The once—well, maybe still—sleepy village at the heart of Carmel Valley is now the epicenter of wine tasting in Monterey County, one of the largest and most important viticultural regions in all of California. About 20 tasting rooms now huddle beneath stately oaks in the middle of town, with numerous eateries and lodging options just steps, or a few minutes’ drive, away.
“Carmel Valley’s rustic, off-the-beaten path and down-to-earth charms belies the passion for food and wine that is simmering under the surface, so it’s a great getaway for those who appreciate the more laidback and less pretense wine style,” says Kerry Winslow, who grew up in Carmel Valley Village and runs the Windy Oaks Estate tasting room here. “There’s a real sense of family and comradeship between the wineries here, and lots of undiscovered talent to enjoy.”
Tucked into the rugged mountain ranges that separate the Salinas Valley from the Big Sur coast, Carmel Valley is a rural community of equestrian estates, cattle ranches and vineyards that spread from the near the Carmel River up to the towering peaks. Everything needed to survive exists in Carmel Valley Village, which was first developed around a general store in 1946 and is today home to about 4,500 people.
It’s about 20 minutes from Carmel-by-the-Sea, a fairytale-esque oceanside village that’s also home to more than a dozen tasting rooms today and even more restaurants and hotels than Carmel Valley. (Check out our Carmel-by-the-Sea tasting room guide.)
If you must choose, it
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
