Carmel Wine Guide
Carmel-by-the-Sea is a charming coastal town that makes a wonderful weekend get away. Growing up, I often spent my summer in the Bay Area we would drive down Carmel and Monterey for vacations since it’s just 2 hours away from San Francisco.
As a child, I loved the storybook-like architecture of Carmel, and as an adult, I appreciate the local shops, gourmet restaurants and of course – the wine tasting.
Today, I’m lucky enough to live only a few miles from Downtown Carmel and I’m going to share my guide to wine tasting in Carmel including my favorite tasting rooms I’ve visited so far.
Caraccioli Cellars – Elegant tasting room in Carmel with premium sparkling wine made in the traditional method
Caraccioli Cellars has the best bubbles in the Santa Lucia Highlands (and beyond)! This tasting room has great ambiance, and be sure to try the Brut Cuvee and Brut Rosé. If you’re not in the mood for sparkling they also have a variety of still wines from their estate vineyard. The Brut Rosé is my favorite California sparkling rosé.
Dawn’s Dream- Wine that gives back to Non-Profits
Dawn’s Dream offers several Pinot Noirs, including Rachel, Alyssa and Nicole which are named after Dawn’s daughters and female family members. I love this personal touch. Their rosé has also won multiple awards for “Best Rose In Monterey County.” This winery also supports both local and international non profit organizations. Check out my full review on Dawn’s Dream.
Galante Vineyards – Cowboy themed winery and Carmel’s first tasting room
If you like bold red wines then Galante Vineyards is the one for you! I’m especially a fan of their Malbec and the Cowboy Cuvee. Be sure to get a photo in their giant “wine boot” chair. And a fun fact – Galante was Carmel’s first tasting room. Check out my full review on Galante here.
Scheid Vineyards – Cute Carmel tasting room with a variety of wines
Scheid Vineyards has a great selection of wines to taste with two tasting menus – their estate and reserve flights. They usually have a good mix of both white and red wines on both lists. I’ve been a member of their wine club for the longest of any of my memberships.
Albatross Ridge- Pinot and Chardonnay Wine from Carmel Valley
Albatross Ridge offers two tasting menus at different price points. We opted for the Grand Tasting including their Chardonnay, Pét-Natt Sparkling Rosé and three Pinot Noirs. Albatross Ridge is owned by father and son Brad and Garrett Bowlus. Garrett is also the winemaker focused on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They’ve been growing grapes since 2008. Note: This picture is from back when they had an outdoor parklet which has since been closed.
Lepe Cellars – Wine tasting at a wine bar in an art gallery
Lepe Cellars is very unique as it is inside of an art gallery! Where else in town can you sip wine and admire the fine art? My favorite wine here is the Petit Verdot, but I’m looking forward to trying the newest release – a Rosé of Sangiovese. Check out my harvest visit to Lepe Cellar’s winery here!
And there are so many other fun places to wine taste that I haven’t had a chance to visit yet! There are over 15 tasting rooms in Carmel, let me know if you visit these ones. I’d love to hear what you think.
Visting Monterey and Carmel?
Check out my other wine tasting guides for the area: Monterey Wine Tasting Guide: Cannery Row and Old Monterey and Carmel Wine Guide: Don’t Miss Out On These 3 Wineries in The Crossroads.
First time in the area? Read 7 Things to Know Before Wine Tasting in Carmel-by-the-Sea (Summer 2023 Update) first!
