate with a lingering finish of caramel and lingering fruit skins. We liked this wine, as well! Year over year – a favorite. June 2023
2022 Paysan Chardonnay, Jacks’ Hill, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 13.4% ABV, $22 (#1058)
Winemaker’s Notes: “We are suddenly short on Paysan Chardonnay. After years of swimming upstream stylistically, we’ve had a coincidental convergence of factors that have open the floodgates on this wine; not the least of which is a majority leap in quality. The 2022 vintage was small, berried and intense with tremendous acidity. This wine is fantastic and I’m ashamed that we need to put it on allocation. Like with our Albariño this year, we will be in touch once we move through the initial release with any available bottles remaining.”
My Review: Straw in the glass. Slight buttery notes on the nose. A light and clean palate with a slight tartness – more like a Chablis. Even non-Chardonnay lovers can like this wine. June 2023
2021 I Brand & Family Chardonnay, Escolle Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 13.7% ABV, $36 (#1059)
Winemaker’s Notes: “When we were still pouring the 2019 Escolle Vineyard Chardonnay in the tasting room I had a friend text me that her friend told her she really liked our oaky Chardonnay. This had resulted in some confusion because she was sure I would never make an oaky Chardonnay. I suppose technically it’s true; this wine sees a lot more oak than I put on any other white wine and bears some of the typical markers of new barrels. But it’s also a play on the adage popularized by Dave Ramey – that he’s never seen a wine that was overoaked, just a barrel that was underwined. Ultimately, I am quality focused and style agnostic. Escolle Chardonnay is dense, flavorful and high acid. We let it spend 11 months in cooperage, including two new puncheons (twice the size of a normal barrique), which is a really long time for a white wine, and then another six months in stainless to ‘marry’. The result is a lively, textured, long-lived Chardonnay worthy of sharing the table with the best wines in the world.”
My Review: Pale in color. Good fruit on the nose. A rich palate with a slight sweetness on the finish. This tends to be one of our top picks and one of the best Escolle Vineyard Chardonnays produced! June 2023
2020 La Marea Old Vines Grenache, Central Coast AVA, 14% ABV, $30 (#1060)
Winemaker’s Notes: “This blend of three ‘old vine’ Grenache vineyards from the Central Coast is a unique wine. There aren’t more than a handful of old vine Grenache vineyards on the Central Coast and we’ve gone about collecting every significant block (and some fairly tiny ones) we can because we believe in the history and future of Grenache in our region. We’ve tried bottling grenache every which way, but this three-vineyard blend is tops for depth and approachability –– it’s like everything you want from a great Pinot Noir at a third of the price. Try it with a slight chill on a warm summer evening with light fare from the grill or stash it in the cellar for a couple of years. Our experience, is our Grenaches really start showing their full potential between years 4 to 8.”
My Review: Translucent ruby in the glass. A noseful of Grenache. Cherry and crushed berries on the palate with some cinnamon on the finish. This is a very good Grenache. June 2023
2021 Paysan Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon, San Benito AVA, San Benito County, 13.2% ABV, $27 (#1061)
Winemaker’s Notes: “We’ve developed quite a reputation for our throwback Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a real rarity – a thoughtful, balanced, approachable Cabernet at a reasonable price. The 2021 vintage is one of my favorites in California – the wines have such prodigious quality and this is no exception. I’m constantly shocked by the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon we bring in and I know that if my mentors like Randall Grahm and John Alban were dead, they’d be rolling over in their graves. Thankfully they’re not and I wish them many happy years. Like all of our Paysan wines, it belongs on your table now and for years to come.”
My Review: Inky in color. Dark berry jam balanced by garrigue/herbal notes. Juicy on the palate. A bargain. Like a Languedoc wine. June 2023
2021 Paysan Petite Sirah, Pierce Ranch Vineyards, San Antonio Valley AVA, Monterey County, 12.9% ABV, $25 (#1062)
Winemaker’s Notes: “We stopped making Petite Sirah in 2017 because our reserved, elegant version of the grape did nothing but confuse people. By 2021, we’d had enough of people asking for it in the tasting room and decided to see if we could get back into Block One on Pierce Ranch. Thankfully, Josh was able to find a couple of tons for us in our favorite Petite Sirah section. Planted on the fractured shale of old sea beds and fermented with 1/3 whole bunch inclusion, this is the perfect wine for barbecue or richer fare demanding darker fruit flavors.”
My Review: Garnet in the glass. Fresh raspberries on the nose. Crushed red berries on the palate with some structure on the finish. June 2023
2022 I Brand & Family Piquette Nat, Zabala Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $18 (#1063)
Winemaker’s Notes: “I think people are beginning to catch on to the beauty of our Piquette Nat. Similar to a beer in fizziness and alcohol but without the weight or wheatiness, it’s perfect chilled for Summer and pairs excellently with a variety of flavorful foods. Our 2022 version is much heavier on the hibiscus so it’s almost like a sparkling Jamaica agua fresca or showing shades of dry Lambrusco. The perfect match for street tacos. I swear it’s addictive.”
