Dec 30, 2022
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Muns Vineyard
| Owner(s) | Ed Muns |
| Web site | www.munsvineyard.com |
| Link to this site |
The Muns Vineyard is located on a ridge at 2600' in the Santa Cruz Mountains facing Monterey Bay. 13 acres of the 77-acre property are setup with drip irrigation and a vertical trellis system and protected by a deer fence. This infrastructure is left over from an initial installation back in the early 80's that was abandoned before producing grapes. Four varieties were planted at that time: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Previously, in the 1970's, the property was a Christmas tree farm, so young pine trees pop up everywhere, including in the vineyard! Ed Muns has meticulously removed the native Santa Cruz Mountians brush and refurbished row by row as he planted new vines. The first planting was done in late 1998 and the total 13 acres completed in 2005. The four Pinot Noir clones are 114, 115, 667 and 777.
The original plan was to confine our efforts to the vineyard, growing premium Pinot Noir. However, several years of experience and the first few harvests highlighted the need for his own label. He needed to sell wine to pay for the vineyard. Federal and California wine sales licenses were obtained in 2006 and initial sales began in 2007, based on the 2004 and subsequent vintages. The initial wines were made at Soquel Vineyards, most recently at Silver Mountain Vineyards by winemaker Tony Craig.
Grapes have been sold to Rexford Winery, Savannah Chanelle Vineyards, Thomas Fogarty and Sonnet Wine Cellars.
The wines are for sale on the website. No tasting room.
Articles About Muns Vineyard
Reviewed Wines
2011 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
80 cases, $40. Released November 2012. Two
versions of Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir were made in 2011: one is the usual style crafted by Tony Craig and the
other (tasted here) was made by winemaker Ryan Beauregard using native yeast and aged 8 months in
second use American oak barrels.
·
Wild and exotic on the nose featuring delicate red cherry fruit and a hint of
volatile acidity. Slightly confected red cherry flavor with hi-tone acidity and soft tannins. For the adventurous.
Decent.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2009 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., pH 3.52, TA 0.74, 242 cases, $40.
Released November 2012. Ideal growing conditions this vintage with yields of 3 tons per acre. Aged 17
months in 33% new Hungarian oak barrels with lees stirring.
·
Pleasing aromas of black cherries, red plums and
roasted nuts. Delicious mid-weight flavors of dark stone fruits with a subtle riff of spice. The tannins and
acidity are nicely balanced and this wine drinks seamlessly. My favorite. Exceptional.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2008 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., pH 3.51, TA 0.91, 165 cases, $40. Aged
17 months in 30% new Hungarian oak barrels with lees stirring.
·
Appealing aromas of delicate red fruits, savory
herbs and vanillin oak. Middleweight flavors of juicy black cherries with an enticing accent of brown spices
including cinnamon and a slight mocha note. Refreshing cut of acidity on the finish. Very good.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2007 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 380 cases, $40. 17 months in 33% new
Hungarian oak. Tasted out of barrel at the winery and from a barrel sample at World of Pinot Noir.
·
A consistent
Muns Vineyard style is beginning to evolve with this wine which shows similarities in structure and character to
the 2006 vintage. This wine exhibits admirable complexity with nicely spiced red and black fruits, herbs, forest
floor and mocha. There are still tannins to shed, but these are ripe and fine and will integrate nicely with a little
more bottle age. The acidity is spot on. This should prove to be a very stellar wine. (Note: this wine can be
purchased now at the futures price of $32 which makes it a good value).
Reviewed March 15, 2009
ARTICLE »
2007 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., pH 3.50, TA 0.81, 380 cases, $40. Aged
17 months in 33% new Hungarian oak barrels with lees stirring.
·
Deeper, reddish-purple color. A gregarious
wine with a very ripe fruit nose and rich flavors of dark cherries and sassafras. Robust with firm, but balanced
tannins. Good.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2006 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 380 cases,
$40. 17 months in 33% Hungarian oak.
·
Lighter in color and body than the 2005
vintage, despite the higher alcohol. Darker red fruits including cherries,
strawberries and raspberries are featured enlivened by a touch of minerality,
savory herbs and oak spice. A hint of alcohol peaks out on the nose. There are
moderate ripe fruit tannins that give the wine substance. A pleasurable wine that is
easy to drink.
Reviewed March 15, 2009
ARTICLE »
2006 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., pH 3.47, TA 0.66, 380 cases, $40. Aged
17 months in 33% new Hungarian oak barrels.
·
Very savory nose showing aromas of dried herbs and red
cherry. Has held its age well with good vibrancy, offering light weight flavors of red cherries, nutmeg spice and
savory herbs. Good.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2005 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
This wine was only bottled a week ago, but the racking
was very gentle and the wine is showing beautifully. The aromatics are striking with plenty of wood spice
and spearmint.
Reviewed April 1, 2007
ARTICLE »
2005 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
13.8% alc., 180 cases, $40.
