Tagged: Carmel Valley

Moving on Inside for a Tasting at Silvestri!

Continuing to explore Carmel-by-the-Sea tasting rooms, we went to an old favorite of mine, Silvestri!  Silvestri has the same winemaker as Parsonage and I am partial to their bigger reds.  I last brough you a Silvestri wine in August of 2020: https://decantingmonterey.com/silvestri-a-composer-of-elegant-carmel-valley-wines/. I won’t repeat the Silvestri story in this post – and you can read their latest newsletter here!

We were disappointed to see that the tasting room had lost its parklet due to decisions by the city, but were able to taste adequately nonetheless at the end of its attractive bar. I didn’t get to taste the Barbera while there, but picked it up for a future blog!

Today I am presenting 5 Silvestri wines.  The winery notes and prices come from their website. About their winemaking process from their website: “Our winemaking practices involve hands-on techniques such as French oak barrel fermentation for the Chardonnay and small open topped fermentors for the red varieties. The goal is to use traditional methods to allow the expression of the terroir while taking advantage of modern knowledge about wine fermentation and aging.”

*My late add to this post is a 6th wine, the 2020 Rosé.  While I did the regular tasting menu, my friend did the rosé menu and purchased this special pack of 5 rosé wines for $100!  She shared this one with me on a “hot” coastal September afternoon – perfect for the occasion!*

2018 Silvestri Tre Bambine Chardonnay, Carmel Valley, 14.3% ABV, $35 (#465*) 

Winery notes: “The Silvestri Vineyards Chardonnays are pressed and put into stainless steel tanks. It is then racked to French oak barrels to begin primary fermentation (sugar to alcohol) which takes place over a 3-4 week period. After primary fermentation is complete the wine is then inoculated to begin the malolactic fermentation process. This process gives the wine a buttery, creamy character. The wine is then stirred every 10 days for several months to increase mouthfeel and then barrel aged for approximately 10 months before bottling.” 134 cases produced.

Winery Tasting Notes: “Meet the newest member of our family.  Born from grapes grown in our hilltop vineyard delivering highly aromatic fruit flavors.  Mango, melon with undertones of hazelnut make this wine a winner.  Just the right amount of acidity pops up in time to create the proper balance. This wine calls for crab cakes, pork or a soft brie type cheese.”

My Review: Light yellow in color. Butter and caramel on the nose. Crisp on the palate with melon flavors and good minerality. August 2021                                                                                                                       

2019 Silvestri Bella Sandra Estate Chardonnay, Carmel Valley, 14.5% ABV, $40 (#466*)

Winery notes: Same as above. 209 cases produced.

Winery Tasting Notes: “Bella Sandra lovers will be delighted with the 2017 vintage.  An excellent vintage all around, this Chardonnay displays all the fruit, oak and acid balance it’s known for.  Begin with the aromas of pineapple and melon then taste the flavors of Asian pear a bit of hazelnut all combined.  Creamy, soft mouth-feel finishes with fine acidity. Indulge with a dish of lobster mac and cheese.  Delicious!” 

My Review: Grapefruit and sugar – dry and crisp – I preferred this Chardonnay to the buttery one.  August 2021                             

2018 Silvestri Pinot Noir, Rising Tide, Estate, Carmel Valley, 14.3% ABV, $45 (#467*)

Winery notes: “A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats” “This Pinot Noir comes from Block 1 in our vineyard.  This specific site presents the perfect ripeness and determines the dramatic results of this wine.  Science and art at it’s best, balancing numbers and taste.  After picking, our Pinot Noir is de-stemmed and whole berries are put into ¾ ton fermenters where they cold soak for 24 hours before adding yeast.  Whole berry fermentation maximizes the extraction of flavor and color.  After another 24 hours we “punch down” 3 times a day for 10-14 days.  After primary fermentation (sugar to alcohol) the juice is racked to one third to one half new French oak barrels.  Malo-lactic fermentation will take place here over a months time and will remain in the barrel for 8-12 months until bottling…” 292 cases produced.

Winery Tasting Notes: “Relish the aromas and flavors of this Pinot Noir.  Raspberry, cherry, allspice and vanilla throughout this mouth-filling pleasure.  Silky and alluring to the finish. An ideal match with wild mushroom pasta.”