My Review: This vintage is very different previous ones – quite ruby in appearance. Reminded me a bit of a very fine, tasty, bubbly French vinaigrette! June 2023
2019 I Brand & Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Massa Vineyard Block 10, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $75 (#1064)
Winemaker’s Notes: “…This is a great coastal mountain Cabernet, classically styled and age worthy; a time piece from the heyday for California Cabernets before vineyards were replanted with restrictive root stocks and new clones. Growing in diverse topography at higher elevations lens towards intense fruit, elegance and balanced tannins. The cool maritime climate helps drop the daily diurnal in the Carmel Valley AVA (aka Cachagua), which through air and time loosens into an incredible and wide expression of true mountain magic. Like all mountain fruit, our Massa Cabernet offers an ardent expression of the varietal with structure, depth and age-ability. Great vintages off the vineyards have aged more than thirty years beautifully. Wild red and black fruit aromas are complimented on the palate thanks to natural acidity captured upon the vines. Dark fruit and graphite transition directly to a palate expression of dark berries and ethereal savory umami. Unbelievable.”
My Review: Quick side by side: Intense dark fruit and dust on the nose. A rich, juicy palate with a nice finish. I prefer this wine. I confess to having a Carmel Valley Big Red palate! We have this wine at home already! June 2023
THE TASTING ROOM
The I Brand & Family Tasting Room is located at 19 Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village. It is open Thursday – Monday, 11 am – 5 pm. Reservations are recommended – more information here.
Looking to taste some new wines in Carmel Valley Village, we suddenly realized Chesebro Wines new releases had somehow escaped our attention! We are very happy our random stop yielded so many delicious wines, including the latest Las Arenas and La Montagne Sauvage red blends.
This tasting offered some additional and rare opportunities: to taste the 2010 and 2015 Roussanne/Rousanne blend wines side by side AND to sample their estate Cabernet Sauvignon bottled as a single varietal. That was a first for me!
Alex Lallos, Chesebro Wines’ tasting room manager, has been one of my biggest supporters back to before the pandemic. The up-front quality and value of Chesebro Wines makes them a favorite to include in my wine classes. Moreover, Alex has offered me great discounts and has helped me get my wines to their destination. I’m grateful for his support.
The Wines
Today, I am presenting 9 Chesebro Wines. Looking back in my blog, it has been a while since I have presented a full tasting from there. My last post was this one about the 2014 La Montagne Sauvage release. However, I have written about Chesebro Wines several times – just search “Chesebro” and you will find them all! Winery notes come from their tasting sheet or their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2022 Chesebro Albarino, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 12.5% ABV, $25 (#1047)
Winery Notes: “Our take on a traditional Spanish white variety. Aromas of Apricot blossom and kumquat. Lots of stone fruit and citrus loaded with minerality and verve. Vibrant and refreshing on the palate. The perfect Summer white!”
91 Points Wine Enthusiast: “Crisp and vibrant aromas of lime blossom, tart apple and a hint of tropical fruit dance across the nose of this bottling. There’s an acidic and textural edge to the palate, where apple, pear and citrus zest flavors align.” (Note: this is the 2021 vintage’s description and rating)
My Review: Pale in the glass, with a slightly musty note. Grapefruit on the palate with a tart finish. This is a very clean and crisp Albarino. June 2023
2022 Chesebro Sauvignon Blanc, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $22 (#1048)
Winery Notes: “100% Musque clone of Sauvignon Blanc. Aromatically bright with citrus, white peach, honeydew melon and passionfruit notes. The mouth is medium bodied with similar flavors as the nose along with some minerality and a long crisp finish. Pairs well with many lighter foods and is a great apperatif.”
92 Points Wine Enthusiast: “This is a benchmark Sauvignon Blanc for Arroyo Seco, representing the hallmark elements of the windswept region. Crisp aromas of lime peel, white flower blossom, cut grass, wet cement and peach invite the nose into the stony palate, where forest grass and passionfruit flavors work in harmony.” (Note: this is the 2021 vintage’s description and rating)
My Review: I sadly did not capture specific tasting notes, but we all agreed this wine was delicious. June 2023
2015 Chesebro Piedras Blancas, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.1% ABV, $27 (#1049)
Winery Notes: “A Rhone style white (85% Roussanne, 10% Vermentino, 5% Sauvignon Blanc) Our richest and most complex / ageworthy white.”
