Category: Wine Blog/Reviews

Sun Wind & Wine: Great Wine and Food in the Prestigious Santa Lucia Highlands AVA #3!

Part 3: Sarah’s Vineyard, Three Furies, Tudor Wines

Today’s post is Part 3 of my attendance at the May 13th Santa Lucia Highlands Sun, Wind & Wine Festival. You can find the previous posts here: https://www.decantingmonterey.com/sun-wind-wine-great-wine-and-food-in-the-prestigious-santa-lucia-highlands-ava and https://www.decantingmonterey.com/sun-wind-wine-great-wine-and-food-in-the-prestigious-santa-lucia-highlands-ava-2

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!

About Sarah’s Vineyard:

In The Beginning…

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.”

2021 Sarah’s Vineyard Tondré Grapefield Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $38 (#1008)

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.

2019 Sarah’s Vineyard Tondré Grapefield Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.4% ABV, $48 (#1009)

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.

2021 Sarah’s Vineyard Tondré Grapefield Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.3% ABV, $52 (#1010)

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.”

About their wines:

The Taste of Truth, Power, and Beauty

“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)

Winery Notes:

“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.”

Some Tudor History:

“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.”

2005 Tudor Tondré Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.2% ABV, $140 (#1013)

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.”  

My Notes: Raspberry. Smooth and light. May 2023

2007 Tudor Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 13.8% ABV, $250 (#1015)

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.

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Affordable Wine Gadgets You Gotta Have!

Today I am going to try to share with you a few of the wine gadgets that we like to use at home – and a few I’ve been wanting to get!

Products (except for the wines themselves) don’t typically fit in with my weekly posts. Amazon keeps reminding me that Amazon Prime Days are coming soon (July 11-12), prompting me to at least TRY AGAIN!  After hours of frustration and research, today’s post is a total experiment. As a novice to affiliate links, I’m sure something is going to look pretty messed up. I hope in the end it will turn into a useful resource on affordable wine gadgets. I’ll add it to my resources page.

My disclaimer up front: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I have identified each link as #ad. And the Decanting Monterey privacy policy remains the same: We aren’t sharing your data for any purpose beyond this blog – not for advertising or any other purpose other than the security of this blog and analytics for this blog only.

Everyone has their own preference in wine accessories and tools. Today I’m listing a few of my favorites here. I will tell you why for each one – check them out. And I’m also including a few products I wish we had. While some of these are not the exact item I own, I have tried to find reasonable substitutes. I recommend reading the reviews before you buy.

You can find all of Amazon’s wine accessories via this

We are long-time fan of the #ad Ah-So Wine Opener Corkscrew Wine Bottle Opener Two-Prong Cork Puller. This is a very simple device that allows you to shimmy out the cork without damaging it. For traditional corks, this works great.  With a number of cork-substitutes, it can be really hard to get the cork out with an Ah-So.  This is a very affordable one on Amazon – not one I have owned or tried. You can search for Ah-So on Amazon and choose from a variety of options.

The Brookstone Compact Wine Opener #ad is one of the easiest cork extraction tools we have used in a long time.  We own two of them and highly recommend this product. Some of the larger, fancier ones require a lot of torque. Even some well-known brands aren’t designed for ease of use.  This one is smooth and easy every time.  This one will be on special during #AmazonPrimeDays.

For serious wine collectors, I highly recommend The Durand #ad. It has both prongs and a corkscrew to help you remove the most fragile corks. This is a must-have-on-hand for older, valuable wines.  

AERATORS

If I have just opened a red wine and don’t need to decant it, I like to use an aerator. It can make a world of difference in the taste of the wine. There are many kinds of aerators available. We have owned the VinOair Wine Aerator and Wine Pourer #ad for years. I also witnessed it in action at a winery taste test of an un-aerated and aerated wine.  The difference was quite discernable!  

DECANTERS

Decanters are also essential items in the serious wine collector’s home.  Style can be largely a personal choice, influenced by your wine aeration needs.  We have all kinds at our house:  from a simple blown glass, to one that you can spin on the table to aerate the wine.  A very simple one can do the job.  And, even though we have 4, I am super tempted to get a 5th one I first saw at Barghetto’s tasting room.  Here are a couple I found on Amazon:

 

The Godinger Wine Decanter Carafe, Hand Blown Wine Decanter Aerator #ad has a sleek, sophisticated appearance, while having the broad base for aeration – at an affordable price. This is very similar to one we use at home. This one will be on special during #AmazonPrimeDays.

SJZQ Circulation Wine decanter 50oz Wine Carafe with lid,100% Hand Blown Crystal Aerator decanter #ad has some unique attributes:  In addition to aeration features, it is very simple to use. No funnels required to double decant your wines!  Trust me, we have wines that require double decanting in our wine room. I’d like to have one of these!

WINE STRAINER

If you have an old wine or an unfiltered wine, you might want to use a strainer. Let the strainer collect all that sediment instead of having it show up in your glass.  The Norpro 242 Stainless Steel Funnel with Strainer, 3-Inch Mouth Diameter #ad has a tube narrow enough to fit back into a wine bottle.  We do not have one of these, but it is on my wish list. Ours is too wide to fit back in the bottle – lesson learned!

WINE PRESERVATION

We’ve all seen those expensive wine preservation systems. Are you wondering if you need one? If you are going to finish that really expensive bottle in a day or two, IMHO, it isn’t worth it. Here’s a much more affordable option:


The Vacu Vin Wine Saver Pump with Vacuum Bottle Stoppers (Black) #ad has worked reliably for us over the years.  I’ve tried other systems and don’t find them as effective as this simple device. You simply pump out the air, creating a tight seal and preserving your wine.  We’ve had ours for many years and they still work well. This one will be on special during #AmazonPrimeDays.

WINE CHILLERS

Want to keep your white or rose wines chilled after they have been opened?  Here are a couple of ideas for you! We have a marble one which we keep cold in our wine room – it is ready to go all the time.  We have a terra cotta one we have to fill with cold water and refrigerate in advance.  And our friends have a cool freezer pack one, easy for transporting! There are many options on Amazon – the ones below are a couple which appear similar to the ones I have seen in use. I’ve added a third one that looks like a “cool” idea for carrying wine to a party.

