Tag: Santa Lucia Highlands

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Top Three Chardonnay Wines (2022 Edition)

In a recent conversation with one of you WineSnobs, I asked what kind of content they would like to see more of. They made a great suggestion – do a Top Three wines series for different categories and/or varietals. I thought it was a great idea. It also prompted me to reflect over all the amazing wines I’ve encountered so far and come up with a short list of three wines I can recommend that would further advance your journey, adventure and discovery of wine as a whole.

So without further ado, here are the top three Chardonnay wines I recommend for 2022. No matter your taste – oaked, un-oaked, dry, light, buttery or acidic – these three Chardonnay are sure to change how to look at and appreciate this varietal. Be sure to share your thoughts and notes with me on social media or in the comments below.

Tara by Ventisquero Wines, Atacama Desert, Chile

Subtle, creamy white cherries. Full, lush, silky, luxurious, weighted mouth feel. leathery terroir notes remain front and center. Chalky slate finish. Unlike most chardonnay which leave your palate dry and tingling with spice, this one’s hallmark is an absolutely drenched, wet, moist (read drooling) palate. At 12.5% ABV, you can take your time and enjoy it without experiencing any palate fatigue.

A fine wine by all accounts. An impressive feat considering it was fermented in whole clusters using only naturally occurring yeast and pressed by foot! Unfiltered! Wild!

Read my full review of the 2016 vintage here

Chardonnay by Panther Creek Cellars, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Soft, restrained nos of mild citrus and under-ripe peach, damp slightly mineral leather, white cherries linger. Subtly firm, viscous body, slightly weighted mouth feel, good tension. White pepper, subtle citrus zest, under-ripe white cherries, crisp, refined caramel and a spice tingle.

If I were to open a Chardonnay on any given day, this would be it.

Read my full review of the 2017 vintage here

Chardonnay by Morgan Winery, Santa Lucia Highlands, California

Supple, slightly crisp nose with notes of damp hay, light citrus, cantaloupe, pomegranate white cranberry which evolve into peach stone fruit. Take your time because hours later this becomes a truly magnificent wine. Beautifully balanced from front to back. Soft silky if not viscous mouth feel. Sweet citrus up front with a touch of zest. The palate is rendered moist through the finish. The body quickly fades across the palate leaving hints of honeysuckle, ripe cantaloupe and cola.

A very gentle, terroir driven Chardonnay with a beautiful, full bodied expression.

Read my full review of the 2020 vintage here

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2020 Chardonnay by Morgan Winery, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA

2020 Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands) by Morgan Winery, Salinas, CA

Supple, slightly crisp nose with notes of damp hay, light citrus, cantaloupe, pomegranate white cranberry .as it opens up these notes turn into more of a peach stone fruit. Take your time because hours later this becomes a truly magnificent wine.

Body is beautifully balanced from front to back, greeting the palate with a soft silky if not viscous mouth feel immediately. Sweet citrus up front with a touch of zest. Hints of white cranberries. There’s a noticeable minerality that lends a slight bitter in the background and renders the palate moist through the finish. The body quickly fades across the palate leaving hints of honeysuckle, ripe cantaloupe and cola.

This a very gentle, terroir driven Chardonnay with a beautiful, full bodied expression. I love this wine maker’s work. Great philosophy and execution.

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2012 Syrah (Double L Vineyard – Santa Lucia Highlands) by Morgan Winery, Salinas CA

Tonight’s Occasion: 2012 Syrah (Double L Vineyard – Santa Lucia Highlands) by Morgan Winery, Salinas CA

Deep dark intense semi-opaque color. It appears clear and free of suspension. Out of the bottle nose is a little restrained for a syrah but very much present. Up front ripe dark plums, blackberries, dark cherries over a backdrop of old dusty, woody leather. Hints of black licorice punctuate the nose. Fruit and earth go hand in hand here. A deep, dark, brooding syrah.

Body is balanced from front to back. Bone dry. Thin plum skins carry over to greet the palate . Tannins are crisp, fairly restrained and fully integrated into the body. Slightly under-ripe blueberries. Barely noticeable acidity provides a gentle tension across the palate. Towards the back a gentle spice warmth slowly takes over the transition to finish, along with thin black currants. With each sip, a gentle grip builds upon the lips one delicate layer at a time. As it breathes, old barnyard woody leather and licorice intensify.

Following the nose I expected a massive beast of a Syrah however this is the complete opposite. Body is very delicate and gentle on the palate. There is a certain classic, understated simplicity to its expression and execution. This should make for a great benchmark Syrah in any cellar/collection. It is now that I have to remind myself that this is Santa Lucia Highlands and what a difference this climate/terroir makes with this otherwise massive varietal. This winemaker has done a great job of shepherding these grapes and chanelling everything that is great about this vineyard, and region at large.