My Review: Light golden in the glass. Faint notes of pineapple and petroleum on the nose. Light fruit flavors on the palate. June 2023
2010 Chesebro Estate Roussanne, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $30 (#1050)
Winery Notes: “LIBRARY RELEASE – A Rhone style white (85% Roussanne, 10% Vermentino, 5% Sauvignon Blanc) Our richest and most complex / ageworthy white. From deep in our cellars we saved 25 cases of this wine because we knew it would turn into something special with age. It has done exactly that now with 12 years of age. A blend of mainly Roussanne, it is modeled after the most famous white wines in Chateauneuf du Pape, France. A nuanced dame of a wine. Rich and viscous with aromas of honey and baked pear, framed by oak. A full bodied and very serious white, with a hint of butter and a dry apricot finish. Pair this sturdy white whith soft cheeses, cream sauces, roasted fowl and sweetbreads.”
My Review: Golden in the glass. Notes of whiskey, caramel and a touch of mint on the palate, with a slightly tart finish. June 2023
Winery Notes: “A Estate blend of 50% Mission Ranch & 50% Cedar Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir. High toned, bright and elegant. A Pinot Noir lovers Pinot Noir…It packs so much intensity and pure Pinot Noir aromatics into such a defined and bright wine. This is truly in the Burgundian fashion. Refined, elegant and bursting with red fruits. Finding a boutique Pinot Noir of this caliber made in such small quantities for under $25 is nearly impossible these days.”
My Review: Ruby in color. Bacon on the nose with a cinnamon candy finish. June 2023
2016 Chesebro Las Arenas, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.2% ABV, $27 (#1052)
Winery Notes: “Our Southern Rhone inspired red blend. 65% Grenache 35% Syrah from the sandy soils in Cedar Lane Vineyard.”
My Review: Inky in the glass, Rich, intense berries and cherry = this is pretty tasty. June 2023
2015 Chesebro La Montagne Sauvage GSM, CM Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.9% ABV, $35 (#1053)
Winery Notes: “Our proprietary Rhone belnd of Syrah (80%), Grenache (15%) and Mourvedre (5%) modeled after the legendary wines of the Rhone Valley, France. Grown at 1500′ elevation, this is our flagship wine and our most popular blend from a small 2.5 acre vineyard in the mountains of Carmel Valley. Rich and broading with aromas of dark berries and all-spice. An ageworthy and deeply profound example of what Rhone varietals can do on the granite soils of Upper Carmel Valley. ONLY 80 Cases Produced.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 Points: “Herb-smoked blackberry jam, lilac and chaparral seasonings make for a rustic exploration of the terroir on the nose of this bottling. The palate is full of garrigue as well, with fennel spicing up the muddled and roasted red-berry flavors.”
My Review: While I don’t have specific notes, we all agreed this was a very good, tasty and smooth wine which we would enjoy drinking any day! This is a wine I have presented in my classes over and over – always a hit. I took one home for a future vertical tasting. June 2023
2016 Chesebro La Mariposa, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.7% ABV, $30 (#1054)
Winery Notes: “A Northern Rhone (Cote Rotie) inspired Syrah. Co-fermented with 5% Viognier for aromatic complexity and texture just like they do in Cote Rotie. Deep, rich and concentrated. ‘La Mariposa’ means butterfly in Spanish. Watch this decadent Syrah explode from your glass and develop into something truly beautiful over the evening or let is rest in the cellar for a few years and watch it evolve. Very Limited – Only 70 Cases Produced.”
My Review: Alas, no specific notes on this wine – we had reached our tasting limit for the day. This is a wine I have enjoyed in the past and this vintage was quite tasty. June 2023
2018 Chesebro Cabernet Sauvignon, Chaparral Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, $48 (#1055)
Winery Notes: “Many people don’t know that Chesebro winery producers Cabernet Sauvignon because generally it is not released to the public. This is a real treat for you fans of our heavy reds. From the highest elevation (2400ft) vineyard in Carmel Valley. Chapparal Vineyard is dry farmed and gives a very small yield of less than 2 tons per acre, which means the wine is bursting with flavor, color and aromatics. Aged for 22 months in French Oak. Upon first glance this Cabernet shows a deep dark mahogany core. Soaring aromatics (both savory and fruity) emerge from the glass with dark currants on the nose complimented by fresh tobacco, cedar, sage, cassis and of course chapparal. Wondeful balance, chalky minerality and fine grained tannins. Fruit forward and charming yet densely structured – This has it all but there are only 50 cases made so get it while you can…
“NEW RELEASE – Limit 6 Per Customer…From the highest elevation (2400ft) vineyard in Carmel Valley (Chaparral Vineyard). Dry farmed 1.5 acres with tiny yields of less than 2 tons per acre. Aged 22 months in new French oak. Only 40 cases Produced.”
My Review: Garnet in the glass. Dark fruit, bubblegum and perfume on the nose. Smooth dark fruit balanced by herbal notes. A good expression of the fruit and a lovely wine. This was a real treat. June 2023
Tasting Chesebro Wines
You can sample Chesebro Wines or in their tasting room at Up-to-date information on their tasting room hours and reservation link is here. They are open Friday through Sunday from noon until 5:00 PM reservations encouraged. You can buy their wines via their website (www.chesebrowines.com).