My Review: Comes from the first Pinot Noir planted on the estate in the 1990’s. Dark ruby in the glass. Cherry on the nose and a little black pepper and spice. Light cherry on the palate. August 2021               

2018 Silvestri Grenache-Syrah, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $40 (#468*) 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah

Winery Tasting Notes: “What a combo.  This Grenache/Syrah blend is just right.  These friends complement each other from the Grenache flavors of raspberry, pomegranate and fig to Syrah’s black raspberry, blueberry and white pepper spice.  Soft, toasty oak gives a smooth texture and moderate tannins with balancing acidity to finish it off. Roast lamb, braised beef with mushroom sauce are some perfect pairings with this wine.”

My Review: Rich ruby color.  Cherry and berry flavors intertwining on the palate, not quite sure which wine it wants to be.  Lots of fruit and a slight bitterness on the finish.  A tad acidic. August 2021                  

2018 Silvestri Syrah, Red Ranger, Estate, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $75 (#469*)

Winery notes: “The 2018 Red Ranger is the sixth release of our signature Syrah that represents a part of the vineyard featuring the Bien Nacido clone, which is known for its richness and complexity. We use 75% new French oak and age it in the cellar for 16 months…We are designating our reserve Syrah “Red Ranger” after our son Joey, a mild mannered poet until you face him on the longboard, downhill racecourse.” 114cases produced.

Winery Tasting Notes: “Red Ranger rocks!  That consistent depth of flavor, roundness and long finish are all here.  Blackberry, black currant and a trace of fig lead to the full mouthfeel, just the right acidity and long, luscious finish…Try with a sausage stew and roasted meats, or aged hard cheeses.”

My Review: Dark ruby in the glass.  Very jammy, intense berry with an earthiness mid-palate.  Some raisin flavors on the finish.  Good texture.  My Silvestri favorite.  Always a must-buy for me! August 2021    

2020 Silvestri Rosé, Estate, Carmel Valley, 14% ABV, $20 (#471*)

Winery notes: “A 50/50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Malbec shows seamless aromas of strawberry and raspberry with a dry, lingering finish.” 241 cases produced.

My Review: What a unique blend! To me, this rosé smelled like Champagne! Delicate sweetness on the palate with flavor of apricot. Perfect for a very warm, sunny day. September 2021

You can buy Silvestri wines online or at their tasting room on 7th Avenue between San Carlos and Dolores, Carmel-by-the-Sea, daily 12-6 p.m. on a first come, first served basis.

*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.    

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Another Parsonage Wine, Another Bill Parsons Story!

I asked my significant other to open something special for the two of us to enjoy – and he selected this library wine.  We learned earlier this year that, when you are allocated a library wine, you should not delay too long in opening it.  We were excited to try this 2006 Parsonage Dario.  Bill Parsons, the proprietor of Parsonage, always has a story about his wines – and he loves to tell a story!

My dearest DC friends enjoying some Bill Parsons storytelling back in 2019!

I try to be balanced in my selection of wineries to present. But, of course, the model I use drives me a bit more to wineries where I am a member or have a close relationship – especially during the first pandemic year of the blog when wine tastings were curtailed. So, I am a bit embarrassed to share these stats of how many wines per winery I posted during year one of Decanting Monterey. Bill Parsons likes this chart – and you can see why…we have been buying their wines since before they had a tasting room – and they were one of only a few places we visited to taste wine in year one of the pandemic. As I look at the data, I am not sure it is 100% correct, but you get the gist. And I have been able to get out and explore a bit more in recent months, so Year Two should look a bit different.

Count of wines by winery during Decanting Monterey’s first year – guess where we are members!

I’ve presented Parsonage to you in several prior posts and won’t repeat about them here (just type “Parsonage” in the search bar to see them all). You can check out their website here:  https://www.parsonagewine.com/. Winery notes below are from Bill Parsons.  

2006 Parsonage Dario Reserve Merlot, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $80 (#444*)

Winery Notes: “The Dario, named for Ali and Frank’s number two son and our grandson number three, is 100% Estate merlot. We usually make 50-100 cases a year. The 2006 vintage was our first Dario. Vintage 2006 started out to be our best ever. In barrel tasting it was just sublime. We made the mistake of hiring a crossflow filtration specialist who over heated some of our wines. He sort of cooked the estate merlot before we figured out what was happening. We never filtered again after that episode. The 2006 estate cab and Tanner reserve weren’t harmed and they were beautiful. The 2006 Dario was only slightly diminished…The Dario has always been a favorite for both Summer and me. The fruit is heavy on blackberry and black plum. The nose is always floral with exotic spices. The mouthfeel is full without tannic heft of our cabs and syrahs.” 

