THE STORY
We recently had a wine pick-up out in Carmel Valley, so we packed up our extremely large pup and headed out. We started our day at Corral Wine Co. The tasting menu had plenty of new things to try – plus a revisit of previous favorites – their 2024 Sauvignon Blanc and 2022 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir. Today’s post will be focused on the new wines we tried.
And – newsflash – we finally joined their wine club! While Corral is one of the wineries which has generously recognized my industry status, I was not invited to their member parties. Out of respect for their wines and those elusive parties, we are now members! We had been talking about it for years, and this tasting sealed the deal.
My last post about Corral Wine Co. was here: American Wine Society Monterey Chapter Scopes Out Corral’s Fabulous New Outdoor Space! I’ve written about them several times – just type “Corral” in the Decanting Monterey search bar.
THE WINERY
From their website: “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.
“We’re a family-owned operations – we’re not fancy, but we make good wine.”
THE WINES
Today I am presenting 5 Corral Wine Co. wines. Winery notes come from the tasting sheet or their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ notes.
2024 Corral Estate Rose of Pinot Noir, Bell Ranch Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, $36 (#1741)
Winery Notes: “Vibrant aromas of strawberry, raspberry tea, honeydew melon, and white peach with hints of ed fruit. The aromas lead way into flavors of watermelon, passion fruit, and citrus with hint of white peach and mandarin on the palate.”
My Review: Pale peach in the glass. Mellow nose, with melon, citrus, and rose petal notes. Slightly tart on the palate with a slightly citrusy finish. March 2026
2023 Corral Chardonnay, Monterey County, $44 (#1742)
Winery Notes: “Aromas of grilled pineapple, lemon custard with hints of apple and pear. Subtle notes of baking spices, toasted vanilla, and roasted nuts. On the palate, Meyer lemon, green apple, and white peach. Hints of honey and vanilla with a creamy texture enhanced by a nice long oily finish.”
My Review: Golden in the glass with toast and caramel on the nose. Heavy toast on the palate, slightly bitter finish. March 2026
2022 Corral Pinot Noir Canyon Springs, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, $64 (#1743)
Winery Notes: “Aromas of dark fruit, dried fig, and earthiness complimented by cedar with hints of sweet baking spices and hazelnut. The use of French oak barrels integrate soft tannins on its long finish.”
My Review: Such different fruit and terroir after just tasting the SLH Pinot Noir. Caramel on the nose. A leaner palate and slightly vegetal with a tannic finish. March 2026
2022 Corral Tres Amigos Red Blend, Central Coast, 14.2% ABV, $56 (#1744) 40% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petite Sirah
Winery Notes: “With aromas of Strawberry, plum, baking spices, black pepper, and sage finishing with a dark toast. This wines soft, fine grained tannins bring the structure and toasty aromatics and flavor.”
My Review: Rose petals, orange and cranberry on the nose. Rich palate of crushed fruit with a nice mouth feel and a slightly bitter finish. I guessed it had some grenache in the mix. A tasty blend. March 2026.
2022 Corral Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles AVA, $87 (#1745)
Winery Notes: “Aromas of bing cherry, plum, and spices with hints of peppercorn, cedar, wilder herbs, leather, and a dusty finish. With rich flavors of plum, blueberry cobbler, dark chocolate, violets, and hints of tobacco leaf.”
My Review: Purple in the glass. Clove on the nose. Rich palate with eucalyptus notes. I like this wine. March 2026
THE TASTING ROOM
“We’d love to pour for you at our Tasting Room in Carmel Valley Village: 19 East Carmel Valley Rd. Suite A, Carmel Valley, CA”
Open Sunday – Thursday 12-5 p.m., Friday – Saturday 12-6-ish p.m.
© Decanting Monterey 2026
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