Meet Monterey’s New-Wave Winemakers
From left to right; David Baird of Folktale Winery & Vineyards; Matt Piagari of Joullian Vineyards; and
Sam L. Smith of Morgan Winery
Wine Enthusiast Magazine
By Matt Kettmann
Monterey County is a historic and well-established viticultural region. Grapes sourced throughout the county serve as the backbone for many popular Central Coast cuvées, and the region is home to prestigious subappellations like Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands that are world-renowned for quality. It’s largely a land of tradition, ruled by generational families and corporate concerns that make it hard for new blood to establish itself.
But the Monterey winescape is changing. There’s an electricity buzzing across the county, as a growing contingent of adventurous vintners settles into urban wineries in Salinas and Marina, and established brands enlist the next generation of winemakers. Many have taken a renewed look at the Carmel Valley, while others discover forgotten vinelands that are also influenced by the Monterey Bay, like those in the adjacent San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties.
Unbound by the shackles of convention and attuned to the desires of millennial consumers, this emerging vanguard produces racy, exciting and even avant-garde bottlings, often at stunningly fair prices. Its efforts have reinvigorated respect for this geographically blessed cross section of California, where a diverse array of microclimates and soil types can produce a brilliant rainbow of wine styles.