Morgan Winery

After nearly twenty years of successful wine making, Morgan is building a winery. The folks at the Morgan mention this as an aside. A new winery will be great, but it is not the name of the game. After all, they have been turning out great wines since 1982 in what looks like temporary quarters in a Salinas business park. Owners Dan and Donna Lee began with the idea that the best investment for a winery is fruit. So, Morgan has always spent most of its money on grapes. Grapes from inland Monterey County, Grapes from the Santa Lucia Highlands, even grapes from distant Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys of Sonoma County. The winery is tucked into several garage-like units. Tanks and barrels are wedged into every nook and cranny. It is almost necessary to open a door in order to move barrels around. In spite of these appearances, the layout is utilitarian and efficient. Morgan has occupied this space from the start and it was built to suit the winery’s needs. Now expansion is in the works.

Morgan now has acreage of its own in the Santa Lucia Highlands, an area with a well-established reputation for great fruit. Along with the new plantings (coming of age and bearing fruit already) will come a new winery. However the main idea endures. Morgan continues to place top value on suitable, high-quality grapes. Although the new vineyard will take on increasing importance with years to come, and although the Santa Lucia Highlands (and other districts in Monterey County) are increasingly covered with the vines of other growers, Morgan will source the fruit for each of its wines wherever the grapes are best. The winery will continue to sell on the strength of its reputation for individualistic, varietally distinct wines, rather than "branded" products, uniform from year to year.

Winemaker Dean DeKorth is affable and upbeat. Although he is well grounded in his craft, he exudes an easy-going joy in watching his wines develop. He is in tune to the differences between the wines of different grape types and different years. While he makes every effort to make them the best they can be, he has no fear of letting them be themselves. Fruit is the essence in all of Morgan’s wines.

Although the winery’s production is hardly massive the wines are readily available in the Upstate. The Sauvignon Blanc, with a large measure of Sonoma County fruit, is lean, fresh, and nearly bone dry. The lightest of all the winery’s efforts this is an extremely adaptable white. There is just enough fresh fruit flavor for pleasant sipping on a warm afternoon (with or without food). Still there is plenty of structure and acidity to match light fare of almost any description. A real bargain at around $13.00.

Morgan is justly famous for Chardonnay, having repeatedly scored high points with various wine pundits. The trick to this is that no two are just alike. All recent vintages have shared a measure of "tropical fruit" in smell and taste. All are lighter and less buttery than average, clean in the finish, and light enough to drink right through a meal. The differences are in the nuances, a touch of butter here, a bit of almond there, with varying traces of oak. All recent bottlings have been winners. Just don’t expect them to be exactly alike. Expect to pay about $18.00.

Pinot Noir is Morgan’s most elegant effort, a classic red dinner wine with moderate body, but well-defined flavor. All recent vintages combine a subtle herbal character with clean, basic, berry-fruit vigor. Of late the wines have had clean fruit and a bit more body. While more robust than many Pinots, these wines are best with moderately seasoned red meat dishes. Prices range from $20.00 to $40.00.

Red Zinfandel from Morgan is not monstrous, juicy stuff. Made more in the "claret" style, this wine can serve in the place of Cabernet for around $14.00. Right now there is also a bit of Syrah to be found locally. This is the darkest, richest of Morgan’s current releases. A blend of bell pepper and fresh fruit, this one will match the hardiest fare. Sold in Greenville for about $20.00. There is even a white wine from Malvasia grapes, rich in fruit flavor with just a bit of sweetness. For about $12.00, this is a perfect casual wine for picnics, or sipping on a summer afternoon.

To visit the Morgan Winery website click here.

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