Arroyo Seco and Carmel Valley

grape growing
The California Appellation Series 1983-2013
Arroyo Seco and Carmel Valley
Christopher Sawyer
Editor’s Note: To many people in the wine industry, 1983 was a typical year
for California wines. But in the history books, the year marked the largest
concentration of appellations granted in the state. In this special WBM series,
Christopher Sawyer follows the birth of these unique appellations and the
accomplishments made in these wine-growing regions over the past 30 years.
in John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, a vulnerable young lad, Cal Trask, is willing to take the risk on an agricultural project
for capital gain in Monterey County. In many ways, the powerful theme of
this book parallels the real-life challenges that many farmers and vintners
faced when they purchased land and planted vineyards in the county during
the 1970s.
One of the regions that became an early test zone for these challenges is
Arroyo Seco, an appellation that was granted in 1983. Located at the foot of
the Santa Lucia Highlands, between the rural towns of Soledad and Greenfield, this cool-climate region is known for its fog-laden mornings, sunny
mid-days, chilly windblown afternoons and ancient riverbed-based soil.
Through the years, the AVA has become a respected wine-growing region that
has become a source of high-quality fruit used by large-scale and boutique
producers alike.
Success in the county can also be found in Carmel Valley, an isolated
region that also became an appellation in 1983. Running from north to
south between Highway 1 and ridges on the western side of the Santa Lucia
Highlands, the appellation is shaped like a tiny model of California. Beyond
Carmel Valley Village, the majority of vineyards are located along the windy
road which runs through the isolated Cachagua Valley.
Today, the Carmel Valley AVA covers nearly 20,000 acres, only 300 acres of
which are planted to grapes. Overall, more than 70 percent of the vines are
planted to Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. But unlike old flavor profiles, like
A s t h e ma i n c h a r acte r
34 July 2013 WBM
Christopher Sawyer is a journalist, wine consultant
and sommelier based in Sonoma, California.
“green beans,” “bell pepper” or “vegetal,” commonly associated with Bordeaux
varietals planted in the interior part of Monterey County, the wines made in
Carmel Valley have a solid track record of packing richer, more developed
fruit flavors, balanced tannins, bright acidity and structure.
Arroyo Seco’s focus is on selling grapes to top producers and getting the
name of the AVA on the label of the finished wines. With the relatively small
amount of vineyards planted in the Carmel Valley AVA, more of the emphasis
is placed on earning brand loyalty and finding the type of consumer, club
member, sommelier or wine buyer that will support the small offerings from
the region for many years to come.
In the Vineyards
Under the leadership of Father Junipero Serra, Spanish padres were the
first to plant grapes in the region in the 1800s. But by the early part of the
last century, Monterey County was more known for its beautiful coastal
towns, high elevation cattle ranches and a vast agricultural landscape that
produced sugar beets, lettuce, broccoli and other row vegetables on the
valley floor.
In the early 1960s, when the images of characters from classic Steinbeck
novels started to change, professors at University of California, Davis forecasted Salinas Valley as the land of promise for the new wine frontier.
In the coming months, look for
more in this series:
August: A
nderson Valley
September: El Dorado
October: Dry Creek Valley
November: Santa Ynez Valley
December: Howell Mountain
Hahn, Ste. Nicholas Vineyards – Arroyo Seco
Among the early risk takers were the fourth and fifth generations of the
Mirassou family, who purchased the Mission Ranch west of Soledad in 1961,
and Karl L. Wente of Wente Brothers (now called Wente Vineyards),
who began developing 260 acres of vineyards on property that would later
become the Riva Ranch. These sites became the first commercial vineyards
in Monterey County.
In the 1970s, the district continued to blossom with major investments
from Jerry Lohr and business partner Bernie Turgeon of J. Lohr Vineyards
& Wines, who planted their first 280 acres of vineyards west of Greenfield
in 1972. That same year, Bill Jekel began developing the first part of the
famous Cobblestone Vineyard, and the Jekel brand was born. Since then,
new vineyards have been planted by a long list of enthusiastic vintners and
growers, including Hahn Estate, Smith & Hook, Ventana Vineyards, Scheid
Vineyards, Arroyo Seco Vineyards, Inc., Monterey Pacific Vineyards,
Valley Farm Management, Zabala Vineyards, Blair Wines, GO Farming
and Jackson Family Wines.
