Earlier this year, I visited the city of Monterey for the first time and was intrigued by its history, landscape and culture. It’s only a couple of hours north of my home in Paso Robles and trust me, I’ll be back to add a few more spots to the visit. One of those spots will be the Steinbeck Museum in Salinas where the lauded author and renowned son of Monterey County grew up and is now honored.
Truth be told, I have spent a fair amount of time in Monterey County and specifically at a few wineries in the Santa Lucia Highlands, AVA, each with its own unique history. The beautiful Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is a 12-mile long region above the Salinas River near Monterey Bay. Vineyards, found at 30-1200 feet above the valley floor, are on dry, granite soil. Abundant sunshine in the morning, afternoon fog and often strong breezes from the Pacific Ocean result in a long ripening season.
Photo Credit: Pisoni Family Vineyards
This past month, I’ve read Cannery Row, Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden, all penned by John Steinbeck. His exceptional descriptions of place and character helped me increase my understanding of the hardships and struggles, achievements and recognitions of the hard working people who lived in Monterey County in the early 1900s.
During my Steinbeck reads, I sipped brilliant Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from the Lucia label of Pisoni Family Vineyards,
This Article was originally published on Grape Experiences
