Carmel
Valley uncorked
REGION
ATTRACTS WINE-TASTING CROWD
By Laurie Daniel
Special to the Mercury News
CARMEL
VALLEY - With more than 41,000 acres of vines -- nearly as many
as Napa -- Monterey County is a major player in the California wine
industry. But unlike Napa, Monterey has never been synonymous with
wine country travel.
That
may be starting to change. These days, Carmel Valley has enough
tasting rooms to qualify as a wine destination.
There
are other attractions, as well. Pastoral surroundings. Golf at several
superb courses. Hiking at Garland Ranch Regional Park. And an average
of 283 sunny days a year, according to the chamber of commerce.
When
the Monterey Peninsula is socked in by fog in the summer, says Jack
Galante, owner of Galante Vineyards in Carmel Valley, ``people are
recognizing that Carmel Valley is a great place to stay in the sun.''
Although Monterey County is probably best known for chardonnay,
a grape that favors cool climates, much of Carmel Valley is red
wine country -- specifically the red Bordeaux grape varieties.
Commercial
grape growing began here in 1968, when Bill Durney planted 40 acres
of cabernet sauvignon in the remote section known as Cachagua Valley,
southeast of Carmel Valley Village. In 1983, the Carmel Valley AVA
(American Viticultural Area, the official U.S. term for an appellation)
was approved. It's about 13 miles long, encompassing about 19,000
acres; only about 330 acres are planted with vineyards.
The western end of the appellation is cool enough for chardonnay
-- Robert Talbott's famous chardonnay vineyard, Diamond T Estate,
is just to the west of the AVA's boundary -- but as you move farther
inland, the contours of the valley block much of the coastal influence.
Daytime temperatures are warm enough to ripen cabernet sauvignon,
but nights are cold enough to preserve acidity in the grapes.
In much of Monterey County, tasting rooms are far apart, even downright
remote. Even in Carmel Valley, visiting several wineries used to
require negotiating the twists and turns of Cachagua Road -- particularly
challenging after a couple of glasses of wine. So most of those
wineries set up tasting rooms in Carmel Valley Village, joined by
a few wineries from elsewhere in Monterey.
From
the South Bay, it's possible to visit all the Carmel Valley tasting
rooms in a longish day trip. But there's enough to do to warrant
an overnight visit, and accommodations range from simple but attractive
motels to country inns to the luxurious Bernardus Lodge.
Most people approach Carmel Valley from the Monterey Peninsula.
Turn off Highway 1 onto Carmel Valley Road. After passing a busy
shopping area, the road runs southeast along the Carmel River through
a picturesque valley that's a mix of ranches, homes and a few commercial
areas.
Consider
starting your Carmel Valley wine tour with a stop for food at the
Earthbound Farm farm stand, 7250 Carmel Valley Road, which reopens
next month. The stand sells organic produce from the company's Carmel
Valley farm next door. If you want to pick your own, there are organized
harvest walks and chef walks (the latter includes a cooking demonstration)
on Saturdays. (Information: (831) 625-6219 or www.ebfarm.com.)
Once
your cooler is packed, it's time for wine. The first tasting room
-- at Chateau Julien, about 5 1/2 miles from Highway 1 -- isn't
actually in the Carmel Valley AVA. Bob and Patty Brower started
their winery in 1982; the wines were made in a Monterey warehouse
while the chateau was being built. Today, there's a beautiful 16-acre
estate, along with vineyards, gardens and, of course, the chateau
itself, which houses the spacious, high-ceilinged tasting room.
A partly underground chai for barrel storage was added in spring
1988. The fancy facilities play host to monthly special events,
ranging from cooking classes to winemaker dinners; check www.chateaujulien.com
for details. The winery grounds are also a nice spot for a picnic.
From Chateau Julien, continue on Carmel Valley Road. At the intersection
with Laureles Grade, in about 4 1/2 miles, is the luxurious Bernardus
Lodge, the best reason to spend the night in Carmel Valley. The
lodge's restaurant, Marinus, is among the tops in the Monterey area,
and after one of chef Cal Stamenov's terrific meals, the best course
of action is to simply waddle back to one of the comfortable guest
rooms.
A
short distance farther is Carmel Valley Village, home to half a
dozen tasting rooms. Heller Estate -- formerly Durney Vineyards
and best known for cabernet sauvignon -- is easy to spot because
of the modern sculpture outside, the work of well-known sculptor
Toby Heller, wife of one of the current owners, Gilbert Heller.
When Bill Durney planted his first cabernet in Cachagua Valley,
it may have seemed an odd choice. Monterey cabs in those days had
the reputation for being too vegetal, largely because many of the
vines were planted in areas that are too cool to ripen the grapes
properly. Durney Vineyards released its first cabernets in the late
'70s, and it took a while for consumers to notice that these wines
were different -- big, ripe and built to age. After Durney died
and the winery was sold, the wines hit an uneven patch. But the
cabernet, in particular, is back on track. All the grapes are cultivated
organically.
Less
than a block up the road is the tasting room for Robert Talbott
Vineyards, specializing in chardonnay and pinot noir. Robb Talbott,
of high-end necktie fame, founded his winery in 1982, when he and
his wife, Cynthia, began planting chardonnay at their rocky Diamond
T Estate vineyard, just off Laureles Grade.
In
addition to the intense, long-lived Diamond T chardonnay, Talbott
produces chardonnays and pinot noirs from his Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
in the Santa Lucia Highlands, near Gonzales; the winery is also
at Sleepy Hollow. Talbott's tasting room offers a number of gift
items, including neckwear and related items from the family business.
