Tagged: Parsonage

Parsonage: A Glimpse of the 2019 Vintage

It has been a good, long while since I have presented Parsonage here.  I’ll be making up for that with the next couple of posts! I had the opportunity to take our COVID Wine Pod plus some visiting friends to the Parsonage Village Vineyard for a barrel tasting, at the invitation of Bill Parsons himself.  Who was I to say no?  Little did we know when the date was set that they would be harvesting that day!  We did our best to stay out of the way of the action. 

It is always exciting to get a glimpse of the future of your favorite wines.  It is also an opportunity to get inside the head of the vintners a bit, gain insights about techniques they used to make up for the lost vintage of 2020, the detrimental impact of drought conditions on fruit production, and pandemic influences.  Bill and I have an agreement that I can write about anything he tells me – and so I will! Hope I got it all right!

Bill talked a bit about the changes implemented in reaction to the pandemic that had a positive impact, such as having outdoor space and a reservation system for wine tasting. They have a beautiful parklet with plenty of sun for us coastal dwellers to enjoy, as well as ample shade for those warmer days. On the negative side, he highlighted supply chain issues for critical supplies including bottles, foils, and corks. About the drought conditions impacting his fruit, he said, “I am a farmer.  I am at the mercy of the elements.”  The Syrah was still hanging at the time of our visit.  Shortly after our visit, we had that torrential rain – I was very worried how my beloved Syrah survived the storm.  Bill just told me this week: “Not only did the Syrah survive the inch and half drenching in five hours, but it thrived as a result. We just harvested this morning in fact!”

Today, I am presenting 10 Parsonage wines – 5 barrel tastings at the winery and 5 wines currently available in the tasting room.  I tasted a few of these wines the following week with another group of experts. I’ve melded my notes here – the rest of those wines will appear next week!

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/.

2019 Parsonage Dario Reserve Merlot, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $90 (#528*)

My Review: 100% Estate fruit. He will produce 100-120 cases.  Aged in 100% new French oak, it will be bottled in Spring 2022.  Dark ruby, purple in color. Jammy raspberry and blackberry with a touch of vanilla on the nose.  Intense berry fruit on the palate with some anise on the finish.  Delicious! I can’t wait to purchase this when it is released! Barrel Tasting – October 2021

2019 Parsonage Bixby Reserve, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $90 (#529*) ~65% Petit Verdot, ~35% Cabernet Sauvignon

My Review: “An outlier wine” loved by a select group of wine club members. Deep ruby in the glass.  Plum and cherry on the nose. Plum, herbs. leather, tobacco yet violets on the palate – not fruit forward.  Caramel notes on the finish.  Certainly more tannic than the Merlot. Barrel Tasting – October 2021

2021 Parsonage Petit Verdot, San Antonio Valley AVA, 15% ABV (#530*)

My Review: This wine is sourced from the Argyle Vineyard down in the very southern part of Monterey County. Tucked between the Salinas Valley and the Santa Lucia Mountains, the San Antonio Valley has a long, warm growing season, enefiting from the lake effect from Lake San Antonio.  We tasted this wine when it was only 3 weeks old – a first for me, for sure!  Vegetal on the nose.  Intense plum on the palate with green bell pepper notes.  Has a great foundation and is structurally balanced – can stand on its own and will be good blended with a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Barrel Tasting – October 2021

2019 Parsonage Tanner Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $90 (#531*)

My Review: Super dark ruby.  Deep berry and plum on the nose.  Rich dark fruits including black currant on the palate with lots of structure.  28-29 months n the barrel.  Barrel Tasting – October 2021

2019 Parsonage Rocco Reserve Syrah, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $90 (#532*)

My Review: Bill calls the 2019 vintage as “the greatest in winemaking history.” Inky ruby in the glass.  Smokey essense on the nose.  Super smooth on the palate with rich raspberry, blackberry, cherry, red currant and vanilla bean.  Dry on the finish.  Terrific, wonderful. Barrel Tasting – October 2021

2018 Parsonage Wild Card, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $38 (#533*)

My Review: Ruby in the glass, alcohol on the nose.  Chewy.  My experience with this wine is it needs a bit of time to settle and meld.  After all the barrel tastings, though, we probably needed a reset! Will taste again sometime with a well rested palate! October 2021

2018 Parsonage BDL, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $44 (#534*)

My Review: Transluscent ruby in the glass.  Raspberry on the nose, rich raspberry on the palate.  Tasty and drinkable now.  Would be good with garlic roasted chicken or salmon with root vegetables. October 2021

