I recently received three new wines from my wine club A Taste of Monterey and I am looking forward to trying them. In fact, I think they may be part of the wines that we have this Thanksgiving, because heaven knows that sometimes I am impatient and other times I can cellar forever. We went with the club membership that comes four times a year, as they offer finer collectable wines instead of the two wines a month that are more popular priced.

The first wine was from a winery that hasn’t disappointed me yet. The Wrath Grenache Alta Loma Vineyard 2014. Wrath is a small site-driven winery of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache and Sauvignon Blanc either grown on their estate in Santa Lucia Highlands or from nearby select vineyards, as in this case, as Alta Loma Vineyards which is just south of the AVA and the wine carries a Monterey AVA. There were sixty-nine cases of this wine produced and the aging potential is suggested for six to seven years.

The next wine is a new winery for me and I look forward to trying it out. The Alexander Smith Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay 2015. This wine is entirely made from Old Dijon clone Chardonnay grapes and grown on their estate. There were three-hundred cases of this wine made and the aging potential is suggested for five to six years.

The last wine that was in the carton is another old friend of mine. The Pelerin Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2013. This wine is un-racked and is a blend of fruit harvested from the following Santa Lucia Highlands vineyards; Tondre, Fairview, Rosella’s and Sierra Mar. All the fruit was hand-picked and aged for over fourteen months in French Oak with a production of four-hundred-thirty-two cases and an aging potential suggested of five to six years.