Stopping in at Chesebro last fall, my server Nic had some wines for me to blind taste. I love to do a blind tasting, as you can approach a wine with no preconceived idea of the varietal, the region, the producer or the vintage. For some reason, I said it looked like a Cabernet Sauvignon and that it smelled quite old. I was detecting tire rubber (now, that’s a new one!) and dark berries on the nose, followed by a deeply delicious, smooth palate. I fell out of my chair when I saw it was a 1988 Durney Cabernet Sauvignon! And then he had an even older one to share with me. What an unexpected privilege! Thanks, Nic!
According to the Historic Vineyard Society, Durney was the first vineyard planted in Carmel Valley ad their wines were served in the Reagan White House during the Reagan Administration! With some of the most precious Cabernet Sauvignon vines in all of Monterey County, they made some of the best local wine.
We used to visit their tasting room in Carmel Valley Village, but I don’t think we grasped the significance of their vineyard – until after they were gone. We even had some half bottles of their precious Cabernet Sauvignon in our collection. I think if we had known or understood then what we know now, we would have collected more of their wine.
Today, I am presenting the 2 Durney wines I tasted that day. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
1988 Durney Cabernet Sauvignon, Durney Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV (#1712)
Grapelive: “A brilliant bottle that has aged much better than expected from a less than perfect vintage, this dark garnet 1988 Durney Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon shows off a deep and complex medium/full palate of earthy mulberry, dried currant, dark berry and baked cherry fruits, along with spicy cedar, loamy notes, sage, potpourri and pipe tobacco. Fresher and more elegant than I would have hoped, this was a lovely Bordeaux like experience.”
My Review: I tasted this blind. In my opinion, it looked like a Cabernet Sauvignon in the glass. It smelled much older than it looked – I got tire rubber and dark berries on the nose, a strange mix. The palate was a sharp contrast to the off-putting nose. It was excellent in flavor, with a nice, smooth palate. This is a worthy wine – if you can find it anywhere. November 2025
1983 Durney Cabernet Sauvignon, Durney Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13% ABV (#1713)
My Review: Very port-ish fruit. Vanilla, whiskey, and smoked meat on the nose. All following over to the palate. November 2025
When we heard that Lepe Cellars had moved to a great new spot in Carmel Valley, we leapt at the chance to take the American Wine Society Monterey Chapter there for one of our 2026 tastings. We recalled fondly how Miguel Lepe and his tasting room manager Thyra Roth hosted us for our holiday party a couple of years’ back.
In February, we held an early Valentine’s celebration at their new venue. Members brought food (delicious) to pair with the wines. Upon arrival, we heard that Lepe Cellars was raffling off a magnum of Petit Verdot for us – what an extra treat on top of their industry discount they afforded our group! With 32 members and guests in the room, Thyra kept things hopping while Miguel talked to us about making single varietal, single vineyard wines to showcase our Monterey vineyards. It was a fabulous event.
This was an early photo – members brought so many delicious appetizers to share!
I have 7 Lepe Cellars wines to present to you today, from that evening’s event plus a scouting trip last November. Winery notes come from their website or tasting sheet unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
Winery Notes: “Expressive and lush this wine opens with notes of red cherry and raspberry jam interwoven with notes of rose petals and clove. On the palate are notes of wild strawberry, dried herbs leading to a lingering vanilla finish.”
We love it when new guests check us out!
My Review: Pale translucent ruby in the glass. Spicy nose of cinnamon and light cherry. Cherry and woody cinnamon stick on the palate. November 2025
2022 Lepe Cellars Grenache, Zabala Vineyards, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $45 (#1706)
Winery Notes: “Opens with notes of plum and dried cherries and a trace of wet stones. The palate unfolds with notes of fresh strawberry, savory soy and a hint of dried thyme.”
93 Points – Editors’ Choice Wine Enthusiast: “The mineral side of Grenache is rarely explored, but this bottling from a very rocky appellation puts the earth on center stage. Aromas of crushed riverstone meet with cherry and light baking spice on the nose. The palate’s strawberry and caramel flavors ride that stony edge into the finish.” — Matt Kettmann
Enjoying good wines and a good time!
My Review: A pretty, medium ruby in the glass. A mellow, darker cherry nose. Nice smooth palate with dark fruit flavors and a lingering finish. I think this is one of the best Grenache wines made on the Central Coast. November 2025
2023 Lepe Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Merit Vineyard, San Antonio Valley, Monterey County, 13.8% ABV, $65 (#1707)
Winery Notes: “Blackberry, black currant, vanilla.”