This Modern Innovations Marble Wine Chiller Bucket – Wine Bottle Cooler for Parties – Keep Beverages Chill in This Champagne/Wine Bucket – Marble Wine Bottle Chiller – Holds 750ml Bottle (Grey) #ad is very similar to the one we have. This kind of chiller keeps a bottle cold while it is being served. They come in a variety of colors and styles. Not all of them will hold a champagne bottle, so be sure to check the size.

This Vacu Vin Active Cooler White Wine Chiller – Reusable, Flexible Wine Bottle Cooler #ad is similar to ones we’ve seen used. I like this one for its attractive grape pattern. There are many chiller sleeves to choose from on Amazon.

As I was searching for wine bottle chillers, I saw these Ice Wine Bag, Wine Chiller, Wine Cooler Refrigerator, Wine Fridge, Wine Bottle Chiller Cooler for Red White Champagne or Sparkling. Gel Cooling Holder Freestanding Carrier Chilling. Set 2.  These would be very handy for taking chilled wine to a party or, say, your neighbors’ house!

 

WINE POURERS

Sometimes you may need to ensure a bottle of wine makes it around the table – or that the pours are consistent.  We like a 2-ounce pour for wine tasting purposes.  They aren’t a perfect device and there is a trick to getting them to work correctly.

The AmeriPour – Measured Pourer – Liquor Bottle Pourers – Collared – (3pk) (2oz) #ad is the one the Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society and I are using to ensure we share the wine evenly at events. 

Got a favorite wine gadget to share? Please comment below!

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Please Nominate Decanting Monterey as Best Local Blog Today!

I have a huge favor to ask of each of my readers – but it needs to happen today July 8th or tomorrow July 9th:  Please consider nominating Decanting Monterey – A Central Coast Wine Blog www.decantingmonterey.com as the Best Local Blog of Monterey County.

As my avid readers know, Decanting Monterey is a labor of love to help educate others about our local vintners and their wines.  I share with you my local wine adventures, highlight new releases and events, and spread the word about our local vintners and their wines – all without compensation.  It would be an honor to be nominated – but that needs to happened today or tomorrow.

Here’s the link to nominate: Best of Monterey County MC Weekly.  You will have to register with name, email and zip code.  Please click on the photo for “Around Town,” then search for Best Local Blog.  Please type in: “Decanting Monterey – A Central Coast Wine Blog www.decantingmonterey.com” and submit the nomination.  That is it! You are done!

If Decanting Monterey makes it to the final ballot, you will then have the chance to vote for it from July 27 to August 16.

Thank you so much for your consideration!

Central Coast Sharon

Sun, Wind & Wine: Great Wine and Food in the Prestigious Santa Lucia Highlands AVA #2!

Decanting Monterey Reaches 1,000 Wines Presented! 🎉🍷

Part 2: Mer Soliel, ROAR and CRŪ

Today’s post is Part 2 of my attendance at the May 13th Santa Lucia Highlands Sun, Wind & Wine Festival. You can find last week’s post here: https://www.decantingmonterey.com/sun-wind-wine-great-wine-and-food-in-the-prestigious-santa-lucia-highlands-ava

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.

About Mer Soleil:

“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.”

Winery notes come from this link: https://www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com/wine-shop/mer-soleil/

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)

2021 ROAR Wines Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, $54 (#1003)

Winery Notes: The Madame

“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)

Winery Notes: The Challenger

“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)              

Winery Notes: The Explorer

“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)

Winery Notes: The Mystic

“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.”

2020 CRŪ Winery Sarmento Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.5% ABV, $30 (#1007)

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.”

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Sun, Wind & Wine: Great Wine and Food in the Prestigious Santa Lucia Highlands AVA!

Part 1: Luli Wines and Mansfield-Dunne

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!

About Luli Wines:

“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.”

2022 Luli Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $22 (#993)

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

2021 Luli Lemoravo Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $40 (#994)

Winery Notes from the Tech Sheet:

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)

Winery Notes from the Tech Sheet:

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.

2021 Luli Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.1% ABV, $23   (#996)

Winery Notes from the Tech Sheet:

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!

About 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…

“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.”

All winery notes come from this link: https://www.mansfield-dunne.com/Wines

2022 Mansfield-Dunne Peterson Vineyard Rosé, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14% ABV, $29 (#997)

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.”

2020 Mansfield-Dunne  Peterson Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, 14.2% ABV, $45 (#998)

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.

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Zenaida Cellars Zinfandel on a Sunny Afternoon!

On a random Monday in May, my sometimes-neighbors invited me over for a glass of wine.  They let me choose which wine to open and I chose the Zinfandel with the highest alcohol content.  Yes, that was my decision criteria! I am a Zinfandel girl, but I don’t get much of that in Monterey County. It was the perfect selection for a sunny patio wine tasting.

About Zenaida Cellars: “The home vineyard is located in the Templeton Gap area, west of Paso Robles, at the base of the Santa Lucia Coastal Range. The 30-acre property consists of 22 acres of vineyard that is farmed utilizing sustainable practices. The winery occupies the original homestead of the property, dating back over 100 years.

“Many of our vines were planted in the late 1980’s, with our first vintage appearing in 1998. In May of 2000, we officially opened the Zenaida Cellars Tasting Room. Our wines are made using only the highest quality fruit from our estate vineyard and our small group of Paso Robles AVA growers. The vines are meticulously preened and thinned to ensure even ripeness throughout…”

I have just one wine to present to you today. Winery notes come from Wine Folly’s Paso Guides, as linked below. Any errors are mine and mine alone. 

2019 Zenaida Cellars Zinfandel, Templeton Gap District, Paso Robles, 15.8% ABV, $45 (#992)

Winemaker’s Notes:

Growing Conditions:

“In keeping with Zenaida minimalist style, our micro produced, Estate grown Zinfandel, is made from our estate vineyard located in the Templeton Gap District. We utilize sustainable agriculture practices to produce wines that are predominantly fruit forward and express our unique west side terroir. In mid-summer the vines are “green thinned”. Green clusters are cut from the vine, leaving one cluster per shoot to promote even ripening and also to concentrate flavors in remaining cluster.”

Winemaking:

“At harvest, the fruit is hand sorted and de-stemmed directly into open top fermenters. After a 48 hour cold soak the fruit macerates slowly and evenly with twice daily manual punch downs and specifically timed de le stage over approximately 30 days. The wine is then aged for 15 months in select French oak barrels. Our Zinfandel is pushed to just this side of too far to reach its full potential. By avoiding the dried-out flavors of over-ripeness, we concentrate on the fresher fruit aspects that Zinfandel has to offer. The result is a wine deeply layered with dark fruits and wild berries.”