2018 Parsonage Estate Syrah, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $48 (#535*)

My Review: Dark ruby in the glass.  Dark berries with some caramel and spicy smokiness on the nose – like a cinnamon hard candy. Good fruit on the palate with spice melding with meat – “cinnamon and bacon,” with lingering finish of anise and pepper.  “Like a Cote-Roti.” Our friends bought a bottle of this wine and we enjoyed it at dinner the following evening. October 2021

2018 Parsonage Rocco Reserve Syrah, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $90 (#536*)

My Review: 30% slope hang, chalk rock. This is their flagship wine and my personal favorite.  Purple ruby in the glass.  Allspice, caramel and earth on the nose, a bit like old leather.  Intense dark berries and plum on the palate with vanilla notes. Done in a traditional, earthy Rhone style. This vintage is pretty impressive – I took a bottle home of this new release. October 2021

2017 Parsonage Xandro, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $90 (#537*) 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Syrah

My Review: Bill calls the 2019 vintage as “the greatest in winemaking history.” Inky ruby in the glass.  Smokey essence on the nose.  Super smooth on the palate with rich raspberry, blackberry, cherry, red currant and vanilla bean.  Dry on the finish.  Terrific, wonderful. October 2021

Tasting Room Photo Courtesy Parsonage

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 at19 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.    

© Decanting Monterey 2023

Make a Donation!

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

Make a Donation!

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.    

Parsonage: Big Reds Break Coastal Chill!

Friday before Memorial Day…let’s head out to the valley in search of warmth and wine! Parsonage is always one of our favorite places to taste wines – with plenty of the big reds, just the way we like them.  Summer gave us a sunny seat, giving us a little break from our coastal chill.   

Want sun? Want shade? It can all be arranged! Photo courtesy Parsonage.

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 their website, unless otherwise indicated.

Our latest haul from Parsonage – So happy to have these in my collection!

2019 Parsonage Grenache Rosé, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $29 (#385*)

Winery Notes: A perennial warm weather favorite. And a surprise to everyone who thinks they don’t like Rosé! Made with Grenache grapes. Refreshing and dry.

Owner Bill Parsons’ tasting notes: “What a nose!! If you spend some time with the nose of this lovely and sensual wine, you could discover notes of red roses, lavender, strawberry, pomegranate, raspberry, watermelon, peach and citrus zest. The bouquet comes alive on the palate with strawberry and watermelon. The finish is rich, full and lively.” 

My Review: Apple cider on the nose.  Rich and flavorful on the palate.  I’d love to drink this wine on a “hot” day at our neighbors’ micro-climate patio! May 2021

2017 Parsonage Grenache-Syrah, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $36 (#386*) 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah

Grenache-Syrah photo courtesy of Parsonage.

Winery Notes: “This easy drinker pairs nicely with cheese & crackers. We joke that we should re-name it the “universal donor” even though that isn’t the perfect analogy. But you get the gist of it – this wine seems to be universally loved, no matter what your favorite varietal is…Fully dry. Medium-bodied but rich.”

Owner Bill Parsons’ tasting notes: “A bright mixed bouquet of floral notes accented by raspberry, pomegranate, blueberry, and black cherry mark the nose of this traditional blend. The palate is full, but not as massive as previous vintages. All of the fruit of the nose resonates in the mouth with a hint of umami. This iteration of our Grenache Syrah is marvelously complex and elegant.”  

My Review: Bright ruby in the glass.  Very round on the palate and delicious.  May 2021

2017 Parsonage Cyrano Red Wine, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $26 (#387*) 70% Merlot, 30% Syrah

Winery Notes: “Our versatile red table wine easily pairs with a variety of different foods. We think it goes especially well with pizza and spaghetti with red sauce. This vintage is full bodied. A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Syrah. Rich, ripe and voluptous. The Cyrano is one of our best sellers.”

My Review: This is an exciting blend – bright and energetic.  Summer says:  Good vintage, aged in neutral oak barrels, best seller year over year. May 2021

2015 Parsonage Cyrano Red Wine, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $26 (#388*) 70% Merlot, 30% Syrah 

Winery Notes: (We had this wine in our collection and opened it to compare to the 2017 we had tasted at the winery.  The two vintages seemed shockingly similar.  In fact, the winery’s tasting notes are identical to the 2017!)