My Review: Sweet yet smoky on the nose. Intense dark fruit, plum and a little tobacco on the palate. Still drinking well, a little thinner than expected. We have learned to drink these library wines when they are issued and not to continue to hold them! So, if you have one, open it! July 2021

Parsonage is open for tastings by reservation only every day – click here for the details.  You can obtain their wines directly from the winery here or at their tasting room located at 19 E Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village.  

  • Tasting Room Photo Courtesy Parsonage

*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.    

© Decanting Monterey 2023

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Carmel Valley Library Syrah Compares in Quality to High End Napa Cab!

I wasn’t planning to post again so soon about another Parsonage wine, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to highlight this library wine as my 400th COVID wine (of all wines tasted during COVID per my broader Facebook blog – se reference below)!  400!!! We were so lucky to get this 2006 Parsonage Carmelstone Syrah in our recent allocation (thank you, Summer). I told my husband that we must open this with the COVID Wine Pod for a special occasion. Just before the 4th of July, a mutual friend of ours came to town – the man who let us know in the first place that the Dubee’s had moved to our little coastal town, much less to our street!  Small world.

The Capitol Hill stories went on for hours, fueled by our visiting long-time friend, Scott.

We debated whether to decant this library wine.  In the end, we decided to decant it right before drinking – that seemed to work! This wine compared equally in quality and taste to a 96-point rated Napa Cabernet Sauvignon we also tasted that night!  Watch out, Napa! Here comes Carmel Valley! So I have switched up the lineup, making this extremely special wine my 400th wine!

The 2006 looks miniscule compared to this double magnum of the 2005 Carmelstone Reserve Syrah we picked up for a family reunion – still waiting to happen!

Today’s Parsonage Rocco Syrah is my favorite wine – but we used to get a wine labeled “Carmelstone.”  When I asked Bill Parsons for more information about the wine over the weekend, he sent it back to me within hours!  He shared the following:

“The Carmelstone Reserve is 100% Estate Syrah from the upper northeast corner block of our vineyard, maybe one and a quarter acre.  The soil is clay-loam-silt with a generous lacing of fragmented chalk rock, what we call carmelstone.  The slope, or as I like to say “angle of repose,” is 15-20 %.

“I think we last produced the Carmelstone in 2009.  Sparse yields from 2010 to the present have forced us to eliminate its production. We thought of the Carmelstone as Rocco junior.  It had a unique character that made Frank and me want to produce it instead of folding it into the Rocco and Estate Syrah bottlings.  Now we get so little yield from that block that we put its fruit in the Estate.

“The low yield from that block has to do with drought, extreme heat cycles, pestilence, inadequate irrigation water, all of our personal horsemen of the apocalypse.  Smoke taint, my least favorite horseman doesn’t enter into it.”

2006 Parsonage Carmelstone Reserve Syrah, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $125 (#400*)

Winery Notes: “The 2006 vintage is considered one of our greatest of the first decade of the new millennium along with the ‘01, 03, and ‘08 vintages.  It is/was exceptional in my view. You confirm my view by relating the Carmelstone to a six year younger Napa cult cabernet that sold for maybe three to four times the price of our $60 bottle.” (FYI from Sharon:  )

My Review: Beautiful dark ruby in the glass. Smooth, rich dark berries. I jumped at the chance to get this Carmelstone – one of my favorites made by Parsonage and this library vintage was very good, exceptional.  The 2006 compared very favorably to a younger, high-end, 96-point Napa Cab we tasted immediately following. I’ve seen the 2005 vintage rated 96 points! June 2021

  • Tasting Room Photo Courtesy Parsonage

Parsonage is open for tastings by reservation every day – click here for the details.  You can obtain their wines directly from the winery here or at their tasting room located at 19 E Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village. 

*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.    

Silvestri – A Composer of Sophisticated Carmel Valley Wines

2014 Silvestri Estate Pinot Noir, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $36

Long ago, we joined Silvestri’s wine club because the Parsonage winemaker, Frank, whose wines we adore, also makes their wines.  They have a lovely tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea, which was always a nice experience for us when we were in town.  We really enjoyed their Syrahs and Barberas. and kept getting Pinot Noir (not my favorite varietal) in our allocations.  When my wine class picked Pinot Noir for class this past week, we hunted in our wine room for our last Silvestri and it was a good one!

