Wrath Wines

First, I have to say that Wrath Winery makes outstanding Pinot Noir. I have been a huge fan of this establishment and have recommended their wines to many others (and given more than a few bottles to friends as gifts). We’ve had wonderful experiences at their tasting room and have found the staff to be knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.
So why the two-​star review?
During the recent Valentine’s day weekend, we traveled from San Jose to Soledad with a couple friends for the sole purpose of tasting and buying some Wrath Pinot’s. Wrath’s website, answering machine message and posted hours, all indicated they would be open for business on Saturday Feb 13^th. After making the long trek (the traffic on 101 south was worse than usual) we arrived at the winery right at mid-​day to find the driveway roped off and a «closed» sign. We were stunned and assumed maybe this was a temporary situation. We tried calling the winery a few times and eventually reached an employee who explained (rather frankly) that because the winery didn’t want to participate in a regional «Valentine’s Passport» promotion — where hordes of people descend on local vintners — they had decided to close. Certainly, that is their business decision to make, but considering their remote location and regularly scheduled hours, this change should have been clearly announced and posted far in advance. On the phone, we attempted to convince the employee at the winery to make an exception and let us into the tasting room — even saying that we had planned on buying some bottles — to no avail. Such a huge disappointment and «bad feelings, all around» for a place we’ve championed so many times before.
The wine is superior enough to warrant future consideration, if we happened to be in the area… but I doubt I’d risk another long trip south unless we could be assured the winery honors its stated hours of operation.

Great European Chard for ABCs out there!

I have to say this was one memorable trip to this part of the Santa Lucia Highlands, specially this wonderful winery with its beautiful location and views. I really have to say this again, if you are traveling to or around that area on the 101 North, between Soledad and Gonzales, do yourself a favor and stop at this winery when they are open.
This winery nestled on the hills west of the 101 N with its outstanding views of the surrounding mountains and valleys that makes you feel you are in France, no kidding.
As we walked in, we were greeted by this young amazing and friendly SARA. No chairs at the counter, just enough standing room for seven or eight guests. Nice, cozy room with huge shelf display of bottles of wine. Salted crackers on the counter along with a list of the wines offered and map of the region. When I asked Sara about the name «Wrath,» she went on telling us that after the step son took over the operation, hes was big fan of Lid Zippelin and was inspired by the Led Zeppelin song, «Going to California,» lyrics about the «wrath of the gods» reminded him of Mother Nature’s unpredictable influence on the vines.
I have to say the main focus in this winery seems to be more toward growing Pinot Noir grapes than anything else. I am not a big fan of Pinot or Chardonnay, although my buddy tried to change all that, today, but sorry to say it did not happen and am sure it will not happen, not in this life.
Here is what we have tried:
+++2014 Wrath Sauvignon Blanc, Ex Anima, Monterey===I like this wine. It was aromatic with juniper, leaf to lime blossom and slate. It was enjoyable to drink. We bought a bottle of this to take home.
+++2014 Wrath Chardonnay, Ex Anima, Montery===This was way to dry for me, I gave it a try and like I said, CHARD is not for me. My buddy liked it though. I am sure CHARD lovers would think I am crazy. Oh yeah, they would think I am crazy too if they knew I eat seafood with my red wines! lol Cheers!
+++2013 Wrath Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands===Complex is the word to describe it for sure. I am sure Pinot Noir drinkers would love it though, not me!
+++2013 Wrath Pinot Noir, Pommard 4/​777, monterey. Notice the 4/​777, that is a code, ID or number given to certain grape vine. My body liked it and we ended up buying a bottle as well.
+++2012 Wrath Syrah, Ex Anima, Monterey===We bought a bottle of this and drank it outside in the picnic area. I really liked this wine. Smooth, not too dry, full of mixed flavors, raspberry, blueberry, hint of vanilla and cocoa. We enjoyed drinking it with Asiago and goat cheese, jam and cheese crackers. Cheese tray cost $ 20.
They really have a big list of other Pinot’s for all of you Pinot drinkers. I counted at least 9 of them.
CONCLUSION:
Nice winery. Nice service and specially from SARA. If you plan on coming here, do yourself a favor, stop by at your favorite deli or market. Grab some of your favorite cold cuts and cheeses with some french bread or crackers. Head on to Wrath, grab a bottle of wine at the counter, head outside to the picnic area with this wonderful views and small cute pond they have… Relax, sip on fine wine, enjoy the surrounding scenery of the mountains, valleys, trees, greenery and grapevines. You will not regret it. I will do this on my next visit.
Dog friendly!
CALL BEFORE YOU HEAD ON THERE. I BELIEVE THEY ARE OPEN MONDAY, FRIDAY, SAT AND SUN 11 TO 5.
E N J O Y

I can’t say enough about this winery. The wines are excellent. If you are a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir connoisseur come here! Their wines are distinctive and tasteful. The big plus — the staff is very knowledgable and friendly. Don’t miss!