I had never heard of Austin Harlow so it was time for us to get educated! There were 9 wines on the tasting menu with 2 options: half flight for $10 and full flight for $20. Now, that’s enticing! We chose a half flight, so I still need to go back and try his other wines.
Bill Austin was in the tasting room that Friday afternoon, so we had a chance to talk a bit. We learned about how he sources his grapes, including managing and farming one of the Hollister vineyards himself. Other local vineyards are well known to us, including Zabala Vineyards down in Arroyo Seco AVA and Manzoni Estate Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. He prides himself on bringing quality wines in attractive and fun bottles at reasonable prices. This is a sentiment echoed by several of his neighboring vintners and one of the reasons I admire Monterey/Central Coast wines.
“Drawing grapes from some of the finest vineyards in California, Austin Harlow Winery prides themselves in showcasing some of the best wines being produced in the area.”
“Austin Harlow Winery was established in 2014 by Bill Austin of Monterey Peninsula, a long time wine enthusiast. The flagship brand is “Mid Life Crisis Wines”, officially released in March 2015. Drawing grapes from some of the best vineyards in California, the Mid Life Crisis Wines offer both intense and complex flavors at a great value. The Mid Life Crisis lineup consists of Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel (from a vineyard planted in 1935), a San Benito County Zinfandel, a Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon (from grapes planted in the Clements Hill region), a Santa Lucia Highlands Monterey County Pinot Noir (from an appellation considered to be one of the best in the world), and Santa Lucia Highlands Monterey County Chardonnay.
“All of the Mid Life Crisis Wines have been patiently aged in small, French and American oak barrels of the highest quality and then bottle aged for one year so that they are delicious immediately upon release, but they also will increase in complexity with additional bottle age…
“…Did you ever taste a $60 or $80 bottle of wine for under half the price?! Mid Life Crisis Wines are truly luxury wines at affordable prices.”
My Review: This was the last wine we tasted – after we had the bigger reds. My apologies, but I have no notes. My recollection is that it was representative of the region. June 2023
My Review: Dark garnet in color. Intense dark berries on the palate with bright red fruit (red currant) on the finish. We all thought this very young wine, with more time in the bottle, has the potential to be a very good wine. June 2023
This is my second post about the Monterey Winemakers Celebration held on June 10th in Carmel-By-The -Sea. Today’s post is focused on local vintners in attendance whom I’ve written about before. Last week’s post focused on relative new-comers. If you are a fan of Monterey wines, this is the event for you! Great wine and food!
In today’s post, I’ll share some wines from our local vintners whom I’ve written about before in this blog. As I mentioned last week, I was grateful for this opportunity afforded to me by the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association,my go-to resource for all things Monterey wine. 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. (You can always make a small donation to my website operations here: Donate to Decanting Monterey).
About the Monterey Winemakers Celebration: “Join the vintners (winemakers) & growers of Monterey County and enjoy the incredible wines and culinary abundance from one of the world’s premier wine regions in the quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea. This iconic Monterey County wine festival, in its 30th year, will be held on Saturday, June 10, during Carmel’s Culinary Week. The event is moving back to the streets – Dolores (between Ocean and 7th) and 7th Street (between Dolores and San Carlos). Some of our favorite Chefs and food purveyors will join us to delight you with their magic….”
Today I am briefly presenting 8 wines I have not previously. Winery notes come from their website, unless otherwise indicated. Some are so newly released that their websites do not yet contain any information about the wines. I did not capture detailed tasting notes at this event, so I’ve cobbled together my notes from memory. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
My Notes: This tasted very similar to the 2019 vintage: Rich berries, mocha and a touch of what I call that mellow, earthy Central Coast Syrah funk. It was nice to finally meet Denis Hoey in person. June 2023
“This wine is an amalgamation of the best blocks, best lots and best barrels from our 80-acre estate. The core comes from our “Old Vine” block. Planted more than four decades ago, this is the oldest planting of Pinot Noir in the SLH AVA. It is own rooted – a rarity in Californian – and trained on a Lyre trellis system. The remainder is a mix of Swan and Dijon clone 777 trellised on a VSP. The crop was thinned to a maximum of three tons per acre or 1.5 lbs. of fruit per foot of cordon. Row orientation is primarily north/south, which provides even sun exposure throughout the day.”
