• Home
  • Monterey Wine Country
  • Wineries
  • Wine Travel
  • About Me
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

Christy on the Vine

California Wine Blog

Monterey Wine Country, Wineries · July 30, 2021

Albatross Ridge Cottage, Carmel Valley, CA

Christy sits on a classic truck outside of Albatross Ridge's Tasting Cottage in Carmel Valley, CA.

The weather was so nice the other day, I just had to go out to Carmel Valley and take advantage of it!

I wanted to check out the Albatross Ridge Wine Tasting Cottage in Carmel Valley. I’ve been to their very chic tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea and enjoyed their wines.

Exterior of Albatross Ridge's Tasting Cottage in Carmel Valley, CA.

Albatross Ridge Winery is known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a wonderful Pét-Natt Sparkling Rosé. Their Pét-Natt was the first one I’ve ever had.

Albatross Ridge is owned by father and son team Brad and Garrett Bowlus. They’ve been growing grapes since 2008.⁠⁠ Garrett is also the winemaker.

They offer two wine tasting menus at different price points. I opted for the Grand Flight which includes their Chardonnay, Pét-Natt Sparkling Rosé and three Pinot Noirs.⁠⁠

Note: the tasting menus at the Carmel Valley location and the downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea location on Dolores St. are the same.

Albatross Ridge's Tasting Cottage in Carmel Valley, CA.

Pinot Noir lovers will rejoice! Their are 3 Pinot Noirs on the tasting menu. Each Pinot Noir was so different and I really enjoyed tasting the differences. I liked the 2017 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir the best.

Christy holds a glass of wine at Albatross Ridge in Carmel Valley, CA.
Me before Pinot…

Until recently, I didn’t drink a lot of Chardonnay, but I really like the one at Albatross Ridge. Aged in a concrete amphora, this Chardonnay didn’t have any of the spices or butter that Oaked Chardonnay has. I usually look for Chardonnay aged in stainless steel, but going forward I want to try more Chardonnay aged in concrete. ⁠⁠

We had a great time at Albatross Ridge, everyone was so friendly. We loved learning about the wines from Melissa and Jon Karlo. You may recognize Jon from the informative reels he makes for their IG account.

Christy holds two glass of Pinot Noir wine at Albatross Ridge in Carmel Valley, CA.
My face after I get to try two Pinot Noirs side by side.
Albatross Ridge Pét-Natt Sparkling Rosé.
Pét-Natt Sparkling Rosé

Albatross Ridge Tasting Cottage
19 E Carmel Valley Rd
Carmel Valley, CA 93924
Phone: (831) 298-7388
Website: www.AlbatrossRidge.com
IG: @Albatross_Ridge

Wine Tasting in Monterey and Carmel?

If you are visiting the Monterey and Carmel area, check out my other local wine tasting guides: Monterey Wine Tasting Guide: Cannery Row and Old Monterey and Carmel Wine Guide: Best Places For Wine Tasting In Carmel-by-the-Sea.

First time in the area? Don’t miss 7 Things to Know Before Wine Tasting in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

About christyonthevine

You might also enjoy

Harvest Visit to Lepe Cellars
Monterey Wine Tasting Guide: Cannery Row and Old Monterey
Joullian Vineyards – Carmel Valley, CA
Previous: Russian Ridge Winery – San Carlos, CA
Next: Veraison is upon us!

The @slhwine Sun, Wind & Wine Festival is coming u The @slhwine Sun, Wind & Wine Festival is coming up next month on May 3rd. If you’re a fan of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this event is for you - it’s almost a master class in tasting the terroir of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. You can even taste some older wines and large format bottles in the first hour if you purchase VIP tickets. 

I also love that there is a shuttle to the event that leaves directly from Monterey Peninsula College’s parking lot and drives you out to the event location. 

It’s so handy and saves you coordinating travel to Mer Soleil and back. Ubering out there is easy enough, but getting an uber to pick you up there is tricky! Just a heads up, shuttle tickets are an additional fee from entrance tickets and the VIP ticket holder shuttle that gets you there for the extra hour has sold out before. 

Sun, Wind & Wine Festival
May 3, 2025
Mer Soleil Vineyards

Check out @slhwine for more information.
Easy snack pairing that feels ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is my go to pairing when I have friends come over. It’s perfect for @shareandpairsundays as it feels fancy, but it’s really easy to make. I think is a great combination for when you’re sitting on the couch and chatting with your friends.