Nice little place to pop in for some good Pinots… Small tasting bar in an open area. the staff seems to know their wines well so that was a little bonus. Pricey for the wines in the region but pretty good nonetheless.

Timo was awesome! We came with a group and he is probably the best we have ever had at any tasting room ever. We came up from Paso Robles and found Wrath by a suggestion from Hahn. The Sauv Blanc is amazing. Very surprising, so many flavors for a white. I might just be my favorite winery up here. Keep it up Timo!

This is a great winery and tasting room. Timo was the best tasting room host I have ever experienced. Very friendly and knowledgeable about the wine. Delicious variety of wine. Thanks for a great experience

The wines are interesting and delicious! Timo was the most fun pourer of the day. Great knowledge of the wines. The Sauv Blanc was the most interesting, had to try more to figure it out. The grounds are beautiful, little pond, with great views of the valley and the vineyards. Great stop on our way home to SLO.

I had a wonderful opportunity to organize an event at this lovely winery based in the San Lucia mountain range where members enjoyed a catered lunch with wine tasting. The location off River Road was ideal at the end of a scenic hidden drive where the staff warmly welcomed us in waves and continued to be gracious throughout our stay into the afternoon. We enjoyed 3 tastings: the Pinot Noir Pommard, Syrah and Savignon Blanc as suggested by Chris Whaley who was great in helping me set the event the moment I was in contact with him. Michelle McDaid and Claire Marlin were extraordinary as hosts on the day of the event making us all feel at home in the barrel room for the private event as well as generously offering the tasting room with its gorgeous view of the pond, boat and reeds for those who wanted a further experience at the winery. Prior Unilocal reviews with pictures very much helped in selecting this winery locale.
Many participants left with purchases in hand, not just a bottle but bottles and boxes!
I highly recommend a stop here if planning a visit near Carmel Valley. The grounds, staff and exceptional wines are outstanding. Definitely worth a repeat visit solo, pair, group or event.

My friend and I stopped in here yesterday. The girls behind the counter were super friendly and knowledgeable. They even let us try a few wines that weren’t on the tasting menu yet! Of course we eneded up with several bottles. If you are looking for a winery with a great atmosphere and a knowledgeable staff then look no further because this is the place to be. Their wines are a little on the pricey side, but are definitely worth it!

Wonderful Winery! Lovely relaxing setting and wonderful personnel. The ladies there added to our great experience.

Generally, Monterey pinots haven’t been my favorites due to their pale style. The many clone-​specific pinots at Wrath have more substance, but were too off balance for me to fully enjoy. I ended up only liking the non-​clone-​specific «Ex Anima» pinot where the blending struck the right balance.
They offer more than one tasting flight. The $ 10 tasting fee for four wines is waived with one purchased bottle. The $ 20 tasting fee for five wines is waived with $ 70 of wine purchases.

Wrath winery is a must-​stop on the wine trail with which the breathtaking scenery of the mountains pairs with your Pinot and Chardonnay tasting. They have a surprising variety of flavor complexes for being a small-​batch winery. Nikki thoroughly educated us about the grapes and the process!

My husband and I tasted WRATH wines in their tasting room in Carmel previously and LOVED their pinots. On a whim we decided to look up their winery as we passed through the area on our way home to Paso Robles today. What a lovely surprise! The tasting room is beautiful with its lounging patio, restful pond and natural landscape. We could have spent all afternoon. The pourers were sweet and knowledgable young women who made us feel at home. But really, it’s all about the wines, and they are good! They do produce a white or two, however they are really about the pinots. So many good ones; so hard to choose. All with nice mouth feel and distinct flavors. They also produce a couple of syrahs which are very tasty. We ended up buying several bottles including the San Saba pinot and the San Saba syrah, both estate grown and rich. The tasting fees are high if all you are planning to do is taste, but the wine is so good you should plan to buy and have the fees waved.