Tech Sheet

2012 Double L Syrah by Morgan Winery
From Winemaker: 2012 Double L Syrah Tech Sheet.pdf
Terroir: Vineyard: Double L
Appelation: Santa Lucia Highlands
Soils: Arroyo Seco & Chualar Loam
Climate: very cool, Region 1 (UCD)
Composition: Rootstock: 110-14, 420a
Clones: 383 & 470
Aging: 1 3 months in 100% Bordeaux barrels
Analysis: Alcohol: 14.4%
Acidity: 6.7 G/L
PH: 3.54
Total Production: Approximately 75 cases
I would also like to say a Special Thank You to the Morgan Winery family and crew for digging into their limited library and making this limited production and beautifully crafted wine available. It’s truly a pleasure and honor to explore your life’s work.

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2019 Pinot Noir by Morgan, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA

2019 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) by Morgan Winery, Salinas, CA

Bright, clear, ruby color. Shy nose, greets with wet hay, subtle raspberry, cherry and sweet cranberry. Swirling unlocks red vine licorice, honey nectar, and a sweet citrus afternote reminiscent of Meyer lemon. All mere suggestions at their most intense. Sophisticated.

Body greets with a gentle, soft, weighted, zesty, viscous composure. Once the palate adjusts, a soft, bitter, licorice, wet wood, cranberry, and slightly under-ripe raspberry dominate the expression. The overall expression is familiar yet different. This is clearly Santa Lucia Highlands, one of my favorite regions for Pinot Noir. A crisp, refined oak caramel vanilla rounds out the body without distracting the palate and rendering the mouth feel more plush and luxurious. This whole act quietly vanishes leaving the palate slightly dry and moist, completely neutral. Impressive. That’s a first.

This iconic region and its fairly neutral terroir among other key factors make it the perfect place for growing and making rich, nuanced, exquisite Pinot Noir with a unique expression of its fruit characteristics. In this way, this wine showcases this iconic region so well. By blending so many clones it becomes a true celebration of SLH and Pinot Noir. What a great representation. Nicely done!

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2019 Rosé of Pinot Noir by Dawn’s Dream Winery, Carmel by the Sea, California

2019 Rosé of Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) by Dawn’s Dream Winery, Carmel by the Sea, California

Rose gold color. Aromatic nose greets with strawberry, white cranberries, wet wood and a hint of honey. Swirling intensifies the nose, adding a bit of cantaloupe and dusty earthy essence. This is Pinot Noir!

Body greets with a punch of citrus lemon, under-ripe strawberry and a faint, crisp caramel. This creates a slightly viscous, weighted mouth feel. Hints of white pepper pop up randomly as the body fades, leaving behind a dry grippy lemon zest, touch of minerality and a tingle of spice.

I keep thinking Bougie Rosé 🤣🤦🏽‍♂️. This wine is proof that Rosé is best when made from Pinot Noir. Clean, crisp, light and refreshing.

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2018 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) by E16 Winery, Fair Play, CA

Tonight’s Occasion: 2018 Pinot Noir (Doctor’s Vineyard – Santa Lucia Highlands) by E16 Winery, Fair Play, Sierra Foothills, CA

Clear ruby color. As soon as you uncork it, the space fills up with bright ripe red berries. Rich. Bright raspberries, cranberries drape over a soft dusty suede leather. Swirling intensifies the berries, adding a subtle pomegranate and a fine rock dust. This wine has a strong sense of place. It carries all the hallmarks of Santa Lucia Highlands. Indulging in Artisan Pinot from this region is distinct pleasure.

A silky, slightly weighted viscous body immediately drapes over the palate. Firm acidity reaches across the palate, drawing a firm tension. It’s an interesting sensation. This reinforcing an otherwise subtle, unobtrusive, thin, barely noticeable tannic structure. A refined caramel further elevates the fruit in an otherwise fairly dry body, creating a rich, opulent mouth feel. Midway through, a prominent spice emerges and remains through the finish and down into the chest. Body slowly fades leaving behind harm, slightly parched lips.

In a region dominated by Rhone and other big varietals, E16 is a an oasis for the Pinot lover in me. Pouring Pinot Noir from up an down the pacific coast, it’s a great change of pace for anyone looking to switch gears or simply take a walk on the subtler side. This is a well built wine with great sense of place. It’s really refreshing to enjoy and taste Artisan Pinot Noir from the central coast without having make the long trip down. Robert and the crew at E16 are onto something here. Nicely done! Cheers my friend.

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2014 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) by Belle Glos

Tonight’s Occasion: 2014 Pinot Noir (Las Alturas – Santa Lucia Highlands) by Belle Glos, Monterey County, CA

Intense, ruby color. Out of the bottle, nose is all terroir up front with an intense damp wood leather. This note is unwavering as subtle dark cherries peek through from behind the scene. As it breathes bright berry expression typical of this region pulls forward nicely. Hints of red vines licorice and soft buttery oak linger in the background. Beautiful nose. This wine is alive.