Lucky Winners of the Raffle!
My Review: Medium, opaque garnet in the glass. A lot of smooth fruit with cherry notes. February 2026
2023 Lepe Cellars Cabernet Franc, Tre Gatti Vineyards, San Antonio Valley, Monterey County, 13.5% ABV, $55 (#1708)
Winery Notes: “This wine opens with inviting aromas of dark fruit, including black cherry and ripe blackberry, accented by a hint of crushed stone. On the palate, it reveals layers of raspberry and red plum, leading into a lingering savory finish with notes of black pepper and dried herbs.”
A warm welcome to a new guest!
My Review: Cloudy in the glass. Cherry, red currant on the very smooth palate, with a spicy finish. While a lighter style, it is quite tasty. I took one home. November 2025
2022 Lepe Cellars Anniversary Red Blend, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $75 (#1709)
Winery Notes: “Deep and velvety this red blend is bursting with notes of black berry jam, black currant and a touch of violet. The palate is juicy with notes of cranberry and plum and finish with rich notes of brown sugar and baking spice. 42% Petit Verdot (Merit Vineyard) 34% Cabernet Sauvignon (Merit Vineyard) 20% Cabernet Franc (Tre Gatti Vineyard) 4% Syrah (Zabala Vineyard).”
Miguel and Tira enjoying our evening!
My Review: Medium garnet in color. Pepper, vanilla, and port notes on the nose. Big palate with balanced acidity and tannin. I like this wine. November 2025
2022 Lepe Cellars Syrah, Zabala Vineyards, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.8% ABV, $55 (#1710)
Winery Notes: “Blueberry, dark chocolate, dried herbs.”
My Review: Garnet in color. A mellow blueberry on the nose. Nice palate with blueberry, blackberry and spice on the rich palate. This was tasted in November and not at this event. November 2025
2023 Lepe Cellars Petit Verdot, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $55 (#1711)
Winery Notes: “Plum, boysenberry, chocolate.”
My Review: Garnet in the glass. Sweet plum and port on the nose with a bright cherry palate. November 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
The Lepe Cellars tasting room is located at 19 E Carmel Valley Rd. Carmel Valley, CA and is open during these hours: Friday – Saturday 12pm – 6pm, Sunday – Monday 12pm – 5pm, Tuesday – Thursday by appointment only.
With an out-of-town friend in tow, we stopped into The Barrel Room in Carmel Valley Village to taste Boëtéwines and pick up our allocation. The guys loved the setting – there was a tv screen to view the football game no matter where you sat! And we were served by both Dillon and Jana Saunders over the course of our tasting. Always great to see them! According to my records, the only new wine was the 2019 Boëté Cheval Rouge. I remember when the 2018 came out during the pandemic and I participated in their hearts painting activity over a Zoom call. How far we have come since those times.
The Boëté Cheval Rouge is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and, in this particular vintage, only a touch of Merlot. This wine has an irresistible, dark yet sweet jamminess and as my favorite of the day. We served the 2018 vintage to friends in January and it has matured in the bottle to a point of extreme deliciousness.
Today I am presenting the five wines we tasted in December, including the newly released 2019 Cheval Rouge. The rest of these have been presented before – over the lifetime of Decanting Monterey – but all have new, updated tasting notes. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2021 Boëté Reserve Merlot, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $50 (#1560)
My Review: Garnet in color. Plum, black currant, and eucalyptus on the nose. Medium weight on the palate with a tart cranberry, red currant finish. December 2025
2019 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $54 (#1489)
My Review: Dark garnet in color. Eucalyptus, dark fruit, alcohol and some spice on the nose. Very dark berries and eucalyptus notes on the palate. One of the very best Cabernet Francs from Monterey County. December 2025
2021 Boëté Cheval Rouge, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $50 (#1704)
My Review: Very dark in the glass. Black plum, BBQ sauce, and stems on the nose. Sweet jamminess like raspberry jam on toast on the smooth palate. This was my favorite wine of the day. December 2025
2018 Boëté Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $52 (#1490)
My Review: Prune, bacon and hints of smoke on the nose. Medium palate with tasty cherry flavors and mild acidity on the finish. December 2025 (2019 has been released since I wrote this)
2017 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $80 (#339)
My Review: Dark plum, blueberry and cedar on the nose. Prune, blackberry, and blueberry with balanced acidity. Drinking well. December 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
You can taste and purchase Boëté wines at The Barrel Room every day (closed Wednesdays), 12-5 p.m. 5 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley Village.