My Review: Dark ruby in the glass. Nose of dark berries and cherry. Rich palate of dark fruits overplayed with cherry – excited, dancing on the tongue. May 2021

2017 Parsonage Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, 15% ABV, $48 (#389*) 

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon photo courtesy Parsonage.

Winery Notes: “This Cabernet Sauvignon field blend is joined with a mix of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It’s a full-throttle bombastic beauty, typical of younger vines. The nose is all about very dark fruit marked by brambleberry compote. Plum and cassis join with the brambleberry on a muscular palate that finishes with some major league tannins.” The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a private vineyard in Cachagua (Carmel Valley) and the Cabernet Franc comes from Paicines AVA!

My Review: Beautiful ruby in the glass. Cherry on the nose.  Rich cherry and berry on the palate.  Quite good! May 2021

2018 Parsonage Hawk Reserve Pinot Noir, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $80 (#390*)

Photo of the 2017 Parsonage Hawk Reserve Pinot Noir

Winery Notes from the tasting sheet: Full bodied with full fruit expression and sensuous texture.

My Review: Translucent ruby in color. Raspberry on the nose.  Super juicy bright berry flavors and luscious. Supple tannins. Very nice Pinot Noir – even I like this one! The Hawk can stand up to a Burgundian red! May 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.  

*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.    

Parsonage’s Tanner: The Power of Carmel Valley Cabernet Sauvignons!

We reassembled the fully vaccinated (yay!) COVID Wine Pod for a patio tasting last week and, for the first time, we were able to move inside when the weather turned chilly and windy. Mr. H pulled out this 2011 Tanner Cabernet Sauvignon to see how it would stand up to the 2011 Napa Cab we had just tasted. Watch out, Napa – let’s hear it for Carmel Valley Cabernet Sauvignons!

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/.

2011 Parsonage Tanner Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $80 (#355*)

The 2011 Tanner stood up well to a Napa 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon!

We had this wine in our collection and opened it to compare a high-end Carmel Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with a high-end Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.  We decanted it immediately prior to consumption.  2011 is not known for being a great growing season in California, so we really lucked out with both of these wines. 

My Review: Very dense and dark in the glass with a super intense bouquet.  The quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon flavors on the palate and a slight bitterness on the finish.  We all thought this was super impressive.  Well done! May 2021

  • Photo Courtesy of Parsonage!
Open daily for outdoor tastings – plus indoor tastings on the weekends!

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 at19 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.    

Parsonage: “unabashed, rollicking wine ready for a good time**”

Special occasions call for special wines – and we’ve had a few relatives visiting – time to open some Parsonage reserves! Why not drink the good stuff?

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/.

2005 Parsonage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $125 (#345*)

We received this as a library wine in a recent allocation.  This vintage pre-dates the “Tanner” designation. Our experience has taught us that these library wines are ready to drink. 

grapelive  – 93 points:  “Cabernet did really well here in 2005 and I think it is showing much more character as well, I think the grape is star here and it seems to be so correct that I have a hard time finding any flaws! Pure classic fruits and depth make this vintage remarkable and especially noteworthy. Mixed black and red berry, plum, currants, cassis and chewy tannins scream Cabernet and don’t let up. The complex underbrush, herb and tobacco notes are very subtle and the hints of licorice, vanilla and cranberry are lovely.”

We shared the 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon with our visiting niece and nephew-in-law one chilly April night.

My Review: Dark in the glass with rich, smooth flavors of cassis and plum.  This wine is drinking well, with the dark flavors reflecting its age.  Two thumbs up! April 2021

2015 Parsonage Rocco Reserve Syrah, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $80 (#346*)

**Monterey County Weekly:  “Hedonistic – that’s how winemaker Bill Parsons describes his 2015 Parsonage “Rocco” Syrah. Not that the wine is self-indulgent, although it does seem hell-bent in pursuit of a good time, spilling bushels of ripe blackberries and blueberries from the glass. The revelry begins with a swirl. Fresh aromas spring from the glass, tromping over the grumbles of pepper and licorice. The party continues unabated on the palate, as dense dark berries mingle with a flirtatious impression of fresh plum. What develops on the fringes – raspy pepper, dry clove, bittersweet chocolate and toasted tobacco – are too faint at first to slow things down. It’s only on the finish that the wine’s demeanor changes, developing a more stolid, earthy character and a richer berry compote aspect that stills some of its liveliness.”