“At McIntyre our winemaking techniques are minimalistic. Our philosophy of “thoughtful but limited intervention” guarantees that the character and complexity of our fruit is highlighted in all of our wines. The grapes for this Pinot were harvested and hand-sorted in the early morning hours. Primary and malolactic fermentations were managed naturally using the wild, indigenous yeast strains that thrive in our vineyards.” 93 points – Wine Enthusiast
My Notes: Impressive! In my opinion, McIntyre makes some of our best local Pinot Noir – rich and fuller-bodied than the typical Pinot Noir. Very much worth a stop at their Crossroads tasting room. June 2023
2016 Puma Road The Predator Red Wine Blend, Paicines AVA, San Benito County, 14.4% ABV, $40 (#1036)
My Notes: This vintage is back to being an exceptional red blend – more reminiscent of the 2013 vintage than more recent versions. Inky, with dark berries on the smooth palate. I liked this wine. Tune to get back to Puma Road for a complete tasting! June 2023
My Notes: To me, this is a richer, more mellow vintage than the 2018 – very balanced, full of yummy berry flavors with the black pepper notes in balance with the rest of the palate. I do love the fruit from KW Ranch! June 2023
My Notes: This is a very worthy local GSM coming from one of the oldest Monterey vineyards. The big news here is that Chalone Vineyards is seeking a wine tasting room space in Carmel – stay tuned! June 2023
Winery Notes: “The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of blackberry and sweet oak that lead to a rich, yet structured palate with flavors of black cherry, blueberry, and notes of vanilla bean.”
My Notes: This is a very drinkable, value Cabernet Sauvignon with a safe “California designation” (with 2020 being a wildfire year for Monterey County). This is the one winery in today’s post that I have not presented before. June 2023
2021 Russell Joyce Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, $60 (#1040)
Winery Notes: “More fruit-foward on the nose than the palette, the dominant berry character is balanced by bright notes of pungent herb and spice, and deepened with warm, earthen elements.
“The fruit for this Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Joullian Vineyards, a site deep in the heart of Carmel Valley at an elevation of 1400ft. Due to its elevation among the steep hills of the Santa Lucia Range, this region is sheltered from Monterey’s cool maritime fog, yet the combination of the sandy loam soils, old vines and dramatic contrast between the mild days and colder night temperatures produce fruit with thick skins that create wines with depth and elegance.
“AROMA ripe blackberry, black currant, black cherry, juniper berry, driftwood
“PALATE blackberry pie, fresh raspberry, star anise, leather”
My Notes: The grapes for this wine come from the Joullian Vineyard in Cachagua. I previously reviewed the 2019 in Decanting Monterey. This vintage was even richer with dark berry flavors – pretty yummy. June 2023
2021 Lepe The Gatti Vineyards Cabernet Franc, San Antonio Valley AVA, 14.5% ABV, $45 (#1041)
Winery Notes: “This wine is well balanced with perfect examples of savory, earthy and fruit overtones opening up with dried herbs, crushed gravel and roasted coffee beans. On the palate, notes of dark chocolate, black pepper and plum provide complexity and a compelling finish.”
My Notes: This is the first Lepe Cabernet Franc I have tasted – I recall it being very good, tasty and worthy of a revisit soon! June 2023
When I found out that this year’s Monterey Winemakers Celebration was happening on June 10th, I had some juggling to do. I had a wine class scheduled in DC, but was able to move it to be able to attend this event. The bonus was getting extra quality time in DC with our daughter! As soon as I straightened out my class, I got brave and asked Kim Stemler of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association if there was any way I could be comped a couple of tickets – and she immediately said yes! And I convinced the rest of the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod to attend!
As my avid readers know, Decanting Monterey is a self-funded labor of love to help educate others about our local vintners and their wines. The only “compensation” I receive is free tastings (most places), discounted purchases, an occasional comped bottle, and, most importantly, the appreciation of our vintners. I was grateful for this opportunity. And the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association is my go-to resource for all things Monterey wine.
About the Monterey Winemakers Celebration: “Join the vintners (winemakers) & growers of Monterey County and enjoy the incredible wines and culinary abundance from one of the world’s premier wine regions in the quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea. This iconic Monterey County wine festival, in its 30th year, will be held on Saturday, June 10, during Carmel’s Culinary Week. The event is moving back to the streets – Dolores (between Ocean and 7th) and 7th Street (between Dolores and San Carlos). Some of our favorite Chefs and food purveyors will join us to delight you with their magic.
I can’t wait to learn the date of next year’s event and get it on my calendar early!
WINERIES: I’m so pleased that the event website contained live links to all the wineries in attendance, making it easy to spot and research those wineries that are new or ones where we have never tasted wine, as well as to see which of our well-known wineries were there.
There were also quite a few delicious food options, which is important when you are sampling a lot of wine. Here’s who was there (from the event website):
I could have just hung out at Basil and Yafa all afternoon.
My Strategy: I had a strategy going in – to focus on wineries that were new or ones I had never presented in my blog, sample one wine, and dump the rest. I stuck to that approach for the most part. I also was able to have a few tastes of some of our favorites, too. 2 hours at the Main Event were plenty to talk to the new or new-to-us vintners and catch up with friends. We began at Shale Canyon and ended at Bernardus, with a nice, long stop at Corral Wine Co. in the middle. I was happy to connect with newcomers JL Wood,Pelio Estate, Tira Nanza, as well as try Rustiqué Wines, Folktale and The Riboli Family wines. I somehow missed tasting a wine at Carmel Road. I was still able to do a quick reach back in the middle to Chalone, Lepe, McIntyre, Puma Road, I Brand & Family, Joyce, and others. Maybe I will write a bit about them in the coming weeks!
