Are you a Pinot Noir lover visiting Carmel and looking for the best wine tasting options? While fantastic Pinot Noirs are grown and produced throughout Monterey Wine Country, where can you go to taste them?
Monterey Wine Country is known for Pinot Noir, and within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands is an American Viticulture Area (AVA) known for its exceptional examples of Pinot Noir. You could drive out to the wineries on River Road and try the best Pinot Noirs right at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountains. However, if you are staying in Carmel-by-the-sea (also known as just “Carmel”), it’s a drive out toRiver Road.
Luckily, there are fantastic expressions of Pinot Noir to try in Carmel without having to drive out to the wineries. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite wine tasting options for Pinot Noir lovers. All of these tasting rooms are within walking distance of each other. With over 14 tasting rooms in Carmel alone, I have yet to have a chance to try all of the tasting rooms, but here are my favorites.
Scheid Family Wines – Single Clone Pinot Noirs and More
Scheid Family Wines produces a variety of different Pinot Noirs, with at least one included on each of their two tasting menus – the estate and reserve flights. Under their Reserve label, Scheid has several different Pinot Noirs, including single clones such as the 667 and POM. The names refer to the specific clone of Pinot Noir grapes they use for each bottle. You can learn more about grape clones in this article from Wine Enthusiast. If you ask very nicely, and the bottles are already open, you might be able to arrange to try the Pinot Clones side by side. Since they usually has at least one clone available on their Reserve tasting, this is one of the best opportunities to taste single clone Pinot Noir in Carmel. Scheid takes reservations online through their Tock page but also accepts walk-ins.
Wrath Wines – Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs from the Santa Lucia Highlands
Wrath Wines has their Winery on River Road, but they have a tasting room in Carmel Plaza. Wrath features several Pinot Noirs, including single vineyard Pinot Noirs from the Santa Lucia Highlands and their estate vineyard San Saba. Wine tasting at Wrath is an excellent opportunity to taste the different terroirs of the Santa Lucia Highlands. The tasting room is right next to the Cheese Shop Carmel’s gourmet cheesemonger. Depending on which wines are available during the tasting Wrath Wines is one of the best options to taste single vineyard Pinot Noir wines in Carmel. Wrath doesn’t take reservations and is walk-in only.
Blair Winery – Pinot Noir from Arroyo Seco in South Monterey County
Also located in Carmel Plaza shopping center is Blair Winery‘s cozy tasting room. Bair offers Pinot Noir grown in Monterey’s Arroyo Seco, including their estate vineyard, Delfina’s. The Arroyo Seco is an AVA located in the South of Monterey County. Blair doesn’t take reservations and is walk-in only.
Dawn’s Dream – Pinot Noir that Gives Back to Non-Profits
Dawn’s Dream offers several Pinot Noirs, including Rachel, Alyssa, and Nicole, all named after Dawn’s daughters and female family members. Each Pinot Noir is in a different style. Dawn’s Dream also supports both local and international non-profit organizations. Dawn’s has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating but doesn’t take reservations. They are also dog friendly. Read more about Dawn’s Dream on my blog post.
Albatross Ridge – Pinot Noir from Carmel Valley
Father and son team Brad and Garrett Bowlus own Albatross Ridge. They’ve been growing grapes since 2008, and Garrett is also the winemaker. Albatross Ridge specializes in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and offers three different Pinot Noirs. They also have three tasting rooms in Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Valley, and downtown Monterey. All three of their locations are very chic, and you can make reservations via OpenTable on their website but also accepts walk-ins. You can read more about my experience at their Carmel Valley location on my blog post.
Talbott Vineyards – Single Vineyard, Individual Block Pinot Noir
While some Talbott Vineyards wines are available nationally, their tasting room offers visitors the chance to try their estate wines. Talbott not only has a single vineyard Pinot Noir from their estate vineyard Sleepy Hollow but also offers wines made from specific blocks within the vineyard. Talbott’s has three different wine flights, each with different Pinot Noirs on them. Their tasting room is also the only one in Carmel with Ocean views. I recommend watching the sunset from their balcony. Talbott Vineyards is the only in winery in Carmel that offers single vineyard, individual block Pinot Noir and depending on which tasting you opt for, this is the best tasting to understand the terroir of their estate vineyard. Talbott takes reservations online through their Tock page but also accepts walk-ins.
Morgan Winery – Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs from the Santa Lucia Highlands
Morgan Winery is located down the hill in the Crossroads Shopping Center, while not walkable from the other wineries on the list it’s worth the visit! Morgan offers several single vineyard Pinot Noirs from the Santa Lucia Highlands including their Double L Pinot Noir, Rosella’s Pinot Noir, and Tondré Pinot Noir. They also have their popular 12 Clones Pinot Noir. Morgan Winery takes reservations on their Tock page but also accepts walk-ins.
So what’s the best Pinot Noir Wine Tasting in Carmel?
Well, that’s subjective depending on what kind of Pinot Noir you like. With over 14 tasting rooms in Carmel alone, I have not had a chance to try all of the tasting rooms. Hopefully with this list in hand, you’ll be able to find the best Pinot Noir wine tasting while visiting Carmel. I’m sure there are other fantastic Pinot Noirs to try, and I look forward to discovering them!
If you are looking to try a lot of different Pinot Noirs from the Santa Lucia Highlands check out the annual Sun, Wine & Wine Festival in the Spring!
If Pinot Noir isn’t your thing, then check out my general guides: 3 Places to Wine Taste in the Carmel Crossroads, Best Places to Wine taste in Carmel, and 7 Things to Know Before Wine Tasting in Carmel.
