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Wine Recommendation
Lockwood Vineyard
2004 Partners' Reserve(San Lucas)
Three partners – Paul Toeppen, Phil Johnson and Butch Lindley – planted the 1,850-acre Lockwood Vineyard in southern Monterey County in 1981. At first, the partners sold their grapes to wineries in Napa and Sonoma, but in 1989 they produced a little wine as an experiment. The vineyard takes its name from the dominant soil type, Lockwood shale loam. Now Lockwood is part of the San Lucas AVA, and the winery produces a good lineup of affordably priced wines. (The grapes for this wine are all from the estate in San Lucas, but the winery labels its bottles with the better-known Monterey AVA.)
The Partners’ Reserve, which is priced at $20, is made only in the best years from the best barrels. The 2004 version, a blend of 95 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 percent Malbec, spent 24 months in French oak. It’s a well-balanced wine, with bright black cherry flavors along with nuances of mocha and black olive. There’s good structure, but the tannins don’t club you over the head. The Partners’ Reserve would partner beautifully with a grilled steak or some nice tri-tip.
Reviewed September 12, 2007 by Laurie Daniel.
Other reviewed wines from Lockwood Vineyard
The Wine
Winery: Lockwood Vineyard |
The Reviewer
Laurie Daniel
Laurie Daniel, wine columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, has been reviewing wine for more than 10 years. She doesn’t use numbers, preferring to describe her recommended wines and let consumers decide for themselves. Laurie believes that bigger isn’t necessarily better; she’s partial to wines of balance, finesse and character. Her particular interests are Pinot Noir (versions that really taste like Pinot, that is) and aromatic whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. |