Unlike the Santa Lucia Highlands Sun, Wind & Wine Festival in May, this one was – for the most part – just our local wineries plus The Riboli Family from Paso Robles and Los Angeles, and a few big names like Robert Mondavi and J. Lohr. And a great chance to sample wines from across the county. If you love Monterey wines, this is the event for you!
I did not capture detailed tasting notes at this event, so I’ve cobbled together my reviews from memory. Today is more about showcasing these new/new to me wineries. This post focuses on JL Wood,Pelio Estate, Tira Nanza, Rustiqué Wines, Folktale and The Riboli Family. Each is worthy of a future visit and a full tasting. Any winery notes are from their websites or from the presenters at this event. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
JL WOOD WINES
We had never heard of JL Wood. They have long been producing grapes and decided to make their own wines. They only make Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco – the wines they brought to this event were all Gold or Double Gold Medal winners. Their first vintage was 2021. Their winery operations are up in Napa and they have no tasting room. You can order their wines on their website and they ship to several states for free!
I love their intro on their home page: “Visiting friends? Going to a party? Celebrating at home? Having a relationship thing? Just got home from a required work in office day? Try a glass of JL WOOD Chardonnay. At JL WOOD, Chardonnay is all we do.”
From their website: “We are proud to announce that our 2021 Premier won Double GOLD and 97 points at the just concluded Sunset International Wine Competition. Our Nouveau won GOLD and 91 points at the 2023 Sommeliers Choice Awards, an international competition in San Francisco. In the same competition, our No-Oak won a GOLD and 90 points. Premier won GOLD and 93 points and the No-Oak won GOLD and 92 points at the 2023 Winemaker Challenge. The No-Oak won GOLD and 90 pts at the 2023 Monterey International Wine Competition. The Nouveau won GOLD at the 2023 Monterey Wine Festival. Our No-Oak won SILVER at the 2023 New Orleans Food and Wine Experience International Wine Competition and was judged to be one of the top Chardonnay wines.”
About JL Wood: “JL WOOD is a family-owned winery with a laser focus on a satisfying and modern customer experience. We create modern affordable luxury wines that are true to the fruit, delivering clean and bold flavors sip after sip. We use our independence to showcase outstanding lots of wine that otherwise would have disappeared into the oblivion of a 60,000 or 160,000-gallon industrial winery tank.”
Building on a legacy
“Our family has been on the same land for over 100 years. The land has been very productive. The family has farmed grains, vegetables, livestock feed, cattle, and sheep. A UC Davis study in the late 1950s identified our district as being ideal for certain types of wine grapes, like Chardonnay, that enjoy a combination of hot summer days and cool nights.
“JL Wood led the family into the wine business. Our wine grapes were planted in the late 90s. The rootstock and clones we have were carefully selected to match our soils and climate. The result has been very efficient farming and outstanding Chardonnay wine.”
2021 JL Wood Premier Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 14.3% ABV, $36 (#1028)
Winery Notes: “Fruit and citrus flavors. Smooth acidity and signature long finish. Flavors layered with a pleasing vanillin, spice, and toasted oak background notes. Fully fermented. No malolactic fermentation. No added sugar. Pairs well with a multi-course meal of fish, meat, or sophisticated dishes. Award winning: GOLD and 93 points at the Winemakers’ Challenge Competition.”
My Review: Pale golden in the glass. Nice aromas of white citrus blossoms and tropical fruit on the nose. A very tasty and balanced palate – oak is very well integrated in this wine so that it is almost imperceptible. June 2023
PELIO ESTATE WINES
We first heard of Pelio Vineyards from the labels of other wineries – then I saw they were opened a tasting room in Carmel Valley next door to Blue Fox. Pelio Estate Wines was on my must-taste list for this event, as I am hoping to arrange a future Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society event there. You can taste their wines by contacting them directly or making a reservation on their website. They are located at 25 Pilot Road in Carmel Valley and open Friday – Sunday 11:30 am – 6 pm.
About Pelio: “As sisters we have always dreamed of owning our own business. When we thought about what we wanted to do, our first thoughts went to our two loves: wine and Carmel Valley.” -Lindsey & Shelby Pelio.
“In the year 2000, we purchased a piece of land where we made great memories of family picnics, learning to ride bikes and playing hide-and-go-seek in fields. Most importantly, it was the place as kids, where we let our minds run free and learned how to dream big. This piece of land was the catalyst of many firsts for us as sisters. It is where we first learned how to ride a bike, first learned how to drive a car and now it is the foundation of our first business endeavor together. We are the proud owners of this beautiful land and fabulous vineyard. As in the blending of fine wines, we took our grapes, added family, friends, winemakers, and here we are today with PELIO ESTATE VINEYARDS.”
