Wine with Miicah
A Lovely
Little House
Bigger is rarely better in the wine world. Coaxing the
best out of grapes requires love and attention that can only be stretched so
far. Like all art, the power of winemaking lies in it’s subtleties. Great wine
cannot be produced using a simple formula that easily expands to allow room for
larger production, wider variety and big bucks. This impersonal approach to the
grapes leads only to one thing: mediocrity.
Brooke and Mike Carhartt have known all this for years.
Since replanting Mr. Carhartt’s family owned Rancho Santa Ynez with grape vines
in 1996, the couple has kept things simple and allowed themselves to work very
closely with the land they love. More than 10 years later they are still producing
top quality Merlot and Syrah grapes that, with a little help from Brooke’s
extensive chemistry background, often turn into extremely concentrated and
balanced wine.
Things have grown some since their modest beginnings of
creating wine in the converted family barn. The Carhartts are now bringing
grapes in from other local vineyards to allow for some more variety and fun.
Also, two years ago they moved into their first public tasting room. Not to worry, though. They’ve kept
production low – 2000 cases total, and their tasting room is by far the
smallest one in town at 99 square feet.
Speaking of which, I absolutely love the feel of this
tasting room. I felt as if I had stepped into a close friend’s home rather than
a public tasting room. The atmosphere created in the little room oozed with a
casual feel that was refreshing in comparison to other grandeur approaches.
With Mike Carhartt himself behind the bar relaxed and finishing up an afternoon
snack I already knew I liked the place.
‘06
Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley
The grapes in this wine come from Faith Vineyard and are
fermented in 50 percent steel and 50 percent neutral oak. The combination works
well here creating a crisp refreshing white with more than enough minerality
and fresh fruit that still has body, or, as the Carhartt’s say, “a sensual
quality”.
‘06 Chase
the Blues Away Rosé, Santa Ynez
Valley
This rosé is created from the run off of the Carhartt’s
estate grown Merlot and Syrah. There’s a bit more than strawberry happening in
this one. The red berries are guided along the palette with some nice citrus
zest, a hint of candy and a touch of cream.
‘06 Pinot
Noir, Santa Rosa Ranch, Santa Rita Hills
These Foley grown grapes have more complexity than I
expected. The fruit forward nose gave way to layers of cinnamon, allspice, vine
dried fruit flavors, and a mouth
feel with more body than one might expect.
‘06
Sangiovese, Santa Ynez Valley
The famous Italian grape is quickly becoming the hip
thing to drink on the Central coast.
watch out Pinot! Everyone likes this grape. Balance, balance,
balance. Fruit, spice, bosy, and
acidity all harmonize with a humble confidence.
‘06
Zinfandel, Lockshaw Vineyard, Paso Robles Westside
Zinfandel is often very hot, but this wine felt much more
subdued do to its sub 16 percent alcohol levels. However it still is quite “sassy”
due to its raspberry fruit explosion on the palette. Mike loves it with an
arugula, walnut and feta salad.
‘04 Merlot,
Carhartt Estate
Much more body than any of the preceding wines, this wine’s
full flavors and dark color is partly due to the extraction of the run off
juices that created the Carhartt Rosé. Merlot is sometimes a disappointment on
its own, but this one holds its own with aromas of toasted oak and, huckleberry
followed by a velvety mouth feel that teases with just enough tannin.
‘05 Syrah,
Carhartt Estate
Like the
Merlot, the Syrah is very well extracted with strong aromas of blackberry and
coffee, yet still a bit of black pepper. There’s smoke tones in there as well
that bring forth images of leather and campfires. Probably best to let this on
breath for an hour.
The Carhartt tasting room is located at 2990A Grand
Ave in Los Olivos. They are open daily from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.