You’re going to want a traditional method brut sparkling wine with this. Brut is one of the driest (not sweet) styles and that’s what’s going to taste best with the salty popcorn. I went with @roedererestate. 

I lie to pop my own popcorn on the stove but you can always use microwave or ready made popcorn. While I don’t use butter because I’m lactose intolerant, butter is a great edition to this recipe and makes it feel even richer. 

The acidity and effervescent bubbles go great with the salty popcorn, and if you use butter, it cuts through the richness of the butter. 

#recipe #winepairings #foodandwine #shareandpairsundays
POV @scratchwines winemakers dinner. I can’t bel POV @scratchwines winemakers dinner. I can’t believe this dreamy dinner celebrating winemaker Sabrine Rodems’ 20th anniversary of making wine was almost a year ago. 

Sabrine’s wines from both Scratch and @wrathwines were excellently paired with a multiple course dinner prepared by the excellent Chef Selene Johnson (@mamachefselene)

This was truly a dinner to remember. Thank you again for the invitation!
I took basic winemaking this semester at Cabrillo I took basic winemaking this semester at Cabrillo College and there was a lot more math in it that I thought. 

If you’ve been following me for a while, then you know I’ve been in the Cabrillo College Wine Studies program since 2021! 

My good friend @fannys.wine.bliss went through the program and encouraged me to take a class taught by @deborahparkerwong. After my first class I was hooked and have been taking classes since. This is actually my last semester! 

Basic Winemaking was taught by Mikael Wargin of @warginwines. I couldn’t ask for a better instructor, he is so knowledgeable. 

His degree is in Microbiology, so we really leaned into the science side - but thankfully we didn’t have to memorize any equations for the tests. 

To be honest, I almost cried when he first started balancing equations - I haven’t had a chemistry class since 11th grade and I studied Art History in the Visual Arts in college. Lucky for me our tests were open book and you can even take the class pass/no pass. 

If you’re interested in learning more about wine in an academic setting I recommend looking into Cabrillo College’s Wine Studies Program. They offer a certificate and have just started their Associates Degree program too. While this class was in person, most of the classes are hybrid And you only go to the Aptos campus a few times a semester for tastings.
Have you met them? If you’ve been to or work in Have you met them? If you’ve been to or work in a tasting room I’m sure you have! Bringing back this oldie but goodie. Should we make more funny couples videos? 

Remember this is just a joke! 

#funnyreels #funnycouples #winetasting #winecountry #funnyvideos #winememe #coupleswhotravel #couplesgoals #couplestravel
@joycewinecompany Spring Release Party was a blast @joycewinecompany Spring Release Party was a blast. The party was at their Arroyo Seco location in Soledad and the weather was perfect. The last time I visited it was pouring rain!

I really enjoyed tasting their lineup, especially the Russell Joyce label, which I am not as familiar with. I was especially impressed with the Proprietary Blend, a Bordeaux style red blend from Carmel Valley AVA. 

Thank you for inviting us Joyce Wine Co. we appreciate you hosting us! 

#montereywines #arroyoseco #winetasting #winemakers #winepairing #vintners #winerytour #winereview
@pebblebeachfoodandwine returns to Monterey Bay in @pebblebeachfoodandwine returns to Monterey Bay in two weeks! Last year was my first time attending this iconic weekend and the first time they brought the event back since I’ve been living in Monterey.

If you’re a foodie like me, then this event is not to be missed. While there are plenty of events including seminars, walk-around tastings, lunches and dinners, I think the crown jewel is the Tasting Pavilion on Saturday and Sunday. 

This is event is a walk-around tasting like no other. You actually can meet award winning chefs as they and their teams serve you small bites. You can also sample handmade cocktails from mixologists and of course there is wine tasting. 

I was lucky enough to receive a media ticket to attend and I also volunteered at some of the wine seminars and revived access to some events. 

#pebblebeach #pebblebeachfoodandwine #pbwf #foodfestival #gourmet #winepairing #mixology #mixologists #jamesbeardfoundation
About Me

About

I’m Christy, a wine blogger based in Monterey wine country who loves exploring California’s diverse wine-growing regions and telling the stories of the wineries I visit.

Browse

  • Home
  • Monterey Wine Country
  • Wineries
  • Wine Travel
  • About Me
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
Design by SkyandStars.co
Back Top

Copyright © 2025. Christy on the Vine