Morgan Winery

Let’s talk about wine! If you know me then you know this is one of my favorite topics and Morgan Winery is definitely worth mentioning. This Monterey-based winery produces some of the best Pinot Noir’s and Chardonnays you’ll ever taste.

In 1996, Dan and Donna Lee invested in their vision, purchasing and planting a 65-acre property in the northern end of the newly named, still not well-known Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. Of all of the places they could have selected to establish a new “Premier Cru” estate, this site was to prove most perfect.

Named the Double L (Double Luck, in honor of twin daughters), today this vineyard is one of the most famed winegrowing properties in California. A living laboratory, the organically certified Double L Vineyard boasts 20 different clones on 8 different rootstocks.
It is the source of Morgan’s two most highly awarded flagship releases; the Double L Pinot Noir and Double L

Chardonnay. The first plantings were in 1997. At present, the vineyard consists of 48 planted acres: 28 acres planted to Pinot Noir, 18 acres of Chardonnay, 1 acre of Syrah, and 1 acre of Riesling. The first crop was harvested from Double L in 1999.

The close proximity of Monterey Bay’s cold, deep waters influences everything we do. Ocean fog provides a nighttime blanket for the vineyards. In the afternoons, rising hot air in the warmer, southern end of the valley draws in cool breezes off the Bay. The strong winds keep temperatures down and thicken grape skins, fostering intense flavor with balancing acidity. Slow, gentle ripening lasts four to five weeks longer than most regions in California; lack of damaging harvest rains extends the crush safely into the fall. The result is a fully developed varietal character in every grape. The Double L Vineyard slopes from 150 to 550 feet in elevation. Average summertime temperatures are in the mid-70’s, with lows in the mid-50’s.

Morgan Winery Story:

With more than thirty years of experience, Dan Lee and the Morgan label have been synonymous with artisan, vineyard-centric wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Monterey.

Coming from a small town in California’s Central Valley, Dan Morgan Lee had prepared initially for the study of veterinary medicine at the University of California, Davis. It was late in his college career that he discovered enology satisfied his interest in both science and agriculture. Immediately enrolling in the graduate enology program, Dan completed his studies and was hired as a winemaker at Jekel Winery in Monterey County.

After serving his apprenticeship at Jekel, Dan moved up the road to Durney Vineyard where he continued to make Monterey wines. While making wine full-time for Durney, Dan aspired to craft his own label. It was at a meeting of the Monterey County Winegrowers Association that he shared his vision with a banker. In addition to becoming his business advisor, that banker would also become Dan’s wife.

About The Estate Vineyard:

Sun, wind, and fog work together at our Double L Vineyard to produce wines of the highest caliber. Organic and sustainable farming, careful harvesting of small lots, and the finest French oak cooperage result in wines with the purest expression of terroir.

Additionally, Dan Lee’s cultivated partnerships in the Santa Lucia Highlands grant us the rare opportunity to produce premium, single-vineyard wines from vintage to vintage. With top-quality fruit and expert winemaking techniques, these wines always sell out fast.

The Wine Club:

Becoming a Morgan Winery Club Member is the best way to experience and explore premier, artisan-crafted wine from the Santa Lucia Highlands.

Club members receive savings on all wines purchased and first access to wines only available to Club members. Members receive special shipping promotions during club months, complimentary tasting for you and up to two guests at Taste Morgan in Carmel, invitations to exclusive events, and access to library wines.

Club members will receive shipments quarterly in February, May, September, and November.