California in August!

My family and I will be touring California this coming August. We will be in the San Francisco - Carmel area. We would like to visit a winery for 2-3 hours in this area. Any recommendations? I do have a wine cellar so wine requiring cellaring are OK. I am more a Cab fan than a Merlot one! Thanks a bunch! François in Montréal

What kinds of wines/tasting/touring experiences are you looking for?

As you know, there is everything from Disney-Napa-land to Small Farmers in a Shed, and of course a wide range of wine styles as well..

Rahsaan,

My son has never had the opportunity to tour a wineyard, so brief explanations about the wine-making process are more than welcome. A tasting session, then an opportunity to buy some products (3 hrs?).

I do not think that we are looking for a mega operation such as Opus One. Thanks, Frs

Francois, you are visiting one of our favorite areas. It is drop dead beautiful. For wineries, go out to Carmel Valley. Our fav there is Galante, a little hard to find but has the whole deal - vineyard, wine making facilities, and tasting room. Jack Galante is a prince of a guy.

In the village of Carmel Valley is the tasting room for Robert Talbert. Nice and friendly, they feature Pinot and Chardonnay at multiple price points. On a good day they even open the highest end stuff. Around the corner is Talbert's tie and shirt outlet, also worth visiting. If your wife sews, there are bolts of Talbert silks in the back; beware!

Bernardus is also in Carmel Valley, and closer to town (Carmel) for fun you might stop by Chateau Julien. Beautiful grounds, inexpensive wines, et al. Just don't ask the pourer any serious questions.

If limited to Carmel, this is from Wine Country Getaways:

Most of the wineries in the Carmel Valley are located deep into the valley and the area is not suitable for extensive auto traffic. Several of these wineries have convenient tasting rooms located near Carmel Valley Village, which is about 12 miles from Highway 1 on Carmel Valley Road. There is only one winery, the Chateau Julien, that has a combined winery and tasting room available.

If you are willing to stop at wineries along the way, google for the Santa Cruz Mountains wineries-there are dozens of smaller wineries in the mountains between the Bay Area and Carmel/Monterrey Bay. Including some interesting ones like Villa Mount Eden. Don't have any personal recs, but this is the next appellation I want to explore (it's two hours away, versus 20 minutes for Napa )

Many, many thanks to all! Your comments will certainly help us plan a heck of a nice trip! Regards, François

If you are willing to stop at wineries along the way, google for the Santa Cruz Mountains wineries-there are dozens of smaller wineries in the mountains between the Bay Area and Carmel/Monterrey Bay. Including some interesting ones like Villa Mount Eden. Don't have any personal recs, but this is the next appellation I want to explore (it's two hours away, versus 20 minutes for Napa )

Isn't Ridge up there?????
This would also be high on my list of areas to visit.

Ridge has vineyards at the top of the Santa Cruz mountains, at the end of a very narrow, winding, dead-end road.

Their tasting room is near Healdsburg, on Lytton Springs Road.

I would also include Bonny Doon among the interesting and scenic wineries in the area between San Francisco and Monterey.


Mike

Mike,

I am curious about the winery you are recommending. Aside from the ¨funky¨ & unusual relax feel, is the wine actually any good? Is it possible to visit the site? Thanks again for your reply, François

Francois, I know nothing about visiting the Bonny Doon winery, but I am definitely in the camp that says that Bonny Doon makes some terrific wines. Randall Graham makes wines ranging from the sublime to the eclectic, and all are well worth their cost. One of the best is his Le Cigare Volant which I believe is a CndP type wine and sells for about $30. , his Ca' Dell Solo wines are very very good at their price point which is about $15. He has his Old Telegram on sale at the moment reduced from $32 down to $24.Hi naming of his wines is a bit irreverent, but his quality is not at all off track.

Mike,

I am curious about the winery you are recommending. Aside from the ¨funky¨ & unusual relax feel, is the wine actually any good? Is it possible to visit the site? Thanks again for your reply, François

François -

In my opinion, Bonny Doon wines are of very high quality. I get the sense that their ultimate goal is to produce wines that have the same kind of magic that a great Bordeaux or a first-class Barolo will have (rather than the kind of flavors expensive California wines are associated with). Of course, they aren't usually up to the levels of those wines now, but they're always trying. Their better wines tend to be balanced, harmonious, complex, and they try to maintain the individuality of the grape and its environment in the wine. They are constantly experimenting with varieties and vineyards attempts to get the best match between the grapes and their locations.

Some of their grapes are purchased from growers. I believe their own vineyards are mostly in the Salinas area, not far from Monterey. The winery is quite a distance away, near Santa Cruz. I have not heard of anyone visiting their vineyards and I don't know whether that would be possible, unfortunately. It would be very interesting to walk a vineyard with Randall Grahm!

If you do stop in at Bonny Doon to taste the wine, I'll be very interested in hearing your impressions of them.

Mike