We have arrived at my #1 winery in the Greater Monterey Area!
Unfortunately, this one goes against most of the wine bones in my body and stings (a bit) to rank them at the top… but great wine is great wine.
Talbott Vineyards used to be a relatively small family-run operation until 2015 when Robb Talbott retired and sold the winery to E.J. Gallo (if you haven’t heard of them, read my previous article: http://steppingintowine.com/index.php/2018/09/11/the-big-three-e-j-gallo-constellation-brands-and-the-wine-group/)
Despite my aversion to the Big Three Wine Groups, E.J. Gallo has made some wise moves, like hiring the very talented winemark David Coventry and renewing the lease on the excellent Diamond T Vineyard (The Diamond T Vineyard is a world-renowned plot, and also where my personal favorite Chardonnay and Pinot Noir come from).
IMPORTANT WARNING: The Talbott wines I’m writing about in this article are specifically only their reserve wines (Diamond T, Sarah Case, Audrey, and RFT). Sadly you won’t find these at the grocery store or in your local wine shops. Talbott’s doesn’t distribute these gems en masse. The bottles you usually see out in the market (Sleepy Hollow, Logan, or Kali Hart) are not very good and overpriced for their quality.
Alright, enough with the disclaimers. Talbott’s has a large and beautiful tasting room in Carmel Valley with a three-sided bar and many tables outside. The whole room always seems to glow with natural sunlight. Their tasting room is a trendy place to go in the area (often crowded), and they even maintain a small vineyard on the property, so you can get some memorable pictures walking amongst the vines.
When the tasting room was still owned by the Talbott family, Robb used to have his collection of motorcycles and racing memorabilia adorning the walls; it was one hell of a sight. Now you will have to go down the street to his museum to see them.
1) Wine = 4.75
2) Price Point = 2.8
3) Service = 3.8
4) Decorum / Scenery = 4.4
5) X factor = 4.3
Overall: 4.1
(0-5 scale, anything above 2.5 you will have a good time)
Simply put, these are hands-down the best Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in the area. They can go toe to toe with the French powerhouses. Both are bursting will full flavors and have enjoyable long-lasting finishes.
My preferred ranking for their Pinot Noirs: RFT, Diamond T, and Sarah Case. For their Chardonnays: Diamond T, Audrey, and then Sarah Case. You should try each and see for yourself! Their price points are reasonable ($50-$75) for the area and overall quality.
Their reserve wines and the overall tasting room experience are simply to die for. I highly recommend stopping here last on your Monterey/Carmel trip.
(Featured image sourced from: www.talbottvineyards.com)