We recently opened this astounding, impressive 2018 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc. After a bit of digging, I realized my initial writeup of this wine (Boëté – A Personal Milestone Celebration Inside the Winery!) was pre-release and at the end of a tasting, so I am bringing it back to you again, 4 years later.
“…Working in the vineyard and at the winery is a family affair with sons Jesse, Sam, and Dillon working full-time alongside their dad. John makes all the vineyard and wine making decisions, with great attention to detail being paid throughout the growing season and the wine making process; from pruning to fermentation and aging, to blending and barrel selection.
“Today, more than 6,000 grapevines grow on 7 acres, producing fruit that is widely regarded as some of California’s best.”
THE WINES
Today I am presenting just one wine. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a matter of practice, I do not correct typos from winery websites.
2018 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $52 (#336)
My Review: Dark garnet, almost purple in the glass. Blackberry, cedar, coffee, and Coca Cola on the nose, all carrying over to a cassis-driven palate with a delicious dark cherry finish. I like this wine. July 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
You can taste and purchase Boëté wines at The Barrel Room every day (closed Wednesdays), 12-5 p.m. 5 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley Village.
The Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society (AWS) had its April session on The Barrel Room’s patio where Jana Saunders of Boëté Winery introduced their wines to us. As long-time members of their wine club, I was thrilled to finally make this happen for our members. We were allowed to bring appetizers to share and – bonus – it was a beautiful, sunny and warm afternoon. The wines were all delicious and the hospitality, unrivaled.
Boëtémakes such tasty wines from its Bordeaux varietals grown just beyond Carmel Valley Village. I pulled this short history from its website and encourage you to read the rest on its website:
“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 WINES
Today I am presenting just one new wine, as the others we tasted are available in the post linked above. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a matter of practice, I do not correct typos from winery websites.
2021 BoëtéMerlot, Saunders Vineyard, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $50 (#1560)
Winery Notes: N/A
My Review: Ruby in the glass. Pleasant cherry dominates the nose. Tart palate with red cherry juice flavors. I would like to taste this new release gain – separate from an event. April 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
You can taste and purchase Boëté wines at The Barrel Room every day (closed Wednesdays), 12-5 p.m. 5 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley Village.
You can read more about the winery and purchase their wines on line through their website.
One of the first places I went when my Dry January ended was to see Sal Rombi @rombiwine in his Carmel Valley tasting room. He said he had something for me. Yes, folks, February 1 and I was there! He told me he was going to be releasing his 2018 Petite Sirah this spring and he wanted me to try it. I gladly took it home. Impatient as we are, on February 2, we double decanted it (the best way to enjoy a Rombi wine!) and enjoyed it with our Sunday night dinner.
As my avid readers know, I fund this blog out of pocket. The industry recognition for waived tasting fees and discounts on wines is greatly appreciated; and the occasional gifting of a bottle of wine (or more), even more so. It doesn’t happen often, so I am so grateful when it does.
Grazie mille, Sal!
As I looked through my files, I realized we had tried this wine in August 2024 – but without the luxury of double decanting and at the end of a Decanting Monterey Wine Pod evening of tasting – not the best way, for sure. So today, I am happy to present both tastings together here in one place.
“Since 2006, hands-on winemaking that reflects a unique sense of place”
“Wine is a gift from nature, and every bottle produced at Rombi Wines tells a story of the land, the geography, the climate, and the hands-on philosophy of one man. Salvatore Rombi takes winemaking personally, obsessing over every detail — from harvest to barrel aging — to produce a unique range of elegant yet bold and complex red wines from the Carmel Valley Appellation. Rombi’s small vineyard and intimate tasting room provide the perfect setting for an unforgettable wine journey. With an unwavering commitment to excellence and a strict allegiance to sustainable farming practices, Rombi creates award-winning, limited-production vintages. As an ode to terroir — the rock and soil, but also the land and legacy, culture and commitment, time and tradition — the wines from Rombi are always bottled poetry.”
THE WINE
Today I’m presenting 1 wine, the 2018 Rombi Petite Sirah expected to be released soon, and my two sets of tasting notes, as explained above.