In Carmel Valley, the transition phase was more slowly paced during the
1960s. After the original plantings by the missionaries in the region were
abandoned, a French settler planted winegrapes and nut trees in decomposed granite soils at a site now called Almond Flat at Galante Vineyards
& Winery. But until Durney Vineyard was planted in 1968, the land was
primarily used to farm other agricultural products and raise cattle, or was
simply left untouched.
WBM July 2013 35
Arroyo Seco and Carmel Valley
wood for enology
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The Players
For the Arroyo Seco appellation, the petition was submitted to the BATF
by a mixture of farmers and visionaries that included Lohr, Jekel, the
Wente Brothers, Arroyo Seco Vineyards (ASV), Doug Meador of Ventana
Vineyards and Rich Smith of Paraiso Vineyards. The boundaries of the
appellation were based on the unique combination of soil, water and wind
that impacted the region as a whole.
“To me, it doesn’t seem like the lines were drawn in terms of politics and
who was where. Instead, it was based on accuracy, attention to detail, soil
samples, climate records and a tremendous group effort to design the borders
of an appellation that we still abide by today,” said Michael Griva, proprietor
of Griva Vineyards in Greenfield, who began planting his vineyards in the
mid-1990s.
In Carmel Valley, the application was submitted to BATF by Hollywood
screenwriter Dorothy Durney and her husband William, who began developing the first commercial vineyards in the region in 1968. In 1993, Durney
Winery was sold to the Heller family and renamed Heller Estate.
Over the past 30 years, new wineries joined the fold and brought a new
sense of international style to Carmel Valley, including the Galante family,
who purchased their 690-acre ranch deep in Cachagua Valley in the 1960s
and began developing their vineyards in the early 1980s; Walter Georis, a
Belgium-born chef and musician who founded Georis Winery on the heels
of the success of his family-style restaurant Casanova in downtown Carmel;
and Ben Pon, a Dutch-born retired European race car driver for Porsche,
who acquired the property formerly owned by the Talbott family in upper
Carmel Valley to established Bernardus Winery and open the Bernardus
Lodge in the 1990s.
Terroir Exploration
In the Arroyo Seco AVA, the grapes are primarily grown on the well-drained
Elder loamy soils that feature a combination of sand, limestone, shale, gravel
and cobblestones (affectionately called “Greenfield potatoes” by locals),
which provide adequate drainage for the vines’ root system and retain
warmth on cool breezy nights.
For irrigation, the AVA is rooted in the unique geography and regional
aspects of the Arroyo Seco River, a seasonal waterway that serves as a conduit
of rain and snowmelt from the Santa Lucia Mountains to the Salinas River.
This natural process results in access to pure mountain water with admirable
levels of pH and hard minerals.
Leading up to harvest, the fog blows off in the late morning, and the
temperature rises to a peak in the high 70s to low 80s for a short amount
of time in the early afternoon. As the wind picks up, the temperature drops,
and the stomatas on the vines close to ensure long hang time and preserve
the crisp acidity in the clusters. Due to this daily surge of wind, frost is a
rare issue in the appellation. The end results are low yields and unique
soil attributes.
In contrast, Cachagua Valley is relatively sheltered from maritime influence
by 3,000 to 4,000 foot ridges on the Santa Lucia Highlands. Most of the vines
are planted at elevations of 700 to 2,200 feet in a mixture of sandy and loamy
clay soils, river rock and gravel terraces that provide exceptional drainage.
There are also small pockets that feature beautiful white sand.
During growing season, temperatures in the AVA commonly reach the
90s during the day, dropping down to the 40s at night. This massive diurnal
swing helps preserve the deep flavors in the berries.
36 July 2013 WBM
Arroyo Seco and Carmel Valley
Arroyo Seco
First Vineyards: 1962
AVA Approved: 1983
Approx. 7,000 acres planted
Rancho Tierra
Hahn
Sciaroni Ranch
Mission Ranch
Blair
Zabala
Monterey Pacific
Ventana North
Jekel
J. Lohr
Ventana
Arroyo Vista
J. Lohr
Jackson Family Wines
Cobblestone
Elm
Force Canyon
Zanetta
Jackson Family Wines
El Camino
Ventana
Miles
2
Go Farming
Beeswax
Windmill
Arroyo Seco
Monterey Pacific
1
Massa
Sycamore Cellars
Arroyo Seco Canyon
Suter
Arroyo Seco
Riva Ranch
Mark’s Ranch
Valley Farm Management
El Camino Real
Arroyo Seco
Vaquero
Arroyo Seco
Heller Estate Organic
Vineyard Library #4
Valley Farm Management
Valley Farm Management
Wente Family Estates
Twin Oak
Heller
Scheid
Sanctuary
Jekel
The Varieties
Chardonnay is the most dominant variety grown in Arroyo Seco. Over the
past three decades, viticulturists in the region have put an emphasis on
testing the newest clones and special selections available in the United States.
