Updated April 2023
Wine tasting in Carmel Valley
Lesser known than the very popular Carmel-by-the-sea, lies a strip of tasting rooms, the Carmel Valley Village. This little gem is only a 15 minute drive inland from the coast and offers up some delicious juice and a fun way to spend an afternoon or a weekend.
There are over 20 tasting rooms crammed into a small 3 block radius, so there’s a lot to like about wine tasting in Carmel Valley. Wineries mainly get their fruit from Santa Lucia Highlands and from Carmel Valley. You’ll find a good amount of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Bordeaux varietals,
Most spots offer daily wine tasting but others are only during Thursday to Sunday. As of June 18th, 2020, many of the tasting rooms have re-opened during the weekend.
Read our guide to Carmel Valley Village wine tasting to find out the best spots to taste!
Where to taste
Windy Oaks
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Windy Oaks has some of the best Pinot Noirs in all of California. There are three locations for Windy Oaks: the winery in Corralitos, the tasting room in Carmel-by-the-sea and Carmel Valley.
It was actually here that we discovered this boutique producer and were instantly hooked. Pony up for the Reserve tasting to try some of the white label gems like “Wild Yeast, Wood Tank Fermented, Whole Cluster and Proprietor’s Reserve”. If you’re a Pinot fan, this is a can’t-miss spot.
I. Brand
Ian Brand and Family made quite a splash when awarded “Winemaker of the Year” by the SF Chronicle in 2018. Even with high expectations, we thoroughly enjoyed their old world style wines.
Don’t miss their complex Cab Francs and old vine Grenache. We also love their Albariño — a refreshing crispy white wine for the summertime. Reservations recommended if tasting Monday to Thursday.
Seabold
Excellent cold climate wines that are extremely expressive and layered. We love that they don’t fine and filter their wines — more to taste! Our favorites were their Pinots, Syrah and Mouvedre.
Additionally, their patio is charming and offers up a cool swing to boot.
Joyce
We have a soft spot in our hearts for Joyce and Co. Their lighter style whites, rose’s and Pinots are perfect for ourdoor drinking and thus, pairs well with their tasting room patio.
You’ll likely meet Ari, one of the friendliest cellar door employees. Make sure to ask about their upcoming parties — most involve a taco truck and pair very well with their Pet-Nat style Riesling and Gamay-based Rose.
Scratch
Sabrine Rodems is the talented winemaker at Wrath (see our Carmel-by-the-Sea guide) and this is her smaller label. While Wrath wines leans toward big and bold, Scratch sports a lighter, brighter array of high-acid, austere wines with a-typical regional varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling from Monterey.
The grapes are sourced from renowned local vineyards (Pinot Noir from KW Ranch) and utilize the extra space in Wrath’s winery in SLH. We love the 2018 Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine and the 2017 KW Pinot Noir. Ask for Alex when visiting!
Scratch was previously in Carmel-by-the-Sea and has opened a new tasting room next to Joyce in Carmel Valley.
Where to eat
Speaking of hungry, you’ll likely want to pair all that juice with some good eats. The village is pretty small, so there aren’t too many options. However, here are a few to consider:
Kathy’s Little Kitchen: There are a few spots serving mexican food, but this is by far our favorite. Tacos can be small though, so order up a few.
Baum & Blume: Delicious homemade worldly cuisine with an always-rotating menu. They also make great to-go packs if you’re on a day trip and want to pick up some dinner.
Where to stay
The climate in Carmel Valley is much warmer than it’s coastal cousin, so take advantage of this by staying at a spot with a nice pool. Here are a few of our favorites:
Bernadus Lodge & Spa: You may have noticed that Bernadus has its own tasting room in the village. While we are not the biggest fans of the wine, staying at the Lodge & Spa amongst the vines is a real treat.
Carmel Valley Lodge: If you want something a little closer to the downtown area, Carmel Valley Lodge will do the trick. Nothing too fancy here, but overall a very nice spot, equipped with a pool and a walkable distance to the tasting rooms.