2018 Rombi Petite Sirah, Napa Valley AVA, 14.6% ABV, $75 (#1128) (pre-release)
My New Review: This wine was gifted to me. Big jammy nose, including plum, violet, blackberry, licorice and Chinese five spice. A huge palate of jammy blue and black fruits, wrapped in Chinese five spice with a licorice and cassis finish. Definitely has the Napa pedigree. February 2025
My Previous Review: This was the evening’s bonus wine, so it was not decanted. Always a mistake. Rombi wines must be decanted. Late in the evening, our notes were not as extensive: Very dark purple in color. Dried fig, cigarettes and a touch of barnyard on the nose. Super rich, big palate. This wine comes off a little hot, yet is an extremely tasty wine. Next time I get my hands on one of these, we are decanting it! August 2024
“At Rombi Wines, our unique tasting room provides the perfect setting for an unforgettable experience. Salvatore Rombi is most often on hand to guide you through the winemaking process and your tasting experience. Step off the beaten path and discover Rombi, where every bottle tells a story.
“Rombi Wines Tasting Room is at 1 Center St., in the charming Carmel Valley Village. We are open Saturdays and Sundays from noon–5 p.m., although appointments can be made for weekday visits.”
A few weeks ago, Jana Saunders ofBoëté Winery sent members an email announcing their new tasting room location. I was very happy to receive this news, as we’ve been enjoying their wines almost as long as those from their estate neighbor, Parsonage. In fact, long ago (about 20 years ago?), they shared the same tasting room space in the Wagon Wheel Shopping Center off Carmel Valley Road. Yes, that’s how long I’ve known their wines. We became instant fans of their Cabernet Franc and their reserve wines. Once they closed that location, we trekked up to their winery a few times to taste and pick up our wines, but just as often, especially in the pandemic, we waited for home delivery. But, I digress.
In December, Jana and John Saunders’ sons Dillon and Jesse opened The Barrel Room at 5 Del Fino Place in Carmel Valley Village, the former location of the Village Wine & Tap Room. While primarily a sports bar featuring beers and local wines, they are offering Boëté wine tasting from 12-5 daily for $30. The tasting includes their current releases and reserve wines. We even got to taste a new Cabernet Sauvignon their sons created!
Today I am presenting 4 wines for the first time in this blog. Winery tasting notes come from their website, the tasting sheet, or conversations with the tasting room staff. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a matter of practice, I do not correct typos from winery websites. I had previously written up the 2017 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – it is drinking extremely well – that is a must buy wine!
2019 Boëté Reserve Cabernet Franc, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $54 (#1489)
My Review: Mocha and warmth (sweet and smoky like the comfort of a campfire) on the nose. Delicious palate of purple fruits – boysenberry and blueberry. I liked this wine. December 2024
2018 Boëté Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $52 (#1490)
My Review: Ripe on the nose, finishing with stewed fruit. So soft on the palate with a full fruit finish. Was opened the day before, so it had the opportunity to fully open up. December 2024
2019 Boëté Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 14% ABV, $54 (#1491)
Winery Notes: New release.
My Review: Marshmallow, brown sugar, vanilla maybe camelia blossom (all in a good way), dark plum and subtle sweet tart on the nose. Palate is bright with red fruits including bing cherry and an herbaceous note in the finish. This is dang delicious. 😋
2022 “Saunders Brothers” Cabernet Sauvignon, Dorcich Family Vineyard, Santa Clara Valley AVA, Santa Clara County, $30 (#1492)
Winery Notes: Made by sons Dillon and Jesse, this wine will be sold only in the tasting room and will serve as one of their house wines. Expecting a label soon.
My Review: Beautiful nose of primarily red fruits, followed by a delicious palate. Very drinkable now. These young men know a thing or two about wine! December 2024
THE TASTING ROOM
You can taste and purchase Boëté wines at The Barrel Room every day, 12-5 p.m. 5 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley Village.
Imagine my surprise when LuxLife Magazine reached out to me to inform me that someone nominated Decanting Monterey for one of their Hospitality Awards. At first, I told them they had the wrong person. I told them I just write a wine blog to promote our local wineries and entertain others with my stories. I suggested some other organizations far more worthy. Then a writer friend told me I should consider doing it. So, I did. To this day, I have no idea who nominated my website, but I am glad they did. Decanting Monterey was named Best Monterey Wine Blog!
