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Mission Codename: The Lap of Luxury, Part II

Operative: Agent Pinot

Personal Objective: Enjoy ANOTHER day off at the Bernardus Lodge, taste their wines

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Bernardus

Wine Subject: 2006 Sauvignon Blanc – Griva Vineyards

Winemaker: Dean de Korth and Matthew Shea

Agent Pinot Private Journal:

Yesterday I wrote that I took a day off at the exquisite Bernardus Lodge, relaxing and tasting their spectacular wines. Well, I decided to extend my stay for another night. It was great and this time I switched to a white wine, the delicious and hard-to-find 2006 Sauvignon Blanc from the Griva Vineyard in Monterey County. People should not confuse this wine with the other great Bernardus Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is much better in my not so humble opinion.

Here are my tasting notes on this wine and below, I’ll simply include my mission report from yesterday. What Can I say, all of this luxuriating has made me, um, relaxed. NOT lazy!

Agent Pinot Personal Tasting Profile:

2006 Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Monterey County

Look – Light straw

Smell – Herbaceous with aromas of grass, melon, citrus and the lightest flavor of sugarcane

Feel – Smooth and wet, with a small tanic bite on the back of the tongue, slightly dry

Taste – Fruity, but not overly sweet at all. Grapefruit, lime and a hint of melon and sweettart

Finish – Easy finish, medium-long, all over mouth, tapering to back of mouth before it falls off

Conclusion – This was the perfect wine for my second and final day of vacation. After all of the Bernardus Marinus I enjoyed yesterday, I needed something fresh and light that still had some character. This was the perfect follow-up wine and I enjoyed a few glasses on this lovely hot Carmel Valley afternoon.

Technical Wine Analysis

Alcohol: 13.0%

Appellation: Arroyo Seco, Monterey County, California

Winemakers: Dean de Korth and Matthew Shea

Grapes:
100% Sauvignon Blanc

Agent Pinot Private Journal Entry from Yesterday:

Other Agents think I’m self-centered and narcissistic. They can think what they want. I just happen to be the best agent in the Wine Spies and that’s that. When I decide its time for a vacation, I take one – but tell Central Command that I’m on a mission. Its easy to fake it when my vacation takes me to the Bernardus Lodge in the beautiful Carmel Valley in Monterey County, California.

Bernardus runs this luxurious lodge, but they are, perhaps, even more famous for their award-winning wines. Bernardus Winery makes exquisite estate grown wines from grapes grown on their estate in Upper Carmel Valley. Their founding mission was to create wines that rivaled the finest French Bordeaux, wines that “flatter the palate and stimulate the imagination”. I say, Mission accomplished!

My first taste of Bernardus Marinus (pronounced mah-ree-nus) came a few years ago. I immediately fell in love with its complexity and its full flavors. When considering a spot for my secret getaway, my choice was easy: Stay at the Bernardus Lodge, realx and drink Marinus. Lot’s and lot’s of it.

On arrival at the Bernardus Lodge, I entered through the front gate. Following the drive toward the lodge, perfect vineyards slope gently away. The main building of the lodge looming into view, I feel instantly relaxed. I know that my stay here will be filled with luxury, great food and better wine.

I won’t drone on and on about the feather bed, the fireplace or the oversized bathtub in my two-room suite, my daily massages, games of tennis near the vineyards or the fine meals had in their 4-star restaurant, Marinus. Suffice to say, after long days of being pampered and evenings spent sipping their incredible wines, I am revitalized.

The 2002 Marinus is a masterpiece and while I was there, I did manage to get my hands on a few cases. Central Command should be pleased with me.

Agent Pinot Personal Tasting Profile for YESTERDAY’s WINE. Today’s wine tasting profile is listed above:

Look – Dark plum with ruby highlights

Smell – Blueberry, blackberry and cherry dominate the nose, with hints of sweet oak and plum

Feel – Big in the mouth, with great complexity and tannins that excite and invite without drying

Taste – Deliciously ripe dark-fruit flavored, with jammy black cherry, blackberry, oak and the slightest hint of spice

Finish – Big finish with strong and long-lasting flavors that taper off slowly

Conclusion – This is a great, elegant and luxurious wine that drinks like a $75 bottle. I love this wine very much and I have cellared a case for myself. I enjoy it as a drink-by-itself luxury or as a perfect complement to a fabulous meal with friends and family.

Agent Pinot Satellite Recon:

For my own personal reference, the location of the Bernardus Lodge can be seen in this satellite photo

The tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo

And the Cachagua valley where the grapes are grown can be seen in this satellite photo