Planning on visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea to go wine tasting? While downtown Carmel is a known for it’s fine wine and gourmet dinning, it’s not the only part of Carmel with wineries.
The Crossroads Carmel is an upscale, outdoor shopping center right off Hwy 1, down the hill from downtown Carmel. With a variety of restaurants, shops, and plenty of free parking, The Crossroads is a fun place to leisurely spend an afternoon window shopping. Did I mention the shopping center also has two wine tasting rooms and a wine bar?
Morgan Vineyards
Morgan Vineyards offers both flights and wines by the glass and is a must visit if you are wine tasting in Carmel. The interior of this tasting room is so very chic, and they also have outdoor seating. Morgan features several Pinot Noirs sourced from different vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA including their estate vineyard, Double L. Some of their Pinots are single vineyard which allows you to taste the difference in terroir across the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA.
One of my personal favorites is the 12 Clones Pinot Noir which consists of grapes from a variety of vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (Double L, Leaven, Boekenoogen, Tondré and Rosella’s). Morgan also focuses on sustainable practices – the Double L Vineyard is both organic and sustainably certified. Read my full review of my visit here.
McIntyre Vineyards
If you’re visiting Carmel and want to taste sustainably farmed wines, I highly recommend McIntyre Vineyards. The owner, Steve McIntyre, is an advocate for sustainable farming practices and is one of the founders of the Central Coast Vineyard Team and the SIP Certified program. 100% of McIntyre’s wine is SIP Certified, which means the vineyards and winery strictly adhere to sustainable practices.
McIntyre Vineyards specializes in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Their vineyards are located in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA and Arroyo Seco AVA. Their Rosé of Pinot Noir is from some of the oldest vines in the Santa Lucia Highlands which were planted in the 1970’s. They also offer two styles of Pinot Noir – one from Dijon Clone 777 and the other, Old Vine Estate, actually grows on its own rootstock. Read about my full visit here.
Vin Wine Bar
While not a winery, Vin Carmel is a new wine bar that opened in Spring 2022. Vin offers a great selection of boutique wines by the glass, wine tasting and bottles for sale. All of the bottles for the wines by the glass are on the Coravin preservation system, so each glass tastes fantastic. Vin doesn’t only focus on local wines, they offer wine from all over California and the world.
Vin Carmel is a great place to pop in for a glass of wine or a tasting flight while browsing The Crossroads Carmel shops. Isn’t their neon sign cute?
Where to Eat in the Crossroads
If you’re all done wine tasting and shopping then might I recommend a few places for a bite to eat? If you’re craving a burger, I highly recommend R.G. Burgers for some classic all-American-fare. Or if you’re looking for a light bite, check out the Carmel Poke Company.
Looking for some thing quick? The Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Company is a local institution with plenty of coffee – I usually get an Americano. If a sweet treat is what you are after, then a stop at Sweet Reba’s is a must!
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 (Summer 2022 Update)