Winemaking Description: “The 2020 Pelio Rose is produced in the whole-cluster to press method. Specific sections of the vineyard were hand harvested to produce a wine that highlights crisp acidity with balanced bright fruit characteristics. Clusters were loaded into the press and pressed to a minimal 120gallons/ton before overnight settling and fermentation. Juice was only in contact with the skins for the 45-minute press cycle giving this wine it’s delicate color. A cool ferment was carried out to dryness over two weeks before racking and maturation in stainless steel.”
Winery Tasting Notes: “A beautiful pale pink in the glass, this rose gives aromas of fresh strawberry and guava, with bright tropical esters of banana. The palate shows grapefruit and mixed citrus over crisp acidity. The texture is silky for a light rose and matches the flavors well.”
My Notes: Very pink in color, this rose is exactly what one is looking for on a warm, sunny day. Very balanced, crisp. Recommend this wine. June 2023
Tira Nanza is a true, local newcomer. We first heard of them on the event website and were eager to seek them out. They are located in Cachagua on the former Galante ranch and have already invited Decanting Monterey to visit!
About Tira Nanza: “From its sumptuous taste to scenic vineyard views, wine evokes feelings of luxury, sophistication, and indulgence. Like most consumers, this view of wine was all that we initially knew. It wasn’t until we dove head first into the industry and experienced the entirety of the winemaking process that we truly fell in love with it.
“Our goal is to offer a more authentic way to interact with and enjoy wine. Our wine experiences are process-driven, fostering deep connections, rather than overly product-driven, formulaic walkthroughs that only create surface level connections. It’s our hope that this will give our guests newfound excitement and deeper insight into the world of wine.”
“In order to make great wine you must have great fruit. Every decision we make is centered around growing the best fruit we possibly can. Where the soils allow, we dry-farm our vineyards to foster plants that are self-sufficient and not dependent on a weekly shot of water. Dry-farming forces the vines to send their roots deeper to find water and results in fruit that is more concentrated and more connected to its terroir.
“We rely on natural solutions to get the most out of our vineyards. We count on our healthy population of owls and hawks for pest control, and we use cows to clean between the rows and to improve our soil health. We use only organic and biodynamic sprays to keep our fruit healthy and untainted. Our approach requires an intimate relationship with our vineyards garnered by walking them daily. Every vine at Tira Nanza is hand-pruned and hand-harvested by the same hands that make the wines.”
Winery Notes: “Our inaugural vintage of Cab is finally here! Harvested from the oldest vines on our ranch, this dry farmed fruit exceeded all of our expectations for our first vintage. Blended with 20% Merlot and aged entirely in French Oak (75% neutral/25% new) this wine combines rich red fruit flavors with an inviting freshness seldom seen in California Cabernet.”
My Review: Impressive first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon. Lively in color – a vibrant garnet. Cherry notes on the nose and palate. This was quite good and drinkable now – will improve with age. June 2023
RUSTIQUÉ
We have seen Rustiqué located next to Odonata and have tasted wines from the Silacci Vinayard, but this was the first time interacting with Rustiqué directly. Their tasting room is open Friday – Sunday 11 am to 5 pm at 1010 River Road, Salinas. They also do some nice special events there.
About Rustiqué: “Rustiqué is a family owned and operated estate winery established in 2006. Made with the grapes from Silacci Vineyards, we are dedicated to learning from the land and evolving alongside it to make high quality pinot noir and chardonnay. Our tasting room is located in Monterey County in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range.”
Winery Notes: “This Chardonnay highlights the cold climate growing region of Monterey County, with aromas and flavors of golden pear, peach, melon and floral accents. It’s full bodied and accentuated palate leaves you with a beautiful structured oak toast and well rounded mineral driven finish.”
My Review: Pale yellow in the glass. If you like an oaky Chardonnay, this is the one for you. I still need to visit their tasting room.June 2023
FOLKTALE
We haven’t been to Folktale since they first opened, mostly because we prefer a traditional wine tasting setup. They have blossomed into a beautiful wine and food venue which we have not yet experienced. Moreover, they have just opened a tasting venue at Now that they have been making wine for a while, it was time to taste their wines! Plus they just opened a tasting bar at Seventh & Dolores Steakhouse in Carmel-by-the-Sea. I was very pleased to be invited to the winery for a tasting, which I will do soon with my friend Erin of tèr·ra·ve·nos! While I tasted their big, Bordeaux-style red blend, I was also intrigued by their cloudy orange wine. Keeping to my 1-wine rule, I was unable to taste both!
About Folktale: “In 2015, a band of artists, craftspeople, and lovers of life brought their wandering imaginations and lofty aspirations to a magical piece of land in Carmel, California. Out in the sunny valley, we cultivated grapevines and gardens to craft beautiful wines and experiences to delight the senses. We named this place Folktale Winery & Vineyards.
