At the entrance to Los Olivos’ Grand Ave wine row, Carhartt’s tiny tasting room welcomes visitors in with its charming rustic decor. A shady patio out back increases the holding capacity of the building somewhat. Inside, the room is little more than a master bedroom walk-in closet: barely enough space for 3-4 adults at the bar with their companions behind them taking up all walking space. It’s a comfortable and inviting wooden box of a room with no added merchandise for sale. Here, it’s just the bar, you and the wines. On my visit, this included being served by Mike Carhartt himself.

Picture by caribdis_77

Their current estate wines are Merlot and Syrah with a Rosé based off a blend of the two grapes. Vineyards have already been planted for Carhartt’s future offerings of estate-grown Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, and Sangiovese wines. 

Although the Merlot and Syrah get the most attention, all of their wines were a treat. The ‘06 Savignon Blanc was easy to drink with a crisp fruit taste and sweetness on the tongue. A good combination of the estate Merlot and Syrah, the ‘07 Chase the Blues Away Rosé had a light berry taste with just a kick of spice and a strong lengthy finish. The ‘06 Pinot Noir from Rancho Santa Rosa came through with typical Santa Rita Hills style-an instant peppery spice and velvety mouth feel with a short finish. The nose was full of dark berries and fresh ginger. A ‘06 Sangiovese from Faith Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley boldly portrayed tannins with a dry mouth feel and sharp zesty persistent ending after an initial dark ripened fruit and peppery nose.

In particular, the 2006 Zinfandel from Lockshaw Vineyard in Paso Robles struck my fancy with a bright berry and chocolate aroma and soft tannins that lead to a lingering fruitful finish. Carhartt’s ‘05 Estate Merlot lived up to the hype with a deep rich blackberry body supported with hints of spice and oak. The tannins in this robust wine left behind a thirsty mouth and a moderate ending. Finishing up the tasting with the ‘05 Estate Syrah, its fresh fruit and oak aromas left a lingering fresh taste after a mouthful of intense berry flavor and fiery earth.

I like the fact that Carhartt is a family owned and sustainable farmed vineyard which shows through in their excellent limited production wines. It’s a pleasure to converse with the winemakers themselves instead of a less knowledgeable (and less enthusiastic) part-time bartender. Considering the future holds more estate harvests for the family, I can only see the quality getting better.

My tasting was: $10, no glass included

Carhartt Vineyard Tasting Room

2990A Grand Avenue

Los Olivos CA 93441

Website: http://www.carharttvineyard.com/

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