Morgan

Morgan Winery was one of the first to establish themselves under the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA which was granted status in the early 1990’s. It was 1996 when Dan and Donna Lee invested in 65 acres of property near the Monterey Bay to plant their vineyards. However when the Morgan vineyards were first planted the soil was not in its optimal condition. They decided to enhance the land with organic nutrients and in 2001 they became the first Certified Organic vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. While some Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris is planted, the bulk of Morgan wines are produced from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Morgan’s Double L vineyard is their pride and joy and the origin of their flagship Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. These wines are consistently at the top of our Morgan wine ratings. The proximity to the Monterey Bay provides a cool, nighttime fog protecting the vineyard plantings while the warmer days can elicit wonderful fruit and acidity from the grapes leading to well balanced and elegant wines. Take a look below for our full compilation of Morgan wine reviews.

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Morgan 2006 Hat Trick Double L Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)

Price $85

Morgan’s Hat Trick Chardonnay, from his own vineyard, was a hit right out of the block. Now, so is his Pinot Noir. It’s elaborately flavored, a fairly soft, full-bodied wine that’s stuffed with pastry-filling cherries, blackberries, currants and raspberries, with exotic additions of kumquats, cola, red licorice and vanilla. This extraordinarily complex wine should… — S.H. (12/15/2008)

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Morgan 2001 Tierra Mar Syrah (Santa Lucia Highlands)

Price $35

Stunning concentration and intensity in this Syrah, which is a blend of Rosella’s and Paraiso fruit. Offers huge flavors of chocolate, blueberry, cassis, flowers and minerals. Lush and dense; flatters now, but should soften for some years. — S.H. (7/1/2005)

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Morgan 2006 Double L Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands)

Price $44

This is a very dense, layered wine, with many intricate corners to explore. The winemaker has put on lots of lees and quite a bit of new oak, which of course adds creamy, smoky complexities. Fortunately, the underlying wine can handle it. Pure Santa Lucia Chardonnay, it’s intricate in tangerines, limes, pineapples, honeysuckle and Asian spices, with a flinty… — S.H. (6/1/2008)

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Morgan 2005 Tierra Mar Syrah (Santa Lucia Highlands)

Price $40

Pepper, acidity and tannins are the stars of this young, unresolved Syrah. Under all that is a solid core of blackberries and blueberries that have a slight baked quality, like fruit in a pie. The wine needs time to knit together. A blend mainly of Morgan’s cool Double L Vineyard and the fine Paraiso Vineyard, at the warmer, opposite end of the appellation, it… — S.H. (12/15/2008)

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Morgan 2001 Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)

Price $35

Everybody wants grapes from this vineyard for its fabulous terroir, which usually yields wines of impeccable balance and lushness. This wine is light and delicate in structure, with beautifully firm acids and sweetly complex flavors of cherry pie, mocha and vanilla. It’s a pleasure to sip. — S.H. (8/1/2004)

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Morgan 2004 Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)

Price $50

Dry, elegantly silky and bright in acidity, this single vineyard Pinot showcases the appellation’s ability to ripen Pinot grapes to a hugeness that somehow stays varietally balanced. The red and black cherry, cola, rhubarb pie and pomegranate flavors are wrapped in a classic tannic-acid structure that’s compellingly drinkable. — S.H. (8/1/2006)

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Morgan 2004 Double L Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)

Price $55

This is from Dan Morgan Lee’s own vineyard. It’s in the coolest northwest part of the appellation, near its boundary, and is more acidic and elegant than his purchased Pinots further south. The 2004 vintage was blazingly hot, and the grapes loved it. Big in cherry, cola, leather and spice flavors, it’s a wine to savor. Best now through 2008. — S.H. (8/1/2006)

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Morgan 2003 Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)

Editors' Choice

Price $45

Compared to Double L, Garys’ is a shade more obvious, but that’s a royal comparison. This is a terrific wine in its own right, rich and fruity, wonderfully oaked, complex and totally satisfying in a Pinotesque way. It’s a firm, masculine, elegant wine, with beautiful acidity, and should hold well for a number of years. — S.H. (12/15/2005)

Most Reviewed Designations

Cotes du Crow’s Double L Vineyard Garys' Vineyard Hat Trick Double L Vineyard Highland Metallico Metallico Un-Oaked R&D Franscioni Vineyard Rosella’s Vineyard Tierra Mar Twelve Clones

Most Reviewed Varietals

Chardonnay Pinot Gris Pinot Noir Red Blend Rhône-style Red Blend Riesling Sauvignon Blanc Syrah Syrah-Grenache

2009 Va Piano

Having been given almost four years of age prior to release, this deep…

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