“Folktale was inspired by the idea that in every great bottle of wine, there is a story. It is filled with uniqueness of place, a year of sun and rain, and the art and craft of winemaking. The story is about our people, our guests, and our passion. This is a love story, and the best love stories never end.”
2018 Folktale The Hound, Carmel Valley AVA, 13.7% ABV, $95 (#1032)
Winery Notes: “THE HOUND is a classic blend of Bordeaux varietals, combining 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 11% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, and 9% Cabernet Franc sourced 89% from Massa Estate Vineyard and 11% from Cedar Lane Vineyard. The not-so-little brother of our Reserve Bordeaux blend, this wine is complex and elegant with aromas and flavors of blueberry, mocha, floral lilac, frisée, dusty vanilla, brown sugar, creme de cassis, pencil lead, cedar wood, and hibiscus. The texture offers nice richness with round and full tannins. The Hound is a beautiful, bold wine that will benefit from aging.”
Wine Enthusiast – 92 points: “This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 11% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 9% Cabernet Franc, which is primarily from the Massa Estate, shows boisterous aromas of boysenberry, crumpled flowers and acai on the nose. Massive tannins and strong acidity rise up on the sip, so give the dark fruits time to emerge from behind that veil. Drink 2023–2032.” — Matt Kettmann
My Review: Dark garnet in the glass. Smooth dark berry fruit on the palate. Grippy tannins on the finish. Overall, quite likeable (with that great pedigree of using Massa Estate grapes, what’s not to like?), but the dry finish leads me to think it needs a few more years of cellaring. Would pair well with a steak. My friend Erin of tèr·ra·ve·nos and I were invited to visit and will plan to do so soon. June 2023
THE RIBOLI FAMILY
I had not heard of the Riboli Family by name, but I had certainly heard of some of its brands: Maddalena, San Simeon, among others. I was only able to taste one wine here (my choice, not theirs) and I went for one of their reserve red blends from San Simeon.
“4 GENERATIONS OF WINEMAKING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1917
“A family legacy built on hard work, family values, and a love for the land.
“Here at Riboli Family Wines, we pride ourselves in maintaining our core family values while also employing innovative techniques that will keep our legacy alive for generations to come. Each Riboli family member maintains a steadfast commitment to honoring not only our premiere craftsmanship of wines, but also our dedication to environmental sustainability and to the people that make up our family business.”
DISTINCTIVE SOILS: “The superb structure and elegant profiles found in our wines are the direct result of our estate vineyards’ unique blends of calcareous limestone, sandstone, and loam soils.”
HILLSIDE VINEYARDS: “Our estate vineyards are all situated on hillsides as we believe these aspects provide the best grape-growing conditions. The slopes provide great drainage, protection from frost, and optimal ripening conditions for our vines.”
CURATED CLONAL SELECTION: “Our vineyards feature over 15 varieties of grapes and over 50 clones carefully curated to match each vineyard’s terroir.”
About San Simeon Reserve Wines: “Ancient seas receded and revealed a unique bed of limestone on which world-class wines now grows. From our best blocks on steep hillsides with perfect aspect and drainage, creating our signature flavors and aromas.”
Winery notes: “The skies darken, the winds howl, and the waves pound the rugged shore…Stormwatch! Located near the coastal town of San Simeon, our family’s ESTATE vineyards are located within the El Pomar district of the renowned Paso Robles appellation. Steep hillsides and rocky soils produce the intense flavors and aromas of this Bordeaux-style blend. Our artisan wine is hand-crafted in small lots and aged in French oak barrels for a minimum of 18 months. Dark, rich, and mouth-filling. Ripe flavors of blackberry and raspberry with touches of spice and vanilla. Enjoy the thrill of Stormwatch!”
My Review: Very dark in the glass, this brooding wine is packed with dark fruit flavors and was one of the best reds we tasted at this event. This is my kind of wine and perhaps my favorite wine of the day. I need to get down to Paso to taste more San Simeon wines! June 2023
Loyal Fans: Thanks to each and every one of you, Decanting Monterey was nominated for Best Local Blog of Monterey County!! I am so thankful and humbled by this nomination. And now we need your vote!
Please vote for Decanting Monterey as the Best Local Blog of Monterey County. As you know, Decanting Monterey is my not-for-profit labor of love to help educate others about our local vintners and their wines. We are 1 of 4 finalists for this category in the Best of Monterey County MC Weekly. I would be most grateful for your support. Here’s how:
You may need to register with name, email and zip code, but you can also skip that part and just vote. Only 1 set of votes per email address!
Please click on the photo for “Around Town,” then search for Best Local Blog and vote for “Decanting Monterey.”
You will need to vote for 19 other local spots to submit your vote – please look around and make your favorite picks! I have a few recommendations below…
WINE-RELATED VOTING SUGGESTIONS:
Here are some other categories to vote for, all related to our wine industry in Monterey County:
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.”
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