Wine Enthusiast – 91 pts: “Stewed red-plum and fig aromas meet with minty liqueur, sarsaparilla and chaparral herbs on the nose of this bottling. The palate is loaded with flavors reminiscent of a hike through the regional hills, offering dried sage, dust and hot rocks, with a bit of dried cranberry as well.” — Matt Kettmann

My Review: Purple in the glass.  Rich plum on the nose. Dense palate of dark berries. A voluptuous wine. Reminds me why I truly like Zinfandel. May 2023

The Zenaida Tasting Room is located at 1550 Highway 46 West, Paso Robles, CA 93465. “Our tasting room is open daily from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. Walk ins are always welcome! Reservations to taste can be made on the website using the RESERVATIONS tab at the top of the page. Tastings cost $25 per flight and are waived with a two-bottle purchase. If your group is larger than 6 guests, please call the winery to check on availability: 805-227-0382. For parties of 8 or more, there is a non-refundable $10 service fee per person.“

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Decanting Monterey Tells All: Introducing New Monterey Wines and Wine Regions in DC!

Last week, I had the opportunity to present Monterey wines to my old wine group one more time. It is always an honor to be asked back. I do this class about once a year and am always glad to see my old wine friends. What I didn’t expect was almost a full house!  There were a lot of new faces in the room – including my daughter and a few of her friends.

But – before I go on, Decanting Monterey has hit another milestone: 10,000 views! This is huge! I have each and every one of my readers to thank for this achievement. I appreciate you so much.

What do I look for in a local wine to present? First of all, quality – it has to be a very tasty, good quality wine.  But, right along with taste is its price. The wine budgets for these nonprofit classes are always tight.  As wine and shipping prices rise, these get harder and harder to pull off.  You see, I don’t want to present them grocery store wines. And I don’t just want to present good value wines. Rather, I like to present delicious wines from wineries I know directly.  I like the personal aspect of developing relationships and sharing stories.  And I like the challenge of the hunt to find the very best wines to fit the budget. This time, I presented two Gold Medal wines – the audience really loved that. And the fact that most of our local wineries will ship out of state is a plus – the audience can go directly to the winery and order more.

Our local wineries are always quite generous to me. They give me steep discounts on their wine (sometimes they donate wine, even!) in return for me giving their wines visibility to a new audience. I’m so grateful. Shipping was probably the biggest wildcard this year. It varied from a winery that could give me a deal ($30) on shipping to those who can’t catch a break (over $70!).  I considered checking out a big box store there to see what they carry, but that runs counter to my m.o.  I also keep the audience in mind: I don’t like presenting an expensive class, but the high attendance last week for the most expensive class I have presented to date shows I should worry less about this. 

I’m already starting to think how I will put together another class for them next year.  I am watching the sales and shipping bargains.  It is too soon and too hot to ship now, but the wheels are turning. Readers:  Got any recommendations??  Please comment!

THE CLASS ITSELF

I start these classes by ensuring everyone knows where Monterey County is – about 2 hours south of San Francisco and just north of the Paso Robles wine growing area.  I talk about the fact we are a cool wine growing region, thanks to the influence of the frigid and deep Monterey Bay.  I talk about the Thermal Rainbow® – our grapevines which expeirence high valley temperatures during the summer days are brought relief by the afternoon winds coming off the bay which both stress and cool the vines – with accompanying fog to keep them from getting too cold overnight.

I give them our stats, which I obtain from the Monterey Vintners and Growers Association website – my go-to website for everything Monterey wine. I also read the crop reports myself (funny, no one else in the room reads crop reports 😊).  I noted our grape-growing acreage has dropped a bit (perhaps from the wildfires?), dropping us to the 5th largest in the state, just behind Napa.  And that we remain the largest producer of Chardonnay in the U.S. and the largest producer of Pinot Noir in California. I mentioned the recent Santa Lucia Highlands Sun, Wind & Wine Festival event and highlighted how many of the wineries present were from outside the county (more to come on that event in the upcoming weeks). Some 50% of our grapes are purchased from outside the county.

I like to present wines from our different Monterey County American Viticultural Areas (AVAs).  For the first time I presented one from San Antonio Valley AVA, which gave me a great launching point on our wine growing origins starting in the 1770s with the Franciscan missionaries. And, from there, our history as to how we got to modern winemaking in the region.

In the last couple of years, I have added a section on climate change to my presentations.  We talk about the devastating impact of the wildfires in 2020, the heat spike just before harvest in 2022, and all that rain this past winter.  It’s real, folks.

I highlight the ease and affordability of coming to Monterey to taste wine.  Armed with our tasting room brochures provided by Kim Stemler of the Monterey Vintners and Growers Association, I invite them all to visit.

In this class, I focused on three wine growing areas in the county: Arroyo Seco, San Antonio Valley, and one “technically” from Monterey. Much of the information below is distilled from the AVA website above.

I have presented Arroyo Seco AVA wines to them many times before, which literally means “dry riverbed.” With maps available on the tables, I was able to describe the steep, narrow gorge, where Bordeaux varietals prosper, opening out to the Salinas Valley floor, more appropriate for Burgundian varietals. Arroyo Seco experiences harsh weather conditions varying from warm days to windy, foggy and cold nights. I mostly enjoy the white wines from Arroyo Seco, but I have been pleasantly surprised by bold and big reds produced from grapes in the gorge as well as from the valley floor. In this class, I presented wines from Chesebro, Corral, and Shale Canyon – both from the valley floor and the gorge.

It was my pleasure to be able to bring them a wine from the San Antonio Valley AVA for the first time. Although it is one of the oldest wine growing areas in California, it is one of the youngest AVAs in Monterey County, established in 2006. A mere 25 miles north of Paso Robles, it is in the southern part of the county, nestled in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Range. It has great variance in elevation – from 580 to 2800 feet, and its soils are primarily gravelly loam and clay. Due to its warmer climate, it is an excellent growing area for full-bodied Rhône, Bordeaux, as well as Portuguese & Spanish, varietals.

