Ness: Still time to take part in Great Wine Escape
This weekend marks the biggest Monterey area wine event: The Great Wine Escape. And you still have time to take advantage of it: There are winemaker's dinners still available for this evening, plus most of the wineries have open houses and special pourings.
Check out the Boutique Gems at the Marriott hotel in Monterey this afternoon, and the Grand Finale at Hotel Intercontinental The Clement from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. This event offers the perfect excuse to skip brunch and go right to some serious food and wine pairing. There is nothing like it on the Central Coast. For tickets or more information contact Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association at 831-375-9400 or www.montereywines.org.
Light harvest wraps up
Darned good, but less of it. That sums up the pinot crop this year, and the Santa Lucia Highlands is no exception. Growers such as Gary Pisoni predict, "You will see less pinot in the marketplace, but the quality is as good as ever." At Paraiso Vineyards in Soledad, the Smith family celebrated their 32nd harvest. Vineyard manager Jason Smith remarks that it was a late harvest, but they got about 300 tons of pinot.
Dan Lee of Morgan and Double L, observes, "It is a light crop at 94 tons, about 40 percent less than a 'normal' year. The fruit is very focused; quality looks very good, with lower acids and great balance."
Growers were able to pick at lower sugar levels, which will translate into lower alcohol - at least we hope so!
Mark your calendars
Christmas at the Inns in Pacific Grove, Dec. 2-5: Twelve bed-and-breakfast inns will be all decked out with boughs of holly, garlands, wreaths and other Victorian trappings. 831-375-3304.
Scheid Vineyards Holiday Open House, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 6: Craft holiday grapevine wreaths. Bring the kids - Santa will fly in for photos. Admission is free, but alas, the wine is not. 888-478-4946 or scheidvineyards.com.
Wines of the week
We didn't have room last week, so here are two great wines to enjoy with the cooler weather.
2002 Silver Mountain Alloy, Monterey, $26. Winemaker Jerold O'Brien looks for the biggest flavors he can find for this classic Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot. It delivers the goods, with tight-grained Hungarian oak that really packs in the spice. Inviting cherry and cedar aromas promise bright acidity, and the flavors are delightful, with gobs of cherries, cassis, pine tar and hints of coffee.
This serious wine takes no prisoners and keeps coming at you like a pack of Rottweilers. Nicely integrated with a velvet texture, it is stunning with a well-aged rib eye topped with caramelized wild mushrooms or blue cheese butter. Or both.
2006 San Saba Estate Pinot Noir, Monterey, $28.95. You might want to serve this with your Thanksgiving feast. Made from Dijon clones 115, 667 and 777, plus Pommard (clone 4), this Burgundian style wine has aromas of chocolate covered cherries and cedar, with sleek body, nice balance and delicious cherry, raspberry and cranberry fruit flavors, along with a modicum of wet clay earthiness. A hint of spiced meat, maybe Calabrese salami, gives this some added interest.