The Big Sur Foragers’ Festival
Monterey
The Monterey chapter started the year in style with a chartered bus bringing 54 members and guests down the Pacific coast to The Big Sur Foragers’ Festival. We once again judged the food and wine offerings of a multitude of chefs and wineries. The two winning wines, as described in the local media were: “Wines were also honored, with “Le Souvenir” 2017 Chardonnay by Paul Lato Wines taking home the top honor for white wines. The grapes came from the Sierra Madre Vineyard in Santa Maria, 4 acres of hand-selected grapes from 300 acres. It was aged in 75% new French oak and 25% neutral French oak. The grapes were harvested at 23 brix and ABV is 14.1%. Paul Lato said he used “yeast from the sky” or all-natural yeast. “The color was bright with beautiful clarity. It was well-balanced with excellent acidity. The nose was consistent with the experience in the mouth and had a lovely creamy texture,” wrote members of the Knights of the Vine, who served as judges. The winning red was Ian Brand from I Brand and Family, a 2016 Grenache, Drossean vineyard, Chalone Appellation. “The epitome of a Rhone wine in the style of Gigoudes - complex, smoky with Mediterranean fruit,” the judges said.” This was our fifth year in assisting the Big Sur Health center to clearly produce a great event! Soon thereafter we were stymied by the Covid shutdown and have been biding our time to safely resume some small events. In the meantime, we look to our members for some history of our fine region and are pleased to include a profile of Master Knight Dick Nutter, a longtime member of our chapter, who shares some observations of the development of Monterey county as a wine region which we hope you will enjoy.
Reflections of the Monterey County Wine Grape Industry from 1971 to 1998 When I was appointed Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner in July 1971 neither I (nor anyone I knew) realized that we were entering into a dynamic new era of county agriculture. The wine grape industry had discovered that the county possessed the type of climate, soil and water to become a premium growing region. Research by University of California at Davis had given investors’ confidence to explore this region. The San Antonio and Nacimento Dams had developed and provided a consistent water supply.
James and Rachaelle Schultze from Windy Oaks pour at the Foragers’ Festival
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The Arbor
