Tagged: #americanwinesocietymontereychapter

A Taste of Monterey: Lovely Summer Tasting with a View!

THE STORY

In June, 2 of my neighbors and I decided to take a walk to A Taste of Monterey in historic Cannery Row to get in our exercise with a little fun at the destination. We each got to select the 5 wines we wanted to taste, tailoring our individual tastings to our own palates. From our seats at the bar, we had a delightful view down the water side of Canner Row to the west and north across the massive Monterey Bay.   I’m excited to announce that one of the wines just has been selected for the American Wine Society Monterey Chapter’s December holiday party!

2 smiling women at the tasting
My friend enjoying their wines!

A Taste of Monterey is under relatively new management.  We’ve met a few times since this tasting with owner Britt Talbert who is changing things up a bit there, expanding its wine holdings and food menu. It’s an exciting thing to see unfold.  Their new marketing director Gina Martin is fabulous to work with – and the new chef Bruce Finch has elevated the culinary offerings.  On another visit, we were presented a sample charcuterie board and everything on it was the finest quality and taste with a beautiful presentation. 

charcuterie board of olives, salami, array of cheeses, ad dried fruits front of 3 wine bottles.
Scrumptious Charcuterie Board!

You can read my last post about A Taste of Monterey here: A Taste of Monterey: An AWS Holiday Party to Remember!

THE WINES

Today I am presenting the 5 wines from my flight. They are all from Monterey County. Winery notes come from winery websites, unless otherwise noted. You can read more about each winery on its website. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.

NV Folktale Sparkling Rosé, Monterey County, 12% ABV, $45 (#1687)

Bottle label for the Folktale Sparkling Rose

Winery Notes: “Brilliant rose gold in color, the Rosé Brut sparkling wine opens with soft notes of watermelon, kiwi and a beautiful yeasty quality that invites you in. The palate is elegant, with cherry, floral, and a creamy texture that has a bright finish.”

My Review: I’ve presented this one before – it is just such a delicious sparkling wine from our region. Pale pink. Tiny bubbles. A touch of peach and yeast on the crisp palate. June 2026

2023 Cru Chardonnay, Smith & Lindley Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands , Monterey County, $25 (#1787)

Label of the 2023 Cru Chardonnay

Winery Notes: “This Chardonnay is a lovely representation of Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands. It opens with notes pineapple, peach and apricot that develop into flavors of honeydew melon and kiwi with a finish accented by vanilla and coconut. The wine is beautifully balanced with delightful acidity, mineral accents and a long, rich finish.”

My Review: Pale yellow and slightly viscous in the glass. Butter and grilled pineapple on the nose. Delicious palate of Meyer lemon, pineapple notes, very rich. June 2026

2022 Cru Pinot Noir, Smith & Lindley Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, 13.9% ABV, $25 (#1788)

bottle label of the 2022 Cru Pinot Noir

Winery Notes: “This lovely wine is a tribute to the Santa Lucia Highlands featuring both the earthy and fruit flavors that this region is so well known for. It opens with dark cherry, strawberry, pomegranate and cinnamon with beautifully balanced structure. It finishes with a hint of plum and chocolate on the long finish.”

My Review: Ruby in color. Coca Cola on the nose. Palate of tobacco and cherry, representative of SLH, but not my style of Pinot Noir. June 2026

2021 Le Mistral Joseph’s Blend, Monterey County, 14.2% ABV, $50 (#1789) 61% Grenache, 39% Syrah

Le Mistral: “Raspberry, blackberry jam, clove, hay, leather, lavender, and cherry cola notes. The wine is elegant and has juicy tannins from the soft oak influence. This wine would pair well with anything from chicken, pasta, steak, or lamb.” 93 points Wine Enthusiast

My Review: Dark garnet, almost purple in the glass. Brown sugar and dark fruit one the nose. Pretty delicious. This is the wine we just selected for our holiday party. June 2026

2022 Paysan Petite Sirah, Pierce Ranch Vineyards, San Antonio Valley, Monterey County, 12.8% ABV, $35 (#1309)

Winery Notes: “One way to beat the fall heat spikes of 2022 is to pick before they hit. Heat is a fact of life in the San Antonio Valley and the secret is to work with well adapted varieties. Thick skinned Petite Sirah is a lovely choice and on the fractured silicate and calcareous rock of Block One it yields a wine of surprising elegance and grace. I made the wines for Pierce Ranch for several years earlier in my career, so I know the vineyard well and this is one of their premier blocks. Fermented with 30% whole cluster and aged in neutral oak for 11 months.”

