The recent 12th Annual Great Wine Escape Weekend presented by the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association offered the chance to taste some of the region’s best, especially when it came to stellar cool climate varietals such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and even Syrah (yes, Syrah, but more about that in a minute).
There were several standout wines at Sunday’s “Grand Finale” event, and some of CCVT’s SIP Certified vineyards were definitely in the mix! The 2005 Paraiso Vineyards Eagles Peak Chardonnay was probably the best Chard of the weekend, showing spot-on crispness and acidity with notes of green apple and a delicate toast; think of pairing this gem with everything from sushi to creamy winter comfort soups. The 2006 Hahn Estates SLH (the relatively new label exclusively highlighting the Santa Lucia Highlands) Chardonnay was a winner as well, though a much more opulent wine that was a bit too rich to pair with a lot of foods, but would be a fabulous match with roast chicken or even turkey. Both wonderful Chardonnays, just different styles.
As for Pinot Noirs, the 2006 Hahn Estates SLH shown at the Grand Finale was also top notch, with a balance of blue fruit and earthiness typical in a classic Pinot — bright enough to go with seared Ahi and rich enough to go with wild mushroom ravioli. Another impressive Pinot (poured the day before at the “Boutique and Hidden Gems” event) was the 2006 Carmel Road from Jackson Family Wines. With fruit from the SIP-certified Panorama Vineyard, it offered bright cherry fruit with nice soft tannins, making for a very approachable, food-friendly wine.
The cool climate of Monterey and the Santa Lucia Highlands might not be the first place you’d think about for stateside Syrahs, but the 2006 Hahn Estates SLH is a classic varietal interpretation that will make people reconsider. With jazzy lean blueberry notes and a broad-shouldered tannic structure, this is a wine that screams STEAK! Yes, it is a marked contrast to the big fruit of warm climate Syrahs, but this is cool climate Syrah done right, which isn’t always easy. You’ve got to know where to plant the varietal and you’ve got to be patient about letting the fruit ripen. You know, like farming your vineyard sustainably and in a manner that plays to its unique strengths of terroir. Gosh, maybe that’s why all these wines rocked in the tasting!