·
Intense reddish-violet
color. The nose is a bit floral, perfumed with wildflowers, and also revealing a fragrance of cherries and ripe
grape fruit trending toward, but not reaching, raisin. A big-boned wine that is plush on the palate with a healthy
tannic backbone and plenty of acidity to balance out the structure.
Reviewed March 15, 2009
ARTICLE »
2004 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 120 cases, $40. Crafted by Soquel
Vineyards. Aged 10 months in 50% new French loose grain French oak. Racked several times.
·
Spiced red
fruits on the nose, primarily strawberry, with oak notes that become more evident with time in the glass. Huge
attack of strawberry fruit gloved in oak spice. Supple tannins, grippy acidity and a dry and persistent finish
showing a touch of citrus.
Reviewed March 15, 2009
ARTICLE »
2011 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
80 cases, $40. Released November 2012. Two versions of Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir were made in 2011: one is the usual style crafted by Tony Craig and the other (tasted here) was made by winemaker Ryan Beauregard using native yeast and aged 8 months in second use American oak barrels. · Wild and exotic on the nose featuring delicate red cherry fruit and a hint of volatile acidity. Slightly confected red cherry flavor with hi-tone acidity and soft tannins. For the adventurous. Decent. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2009 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., pH 3.52, TA 0.74, 242 cases, $40. Released November 2012. Ideal growing conditions this vintage with yields of 3 tons per acre. Aged 17 months in 33% new Hungarian oak barrels with lees stirring. · Pleasing aromas of black cherries, red plums and roasted nuts. Delicious mid-weight flavors of dark stone fruits with a subtle riff of spice. The tannins and acidity are nicely balanced and this wine drinks seamlessly. My favorite. Exceptional. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2008 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., pH 3.51, TA 0.91, 165 cases, $40. Aged 17 months in 30% new Hungarian oak barrels with lees stirring. · Appealing aromas of delicate red fruits, savory herbs and vanillin oak. Middleweight flavors of juicy black cherries with an enticing accent of brown spices including cinnamon and a slight mocha note. Refreshing cut of acidity on the finish. Very good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2007 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 380 cases, $40. 17 months in 33% new Hungarian oak. Tasted out of barrel at the winery and from a barrel sample at World of Pinot Noir. · A consistent Muns Vineyard style is beginning to evolve with this wine which shows similarities in structure and character to the 2006 vintage. This wine exhibits admirable complexity with nicely spiced red and black fruits, herbs, forest floor and mocha. There are still tannins to shed, but these are ripe and fine and will integrate nicely with a little more bottle age. The acidity is spot on. This should prove to be a very stellar wine. (Note: this wine can be purchased now at the futures price of $32 which makes it a good value). Reviewed March 15, 2009 ARTICLE »
2007 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., pH 3.50, TA 0.81, 380 cases, $40. Aged 17 months in 33% new Hungarian oak barrels with lees stirring. · Deeper, reddish-purple color. A gregarious wine with a very ripe fruit nose and rich flavors of dark cherries and sassafras. Robust with firm, but balanced tannins. Good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2006 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 380 cases, $40. 17 months in 33% Hungarian oak. · Lighter in color and body than the 2005 vintage, despite the higher alcohol. Darker red fruits including cherries, strawberries and raspberries are featured enlivened by a touch of minerality, savory herbs and oak spice. A hint of alcohol peaks out on the nose. There are moderate ripe fruit tannins that give the wine substance. A pleasurable wine that is easy to drink. Reviewed March 15, 2009 ARTICLE »
2006 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., pH 3.47, TA 0.66, 380 cases, $40. Aged 17 months in 33% new Hungarian oak barrels. · Very savory nose showing aromas of dried herbs and red cherry. Has held its age well with good vibrancy, offering light weight flavors of red cherries, nutmeg spice and savory herbs. Good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2005 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
This wine was only bottled a week ago, but the racking was very gentle and the wine is showing beautifully. The aromatics are striking with plenty of wood spice and spearmint. Reviewed April 1, 2007 ARTICLE »
2005 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
13.8% alc., 180 cases, $40. · Intense reddish-violet color. The nose is a bit floral, perfumed with wildflowers, and also revealing a fragrance of cherries and ripe grape fruit trending toward, but not reaching, raisin. A big-boned wine that is plush on the palate with a healthy tannic backbone and plenty of acidity to balance out the structure. Reviewed March 15, 2009 ARTICLE »
2004 Muns Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 120 cases, $40. Crafted by Soquel Vineyards. Aged 10 months in 50% new French loose grain French oak. Racked several times. · Spiced red fruits on the nose, primarily strawberry, with oak notes that become more evident with time in the glass. Huge attack of strawberry fruit gloved in oak spice. Supple tannins, grippy acidity and a dry and persistent finish showing a touch of citrus. Reviewed March 15, 2009 ARTICLE »