Alan Silvestri was a famous movie soundtrack composer of great renown, who moved his family to Carmel in 1989.  The Silvestri Vineyard was planted in 2000, with its first harvest in 2003. From Silvestri: “Silvestri Vineyards is located approximately 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean up Carmel Valley. This location is the key element in the terroir of this unique site. During the growing season the cool marine influence on one side and the much warmer inland mountains on the other side subject this spot to daily afternoon winds bringing dramatic temperature drops even on the sunniest days. The tight constriction of the valley at this point creates even greater wind velocities here. The vineyards are on benchlands and hillsides several hundred feet above the valley floor further exposing them to the marine onshore flow. Only cooler climate varieties can be expected to ripen here.

“The very rocky soils are based on a soft shale locally referred to as “chalk rock”. Devigorating rootstocks were selected to advance the harvest date and match differing soil conditions within the vineyard. Varieties were also matched to different soil conditions, sun and wind exposures. All varieties are a mix of three to five different clones originally selected at research stations in France. This was done to take advantage of the earlier ripening characteristics of these selections and to provide a palette of flavors from which to create elegant and complex wines…”

Delicious 2014 Silvestri Estate Pinot Noir – Bursting with Raspberry and Cherry

Winery Notes for the 2014 Silvestri Estate Pinot Noir:  “Raspberry and sweet black cherries are the first aromas out of the glass. You then discover hints of vanilla and clove behind them. Roll that around in your mouth and feel the softness that then completes with mild tannins and balancing acidity.”  Case production: 838  

My Review:  The 2014 Silvestri Estate Pinot Noir is cherry red and transluscent.  Raspberry and cherry with sweet-tart and vanilla notes on the nose.  Slightly sweet upon opening, which dissipated as the wine opened up, this wine bursts with cherry and cassis on the palate with a slightly leathery finish.  This is a delicious Pinot Noir for the most discerning palate. July 2020

Check out their website for information on how to order.  Their tasting room is currently closed. 

© Decanting Monterey 2020

Boëté – Exceptional Cabernet Franc from Carmel Valley

One thing I love is an excellent Cabernet Franc. The first place I saw it bottled as a single varietal was in Virginia, of all places. When I stumbled onto Boëté, I couldn’t have been happier. These are my favorite Cabernet Francs in all of Monterey County, done in a sophisticated Bordeaux style.

The highly regarded Saunders Vineyard is right next door to Parsonage in Carmel Valley and, at one time, the two wineries shared a tasting room in a quaint shopping center as you head into the valley.  They make their big red wines from estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from their 7 acres of grapes. 

The Lovely Boëté Winery in Carmel Valley – photo courtesy of Boëté

Some background on Boëté quoted from their website here : “In the early 80’s John Saunders made wine at his Soledad Ranch in the Santa Lucia Highlands. At first making wine was a hobby and when his wines became popular with many of his friends in the restaurant industry, he decided to create a winery. In 1994, John and his wife Jana traded their 250-acre citrus orchard in Soledad California for 15 acres in Carmel Valley; land that had gone uncultivated due to lack of water. The first water well John drilled had gushed enough water to irrigate his vineyard forever. In early spring 1997, they planted their first vineyard on their sun-drenched hillside…

“The result is the Saunders Vineyard and his own label, Boete (Bwah-tay). The secret of the wine, Saunders says, is in the quality of the grapes, and old world wine making techniques that utilize French Oak barrels…Today, more than 6,000 grapevines grow on 7 acres, producing fruit that is widely regarded as some of California’s best.”

2013 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc, Estate Grown, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, 14% ABV, $50

2013 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc: Jammy and Rich

WineEnthusiast rated the 2013 Reserve Cabernet Franc Reserve 91 points.  “This bottling from a winery whose owners are originally from Brittany shows peppery spice, tart red fruit, rose petal and lava rock scents on the nose. The flavors range widely from white pepper and dill to fresh-pressed strawberry and red plum, with a slight hint of caramel. Varietally pure and very fresh.” Matt Kettmann, July 2017

My Review: While Cabernet Franc is typically blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in Bordeaux blends, we enjoy this as a single varietal. This one is definitely a bigger Bordeaux-styled Cabernet Franc vs. the leaner Loire Valley Chinon style.  We found this wine to be just about perfect – jammy dark fruit on the nose, a rich mouthfeel of deliciousness on the palate, with an ever so slightly darker, just barely cooked fruit on the finish, ever so slightly tannic.      