My Review: Almost opaque in color. Big dark fruit – blackberry and currant on the nose. Super rich, smooth dark fruit blackberry, plum and a touch of cassis and cedar on the palate. Sweet-tart on the finish.  It looks like it smells like it tastes. Love this wine, as did our visiting family. April 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. 

Parsonage Tasting Room Image (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.    

Parsonage’s Repertoire: from Serious Library Estate Wines to a “Downright weird” Blend!

Parsonage Valley Vineyard (photo taken Spring 2019)

On this Ides of March, I wanted to present two completely different (opposite?) Parsonage wines. When we first met Frank Melicia, we knew he made serious wines.  But he also is a bit of an innovator who tries new things, so he makes some fun blends, too.  I’m bringing you one of each in today’s post!

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/.

Bill Parsons always has a story and here is the story he shared with me about our first wine, the 2008 Parsonage Estate Syrah:

“The (2008) vintage was our most celebrated and sought after in our then ten year existence. As great as the Estate version was, the Carmelstone and Rocco (Syrahs) were even greater.

“Back then Arvid Singh was the sommelier at the Sardine Factory. Ted Balesteri tasted my wines at a fundraiser at Holman Ranch and asked to set up a tasting with Arvid. I did. It was the craziest tasting I’ve ever done. I opened the Estate and the Carmelstone while he looked for his small spittoon. After he found it I poured one ounce of each. He swirled and sniffed for a long time, then took in a mouthful. He gurgled a bit, then swallowed. He asked me for another shot. I complied. He repeated the ritual two more times without spitting. I asked him what the spittoon was for. He said that all of his career he had always spit. Then he said, ‘but it would be sacrilege to expectorate the greatest Syrah he had ever tasted.’

“I laughed and said, ‘Yeah, very funny.’ It was obvious that I thought he was joking and he got quite angry at me. This was very serious stuff to him. I could probably write several hundred words describing our back and forth. The gist of it was that I challenged the idea that he had an olfactory version of eidetic memory. He said, for instance, 20 years ago he had tasted a Penfolds Grange and thought it to be the greatest he ever tasted until the Parsonage. I said, ‘The Grange isn’t here to defend its ranking.’ He said he had total olfactory recall of every great wine he had ever tasted. I called bullshit on him and he was really pissed at me.

“Finally I apologized and we kissed and made up.😎 When he tasted the Carmelstone it was more of the same, even greater than the Estate. He wanted to buy a lot more than I was willing to sell him.

“Later, I reflected on our tasting and what I had learned. I learned that Arvid and I have identical palates when it comes to Syrah because we both thought the 2008 was the best we ever tasted.

“As a footnote Arvid said, ‘The Grange is not even worthy of being on the same shelf with your Syrah.’ I thought he was a bit harsh on the famous Aussie Shiraz.”

2008 Parsonage Estate Syrah, Carmel Valley AVA, 15% ABV, $90 ($36 release price) (#261*)

The 2008 Parsonage Syrah is a staff favorite – perhaps one of the very best vintages.

Winemaker Notes:  “The vintage was our most celebrated and sought after in our then ten year existence. As great as the Estate version was, the Carmelstone and Rocco were even greater…What a bomb!  This is quite likely our biggest estate syrah ever.  It’s more like a reserve Carmelstone or Rocco from other vintages.  The nose comes with a blast of blueberry, blackberry, curry spices and cocoa.  The color is pure garnet ink.  The mouth feel is monumental with layers of very dark fruit, exotic spice and French oak barrel brulee. The expected signature notes of mineral and game along with hints of liquer and Amarone deliver on an exceedingly long and dramatic finish.”

My Review: Very dark in the glass with dark fruit on the nose to match. Rich dark flavors of black currant and cassis on the palate. Pretty yummy, but clearly should have been consumed some time back.  Definitely need to decant and drink these older wines! March 2021

2016 Parsonage Wild Card, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $38 (#262*)

2016 was the year of the Soberanes Fire affecting Carmel Valley fruit; grapes for this wine were sourced from all over Monterey County.

Winemaker Notes:  “Downright weird from Frank’s twilight zone.  It really shouldn’t work but it does every time eight years running. Syrah, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Grenache, Pinot Noir, oh my. It’s yummy and if you want to make the effort you can pick out the character of each varietal.”