The last wine growing area I presented was the Monterey AVA, in this case a bit of a catch-all.  As vintner Mark Bunter is quoted as saying, “In one of the many examples of AVA nonsense, this vineyard, a mile outside Carmel Valley Village, isn’t in the Carmel Valley AVA, although vineyards 10 miles away, in Cachagua valley, are. So legally it’s not Carmel Valley wine, it’s Monterey wine. Whatever.” A new Carmel Coast AVA is coming soon to capture this gap!

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE WINES!

In today’s post, I will showcase the 5 wines presented in my class. Winery notes come from their tasting sheets, the bottles, and/or their websites.  My notes are from my previous tastings of these wines. Any errors are mine and mine alone.

CHESEBRO: “With lots of 300 cases or less, and a penchant for offbeat, as well as mainstream varietals, Chesebro’s production may be small, but the effort is prolific. We are passionate about true varietal expression, as well as preserving the unique voice of each vineyard site, from soil to glass. All of our wines are made solely from our vineyards in the Arroyo Seco and Carmel Valley AVA’s.

“This connection to every every aspect from vine to bottle allows us to keep our quality high and prices affordable. Our commitment to wines of distinction will be evident from your first visit to our casual and welcoming tasting room in beautiful Carmel Valley Village. Come find out what artisan wines, lovingly farmed and made by hand, truly taste like.”

2020 Chesebro Vermentino, Cedar Lane Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, 13.1 ABV, $23 (#991)

Winery Notes: “A unique Italian (and French) white variety typically found in Corsica, Sardina and Liguira. Smooth and light on the palate with mouthwatering acidity. It is aromatically complex with citrus, herbal and often floral notes. Versatile and fresh it can be a great pairing with many lighter dishes such as poultry, fish, vegetables and fresh cheeses.”

My Notes: Straw in the glass. Perfume of apricot and citrus blossom on the nose. Crisp palate with apple and pear flavors with a slightly bitter grapefruit/lime twist on the finish. (March 2023)

CORRAL WINE CO: “Corral Wine Company is a production of Bell Family Vineyards. In 2017, in a barn in Corral de Tierra, California, we barreled our first batch of estate Pinot Noir. We’re still in that same barn, but we’ve made even more varietals from some of the best grapes on the Central Coast.”

2020 Corral Sauvignon Blanc, Zabala Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, 13.4% ABV, $28 (#943)

Winery Notes: “Vibrant aromas of guava & grapefruit dominate with fresh cut hay, lemon blossom and wet stone. Racing acidity with a pleasant minerality.”

My Review: Golden and viscous in the glass. Grilled pineapple, citrus blossom and guava on the fragrant nose. Rich palate of tropical flavors, a touch of sweetness, with minerality on the finish – very nice. February 2023 (At the event itself, we experienced bottle variation. I have used this wine in other classes before with no issues. I have tasted this wine subsequent to this class and it was perfectly fine.)

SHALE CANYON WINES: Current production is ~1000+ cases/year. Arroyo Seco. They grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah & Mourvèdre. Making classic and unique blends, such as our current favorite ZSM: Zinfandel, Syrah & Mourvèdre.

2017 Shale Canyon Cabernet Franc, Arroyo Seco AVA, 14.2% ABV, $35 (#948)

Winery Notes: “Best of Class and Best of Show for $31 to $50 range at the 2023 4th annual International Cabernet Franc Competition! Our 2017 Estate Cabernet Franc starts with aromas of dark fruit, slight oak and a touch of floral. A complex wine with flavors of dark cherry, dark berry and cassis. A finish of vanilla with a hint of leather and medium firm tannins.

“Cabernet Franc is one of the world’s top 20 most popular grape varieties. Recent DNA testing has proven it to be an ancestor to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère and Malbec. It is so popular that is has its own “wine” holiday, International Cabernet Day is celebrated August 30th.”

My Review: Dark ruby in the glass. A sweet blackberry nose. Smooth and yummy palate of dark, lean fruit. Very balanced. This wine was a huge hit in the wine class, including my own daughter asking that we ship her a case! I’m working on it. March 2023

PIERCE RANCH VINEYARDS: “The story behind Pierce Ranch Vineyards is a love story of wine shared amongst friends and our beloved community. It starts in the iconic vineyards of southern Monterey County’s San Antonio Valley appellation in the year 2000. There is a depth to the terrain that exposes the remarkable quality of the region. A small, family-owned affair, we bring a sentimental spirit to viniculture, to honoring the land, and to cultivating and harvesting the grapes in the late summer and fall. The romanticism of crush and the sweeping vineyards flows into our cozy tasting room. What began as a cottage house built in 1915 has become a space where our community meets in the magical garden and rustic indoor setting to taste the ambrosial wine with a unique focus on Portuguese and Spanish varieties. It’s a love story that never ends, poetry in a bottle that starts with respect of the land and the community by never using herbicides and only using native yeasts with minimal intervention. It is a dedication to the vines and attention to the grapes so they continue to thrive with the years.”

2017 Pierce Ranch Tempranillo, San Antonio Valley AVA, 13.1% ABV, $28 (#236)

Winery Notes: “Native of the Rioja, product of our Panhandle and Y Ranch Vineyard plantings. Received a Gold/Best Tempranillo award in Monterey County.”

My Review: Beautiful garnet in the glass with plum and violet notes.  Has come into its time: rich finish of dark fruit, coca cola, licorice and cassis. While not the biggest Tempranillo around, it is delicious and drinking very well. I should have presented this wine before the Cabernet Franc, as it was overshadowed by that huge wine. March 2023

BUNTER SPRING WINERY: “Bunter Spring Winery is a small family operated winery in the Coombsville AVA in the southeast corner of Napa Valley.  We also have some production in Monterey.  Most vintages we make a few hundred cases of wine, mostly for ourselves, but also for sale to friends on our mailing list, and a few restaurants and wine shops.  Why make wine?  We just don’t care for many of the wines sold today. We make the kind of wine we want to drink: balanced, interesting, made with few or no additives, and low or no sulfite. We list all ingredients, the actual sulfite level, and the actual alcohol level on every label.  Incredibly, NO OTHER WINERY DOES THAT…”

2018 Spring “Pizza Wine,” Highlands Vineyard, Monterey AVA, 14.96% ABV, $24 (#757)65% Zinfandel, 35% Syrah

Winery Notes: “You can drink this with burgers, too, or with nothing at all, but it’s really good with pizza and spicy pasta.  Aged sixteen months in American oak barrels.  Ingredients: grapes, water, yeast, tartaric acid, sulfite.  Not filtered, not fined.  At bottling: total sulfite 52 ppm, residual sugar 0.3 g/l (dry).”