At the top of the list of achievements is the work done by the Wente family
and vineyard manager Ralph Riva, who worked with Jim Wolpert of UC
Davis to revive 02A, the old Wente clone known for its concentrated flavors,
small clusters, shot berries and the frequent “hens and chicks” morphology.
Although the clone was planted throughout the state before the late 1960s,
no plant material was grown at the UCD Foundation Block after 1969. In
an effort to bring the clone back to the FPS book, Riva cultivated a special
test vine at the Wente property in Arroyo Seco and donated a large amount
of wood to UC Davis for analysis in 1991. After undergoing shoot tip tissue
culture treatment for virus elimination, the plant material was registered as
FPS 72 in 2002.
Another veteran viticulturist accustomed to working with Chardonnay
clones is Roger Moitoso, who originally moved to Monterey County at the
age of four. After attending Chico State and working for Almaden Vineyards, Moitoso was hired by Arroyo Seco Vineyards, Inc. in 1986.
Today, Moitoso and the team work with a multitude of Chardonnay selections in the 1, 000-plus acres of vines the company farms in Arroyo Seco,
including Wente, Robert Young and Olmo 108 (FPMS clones 4 and 5), as well
as newer Dijon clones 76, 95 and 96. While some of the fruit is used to make
the Muirwood, Scott Family Estate and Martin Ranch brands owned by
ASV, a high percentage is used as the core of the Niebaum-Coppola Estate
Winery Diamond Series.
“From tropical fruit to citrus and minerals, it’s become quite clear that
each clone offers special takes on new flavors when planted in the unique
soils and cool-climate conditions in Arroyo Seco,” said Moitoso, who also
works with the UC Davis FPS program and Casa Cristal Nursery Inc., a
supplier of benchgrafts, rootings, cuttings and hot water treatment based in
Delano, Kern County.
In addition to Riesling and Pinot Gris, another popular white grape grown
in the region is Sauvignon Blanc. At Griva Vineyards, Michael Griva has been
working with the Musque clone since 1998 and sells most of his fruit from
these blocks to Bernardus Winery in Carmel Valley. The vines are planted
between the Arroyo Seco River and a bypass channel that dates back to the
Mission days when the monks hand-dug a waterway to transport water to the
Soledad Mission. Through the centuries, erosion has depleted the amount of
top soil, which causes vines to struggle. But the distinctive varietal character,
intense aromas and mineral notes in the finished product are worth the toil.
For red grapes, the main variety grown in the region is Pinot Noir. Some
of the first cuttings of the grape were planted at the Mission Ranch by the
Mirassou family in the early 1960s. Today, it’s common to find Dijon clones,
Pommard, Wadenswil, Mariafeld and special selections of Swan, Calera and
Pisoni planted in specialty vineyards of the AVA.
38 July 2013 WBM
Bernardus
Rocky Ranch
Monterey Pacific
Kimberly
Marinus
Valley Farm Management
Hahn
Monterey Pacitic
0.5
Loma Vista
Ste Nicolas
Loma Pacific
Galante
Scheid
Griva/J. Lohr
Valley Farm Management
Chateau Sinnet
Arroyo Seco
Ventana South
Vineyard Library #1
Holman Ranch
Joyce
Scheid
Monterey Pacitic
0
First Vineyards: 1968
AVA Approved: 1983
Approx. 300 acres planted
Gravelstone
Clark
Panorama
Carmel Valley
Jackson Family Wines
Ste Philippe
0
0.5
1
2
Miles
In Carmel Valley, the most widely planted grape varieties are Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot. Although known for the Sauvignon Blanc that comes
from vineyards in Arroyo Seco and Chardonnays from Santa Lucia Highlands,
the most well-known red wine at Bernardus Winery is Marinus, a Bordeauxstyle blend that typically contains 60 to 70 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25
percent Merlot and smaller portions of Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit
Verdot grown at the 36-acre estate vineyards in Cachagua Valley.
According to winemaker Dean De Korth, the magic of the area is based
on the slow accumulation of sugars. As the heat rises in late September and
October, the deep flavors of small berries with thick skins develop slowly and
are enhanced with exceptional levels of natural pH and bright acidity.
“The ultimate goal is to express the character of the vineyard and the
uniqueness of the soils in the wines we make from the estate,” said De Korth,
who usually finishes picking the grapes around Thanksgiving.