My Review: Deep beautiful red in color. Plum, berry and caramel on the nose. Maybe toast notes, but that could be my popcorn. Intense fruit up from on the palate – bursting with red and black berry. A little touch of smoke and tobacco on the finish. Pleasant surprise!! February 2021

  • Photo courtesy of Parsonage
Parsonage’s Beautiful Tasting Room and Outdoor Parklet!

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 at19 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.    

What Central Coast Wines Did You Enjoy over the Holidays?

I hope you enjoyed your holidays and tried some new wines or revisited familiar favorites. I would love to hear from you: Which Central Coast wines did you open over the holidays and how were they? Please comment below!

Our traditional dinner table had far fewer place settings than usual. We also experienced new ways to celebrate – socially distant around a beautiful, warm fire on a chilly Monterey Bay night.

We enjoyed wines from around the world – France, Italy, Washington, Napa, Carmel Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains and Paso Robles.

Here are the Central Coast wines we tasted over the holidays (reviews to come!):

In addition to some of our favorite big reds from Carmel Valley, we branched out and tried some new brands from Paso Robles and the Santa Cruz Mountains!

  • 2011 Bernardus Marinus, Carmel Valley, with our Christmas dinner
  • 2018 Samuel Louis Smith Syrah, Santa Cruz Mountains
  • 2007 Parsonage Tanner Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmel Valley on New Year’s Eve
  • 2006 Bear Cave Cellars Reserve Syrah, Paso Robles, also on New Year’s Eve

And, once again, which Central Coast wines did you open over the holidays – what did you think of them? I look forward to hearing from you!

Happy New Year!

Parsonage: Onward to Monterey County and Beyond!

I first introduced you to Parsonage and its reserve wines here: https://decantingmonterey.com/parsonage-reserve-wines-my-kind-of-big-reds/ and its non-reserve estate wines here: https://decantingmonterey.com/parsonage-back-to-the-estate-with-2017-releases/. 

Now we are going to get outside of Parsonage’s sweet spots of Carmel Valley and Arroyo Seco AVAs by presenting wines labeled “Monterey County” – and even “Central Coast”!  This post represents the beginning of our transition outside of Monterey County wines and into San Benito County, specifically to Paicines, which I will describe more in the next blog. 

I have 3 red blends for you today.  Sadly, two of them are already sold out – we will need to wait for the next vintage to be released! 

2017 Parsonage The Aussie Red Wine, 15% ABV, $38 (#15*) 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Syrah

2017 The Aussie was so delicious, I had to go back and buy more.

From the Winemaker: “Our popular, magical blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. We like to pair it with rack of lamb or duck. This is a big red wine.”

My Review: Blueberry, blackberry and earthy, with silky-smooth yet full tannins.  An elegantly balanced extended finish.  This wine is my kind of wine – I went back and picked up more!  Now it appears to be sold out.  April 2020

2017 Parsonage Wild Card Red Wine, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $38 (#85*)

“The Wild Card is a Complexity Bomb.”

From the Winemaker: “This is the tenth iteration of Frank’s wild and crazy idea to make an experimental blend from all of the varietals in our barrels. Forgive my failure to curb my enthusiasm but this 2017 Wild Card red wine is the best one yet!

“Each and every vintage has been fascinating and delicious, but 2017 wins by a landslide. This is the biggest, richest, most fascinating of all of them. As full-bodied as it is, it is still elegantly balanced. The Wild Card is a complexity bomb. Those six components of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Grenache, and Pinot Noir have fused in synergistic harmony to create some serious magic…

“The nose opens with a burst of floral and spice notes, star anise prominent, followed by hints of the full spectrum of red, blue, and black fruit and berries. The mouthfeel is full of texture with fine, ripe, silky tannins. All of the fruit reappears on the palate including red currant, pomegranate, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, and blackberry.

“By patient, vigilant mindfulness I can identify the constituent varietals one by one. Merlot with its foundation of cherry and red currant, Cabernet Sauvignon by its cassis and tannic backbone, Syrah from its savory hint of umami, Petit Verdot with its blueberry and drier finishing tannins, Grenache for its floral and spice notes, and finally, Pinot Noir for its bing cherry, cola and subtle Earl Grey black tea notes.”

My Review:  We tasted this wine along with all of the current releases back in June. We found this mélange of both Rhône and Bordeaux varietals to be refreshing.  With so many different grapes and flavors, we, however, couldn’t align it to distinct flavors as well as Parsonage could.  I was able to re-taste this wine with a friend in October.  Ruby in color, raspberry and currant on the nose, cherry and currant on the palate with a nice, lingering finish.  My friend enjoyed it so much she took two bottles home!