“In this vineyard, rows marked “Zinfandel” are promiscuously punctuated with Syrah and other varieties. Monterey is hardly a byword to Zin groupies, and the wine struck me as intensely fruit punchy but otherwise didn’t remind me much of Zinfandel, so I finished the job they started in the vineyard, and blended in more Syrah, to get a deeper, darker wine, with fuller body yet less alcohol. Yes, less alcohol. Believe it or not.” 16 months in once-used American oak barrels.

My Review: Very dark in color. Sweet dark fruit and perfume on the nose. Jammy dark berries and a touch of alcohol on the palate. This wine was favorably received by the class and is one of my favorites. It’s not as sophisticated as some of his other wines, but, as a ‘Zin groupie” living in Monterey, I appreciate it. I have presented this wine in 2 of my DC-area classes. June 2022

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Spur of the Moment Wine Experience at A Taste of Monterey

Out for a long walk with an out-of-town neighbor, we decided to stop into briefly at A Taste of Monterey, where my neighbor is a member. I’ve written previously about A Taste of Monterey here: https://decantingmonterey.com/a-taste-of-monterey-the-official-regional-wine-visitors-center/.

As I said in that post, A Taste of Monterey is a great place to start if you don’t know much about our local wines.  It calls itself ““The Official” Regional Wine Visitors’ Center.” They have an extensive wine shop in the front, plenty of tasting flights to choose from, and food pairings to accompany your tasting.  You will find wines from our established wineries, such as Pierce Ranch, Scheid, and Silvestri; as well as Kori Wines and Cru, all of which have their own local tasting rooms. In addition, you will find some micro producers who don’t have tasting rooms of their own. Plus they have huge picture windows with bayfront views – perfect for sighting otters or watching a sunset.

About Muirwood: “WINES CRAFTED WITH CARE FROM MONTEREY COUNTY’S RENOWNED ARROYO SECO VINEYARDS”

“The Zaninovich family has deep farming roots, spanning nearly a century. In the early 1970s, we were captivated by the raw beauty and exceptional potential of the undiscovered Arroyo Seco wine region in Monterey County. Today this area has emerged as one of California’s most celebrated wine-growing regions, and among the most breathtaking.

“We are inspired by the legacy of John Muir, who sought to preserve the wilderness for future generations. With four generations of California farming in harmony with nature, we have great respect for this land we call home. Like John Muir, we take a long-term perspective. We believe in nurturing the land so that it may bear fruit for generations to come.

“The Arroyo Seco is located southeast of the Monterey Bay in the valley adjacent to the Arroyo Seco Creek, we’re lucky to enjoy a unique combination of growing conditions and soils which create grapes with character and flavor. We get a richness and quality of grapes that you don’t find anywhere else.”

About Pareto Estate Wines: “The Pareto Principle, also called the 80/20 rule, states that 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort. This is true in the world of wine, where 80% of wine is consumed by 20% of the people. With Pareto’s Estate, we raise our glasses to those of us that take up the slack of others. Cheers to the 20%!

“The vineyards of Pareto’s Estate are located in Monterey County on California’s central coast. This area is known for having the longest growing season in California, lasting on average about two weeks longer than other regions.  We thank the early morning fogs and gusty afternoon winds for this fortunate phenomenon – it wreaks havoc on women’s hairdos but the grapes love it.

“We also pay homage to the awesome influence of the Monterey Bay, for without its plummeting depth of over 10,000 feet, the fog, chilly air and reliable breezes wouldn’t exist.  And without them, Monterey doesn’t win the prize for longest hang time.  And without longest hang time, the impeccable fruit that bursts with vibrant aromas and complex flavors would be….let’s not even go there.

“A few other facts you should know.  At Pareto’s Estate, our wines are 100% estate grown.  Estate grown means that the grapes are grown on our vineyards and are crushed each vintage at our winery.  Nobody else gets to touch them.  Nobody.  Yes, we’re control freaks.  Another tidbit is that our winery is a thing of beauty.  Built in 2005, it is state-of-the-art and absolutely gorgeous if you’re into that sort of thing, which we are.  One last factoid – our vineyards are 100% sustainably certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.  We love our vines and take care of them…”

About Comanche Cellars: “My name is Michael Simons, and what started as a love affair with wine has turned into a passion for producing small lots of very handcrafted wines from neighboring vineyards.  Our tiny (1,800 cases) winery is named after Comanche, my horse when I was ten years old. He was an important part of a young life, and I use his name as a loving tribute to this old friend. These days, I ride a bicycle, and since this love affair with wine turned into a full-blown obsession, finding time for riding anything can be tough. But I still think of Comanche often, and am proud that his name and shoes are on every bottle of my wine. Maybe those horseshoes will bring you some good luck!

“Comanche Cellars is on California’s Monterey Peninsula, where we take advantage of the incredible wealth of vineyards that can be found in almost every direction. All throughout the Santa Lucia Highlands, Arroyo Seco, San Antonio Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains AVA’s, there are winegrowers and winemakers producing incredibly beautiful wines that, we think, can and will rival the best the world has to offer. We’re happy to be in the sweet spot right now, as Wine Enthusiast recently named Monterey as one of the Top 5 winegrowing regions worldwide!

“Saddle up, come along for the ride, and see for yourself what all the buzz is about. Just give us a call or drop us an email.”

Today I am presenting the 3 wines we tasted in March. We each selected a different flight – I chose the Rockin’ Reds Flight. The winery has since moved on with a different set of 3 reds for this flight. Winery notes come from the winery, unless otherwise stated. Any errors are mine and mine alone. 

2019 Muirwood Merlot, Arroyo Seco AVA, 13.5% ABV, $15 (#988)

Winery Notes: Winemaking: French & American oak aging, careful barrel selection & blending process. Vineyards/Fruit: Wiley Ranch “Twin Oaks” Block:  Elegant, balanced; Wiley Ranch “Vaquero” Block:  Ripe, rich. Flavor Profile: Dark plum and ripe berries, soft & smooth finish. Food Pairings: Pizza Margherita, Classic Meatloaf.

