THE STORY
In May, I dropped by the Parsonage tasting room and was astonished it had taken down its parklet and beautifully redesigned its interior to accommodate more guests. So nicely done! I’m sharing some of the new pictures from their website in today’s post – with the permission of the winery.
The following week, I stopped in with my neighbors for the Spring 2025 pickup. I was surprised by the number of new releases and gladly tasted them to make my allocation adjustments. The standout wine for me was the 2021 Parsonage Dario Reserve Merlot with its dark berry nose and palate. The 2021 Parsonage Bixby Reserve Petit Verdot is a very close second – a powerful cellar-worthy wine. I’ve reviewed them below, along with the other new releases I tasted that day.
This visit was also a great opportunity to add another piece of Mary Ellen Parsons’ creative art to my home collection. We have a chicken obsession in our home, so it was easy to add this giclée to our collection of her art in our home. You can read more about her art here and you can see her art on display in the Parsonage tasting room in Carmel Valley Village.
Then we attended the Parsonage Wine and cheese pairing session this past weekend – a flight of Parsonage wines with hand-selected cheeses to pair specifically with each wine. Our winner was their 2023 Wood Reserve Cardonnay matched with the Fromage D’Affinois Brie. I also enjoyed the Midnight Moon My real favorite, though, had nothing to do with cheese: the 2021 Rocco Reserve Syrah with the Rocco-infused dark chocolate sea salt truffle from Pieces of heaven. Yum.
My last post about Parsonage was here: Happy 21st Birthday, Rocco! Let’s jump into these wines!
THE WINES:
Today I’m bringing you 4 of the new releases we tasted in May plus the 2022 Hawk Reserve Pinot Noir. Winery notes come from the tasting sheet. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
2022 Parsonage Pinot Noir, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $48 (#1572)
Winery Notes: “A vibrant nose of strawberry, cherry, pomegranate and wildflowers. The gorgeous red fruit is full, round and rich on the palate with a hint of Darjeeling on the long, lovely finish.”
My Review: Garnet in the glass. Bouquet signals that this is a Pinot Noir, while the palate is filled with darker fruit. Finishes with brighter cherry notes reminiscent of a Jolly Rancher – in a fruity, tasty and good way! May 2025
2022 Parsonage Grenache-Syrah, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $44 (#1573) 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah
Winery Notes: “Sweet anise, strawberry, black pepper with an earthy minerality.”
My Review: Warm brown sugar and spice on the nose. Cinnamon carries over to the palate with a tart cranberry finish. May 2025
2021 Parsonage Dario Reserve Merlot, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $98 (#1574)
Winery Notes: “The Dario is our signature Merlot. Pairs perfectly with ham and pork tenderloin. Black raspberry, black cherry, anise, cocoa powder, and the Parsonage wildflower-spice terroir characterize the stunning nose of this epic beauty. All of the above form harmoniously on the the firm palate to create a wine of remarkable character.”
My Review: Rich, dark fruit on the nose. I could smell this wine all day. Ripe plum and blackberry/dark raspberry on the palate. Really delicious and my favorite wine of the tasting. May 2025
2021 Parsonage Bixby Reserve Petit Verdot, San Antonio Valley AVA, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $98 (#1575)
Winery Notes: “Dark, dark fruit nose of blueberry, cassis, plum, violets, lavender, and sage. A bold melange of blueberry, dark fruit, cassis, and floral spices imposes itself in a full, well-rounded palate with an impressive finish.”
My Review: Best of both worlds – a tasty blend of bright and dark flavors, with licorice and cassis notes on the finish. This is a keeper. May 2025
2022 Parsonage Hawk Reserve Pinot Noir, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $90 (#1591)
Winery Notes: “Made from grapes at the pinnacle of perfect ripeness, this Pinot has brilliant notes of black cherry with dried rose petals, cola, and English breakfast tea. The rich, round, muscular palate adds raspberry and currant to the dominant black cherry compote with the tea tannins driving the vibrant finish.”
My Review: Orange-rimmed garnet in the glass. Dark cherry and forest floor on the nose. Earth, cherry cola, and black pepper on the palate. A little zippy on the front palate and a little sweet. August 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
“Hooray! We are open for wine tasting daily.” 19 E. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley Village
Hours: Monday – Friday: noon to 5pm, Saturday & Sunday: 11am to 5pm, last seating for wine tasting: 4:15pm. “Reservations can be made here or by phone. Please call us at 831-659-7322 for same day reservations.” Also, check them out on Instagram here: @parsonagewinery.
© Decanting Monterey 2025
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