image courtesy of Talbott Vineyards
Even domestic travel is a dodgy venture these days, so I was thrilled to participate in a virtual wine journey to California’s Santa Lucia Highlands courtesy of Talbott Vineyards. Santa Lucia Highlands may not yet have the global name recognition of some other Golden State appellations, but it is home to some very impressive wineries, and Talbott is one of the most iconic.
Located in California’s Central Coast in the east-facing terraces of the Santa Lucia mountain range and south of Monterey Bay, wine grapes were first planted in the Santa Lucia Highlands in the 1790s by Spanish missionaries. But the region’s modern winemaking renaissance really kicked off in the 1970s when some farming families saw its potential to produce world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
image courtesy of Talbott Vineyards
Talbott’s acclaimed Sleepy Hollow Vineyard was first planted in 1972 and has been designated a California Grand Cru vineyard because of its ability to produce exceptional wines consistently. According to the Talbott team, "Near-perfect sun exposure and rolling fog from Monterey Bay extend the growing season and hang times, which helps the grapes develop full phenolic ripeness and spectacular acidity." Sleepy Hollow Vineyard is dedicated exclusively to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and comprises 565 planted acres divided into three vineyard parcels: Sleepy Hollow North, Sleepy Hollow West, and Sleepy Hollow South.
Talbott's head winemaker, David Coventry, is a native of Monterey County and grew up surrounded by wine. David has fond memories of tasting wine at Talbott over the years and he honed his craft at other wineries in the region before joining Talbott in 2016. Committed to maintaining Talbott’s legacy of excellence, while pushing them to new heights, you can taste Coventry's talent for translating terroir in their single-block wines. Inspired by Burgundy, but not misguided mimics, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Talbott's Sleepy Hollow Vineyard are elegant and authentic expressions of their unique Santa Lucia Highlands terroir.
David Coventry, Winemaker, Talbott Vineyards
Coventry said, “When making fine wine, so much of it is about philosophy. I view wine as a teeter-totter of sorts. And that balance point, that fulcrum, is the intensity of the fruit. So when you talk about a wine being balanced, it can have acidity, it can have tannin, it can have oak, it can have all of these things, but only to the extent that the fruit is there to support it. At the Talbott Vineyard Sleepy Hollow, we have the benefit of having beautiful cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that has great hang time and great intensity of fruit. And that really gives me every option to take our three Chardonnays and three Pinot Noirs, and push them apart in style, but have them be balanced and elegant.”
Tasting Talbott's Sleepy Hollow Vineyard wines side-by-side is an excellent exercise for better understanding the unique characteristics that wines produced from the same variety can express as a result of terroir, and of course, winemaking techniques. I tasted three each of the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and I was captivated by their shared qualities and notable differences, both subtle and dramatic. A common thread throughout all of the wines was freshness, lively acidity, and a respectful winemaking style that maintains the essence of the grapes. For that reason, Coventry actually prefers to bottle these high-end wines under screw cap, so that the wine reaches the consumer as intended, and avoids the risk of being tainted by flawed corks. I think that should quiet any naysayers who mistakenly view screw caps as a definitive marker of a lesser wine.
In the interest of thoroughly describing each wine, I’ve provided a summary of Talbott’s tasting notes for Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir below. Whichever you choose, you won't be disappointed. 2017 Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay ($42) is a great introduction to the Talbott style. Crafted from Talbott’s favorite blocks ranging from 8-45 years old, it “opens with aromas of Pink Lady apple, Bosc pear, pineapple and tropical fruit with a hint of brioche. These juicy tropical and stone fruit flavors continue on the palate along with accents of hard spices, vanilla and brown sugar. The mouthfeel is opulent and rich with a nimble and lively intensity. The finish is elegant with a creamy texture from extended lees contact and barrel aging which gives way to zesty acidity that keeps the wine clean and refreshing.”
2018 Block 4 North Chardonnay ($60) “originates from a small block planted with clones 95 and 76 in our Sleepy Hollow vineyard. These clones thrive in the near-perfect conditions of Sleepy Hollow and produce exceptional, complex fruit. We harvested and fermented these grapes in the best of the old-world techniques harkening back to an honorable tradition in winemaking rarely practiced today. Block 4 Chardonnay is elegant with aromatics of green apple, vanilla, brioche and guava that rise out of the glass. The palate delights with notes of ripe tropical fruits. Warm, toasty notes of brioche and vanilla follow on the palate to increase the hedonistic yet balanced feel.”
2018 Block 50 South Chardonnay ($60) was “sourced from the southernmost part of our Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, our Block 50 Chardonnay begins to beguile the senses immediately with aromatics that leap from the glass. Hailing from the top section of vineyard, this wine has a graceful aroma of white flowers, hints of brioche and Anjou pear. On the palate, a soft and opulent mouthfeel gives way to lively acidity with notes of lychee, Red Delicious apples and hints of vanilla. Block 50 is planted with many clones of Chardonnay—three of them have been blended together to bring dramatic layers to our Block 50 Chardonnay.”
2017 Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir ($42) is Talbott’s flagship Pinot Noir and “offers aromas of cola, clove and opulent plum and blackberry. Luscious notes of black cherry, raspberry and vanilla deliver a rich, mouth-filling texture. Underlying minerality, vibrant acidity and well-heeled tannins add to the complex finish of this elegant, luxurious Pinot Noir.”
2017 Block 23 West Pinot Noir ($75) “originates from a small 4.2-acre block planted with clones 113, 114 and 115 in our Sleepy Hollow West Vineyard. These clones thrive in the near-perfect conditions of Sleepy Hollow and produce exceptional, complex fruit. We picked and co-fermented these grapes together, harkening back to an honorable tradition in winemaking rarely used today. The synergy of the co-ferment produces staggering intensity and complex wine. Layers of ripe dark cherry, raspberry and blackberry combine with notes of hard spices and vanilla. On the palate, dark berry aromas linger with notes of sweet blackberries and dark plum compote. Refreshing acidity, soft tannins and an amazing array of oak round out the finish in a classic style, while maintaining a powerful and rich finish.”
2017 Block 48 South Pinot Noir ($75) “originates from a small 2.4-acre block planted to clone 113 on our Sleepy Hollow south vineyard. Grown in the near-perfect conditions of Sleepy Hollow, this rare clone produces wines of exceptional character and stand-alone quality. Intense dark cherry aromas combine with accents of hard spices and vanilla. On the palate, sweet notes of pure dark cherry intertwine with layers of blackberries and raspberry compote. Refreshing acidity, soft tannins and oak round out the finish and deliver a well-structured style.”
image courtesy of Talbott Vineyards
When the world calms down, I look forward to visiting Talbott and exploring more of their elegant wines at their new tasting room in the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