Wine Enthusiast – 88 points: Dark cherry and cedar aromas make for a familiar start to this bottling. Hearty dark fruits show on the palate as well, with splash of wood oil and a fairly fierce acidity. Matt Kettmann, October 2021

My Review: Almost purple in the glass. Plum on the dusty, mellow, pleasant nose. Perfume and grapes notes. Juicy palate of blackberry, blueberry. So smooth. Best of today’s wines. March 2023

2018 Pareto Estate Wines Eighty20 Cabernet Sauvignon, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $17 (#989)

Winery Notes: “NOSE blackberries, blueberries, plum, with notes of vanilla and mocha. PALATE medium-bodied, soft tannins, rich lingering fruit finish. VARIETAL Cabernet Sauvignon. WINE Cabernet Sauvignon from the southern Monterey region, just north of Paso Robles, benefits from long, warm days and cool nights as well as modest rainfall. The result is big, bright, fruit-driven wine with rich tannins and a long finish.”

My Review:  Dark ruby. Barnyard on the nose, with rose petal and light cherry notes. Palate of smooth fruits. Hints of barnyard, yet quite tasty. It opened up over the course of the tasting. March 2023

2020 Comanche Tempranillo, Pierce Ranch Vineyard, San Antonio Valley AVA, $34 (#989)

Winery Notes: This special Spanish grape creates a wine that is bold and spicy. Aged in 50% new American oak barrels, it brings aromas of dark cherry, smoked meats and a long satisfying finish.

My Review: Almost garnet/ruby in color. Tart cranberry and raspberry on the nose. Spicy mouthful of berries and dark cherry. Lively palate. I enjoyed this wine. March 2023

You can visit  A Taste of Monterey at 700 Cannery Row, Ste. KK, Monterey, CA – 93940. They are open Sunday-Thursday 12pm-6pm; Friday-Saturday 12pm-7pm. You can also buy the wines they carry on their website! Comanche’s tasting room is located at 412 Alvarado Street, Monterey, and is open Tues-Thurs 4-8 pm, Fri 3-9 pm, Sat 1-9 pm, ​Sun 1-6 pm.

​

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Beautiful Villa of San Martino: Wine Tasting in Tuscany Part 2

This is part 2 of my wine tasting experiences recent Road Scholar trip to Italy.  You can read the first one here.

As I mentioned last week, I had a few big takeaways: 1) There will be a lot of varietals in these wines with which I am not familiar, 2) the wines will reflect the vine’s origins, the local terroir, and the weather – we should not expect them to taste the same as American versions of the same varietals, and 3) there is a Strada del Vino e dell’Olio in the region that I learned about from our tour director and got to experience. The wineries we visited made both wine and olive oil.

Today’s writeup is about Fabbrica di San Martino, located on the property of an historic villa built by Count Lorenzo Sardi, just north of Lucca. We first toured the vineyard with Giuseppi Ferrua, who, with his wife Giovanna Tronci, runs San Martino – a luxury accommodation and producer of fine wine and olive oil. His online bio is a concise version of what he shared with us that day: “Restaurant manager for twenty-two years, I’ve always worked with great passion for food and wine. I do believe wine has the power to overcome any geographical boundary, touching one’s soul. Wine moves me, this is why in 1999 I began to produce mine. I truly believe in biodynamic farming, because every day I can see its results on the quality of the soil and our products. Our wines are the result of our work and love for nature. My Motto: How do you recognize a good wine? People smile when they taste it!” I sure hope we smiled, because we really liked his wines. You can read more about his approach to winemaking here.

As we overlooked the vineyards, Giuseppe stated very clearly that the wines should be an expression of the varietal, earth and weather. He talked about the influence of the marine climate and, as we recall, the clay and calcareous soil on his grapes. All his wines are made using only the natural yeast from the grapes. He also provided some interesting tips on winemaking, if my notes are correct:  Don’t prune in an ascending moon and seed in a descending moon. 

We then toured the ground floor of the historic villa, part of their home and property. On the property is also luxury accommodations in a converted farm house where groups or individuals can stay.  It is a lovely setting with beautiful views and a huge pool.

After our tour, we tasted 4 of his wines accompanied by a little cheese and bread.  This was the quintessential Tuscan wine tasting experience with excellent wines and instruction. Although San Martino wines are distributed in the US, we were glad we ordered a case of the wines shipped home – I have yet to find where they are available here. My bottom line: I would highly recommend San Martino as a must-do wine tasting experience if you are in the Pisa/Lucca region. 

About the Estate: “The history of many villas in Lucca is deeply rooted in agriculture as, since the Middle Ages, wealthy aristocrats have invested in land. The estates used to be organized around two independent elements: the main villa, with the garden and the groves; the farmhouses, the productive heart of the estate, where the various agricultural activities were carried out.

“La Fabbrica di San Martino is a splendid testimony of this past: the estate extends over 20 hectares. Vineyards, olive groves and forest, which surround a magnificent 18th century Villa. The manor house, built by Count Lorenzo Sardi in 1735, is based on the foundations of a rustic structure from the 1500’s. The Baroque Villa is considered one of the most important of the 18th century in Lucca.

“Our family, through different generations, has always tried to preserve the story of our estate and territory. Today, we work with the same respect for this tradition.”

Today I am presenting the 4 wines we tasted in April.  It was very difficult to find winery or any other tasting notes on these wines.  Small producer, with a long reach.  I am looking forward to sharing his wines with friends in the near future!