(The Robert Talbott Factory Outlet is also nearby, in the Village
Center off Chambers Lane.)
Around
the corner, in an old adobe building with beautiful gardens, is
the tasting room for Georis Winery. Walter Georis, a musician and
the owner of Casanova restaurant in Carmel, planted his vineyard
in the Cachagua Valley in the early '80s. Georis is best known for
full-bodied merlot, but the winery also produces cabernet sauvignon,
sauvignon blanc and a few other wines, including Vincent, a blend
that's a tribute to Vincent van Gogh. Tasting here is a little more
elaborate and is accompanied by cheese.
Another
Cachagua Valley winery, Joullian Vineyards, has an attractive tasting
room half a block off Carmel Valley Road. The vineyard, purchased
in 1981, is planted with Bordeaux varieties, both red and white,
and zinfandel. Winemaker Ridge Watson also makes chardonnay from
grapes grown in the Salinas Valley. The estate on Cachagua Road
is open to the public only during the winery's Saturday open houses,
held seasonally. It's a beautiful spot and worth a visit; check
www.joullian.com for details.
Bernardus
Winery's flagship wine is Marinus, a Bordeaux-style red blend that
takes its name from owner Bernardus ``Ben'' Marinus Pon, a Dutchman
who used to race cars for Porsche and competed in skeet shooting
in the 1972 Olympics. He founded his winery in the Cachagua Valley
in 1990, with the goal of making a red wine equal to the finest
from Bordeaux. He hasn't quite achieved that, but the Marinus is
outstanding. The chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, made from purchased
grapes, are also very good.
If
you want a break from tasting, Carmel Valley Village has plenty
of shopping. But if it's more tasting you want, the village has
two more tasting rooms: Chateau Sinnet, near the Talbott's outlet,
and San Saba Vineyard, on the edge of town. Also at the edge of
town is Parsonage Village Vineyard, which may be visited by appointment.
Unlike
his Cachagua Valley neighbors, Jack Galante never opened a tasting
room in the village. To taste his terrific cabernet sauvignons --
he has three of them -- you'll have to make the drive out to the
winery, situated on a huge ranch where cattle and roses are also
raised. Tastings at Galante Vineyards are by appointment, and the
winery also has a number of special events, such as concerts and
open houses. Check www.galantevineyards.com
for more information.
IF
YOU GO
The wineries:
Chateau Julien, 8940 Carmel Valley Road; (831) 624-2600;
www.chateaujulien.com.
Open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays.
$5 tasting charge; free tours twice daily by reservation.
Heller
Estate, 69 W. Carmel Valley Road; (831) 659-6220; www.durneywines.com.
Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays.
$3 tasting charge.
Robert
Talbott Vineyards, 53 W. Carmel Valley Road; (831) 659-3500;
www.talbottvineyards.com.
Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily in summer; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays-Tuesdays
off-season. $3 tasting charge.
Georis Winery, 4 Pilot Road; (831) 659-1050; www.georiswine.com.
Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. New-release tasting is $10; grand tasting
is $15. Both include cheese.
Joullian
Vineyards, 2 Village Drive, Suite A; (831) 659-8100; www.joullian.com.
Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. $3 tasting charge.
Bernardus
Winery, 5 W. Carmel Valley Road; (831) 659-1900; www.bernardus.com.
Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. $5 tasting charge; reserve tasting for
$10.
Chateau
Sinnet, 13746 Center St.; (831) 659-2244; www.chateausinnet.com.
Open noon-5 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, noon-6 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
$3 charge for tasting.
San
Saba Vineyard, 19 E. Carmel Valley Road; (831) 659-7322; www.sansaba.com.
Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays in summer, noon-5 p.m. Fridays-Sundays
off-season. $3.50 charge for tasting.
Parsonage
Village Vineyard, 74 E. Carmel Valley Road; (831) 659-2215;
www.parsonagewine.com.
By appointment only.
Galante Vineyards, 18181 Cachagua Road; (800) 425-2683; www.galantevineyards.com.
By appointment only.
Where
to stay:
Bernardus
Lodge, 416 Carmel Valley Road; (831) 658-3400; www.bernardus.com.
Rates range from $370 to more than $1,000 for a suite, depending
on the season. Spa services available.
Los
Laureles Lodge, 313 W. Carmel Valley Road; (831) 659-2233; www.loslaureles.com.
Historical buildings with modern amenities. Rates range from $110
to as much as $460 for a suite, depending on the season.
There
are also a number of other resorts, motels and inns in the area.
Several are listed at www.carmelvalleycalifornia.com.
Where to eat:
Marinus
at Bernardus Lodge, 416 Carmel Valley Road; (831) 658-3400.
Stellar (and expensive) cuisine from chef Cal Stamenov, and an extensive
wine list. Dinner daily. Bernardus also has the more informal Wickets
Bistro, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, with outdoor
seating available.
Cafe
Rustica, 10 Delfino Place; (831) 659-4444. Lunch and dinner
Thursdays-Tuesdays. Moderately priced food with a Mediterranean
flavor. Good wine list. Outdoor seating.
Corkscrew
Cafe, 55 W. Carmel Valley Road; (831) 659-8888. Lunch daily.
Locals
also like the down-home cooking at the New Summerhouse, 6
Pilot Road; (831) 659-5020. Lunch and dinner weekdays (closed Tuesdays);
brunch and dinner weekends. Outdoor seating.
More information: Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association,
www.montereywines.org.