My Review: Damp soil and licorice on the nose. Dried dark fruit on the dry palate. I think this is worthy of a re-taste, as it should have been much fruitier, based on my previous reviews and expectations. June 2026

THE TASTING ROOM

A Taste of Monterey is located at 700 Cannery Row, Ste. KK (head to the back of the first floor and up the staircase), Monterey, CA – 93940 Phone: (831) 646-5446. Hours: Open Sunday-Thursday 12pm-6pm; Friday-Saturday 12pm-8pm.  Click here for more information on wine tastings and food. 

3 wine glasses with red wine with the Monterey Bay behind it

© Decanting Monterey 2026

*FOLLOW ME ON Instagram, Facebook, and CELLAR TRACKER: Central Coast Sharon

A Much Overdo Tasting at Windy Oaks!

THE STORY

The Windy Oaks tasting room in Carmel Valley is a great space for a party.  Combine that with their impressive Pinot Noirs from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA – and you have a great event in the making. I’ve been talking to Angie, the tasting room manager, for sometime about hosting the American Wine Society Monterey Chapter. When I stopped there in June, I decided to do a quick tasting.  

Image of tasting room manager pouring wine into a glass

Yikes – It’s been 4 years since I have presented a post on Windy Oaks wines. The last one was here: Windy Oaks: Les Deux Grands Crus and More Pinot Noir!

THE WINERY

“Windy Oaks: Fine Wines With A Sense Of Place

“Windy Oaks Estate’s premium wines are grown in unique terroirs in Monterey and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Winemakers Jim and Judy Schultze have been offering fine wines with a sense of place since 1999.” You can read more about them here.

THE WINES

Today, I am presenting 5 Windy Oaks wines. Winery notes come from the tasting sheet or their website, unless otherwise indicated. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I don’t correct typos from winery websites. Today’s wines come from both Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. They have updated their tasting menu since I was there in June.

2020 Windy Oaks Sparkling Albariño, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, $49 (#1773)

label of a vintage woman in a swing for the Albarino

Winery Notes: “Sourced from the Arroyo Seco AVA in Monterey County, the Methode Champenoise is utilized for a crisp and lively sparkling wine gauranteed to liven up any occasion!”

albarino bottle and glass with a pour of the wine

My Review: Light gold in the glass. Hint of apple on the nose. Tiny bubbles on the crisp, acidic palate with brioche on the finish. June 2026

2023 Windy Oaks Old Vine Viognier, Chalone AVA, Monterey County, $35 (#1774)

bottle label image for the Old Vines viognier

Winery Notes: “This dry, elegant and mineral-toned Viognier is beautifully textured and richly flavored with full body with apricot lemon honeysuckle and butter cream with hints of chalky stones and vanilla.”

My Review: Yellow/light gold and viscous in the glass. Heavy nose of grilled peach and toast. Rich palate of oak, peach, and Meyer lemon. There is a lot going on in this glass. Intriguing. Viognier is hard to find in Monterey County. This one was unexpected. June 2026

2022 Windy Oaks Henry’s Block Pinot Noir, Schultze Family Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, 13.6% ABV, $64 (#1775)

Elegant front label for the Henry's Block Pinot Noir

Winery Notes: “Henry’s Block is among the original plantings at Windy Oaks in the late 90’s. Named after one of our founders father: Henry. Single Acre, French/Swiss clone of Pinot Noir, Wadenswil 2A.”

My Review: Translucent ruby in the glass. Light cherry notes on the slightly sweet nose. I picked up alcohol on the nose, as well. Nice palate. June 2026

2022 Windy Oaks Clone 943 Pinot Noir, Escolle Vineyard, Rodeo Queen Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA,     Monterey County, $54 (#1776)

label from the front of the 2022 Pinot Noir bottle - lady in swing

Winery Notes: “Dark ruby and aromatic the Rodeo Queen Clone 943 has an array of  red fruits, spice, floral notes and subtle toasty French oak.”