2022 San Martino Rosato, Costa Toscana IGT, 12.5% ABV, $20 (#984) Sangiovese

My Review: Strong reddish-pink in color, like a slightly brown, pale strawberry, watermelon or a Rainer cherry. Sweet floral, honey, and strawberry jam on the nose. Strawberry and watermelon on the palate.  Tasty. April 2023

2021 San Martino Bianco, Costa Toscana IGT, 12% ABV, $24 (#985) Vermentino, Trebbiano, Malvasia Bianca

My Review:  Golden in the glass. Earthy nose, with rich earthy flavors on the palate. Pairs well with pecorino. Grew on me over time. We took some home to try later. April 2023

2021 San Martino Rosso, Costa Toscana IGT, 12% ABV, $23 (#986) 14 grapes

My Review: Candy red in the glass – like a pinot. Fresh aroma with cinnamon notes. Tasty blend with fruit flavors and a spicy finish. I liked this wine. We shipped some home. April 2023

2017 San Martino Colline Lucchesi Rosso Riserva, Colline Lucchesi DOC, 12.5% ABV, $26 (#987) Sangiovese + 3

My Review:  Garnet in the glass. Red fruit on the nose. Solid tannic structure. Favorite of the day. We purchased 3 vintages of this wine for shipping so we can do a vertical tasting with friends. Favorite wine of the weekend.  April 2023

Tasting San Martino Wines: “We think it is better to present our products here, in our estate, where customers and guests can see how we work every day. We believe this is the best way to promote our land, its unique history and tradition. On request, it is possible to book wine tasting. Giuseppe, who takes personal care of every step of the production, will guide you through a walk in the vineyard and the wine cellar; to conclude with a toast in the Villa.” Email: info@fabbricadisanmartino.it

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Enzo Carmignani:  Wine Tasting in the Hills of Montecarlo

In Tuscany with long-time friends for a cooking class with Road Scholar, we found ourselves in the middle of the Strada del Vino e dell’Olio of Lucca. As part of our tour, we visited 2 wineries for vineyard and winery tours, followed by tastings of both wines and extra virgin olive oil. In both instances, these tiny, family run wineries ship to the US. Since I started Decanting Monterey almost 3 years ago, I haven’t been writing about wines outside of the Central Coast of California, but I am making an exception for these two posts.

I had a few big takeaways: 1) There will be a lot of varietals in these wines with which I am not familiar, 2) the wines will reflect the vine’s origins, the local terroir, and the weather – we should not expect them to taste the same as American versions of the same varietals, and 3) we learned about the Strada del Vino e dell’Olio in Lucca. The wineries we visited made both wine and olive oil.

Today’s writeup is about Fattoria Enzo Carmignani, in the hills overlooking Montecarlo in operation since 1338!  They are very proud of achieving Montecarlo DOC for some of their wines. Our group tasted 8 wines with a “light lunch” – which was actually small food pairings with each wine.  The food pairings were perfect and delicious.  And they had very reasonable shipping fees to the US, with a minimum 6-bottle purchase. If you are ever out that way, I would recommend this stop for the overall experience.  These are not high-end Tuscan wines, but show you what a small, family operation can do.

The Strade del Vino in Tuscany “…offer not just a real road map but also a suggested list of producers located along the route who are committed to respecting their heritage with quality products. This is a fast and easy way to find places to stop for wine tasting those who are enthusiastic about an authentic experience.

“The hills, valleys, small towns and large cities in Tuscany, such as the famous wines of Chianti, Montepulciano, Montalcino, and Val d’Orcia, are the caretakers of local traditions and recipes which exalt the natural goodness of its land. When a visitor to the region decides to follow one of these “strade“, then they choose to wind and curve through a landscape which connects wine, olive oil and distinct flavors with its folklore, warm hospitality and culture.

“The region of Tuscany requires that the creation of the “roads of wine, oil, and flavors” follow strict regulations to guarantee the integrity of the products and safeguard the reputation from imitations & inferior quality.

“Reaching from the north of Tuscany near Lucca and the mountains of Lunigiana to the southern borders of the Colli di Maremma and Montecucco, each different itinerary was established to give a “voice” to those who firmly believe that these products represent more than just an economic resource, but rather a way of life to be protected and shared, especially for guests to the region searching for the culture of good wine and food.

“The “strade” or roads include more than just wine extending to cover a long list of products such as extra virgin olive oil and a wide range of special recipes, honey, saffron, chestnuts and even treasured and secret recipes for sweets, cheeses, kinds of pasta, and main courses…”

About Montecarlo: “Montecarlo is an ancient medieval hamlet placed in the Tuscan “province” of Lucca, which together with the surrounding town councils of Altopascio, Capannori and Porcari bound the production zone of one of the oldest wines in Tuscany… Montecarlo wine is full of history; almost surely the grape-vine had already been cultivated in this zone since Etruscan and Roman times. The ancient name of Montecarlo was “Vivinaia”, and according to the learning people, this name comes from “Vinaria Street”, the street which joined the Cassia and the Romea Street. This was a famous “Street of Wine” which went through the hill, whose slopes were already covered by Trebbiano vineyards, which gave origin to a really appreciated wine…

“The wine producing tradition in Montecarlo went farther on and at the end of the 1800 the wine growing culture remarkably improved, thanks to the eagerness of a good wine grower from Lucca, Giulio Magnani, who brought to Italy some French species of vines (White Pinot, Roussane, Sauvignon and Semillon) in order to improve the Tuscan Trebbiano; so new Montecarlo was originated from these innovations and was made according to the “French tradition” (French style). Subsequently other wine producers followed in his footsteps and imitated both the mixed vintage and its vinification.

“In 1969 the white wine from Montecarlo obtained the official reward of controlled denomination of origin D.O.C. (awarded to wine of outstanding quality) and in 1985 even the red wine obtained the same appellation.

“As for the vineyards and wineries, a strong activity of renewal and updating in technological developments has recently taken place in order to let the small production reach the highest trade standards by now requested by the World Market…

About Enzo Carmignani: “Fattoria Enzo Carmignani has been part of the Montecarlo village since 1386. Its history dates back to ancient times in wine and extra virgin olive oil production, devoting attention and respect to traditional methods of production. Today Elena Carmignani – together with her husband Mauro – takes care of the production, combining traditions with modern techniques, searching for excellence in their vines.”

Today I am presenting the 8 wines we tasted in April.  Winery notes come from their website. You can see the price sheet for the added cost for shipping to the US, with a minimum of a 6-bottle half case.  It is a very good shipping price. You can also order from their website, with a minimum of 6 bottles of single wine.

2020 Carmignani Tentazione Chardonnay, Toscana IGT  13.5% ABV, $28 (#976)

Winemaker’s Notes: “Tentazione IGT is made from Chardonnay (90%) and Pinot gris (10%) grapes harvested in mid-August.  The fermentation is made in stainless steel vats. This pale yellow coloured wine has got fruity aromas of citrus, white mulberry and undergrowth, a good persistence of taste and it expresses itself perfectly if combined with grilled fish, munière plaice and seafood risotto.”

