Bridlewood Estate Vineyards

It took the French several hundreds of years to determine what grape made the best wine if they were grown in a certain locations. The cabernet sauvignon and merlot reigned supreme in the Bordeaux region of southwestern France while pinot noir and its white cousin the chardonnay grew best in north eastern Burgundy. The lines were drawn, written in stone and permitted grape varieties for each location was set by law; a done deal.

In California’s past, just the opposite was true. One would find chardonnay grapes being grown in a field right next to merlot or cab. There was absolutely no rhyme or reason behind the plantings. With the dawn of the 1950’s, the science of grape growing and winemaking took great leaps forward and growers began to look for areas which were friendly to specific varieties. Today, while not as strict as the French, specific areas have been recommended for many of the wine grape varieties.

Bridlewood Estate Vineyards has searched out some excellent grape growing areas for their wines. They found that pinot noir and chardonnay produced outstanding grapes when grown in Monterey County while the Paso Robles area was exceptionally friendly to the cabernet sauvignon. Putting that together with quality winemaking and you have a winning combination which the Bridlewood Estate Vineyards wines most certainly are.

Bridlewood Estate Vineyards 2008 Monterey County Pinot Noir ($20). To us, Pinot Noir is almost a religion. We have continuously bemoaned the fact that, in most cases, California pinot noir wines have been mediocre at best and in some cases, downright awful. Occasionally, there is a bright star. The Bridlewood Estate Vineyards 2008 Monterey County Pinot Noir is one of those bright stars. The color is a deep cherry/ruby red while the aroma is a complex of fruit flavors featuring cherries and raspberries mingled with oak. Below the surface there is a swirling, kaleidoscopic array of dark summer fruits and berries along with that indefinable incense-like aroma that, to us, marks a truly great pinot noir. The flavor is as multifaceted as is the aroma. There is a host of cherry and berry flavors, all of which are wrapped in that indefinable pinot noir velvet softness. This wine also possesses a substantial body, which is another sign of a well-made, finely proportioned pinot noir. The finish is long and as interesting and as complex as is the aroma. To be very honest, this wine is reminiscent of the great Burgundies of the sixties and take our word for it, they were great pinot noirs. This wine is the perfect accompaniment to pork and veal, full flavored fowl and any meat dish featuring positive spices such as black pepper, allspice, thyme and sage.

Bridlewood Estate Vineyards 2009 Monterey Chardonnay ($15). The Bridlewood Estate Vineyards 2009 Monterey chardonnay is a bright and crisp wine, which presents a perfect balance between the fruit flavors and the acid. The traditional California chardonnay aromas of pineapple, apple, and citrus carry over to the flavor where they mingle with vanilla and soft oak. The wine also has a creamy mouth feel and manages a bit of summer fruit flavor in the background of the finish. This style of wine proves a nice compliment to roasted poultry, grilled seafood, veal based dishes and the lighter pasta dishes.

Bridlewood Estate Vineyards 2009 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon ($15). Bridlewood Estate Vineyards out does itself with this presentation. This Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon is a California show piece displaying all of the classical flavors found in far more costly cabernet sauvignons, while exemplifying the big fruit, wide open California style. This wine has been hand crafted to take advantage of the individual flavor nuances of the grapes grown in the Paso Robles area. The flavor is big and jammy showcasing blackberries, pomegranates and fresh summer berries intertwined with dark chocolate and oak. A long and delightfully fruity finish caps off the wine. Forget about what best goes with a cabernet sauvignon and just enjoy this one.