Body is slightly creamy up front. A viscous body is framed by soft tannins in the form of dark cherry skins lending unobtrusive structure to this full bodied Pinot. Soft buttery oak lends a nice creamy mouth feel, further accentuating the fruit and softening the tannins. Towards the back, a warm spice heat emerges along with a firming of tannic structure. This marks the transition to finish characterized by a long slow tango between an intensifying spice heat and tightening tannic grip over a backdrop of subtle bitter cola. Both eventually settling for a truce.

This is my first Belle Glos wine. Even at 7 years of age (long for a Pinot), it feels like it could still use more time to further integrate. I recommend decanting for at least 30 minutes. It is a well built, terroir driven wine, faithful to its origins. I’m not sure what took me so long to explore their wines but I very much look forward to exploring the rest of their lineup. Nicely done Belle Glos!

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2019 Rosé of Pinot Noir by Dawn’s Dream Winery

Tonight’s occasion: 2019 Rosé of Pinot Noir (Clone 236, Santa Lucia Highlands) by Dawn’s Dream Winery, Carmel by the Sea, California.

Make sure you chill it the day before. When you open it, pour the first glass. Let it sit a few minutes while you take and post a photo and tag me. 🍷📸😁👌🏽Now take a sniff without swirling it.

A subtle cantaloupe melon. Unmistakable. Almost creamy and nectar like. Now swirl vigorously. White cranberries, passion fruit and a slightly mineral leather. The more you swirl, the more it’s Pinot underpinnings reveal themselves. Ahhhh I love it!

A slightly weighted, viscous body greets the palate. It is fairly balanced up front but moderate acidity eventually rolls over the palate with notes of citrus and white cherries. As this fades it transitions seamlessly to a subtle peppery spice which ushers in an otherwise gentle finish. Faint tannins provide a paper thin structure upon which this subtle expression lies.

This is a refreshing Rosé, especially for those who like their wines (red or white) with a little body to them. Its SLH Pinot Noir expression certainly shines through. To Dawn and the entire crew, nicely done!

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2015 Pinot Noir (Orchestral) by Hahn

Tonight’s occasion: 2015 Pinot Noir (Orchestral) by Hahn Wines, Santa Lucia Highlands, Central Coast, California.

Deep Ruby-Burgundy color. Big rich nose out of the bottle with bold floral aromas, berries and damp wood forrest floor with hints of cedarwood and black licorice. As it opens up and the heat dissipates, notes of citrus make an appearance over a pleasant leather.

Body is smooth, mildly acidic. It is characterized by buttery creamy tannins and spice from front to back. This is after all a big California Pinot at 14.5% ABV. It has a fairly lush silky mouth feel which can be deceiving as this wine is fairly dry. Very little, if any fruit is carried over. The leather and wood notes conspire to trick the palate into sensing otherwise. Finish is rather subdued as it quickly fades away leaving more than a healthy tingle of spice. Faint suggestion of black currants accompanies the finale.

Hahn is a pretty big estate with many offerings through most mass market distribution. However when visiting such a winery, you have to know what to ask for. See, every winemaker no matter how big, has a passion project. One they pride themselves in. A work of personal craftsmanship which is typically never on the menu. This is what I am most interested in with any winemaker. Only 73 cases of this lovely Pinot were produced. The layering, character and complexity shows. This is the type of wine I seek out wherever I go.

Nicely done Hahn!

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2017 Pinot Noir (Rachael) by Dawn’s Dream, Santa Lucia Highlands

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Rachael) by  Dawn’s Dream Winery.

Shy nose out of the bottle. Deep rich ruby color. Once unlocked reveals a crisp bright bouquet of aromas. A hint of mellon, cherry, very subtle mineral terroir. There’s at least one or two other herbal/spice aromas I cannot pinpoint at the moment. It could be a play between the oak and other characteristics.

Body follows suit. Starting with a crisp acidic suggestion on the attack, followed by tart plum. And equal suggestion or tannin brings good balance to the body while transitioning to a slightly creamy finish. A delayed gentle but noticeable spice makes and encore well past the finish.Once opened up, this is accompanied by a hint of caramel. It is overall dry, and restrained. At 12.8% ABV it makes no fuss of the experience. It’s refreshing. I like that.

This is a clean, crisp example of a Pinot from this region. It demonstrates the winemaker’s ability to make a Pinot as such – that is representative, with wider appeal while still preserving the expression through the vine. I can see why this value proposition would be a favorite.

I highly recommend this Pinot. Enjoy it side-by-side with their signature Bel Sogno. That Pinot is a unique, beautiful, imperfectly perfect, all on its own. It provides a great contrast to the Rachael.

Well done Dawn! Thanks for sharing your Dream with us!

Tech Sheet

2017 Rachael Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Escolle, Santa Lucia Highlands
Clones: 777 & 115
Harvest Date: August 29th to September 1st 2017
Harvest Brix: 23.5
pH: 3.57
Titratable Acidity: 6.3
Fermentation: Stainless Steel Open-Top with manual Punch-Down
Oak: 12 months 30% new French Oak
Filtration: cross-flow
Production: 370 cases

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