This year’s awards are quite diverse in hospitality services, from restaurants and luxury hotels all the way down to a little local wine blog like mine.
From the press release:
“…LUXlife focuses on recognising businesses which provide a diverse range of services from event and hospitality management, restaurants and bars, travel agents, public relations as well as marketing services, to tour operators. LUXlife aims to represent the best talent from this dynamic industry.” Wow – I am humbled.
“Decanting Monterey is a great place to get the real story on Monterey County wines. Central Coast Sharon shares her passion, knowledge, personal experiences, and reviews to elevate and demystify Monterey County wines. Decanting Monterey delivers wine education and wine reviews, wrapped in interesting personal stories via a weekly post. Also found on Instagram (Decanting_Monterey) and Facebook (Decanting Monterey). Nominated in 2023 & 2024 as Best Local Blog by the Monterey County Weekly.”
Have a great Thanksgiving with friends and family. And, if you aren’t a subscriber, sign up today – it is free, I don’t sell your information, so far I don’t have any ads, and is usually just one email per week.
Loyal Fans: Thanks to each and every one of you, Decanting Monterey once again was nominated for Best Local Blog of Monterey County!! We are 1 of 5 finalists for this category. I am so thankful and humbled by this nomination.
Now I ask that you take the important next step:Please vote now for Decanting Monterey, a labor of love to help educate others about our local vintners and their wines. For 4 years, I have been bringing you my personal experiences to broaden the world’s view of Monterey wines.
VOTING IS OPEN – Vote Now for Decanting Monterey!!
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Please click on the photo for “Around Town,” then search for Best Local Blog and vote now for Decanting Monterey.
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Many years ago, we stopped into the Mercy tasting room at the entrance of Carmel Valley Village. It was the winery which first introduced us to the Zabala and Griva vineyards, from which they produced exceptional whites and reds. Their tasting room portrayed photos of the rocky soils of Zabala Vineyards. I quickly became obsessed with Zabala. If I see it listed on a wine label, I know right away the wine has the potential to be fantastic.
In 2019, while our daughter was visiting from the east coast, I asked my family to jump in the car with me so I could see the rocky vineyards chock full of “Greenfield potatoes,” as the smooth river rocks are fondly called. I think they thought I was a little crazy. I was presenting Mercy wines in my east coast wine class and felt I needed to see the vineyards for myself. I had become a Zabala Vineyards groupie, especially for Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah wines made from their grapes.
Since Mercy closed, I have been on a hunt for any winery who makes a single varietal Syrah from Zabala Vineyards. I have yet to find one rivaling Mercy’s bounty, but I keep looking.
A year or so later, our friend who makes up part of the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod informed us me that Luis Zabala was in his biking group. He promised to introduced us…but time went on.
Fast forward to the August 2023 Arroyo Seco Winegrowers’ 40th Anniversary celebration, which I covered in two posts: Let’s Have a Big Party to Celebrate Arroyo Seco Winegrowers!and The Big Party Continues for Arroyo Seco Winegrowers! While I was there to cover the event in Decanting Monterey, the entire time I was looking for, asking about, and trying to meet Luis Zabala. A shameless groupie indeed! I got someone to point him out, texted my friend a picture to be sure, and introduced myself to him. I explained our mutual friend connection, and Luis kindly offered to have us down to the vineyard for a tour. We finally made it there in March – with our friend!
Thank you, Luis, for hosting us, humoring us, and being patient with us while we asked you all our questions. Spending that time in your vineyard with you was a very special day for Decanting Monterey – and me personally.
ABOUT ZABALA VINEYARDS – WHAT DID I LEARN
I came armed with a list of questions and Luis patiently – and with subtle humor – answered them all. Who knew he was a comedian! I am going to intersperse what I learned with the official history and other information on their website, which I would encourage you to read in full – so much richness of Californian history in this property and family. The text in quotes comes directly from their website:
Originally of Spanish Basque heritage, his family came up to what is now the Central Coast of California in the 1840’s and 50’s from Valparaiso, Chile.
“In earlier days, our forefathers defended the states’ historic missions of what would become California, and in return were granted various tracts of land in the Monterey and Santa Barbara counties. While the specifics of those plots have evolved over the last two centuries, our family has retained over 2,500 acres of this land between the coastal counties today.”
Luis showed us a map of his property and the vineyards. While most of the area was farmland, the big swath where the vineyards are today was “marginal land” – not suitable for farming.