My Review:   A really pretty ruby in the glass. Macerated fruit with cherry and earthy notes. Rich dark fruit on the yummy palate, with a bit of smoke on the finish. June 2026

2021 Windy Oaks Night Owl Red, Monterey County, $25 (#1777)

Label image of the 2022 Night Owl Red depicting the silhouette of an owl sitting on a branch with a golden moon in the background

Winery Notes: “A classic Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, that is delightfully playful, dark garnet/red hued and full of flavor with a medium weight body and easy textures captures Monterey County’s Mediterranean warmth and marine influenced cool/crisp detail.”

My Review: Garnet in the glass. Dark fruit and a little brown sugar on the nose. Grenache dominates the palate. A good food wine. June 2026

THE TASTING ROOMS

You can visit Windy Oaks at the winery in Corralitos, Carmel-By-The-Sea, and Carmel Valley Village.  Check here for the details here: Visit Us.  Please call 831-724-9562 for reservations and other pertinent info.

© Decanting Monterey 2026

*FOLLOW ME ON Instagram, Facebook, and CELLAR TRACKER: Central Coast Sharon

O’Reilly Wins Gold at the California State Fair!

THE STORY

My friend and home winemaker Erin O’Reilly recently dropped off her 2023 Affatim Cabernet Sauvignon for us to try. She was “super excited” because it was awarded a Gold Medal at the Spring 2025 California State Fair Home Wine Competition! We shared it with the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod for a thorough review.

I’ve written about Erin and her wine story before in Decanting Monterey.  You can find my previous post here: tèr·ra·ve·nos – Wine Experimentation and Production at Home!

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR HOME WINE COMPETITION

From the link above:

“The California State Fair Home Wine Competition supports and promotes winemaking as a home craft and is designed to increase the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the amateur winemaker. The competition provides an opportunity for these wines to be judged in an organized and professional manner while delivering impartial evaluation feedback, and to recognize the talent of the successful home winemaker.”

THE WINERY

Adapted from her website tèr·ra·ve·nos: Erin has completed the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) program levels 1-3, and just earned her WSET Wine Diploma. In addition, she holds the Spanish Wine Scholar certification, along with the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) credential through the Society of Wine Educators. She has completed the Wine Studies and Wine Marketing Program through Santa Rosa Junior College. And, like me, she is a member of the lively Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society.  As Erin says, if you’re local, join us!

THE WINE

Today I’m presenting a single wine from Erin. Winery notes come from Erin directly. Any errors are mine and mine alone.

2023 Affatim Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast AVA, 14.2% ABV (#1602) 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot

Winery Notes: “Affatim means sufficient, amply, complete satisfaction. I was pleased with how this wine blend came together…The Cabernet Sauvignon 80% came from San Antonio Valley AVA, the Merlot 20% came from Almaden Valley in Santa Clara County…This is a solid wine, and I enjoyed making it and playing with blends and oak. I love how it all came together.”

My Review: Dark plum and cherry aromas on the nose. Not musty, but not fruity. Chalky on the smooth palate. Mint on the finish. Very drinkable! We enjoyed this wine! April 2025

© Decanting Monterey 2025

*FOLLOW ME ON Instagram, Facebook, and CELLAR TRACKER: Central Coast Sharon

Seabold Hosts an Exciting Summer Tasting for Local Wine Group!

THE STORY

American Wine Society Visits Seabold!

My quest to get the American Wine Society Monterey Chapter to every local tasting room continued this month at Seabold Cellars tasting room in Carmel Valley Village. This one took quite some time to arrange, as Eden Rift Vineyards and Seabold had a merger in 2024. (They described it as a “parent/sister” relationship; they continue to operate autonomously.) We took advantage of their offer for us to bring our own appetizers and make a little summer party out of it.  Their expansive and comfy outdoor space made it a perfect spot for our group of 25. We were hosted by Dre Bejines (Eden Rift) and Cynthia D’Vincent (Seabold Tasting Room Manager), who knows everything there is to know about Seabold!