This winery is great! It is such a beautiful setting. The staff is friendly and helpful. The wines are very good. I am in love with the 2011 Fermata Chardonnay. I am so sad they are sold out (though completely understand)! I also enjoy a few of the Pinots. If I lived closer I would stop by on a regular basis to enjoy the view and some tasty wine.

I finally visited Wrath while my mum was visiting over the winter break. It was a much-​anticipated visit, as I’ve loved many of their wines in the past.
The grounds and tasting room are beautiful, as noted in the other reviews. If it hadn’t been late in the afternoon and getting quite chilly when we got there, I could have spent hours on that porch, enjoying the view and the lowing of the cows across the street. The staff was incredibly friendly and generous, giving large pours for our tasting, and sneaking the occasional additional sample out to us as well.
I was surprised at the fact that the wines didn’t enchant me as much as the ones I’ve had before. I found a few that I liked, but they didn’t match up to the love affair I had with a bottle of Pinot at Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, we recycled the bottle, so I don’t know which one it was, and they make MANY.
The wines had nice balanced flavors and none were off, per se, but they lacked the depth and complexity I tend to prefer in my reds. The Ex Anima Chardonnay was probably my favorite pour of the day, even though I tend to significantly prefer reds.
I enjoyed the wines, and some were very good, though I thought the prices seemed a bit higher than what I would have expected for the quality. Nonetheless, it is a great winery to visit, so I give four stars because I’m rating the experience of tasting there – and going to the winery is a four star experience!

As a local, this is one of my absolute favorite places to pop over and purchase wine by the glass and sit outside and take a deep breath and say, «Yeah, that’s right, I live here!» The view is spectacular and it is one of the main reasons my husband and I end up taking a weekend drive to this spot. It is one of our «happy places.»
It would be perfect if they could just do something about the hot, hot south side of their patio. Umbrellas at least but a shade structure is needed. I like the sunshine but the patio is scorching.
I must comment that the hospitality here is consistently outstanding! Across the entire staff, I am always made to feel genuinely welcome and the place is usually very loud because the visitors are actively engaged by the staff and are laughing and happily chatting.
The Ex Anima Chardonnay is unlike any other and in spite of every wine snob bone in my body I just love it. The Tondre’s Grapefield Pinot Noir is the only blend from this amazing vineyard (there are others) that comes close to paying homage to the straight stuff.
Wishing Wrath many years of continued success… we will be back!

I came here for a tasting after work. Great wines. I had a choice of one of the two tasting lists that they had. Although I chose the second list I wanted to taste a particular wine from the first list. The wine lady had no problem with me tasting that one from the other list.
I took a variety cheese platter to-​go and I was not disappointed.
Cheers!

This is an incredible winery — my favorite of the dozen or so that I’ve visited in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Each wine is lovingly crafted and often thought-​provokingly well structured. I’m especially a fan of the Ex Anima Chardonnay and the Ex Vita Pinot Noir. The prices are quite reasonable for the world-​class quality of the wines.
Their grounds are beautiful and well worth a stroll around the pond on a sunny day. I saw people sitting at tables outside and it looked idyllic — definitely something to try next time I visit!
Finally, I found their customer service to be unusually attentive, both while I was at the winery and afterwards. One of the bottles I bought fell and broke due to a packaging snafu, and they immediately offered to replace it gratis. That is really going above and beyond!

This was our last – and best – stop of the day as we wine tasted along the river road in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Since we were spending a long holiday weekend in Monterey, home to John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, it seemed appropriate to stop at a winery named Wrath.
Although the branding is stark and slightly sinister, featuring the outline of an abandoned, dilapidated house on the outskirts of the vineyards, the property and lush wines are anything but (see photos). The water lily filled man-​made pond is an unexpected oasis in the arid landscape – and surely what the Joads dreamed of as they escaped their Dustbowl hell.
The wines of Wrath were what we’d dreamed of as we embarked on our day trip inland from the coast. Overall, we’d been pleasantly surprised by the wineries of the SLH, but Wrath’s wines are far more sophisticated and refined than the others we tried that day (including some with much higher name recognition).
The well-​balanced rose and chardonnays were perfect for sipping on the warm day, but the reds were the standouts. We came away with a few bottles of pinot and are looking forward to their new releases later this year. We hope to return to pick up more wine this summer and will definitely try to bring some friends along to picnic beside the pond, underneath the willow trees.