“Our ancestors have been farming the land for over a century. However, it was not until the early 1970’s that J. Luis Zabala was approached by investors from the community to plant the Zabala holdings with wine grapes. The site proved to be ideal for growing Chardonnay, as the demand for quality Californian wines quickly expanded.”
So, how did Luis get involved? Intending to work in a different field, he got his MBA in finance and worked in technology up in Seattle – until the situation at the vineyard dictated that he needed to return. He’s now been in the business for 30 years. And his daughter, Leslie, has joined him in the business.
“Since the seventies, the vineyard has continued to expand. In the 1980’s, Luis Zabala Sr. passed ownership of the land to his five children, who continue his legacy by growing premium wine grapes in the family name. Zabala Vineyards now holds over one thousand acres of Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir in one of California’s most unique viticultural regions, and contributes to the highest premium vineyard-designate wine bottlings from the Central Coast.”
Luis added the following beyond their current webpage:
“The success of Zabala Vineyards really is a Team effort. Namely, Jason Melvin providing the wisdom of his years of experience as Vineyard Manager, my wife Joni Zabala, as the guiding light and sounding board behind the success of the vineyard, and Leslie Zabala, representing the next generation who is vitally interested in carrying on the family legacy.”
I love that!
One of our first questions was how many acres was his vineyard. He quipped, “It’s only one, but it is really narrow.” Funny guy. Then he answered us seriously. Today he has about 800 acres planted, growing a number of varieties, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Graciano, Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, and Syrah. I hope I got them all! As we approached Zabala Vineyardsfrom the north, we noticed acres and acres of uprooted vines. My first question was about those vines. The vines are about 30 years old, so they have begun the process to rip out (and I hope replant) those older vines.
The fruit from his vines makes incredible wine. I asked him what makes his fruit so special? He had a very simple response: “It is the struggle.” The vines must struggle through the rocky soil to get to the water and nutrients while enduring the frigid, windy nights. As Mercy’s website used to say, the Arroyo Seco AVA is “windblown, numbingly cold, fog laden, semi-arid, rock strewn, austerely beautiful.”
I love to present Zabala Sauvignon Blanc wines in my classes from various producers, such as Corral Wine Co. and I Brand’s Paysan label. The wines are floral and tropical with a nice minerality on the finish. I am presenting the 2022 vintage from Corral in my upcoming wine class.
I am forever seeking a Syrah made from Zabala grapes that can match the flavor of the Mercy wine. Luis showed me a shelf of bottles of Zabala Vineyard Syrah and suggested I check out I Brand, Corral Wine Co., Lepe Cellars, Morgan, and Field Recordings (in Paso Robles). Of those, I know that Lepe Cellars and Field Recordings bottle Zabala Syrah as a single varietal.
We toured his property to see the Syrah vines up close, including some new vines just being planted. We got a good look at the large, smooth “Greenfield potatoes.” He also provided a lesson about irrigation and the use of bilateral cordon and unilateral cordon with cane grape trellising to achieve a “balanced vineyard.” Made sense, but he knew we had no idea what he was talking about.
We asked Luis what he thought of the 2023 vintage. He finished harvest in mid-November and was happy with the ripening, despite there not being a hot day all summer. We asked how much fruit he produced and he pulled our legs responding that “one ton gets a good price.” He harvests several thousands of tons of grapes, either by machine or by hand, depending on the customer’s request. And the wineries decide when their fruit gets picked.
I had asked him earlier in the day if he ever intended to produce his own wines for sale to the public. His response was that it is a different business model, with a heavy focus on sales and lots of time on the road. He is content running the operations of this large vineyard. We wrapped up our tour visiting the small trailer that contains his “winery” with his little label “machine” and a few barrels. Charming. Definitely not a set-up for large production!
As we ended our tour, he generously handed us bottles of his own Syrah which he makes for family and friends. Thank you, Luis, for sharing your time, your world, your expertise, your vines, your humor and your wine with us. It was a perfect afternoon which we will not forget.
THE WINE
2019 Zabala Syrah, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County (#1320)
My Review: Hint of tar, opening up into full-on blackberry jam and pipe tobacco. The medium-bodied palate was dominated by blackberry fruit, with a distinct cherry on the finish. Opened up to present as a rich, full-bodied wine on day 2, with a tannic finish.The fruit is quite delicious on this wine. April 2024
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