Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/551222
68 / the tasting panel / august 2015 The Somms' Take The sommeliers in attendance came away impressed by the work Hahn Family Wines is doing. That includes increased focus on Pinot Noir, their effort to explain the terroir of Santa Lucia Highlands through wine, and certified sustainable estate vineyards. These are all-important steps in making Santa Lucia Highlands not just a well- recognized name, but understood by large numbers of wine enthusiasts. Nathaniel Muñoz, Sommelier at Aubergine in Carmel-by-the-Sea and also an ambassador for the Monterey County Vintners' Association, summed up the challenge: "Most people don't know how to qualify SLH yet. It's kind of like Santa Barbara—respected, but without the well-known signatures of a Napa Valley." Deamer Dunn, President and Wine Buyer at Pajaro Street Bar & Grill in Salinas, found the tasting of these three wines very helpful in that respect. "When you treat all the vineyards' fruit the same, you really can taste the terroir," he said. "You can easily distinguish the cooler climate of the Lone Oak from the others. I've been here 16 years and it's been amazing to see Hahn's investment in the transition to Pinot. They're helping make SLH one of the most highly regarded areas for Pinot in the world." Bernabe De Luna, Wine Director at Restaurant 1833 in Monterey, is another veteran of the region, having som- med at the Highlands Inn in Carmel for 13 years. But he left to work for Michael Mina in Las Vegas and has only recently returned after a six-year absence. "It's been an awakening," he said. "When I returned, I didn't know 60 percent of the producers' names. It's nice to see the progress over the past decade and the mixture of wine styles." One of the wine programs that will help create consumer understanding is that of Carmel Valley Ranch: "We run a locavore culinary program," said Beverage Manager Dave Eriksen. "I try to replicate that with the wine. We have about 500 different labels, but a strong 30 percent of that is local and a gener- ous 30 percent of that is Santa Lucia Highlands. Because of its latitude and elevation changes, it allows for a lot of different varieties and styles." Deamer Dunn, President and Wine Buyer at Pajaro Street Grill in Salinas, CA. Foreground: Jennifer Gomez, Sommelier at Porter's in the Forest in Pebble Beach, boards an all-terrain vehicle leading a tour of the winery. Paul Clifton, Hahn's Director of Winemaking, explains climate differences between Hahn Family Wines' Santa Lucia Highlands estate vineyards.