For Merlot, Georis Winery is a specialist in the region. In 1981, Walter
Georis planted grapes in Cachagua next to Galante. Today, most of the fruit
from the 28 acres of estate vineyards is used to make big reds with a heavy
emphasis on producing complex flavors and silky tannins.
“I want my reds to have an elegant style that people recognize each time
they taste them,” said Georis. “That is one of the main reasons I chose to
plant my vineyards in Carmel Valley. The characteristics of climate and soil
are so unique that it gives the red grapes an adequate chance to mature for
each vintage.”
Near the popular tourist destination of Carmel Valley Village, the daily
maritime breezes from the ocean encourage producers to grow Burgundy and
Alsace varieties in the northern part of the appellation. Producers in the area
include Frank Joyce’s Chateau Christina/Joyce Vineyard; Carmel Ridge
Winery, owned and operated by the husband-wife team of Paul Stokes and
Lynn Sakasegawa; Chateau Sinnet Winery, which makes sparkling and
fruit-based wines in addition to regular varietals; and Holman Ranch, an
historic estate with vineyards planted by the Lowder family, who purchased
the property in 2006.
Innovative Prowess
Beyond updated improvements to row spacing, row orientation and sun
exposure on both sides of the canopy, most of the growers in Arroyo Seco
and Carmel Valley use sustainable farming practices to help preserve the
long-term health of the vineyards.
One of the pioneers with experience in both appellations is Steve
McIntyre, who was recently honored as 2013 Grower of the Year by the
California Association of Winegrape Growers. After designing the
original vineyards at Galante Ranch in Carmel Valley at the ripe age of 23,
McIntyre was hired by Hahn Estate and Smith & Hook wineries to develop
new vineyards in Arroyo Seco and the Santa Lucia Highlands from 1984 to
1992. The following year, McIntyre and his wife Kimberly started Monterey
Pacific, Inc., which is currently the fifth largest vineyard management and
development company in the U.S. at over 10,000 acres—945 acres of which
are located in the Arroyo Seco AVA.
“Back in the late 1990s, it wasn’t about sustainability but rather about
sharing great practices. Out of that we saved ourselves money, aggravation
and now have grapevines that are much healthier than they would have been
in the past,” said McIntyre, one of the founding members of the Central
Coast Vineyard Team’s Sustainability in Practice program and a member
of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
In the Cellar
In addition to selling fruit to big producers, many vineyard owners in
Arroyo Seco take pride in working with boutique producers who put the
name of the AVA on their labels. One of the devotees to the region is Mike
Kohne, co-owner of Mercy Vineyards, a winery that is named after the
windy conditions vineyards in Arroyo Seco face on a daily basis.
The fruit is sourced from three contiguous vineyards—Griva, Cedar Lane
and Zabala—that feature old river bed soil. “We love the dimension and the
profile the Arroyo Seco region offers us as winemakers. While red and blacktone fruit dominates, there is still that extra touch of delicacy, floral aspects,
earthiness and depth of flavor that you cannot find in other winegrowing
regions,” said Kohne, who started the winery with business partner Mark
Dirickson and winemaker Alan Philips in 2008. “We like the uniqueness of
place, and that’s what you get in Arroyo Seco.”
The Future of the AVA
Like the sum of the parts, both appellations help promote Monterey County
in their own unique ways. In the case of Carmel Valley, the recent emergence of new tasting rooms in Carmel and Carmel Valley Village has helped
the wineries establish long-lasting relationships and broadcast the message
to consumers, travel writers and members of the media. “Over the past 30
years we’ve learned there is a very distinctive flavor to wines made in the
region,” said Jack Galante, a professional geologist, who became a full-time
employee at his family’s winery in 1991. “Like the old Folger’s ad used to say,
there’s something special about products made with pure mountain fruit.”
In Arroyo Seco, the signs are promising, but there’s still work to be done.
For while a growing number of producers who purchase fruit from the
region put the name of the AVA on the bottle, others simply use the fruit as
secret ingredients in “fighting varietals” blends that say “Monterey,” “Central
Coast” or “California” on the label.
According to Moitoso, the key to success is patience. “While it’s important
to have the appellation recognized, if the production gets up to 200,000 cases,
we might not have enough fruit to put Arroyo Seco on the label. In the end,
it comes down to case good sales and getting great wines in the hands of
consumers,” said Moitoso.
“As an AVA grabs traction, it really starts to grow on its own. For now
our job is to grow high-quality grapes to get the message across in the best
way possible.” WBM
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