2017 Parsonage The BDL, Central Coast, 15% ABV, $42 (#173*)

The BDL sold out quickly – by fans who remembered its predecessor!

Winemaker’s Notes: “BDL is shorthand for Bordelais, a wildly popular (but illegally named) wine we produced years ago. This exquisite Bordeaux blend is 52 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 24 percent Merlot, and 8 percent each Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Cab Franc. It has all the bells and whistles Bordeaux lovers expect from an elegantly balanced and much more expensive bottle that crosses the Atlantic to get here.” (This wine has some juice from Paicines AVA – I’m guessing the Malbec.) This wine sold out very quickly.

My Review: Very dense dark red in color.  Bodacious dark nose – sweet dark cherry and caramel.  Rich dark fruit on the palate, with some sweeter bright cherry fruit on the finish, bordering on a port-like finish.  Slightly vegetal with a little leather.  August 2020

You can obtain the Wild Card and other Parsonage wines directly from the winery here and pick them up at the tasting room or have them shipped to you.  Join their wine club for 20% off.  You can also visit their tasting room by appointment only in Carmel Valley Village (“the village”) Monday-Friday 12-5  and weekends 11-5. Make a reservation in advance here.

The Parsonage wine tasting parklet is spacious and the staff, very attentive to CDC protocols.

*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 2020

Parsonage: Back to the Estate with 2017 Releases!

While Parsonage ingeniously sourced fruit from elsewhere in the aftermath of the 2016 Soberanes Fire, we are glad their 2017 vintages are being released! We tasted these wines at a soft-opening test of their COVID-19 social-distancing procedures back in June 2020. 

Parsonage learned a lot from our dry run of their pandemic tasting procedures. Heh.

Parsonage was the winery that showed us Carmel Valley could make the kinds of big reds I love and is the reason I am a Syrah fan these days.  In addition to the big Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah wines and blends, Parsonage makes some delicious, big Pinot Noirs – their Estate Pinot Noir (below) and their reserve “Hawk” Pinot Noir (reviewed here:  https://decantingmonterey.com/parsonage-reserve-wines-my-kind-of-big-reds/).

2017 Parsonage Estate Pinot Noir, Carmel Valley, 15% ABV, $42 (#77*)

The Parsonage Estate Pinot Noir – their lightest red – is still a BIG wine!

Winemaker’s Notes: “While this is the lightest red we make, it’s still bigger than your average Pinot Noir. An easy drinker, this wine does not need to be paired with food. But we like it with roast chicken, salmon or even some cheese and crackers. We get ripe cranberry and a hint of Earl Grey tea. Mouth-watering acidity and elegance on the luscious vibrant finish.” This wine spent ~8 months in neutral oak. 

My Review: I’m not a big Pinot Noir fan, yet I really enjoy the richer style of Parsonage’s Pinots. Less complex than the “Hawk,” this is a wonderful, enjoyable wine – smooth and delicious fruit on the bouquet and palate, with a little lingering bitterness.  June 2020

2017 Parsonage Estate Syrah, Carmel Valley, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $42 (#87*)

So happy to have the estate wines back – the 2017 Syrah!

Winemaker’s Notes:  “Big and rich is a great way to describe our 2017 Estate Syrah. Perfect balance and fully ripened tannins allow for a big, beautiful finish without dissonance. The bouquet is a swirl of toasted French oak vanillins that perform an olfactory fakeout with the very ripe Syrah skins that together say caramel mocha. Right behind that is a ripe black raspberry/black currant fusion. All of these aromatics manifest on the palate creating a melange of bittersweet chocolate caramel accented with sea salt (derived from the umami flavor of Parsonage terroir).”

My Review: Deep purple in color.  Black cherry on the nose. Palate bursting with black fruit, spice and bay leaves. June 2020

You can obtain these wines directly from Parsonage here and pick them up at the tasting room onr have them shipped to you.  Join their wine club for 20% off.  You can also visit their tasting room by appointment only in Carmel Valley Village (“the village”) Monday-Friday 12-5  and weekends 11-5. Make a reservation in advance here.

Estate Vines at 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 2020

SIGN UP HERE TO GET Decanting Monterey DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL!!

Don't miss a single exciting post about our Central Coast/Monterey wines! Enter your email address below for a free subscription to Decanting Monterey. Be sure to open the confirmation email and validate your subscription! See you soon!!

Verified by MonsterInsights