 My Review: Light golden in color. Mostly Chardonnay and a little Pinot Gris. Pineapple and canteloup, on the nose. Melon on the palate with a slightly bitter finish. April 2023

2020 Carmignani Urano Sauvignon Blanc, Toscana IGT, 13.5% ABV, $28 (#977)

Winemaker’s Notes: “This delicious wine is made from 100% sauvignon blanc grapes harvested in mid-September. After the fermentation in stainless steel vats, the wine remains in the bottle for 3-4 months. The colour is bright straw-yellow. The nose reveals a good intensity with the characteristic aromas of passion fruit, litchis and pineapple, and grassy notes of tomato leaf. Good minerality. In the mouth its intense, fresh and fruity. Tasty. It can be combined with crab and shrimps as well as fried chicken and the classic “Milanese cutlet”.”

 My Review:  Straw to light in the glass. Grilled pineapple on the nose. Pineapple on the light palate with earthy flavors mid palate and a lemony finish. April 2023

2021 Carmignani Montecarlo Bianco, Montecarlo DOC, 13.5% ABV, $22 (#978) 40% Trebbiano, 10% ea: Semillon, Roussane, Vermentino, Malvasia Bianca, Sauvignon, Chardonnay

Winemaker’s Notes: “Our winery is the only one to use seven different varieties of grapes to produce this traditional wine of the area. The grapes are Trebbiano, Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, Vermentino, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon and Roussanne. The fermentation takes place in steel at a controlled temperature, followed by the refinement on the fine lees with weekly batonnage for 3/4 months. In the following spring it is bottled and aged for 2/3 months. Straw yellow coloured with greenish hues, it has an intense, fruity and mineral aroma, with floral hints of broom. In the mouth the wine delights the palate with its fresh and soft taste of yellow pulp fruits and kikinger. Good combination with white meats and grilled fish.” 

 My Review: Straw in the glass. White blossom, peach, cantaloupe and a touch of Gorgonzola on the nose. Flavors dance on the palate – my favorite white. April 2023

Carmignani Kapogiro Rose, Toscana IGT, $27 (#979) 35% Syrah, 35% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot

Winemaker’s Notes: “The rose perfumed Sangiovese, plummy Merlot and spicy Sirah give this rosè wine a refreshing perfume of red flowers,  berries and melon with hints of cream. Harvested in mid-September, fermented under controlled temperature and refined on fine lees for about 4-5 months, it has a pleasant and refreshing taste, supported by a good acidity and a delicate flavor of red berries. Its beautiful peel onion colour caresses the sight. Serve at 10°C combined with appetizers, white meat, Parma or Tuscan ham with melon, shrimp cocktail.”

 My Review:  Pale salmon in the glass. A sweet bouquet followed strawberry and candied fruit on the palate. Nice wine. April 2023

2019 Carmignani Intrigo Chardonnay, Toscana IGT, 14% ABV, $39 (#980)

Winemaker’s Notes: “Our Intrigo is made from 100% chardonnay grapes and aged in Hungarian acacia barrels for eight months. These barrels, instead of covering the typical citrus taste of the grape, exalts  and completes it. After being bottled, the wine rests for another six months. It has got an intense straw yellow colour. At the nose it reveals notes of acacia honey, yellow plum and natural vanilla. The wine is fresh, tasty and round: the yellow plum note comes back as well as the natural vanilla, leaving in the mouth a pleasant perfume of acacia flowers. Wonderful if paired with medium-aged cheese, grilled meat and fish” 

 My Review:  Golden in the glass. Caramel on the nose. Very strong flavors and toasty oak on the palate. April 2023

2021 Carmignani Montecarlo Rosso, Montecarlo DOC, 13.5% ABV, $22 (#981) 50% Sangiovese, 10% ea: Marlavsia Rossa, Canaiolo, Cilliegiolo, Merlot, Syrah

Winemaker’s Notes: “Montecarlo Rosso DOC is made from six different grapes: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malvasia nera. The grapes are harvested at the beginning of October and fermented at a temperature between 28°C and 30°C for 12-14 days. The wine remains in stainless steel vats  for 6 -7 months after the fermentation and another 3-4 months in the bottle. The taste is quite intense and fragrant with perfumes of cherry, rose and raspberry. With its pleasant and refreshing taste and its good structure, it matches perfectly with grilled beef, meat sauce, meat stews and the traditional “Tordellilucchesi”.” 

 My Review: Garnet in the glass. Alcohol and back cherry on the nose. Spicy on the palate. Cherry on the palate. Very dry finish. Seemed that the alcohol was not in balance. April 2023

2019 Carmignani Theorema, Toscana IGT, 14.5% ABV, $33 (#982) 30% ea: Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon; 10% Sangiovese

Winemaker’s Notes: “The harvest is in early October and after the fermentation, the wine ages in French oak barrels for 18 months. Once bottled, it rests in the bottle for another six months. Its colour is intense ruby red with orange nuances. It perfumes of ripened blueberries, black cherry, black pepper, vanilla, butter, tamarind and tobacco leaves. Pair with wild boar, game, stews and mature cheese.”

 My Review:  Inky in the glass. Alcohol and dark red fruit on the nose. Rustic. A bit cooked fruit on the palate and alcoholic finish. This has potential, probably our favorite wine of the day. April 2023

2015 Carmignani Vin Santo, Montecarlo DOC, 16% ABV, $33 (#983) 90% Trebbiano, 10% Colombana

Winemaker’s Notes: “This traditional sweet wine from the province of Lucca is made of Trebbiano and Colombana grapes harvested in late October. The grapes are dried on reed mats for three months. After pressing, it ferments naturally and ages in small wooden barrels called “Caratelli” for four years. This procedure gives the wine its typical amber colour and gives it its compex aromas of honey, caramel, tropical fruits and peanuts. In the mouth it develops its fantastic taste of dried pineapple, figs and apricot as well as acacia honey and hazelnut, never being excessively sweet thanks to its good acidity. Good when paired with mature cheese, almond desserts, hazelnut cookies.”

 My Review: Dark caramel color in the glass. Sweet nose of caramel and alcohol. My notes are a little skimpy by this point in the tasting, but I recall liking this wine. April 2023

Tasting Carmignani Wines: I’ve included a link to their tasting options – definitely worth a visit if you are in the area – and take a tour of Montecarlo before or after your tasting.  I think we did the Sensory tasting and would recommend that or the Light Lunch if you make it there.

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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