TN: 2014 Windward Vineyard Pinot Noir Monopole

I’ve always had a curiousity about this vineyard and producer given its status as an outlier in Paso Robles growing exclusively Pinot Noir. A cool microclimate in the Templeton Gap with calcareous soils. Visited the tasting room yesterday and tried the wines for the first time - very impressed. Popped and poured this 2014 with chicken thighs tonight.

  • 2014 Windward Vineyard Pinot Noir Monopole - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (5/26/2019)
    Clear medium-ruby color. Aromatics of black cherry, clove & smoked paprika spices, damp earth, leather and old cedar. Fig jam and cherry fruit on the palate with thick and plush layers of spices - gingerbread, cardamom seeds and black tea, along with an underlying earthiness. Harmonious ripeness, acid, texture and structure. Nice middle density and weight - both richness and elegance. Fine round tannins, lingering depth on the finish. Showing very well, early secondary stage. Excellent. Drink/hold. A real eye opener on how well this West Paso Robles microclimate and soils can do with Pinot Noir. (91 pts.)

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Did you try the barrel select bottling? I remember tasting there in 2011 and while the first few wines were solid they weren’t wow wines. The last bottle we tasted however, the 2007 barrel select, really impressed me and not just for being from Paso. Really a great wine. Still holding a single just to see what age does to that wine.

Of the few times I’ve had Windward pinot noir I’ve always enjoyed it. I found it interesting that they found the Templeton wind gap a good match to keep the fruit from cooking in that warm/hot climate of Paso. Not far from there along the ridge between Atascadero and Cayucos is the pinot noir vineyard for Asuncion Ridge. I have not had their wine yet but I stayed in their B&B when they were just developing the vineyard. Will try them the next time I’m out there.

i have visited Windward several times over the years and have enjoyed numerous bottlings of their Pinot. I especially enjoyed the small, family run atmosphere of the winery. Very nice people and fun stories.

Here’s from a visit and the tasting room people swore “no doctoring” of the wines when I called them out on the low ABV. I blinded FMIII at a dinner and he thought it was terrific.

I had this on my list to hit up. Not many people make Pinot Noir in Paso and even fewer make a decent one. Windward advertises the fact that they do Pinot “exclusively”. Alright then, I’m in. They guy that owns the place obviously has an obsession with Pinot, who can blame him, and right behind the tasting bar is an empty bottle of Domaine Romanee Conti encased in a wooden box like a shire to Burgundy and the Pinot Noir Mecca.

I was impressed with the wines, they primarily stayed away from the high cherry notes, does not fine or filter. The only “red flag” for me is how does he get 13.8% with fruit grown only a mile or so west of Highway 101? It doesn’t make sense unless this wine makes a trip through the spin cones to take out some the alcohol. We’ll never know…

I wanted to purchase a bottle at the winery and ultimately elected the '14 over this one for no good reason. There’s an amazing consistencies across all three vintages.

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This is from the winery website. I give the guy credit, he pulled it off.

I think I’ll ping him and see if he’s interested in participating in BerserkerDay next year.


Living the Dream
Pinot Noir is the driving passion of Marc Goldberg and Maggie D’Ambrosia, husband and wife owners of Windward Vineyard. Windward Vineyard is dedicated exclusively to producing Burgundian style Pinot Noir. To make the “Great American Pinot Noir,” one that rivals those produced in Burgundy, is the couple’s passion.

Marc and Maggie purchased and planted the vineyard in 1989 based upon the terroir and microclimate of the Paso Robles Westside. The combination of the cooling Pacific breezes, the calcareous soil and the 50 degree daily drop in temperature produce exemplary Pinot Noir.

With the Burgundian French term, “Monopole” vision of total control over both the vineyard and the winemaking, the 15-acre vineyard is planted to four notable French clones.

Marc Goldberg, Windward Vineyard’s “Wine Sheppard”
Marc Goldberg, Windward Vineyard’s “Wine Sheppard”


Windward Vineyard is dedicated to putting Paso Robles’ Pinot Noir back on the map, following in the footsteps of two significant figures in California wine history. In the late 1960’s, consultant Andre Tchelistcheff supervised the Paso Robles Hoffman Mountain Ranch property of Dr. Stanley Hoffman. In the 1970’s, Hoffman’s Pinot Noirs gained worldwide recognition, and were drinking well over 20 years later.

Since the 1993 debut in 1995, each of Windward’s SOLD OUT vintages have achieved inspiring acclaim, particularly within the community of wine aficionados who appreciate the layered complexity of Burgundian styled Pinot Noir. Marc explains. “We knew we could count on the vineyard to produce formidable fruit. It is living up to our expectations as it matures and continues to develop layered complexity.”

Good notes, Brig. Yes it was crazy to me as well that he’s holding high 13’s and low 14’s in ABV in Westside Paso.

Brian, they were pouring several vintages of the Monopole, IIRC they weren’t pouring a reserve barrel selection. I agree, I thought the Monopole bottlings were consistently solid and in my stylistic wheelhouse. Maybe not a wow - but I thought all had further aging potential and at $44 a bottle I thought the 2014 and 2012’s were excellent to take home and pop and pour. Would love to check out the barrel select sometime.

I enjoyed this when Brig poured it blind for us. Surprised me too, Matt.

  • 2014 Windward Vineyard Pinot Noir Monopole - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (11/8/2017)
    Poured blind. I thought this wine showed really well. Hard cherry candy, rose petal, moderate acidity and some dusty tannin in the finish. In all, this is a more delicate, medium weighted, lighter colored wine that really surprised me as a PN from the Paso area. Terrific.

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