2017 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc, Estate Grown, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, 14.5% ABV, $50

2017 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc: Leather, Cherry and Vanilla Bean

WineEnthusiast rated the 2017 wine 91 points:  “Deep and dark in the glass, this bottling from a vineyard just a mile east of Carmel Valley village shows rich aromas of black currant yet with a spicy licorice kick. That licorice and dark-berry combination soars on the palate as well, proving both hearty yet still offering the grape’s inherent spice.” Matt Kettmann 7/1/2020

My Review: Bright red in color, we detected smoke, leather and sweetness on the nose.  Cherry and vanilla bean on the palate.  This is an amazing Cab Franc done in a big California style.  My favorite Monterey County Cabernet Franc.  This is their current release.

You can obtain their wines directly from the winery here.   As of this writing, they are not doing tastings at the winery.

© Decanting Monterey 2020

How Did I Discover Monterey Wines?

A Lineup of Some Great Monterey County Wines

First and foremost, welcome to Decanting Monterey!  I thought I should start at the beginning and tell you how we first became familiar with Monterey County’s many fine wines.  For decades, we had been going to Napa and Sonoma to taste and buy wines.  We also spent time in Cambria, not far from the fine wines of Paso Robles.  Yet the main destination of those trips was always Pacific Grove, where my in-laws lived.  And when it was chilly and foggy in Pacific Grove, we could always go to Carmel Valley for warmth and sunshine.

We started visiting the tasting rooms in Carmel Valley in the late 1990’s.  Back then, we knew about Bernardus (the first tasting room to open in Carmel Valley!), Chateau Julien (now Folktale), Chateau Sinnet, Georis, Heller (formerly Durney and now Massa Estates), Joullian, and Talbott. We were fortunate at Heller to pick up some amazing half-bottles of Durney Cabernet Sauvignon from its estate in Cachagua, where some of the Carmel Valley AVA’s finest wines are grown. 

As the years went by, it seemed every time we went to Carmel Valley, we would find new tasting rooms and wines to explore.  We would ask, “What other wines should we check out?” and we were guided to new places to explore.  We asked this question at Joullian and its tasting room staff said, “Let me make a phone call.” He called up to Parsonage and asked if we could come up to taste their wines.  The winemaker there, asked if we were serious wine buyers and the answer was yes.  We headed up to the winery (before they had a tasting room) and discovered that Carmel Valley can produce the big reds we love.  They turned us on to their neighboring winery, Boëté, and later, Silvestri. 

Inside the Parsonage Winery

We saw more and more tasting rooms open every time we drove out to Carmel Valley Village.  Boekenoogen, Cima Collina, and the string of tasting rooms in the old White Oak shopping center – back then it was Parsonage, Holman Ranch, Chesebro, Chalone, Joyce, Marilyn Remark, and Dawn’s Dream.  Today, swap in Rexford and I Brand.  And along Pilot Road where Cowgirl and Talbott are, some wineries from elsewhere opened tasting rooms: Idle Hour, Twisted Roots and Bunter Spring.  And Rombi opened showcasing his huge Cabs and Merlots. 

We didn’t just taste wine in Carmel Valley – we also explored the many wineries in Carmel, including Blair, Figge, Galante, Hahn, Scheid, Silvestri, Wrath and more.  Plus a “research trip” drive down the Salinas Valley to the Arroyo Seco AVA to see first had some of my favorite vineyards including Zabala and Cedar Lane and back up to taste wines at Wrath, Hahn, Pessagno, Puma Road and Odonata.   Check out a current map of tasting rooms here.

Rolling Vineyards in Salinas Valley

Before we moved back to the Monterey area, I began to present Monterey wines as a volunteer wine educator at the Washington Wine and Cheese Seminar (WWCS) in Washington DC, where I had been a member since about 1999.  That’s when I learned about the Monterey Vintners & Growers Association  – the best place for authoritative information about Monterey wines.  Kim Stemler has been very helpful to me in getting information for my classes.  I have also presented Monterey Wines to the Northern Virginia American Wine Society chapter, as well as a class on Paicines AVA wines for WWCS. 

I started to be referred to as the Monterey wine expert.  I decided if I was going to have that label, I’d better get some official training.  I completed the Wine & Spirits Educational Trust Level 1 in January 2020.  I see this blog website as my next big step.  Now, let’s get onto some wine reviews!

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