Delicious food prepared by our members!

If you are interested in joining the American Wine Society Monterey Chapter on our quest to visit every Monterey County tasting room, please visit our website, join the National American Wine Society and select Monterey as your chapter! We hope to see you soon!

Our members enjoying being together on a summer evening!

THE WINERY

From their website:

“Seabold Cellars focuses on cool-climate organic and sustainable vineyards to produce balanced wines that showcase their origin more than their winemaking. During the year, more time is spent in vineyards than the winery. Our winemaking is as hands-off as possible, respecting traditional techniques and practices without being beholden to them. We produce non-interventionist, site-specific Burgundy and Rhône varieties, as seen through a California lens.”

“Seabold Cellars was founded in 2014 by Master Sommelier Chris Miller. Located in the small town of Marina, the winery is at the epicenter of California’s Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz wine growing regions.”

You can read more about Chris Miller and Seabold Cellars here.

THE WINES

Today I am presenting the 4 wines we tasted that evening. Winery notes come from their tasting sheet. As a practice, I do not correct typos from winery websites or materials. My notes today are amplified by my fellow AWS board member Erin O’Reilly, home winemaker and author of terravenos.

2023 BOLD Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.2% ABV, $25 (#1587)

Winery notes: “Fresh and exuberant on the nose, with loads of pink and white grapefruit, starfruit, exotic flowers, gooseberry, honeysuckle and a core of ripe tropical fruit framed by crystalized ginger and fresh cut grass.”

My Review: Pale golden in the glass. Subtle pineapple, guava, and passion fruit on the nose. Pleasant round palate with lemon notes on the finish. It’s a very good wine – a nice warm climate. I would buy this wine!  August 2025                                                                                                      

2020 Seabold Chardonnay, Eden Rift Vineyards, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito County, 13.5% ABV, $40 (#1588)

Winery Notes: “An open and exotic nose, with butterscotch layered over dried pineapple and ripe lemon curd. Telltale Monterey Bay acidity frames the richness on the palate, giving a fresh li to counterbalance the rich and ripe fruit. Truly a bole to ‘drink or hold’, with an immediate appeal.”

My Review: Pale yellow and viscous in the glass. Buttery nose with lemon curd and golden apple. Bosc pear, white flower and just ripe yellow peach. All the fruit is ripe and rich. The nose is more interesting than the palate. I attribute that to the vintage. August 2025

2021 Seabold Pinot Noir, Eden Rift Vineyards, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito County, 13.7% ABV, $40 (#1589)              

Winery Notes: “From 120-year-old head-trained vines in Redwood Valley. Roasted blackberries, black currants, seared venison, black cherry compote, violets, and black olives.”

My Review: Dark ruby in the glass. Cherry, herbs, dry leaves, and bergamot tea on the nose. Medium tannins. Zippy up front with a palate of cherry, raspberry, herbs, and tea.  Forest floor and a touch bitter on the back end. August 2025

2021 Seabold Syrah, Rodnick Farms, Chalone AVA, Monterey County, 13.3% ABV, $50 (#1590) 

Winery Notes: “On the nose, charred blueberries and plums give way to subtle undertones of grilled venison. With air, black olive tapenade, rosemary, and dried sage start to emerge. On the palate the tannins and acidity are present but seamless, showing balance in youth with a promising aging capacity.”

My Review: Dark in the glass. Warm berry jam and brown sugar on the nose. Rich palate of rather jammy fruit followed by ham hock notes and a spicy finish. This is a very nice, cooler climate Syrah. August 2025

THE TASTING ROOM

“Visit us at our tasting room, located in idyllic Carmel Valley Village. Graced with sunshine, tucked at the base of the Santa Lucia Mountains, our tasting room is dog friendly and children friendly, and is the perfect place to spend an afternoon.”

Seabold tasting room’s lovely outdoor seating!

3 Pilot Road in Carmel Valley Village.  Open Thursday-Sunday, 12-5 p.m. and by appointment (831-288-2730).


© Decanting Monterey 2025

**FOLLOW ME ON Instagram, Facebook, and CELLAR TRACKER: Central Coast Sharon

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