Carmel Valley wine country is the perfect Spaswinefood escape. Carmel was ranked one of the top-ten destinations in the U.S. by Condé Naste Traveler. The small town of Carmel is appealing to many visitors. Maybe, it is its natural beauty (white sandy beach and Monterey Cypress trees), rich artistic history, world-class restaurants, charming hotels or the overall availability and quality of services in Carmel, which is so appealing. There is no doubt that the Carmel area is the perfect place to explore great wine, food, spas and more.
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| Carmel Valley Bernardus Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
The Carmel Valley Appellation (AVA) to the east of Carmel was granted in 1983. However, there is a long tradition of wine production, with vineyards in the area dating back to the 1800's. The valley has less than 300 acres under cultivation. It is especially well known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which makes up 70% of the wine production. Bordeaux grape varietals are the most common, with recent introduction of Burgundian varietals. See Monterey lists the wineries and tasting rooms (see also CrazyAboutWine).
Wine lovers visiting Carmel can do wine tasting in town, or you can check out nearby Carmel Valley. The picturesque winding road through the Carmel Valley is a perfect drive to explore the valley's wineries and tasting rooms. If you prefer not to drive wine tours are available. There is even a wine bus (grapevine express, Route #24). During a recent visit to Carmel Valley we checked out the following:
1. Bernardus Winery's tasting room is at 5W Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Village. There you can taste their wines. Nestled among the vineyard and oaks at 415 W Carmel Valley Road you will find the award winning Bernardus Lodge, with restaurants and spa.
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| Bernardus Vineyards and Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Entrance to Bernardus Lodge © Spaswinefood |
2. Chateau Julien Wine Estate at 8940 Carmel Valley Road is a beautiful winery located on 16 acres, at the foot of the Carmel Valley Mountains. Check out their upcoming events and wines.
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| Chateau Julien Wine Estate © Spaswinefood |
3. Georis Winery and Vineyards has a tasting room located at 4 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley Village. You can taste wines in a beautiful garden setting. Georis also has a great restaurant called the Corkscrew Café.
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| Georis Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Tasting at Georis Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Garden at Georis Winery © Spaswinefood |
4. Heller Estate Organic Vineyards tasting room is at 68 West Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley Village. Heller Estate is one of the few wineries in California producing 100% certified organic wines. Dances on Your Palette label used by Heller Estate has received many awards in Europe and America. Check out Heller Estate's story.
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| Heller Estate Organic Vineyards © Spaswinefood |
5. Carmel Hills Winery has a tasting room at 12 Del Fino Place. It produces Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah artisan wines. Check out their food and wine suggestions.
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| Carmel Hills Winery © Spaswinefood |
6. Joullian Vineyards has a tasting room at 2 Village Drive, Suite A (1/2 block south of Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley Village). They produce estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Carmel Valley's only Zinfandel and Chardonnay from grapes grown in cooler Salinas Valley vineyards.
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| Joullian Vineyards © Spaswinefood |
7. Parsonnage Village Vineyard has a tasting room and Quilt Art Gallery at 19 E Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley Village. Wines produced by this boutique winery from their estate vineyard include Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Verdot.
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| Parsonage Village Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
8. Talbott Vineyards has a tasting room at 53 W Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Village. Talbott is a family run, estate winery that produces Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from its vineyards in Carmel Valley and Santa Lucia Highlands AVA's.
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| Talbott Vineyards © Spaswinefood |
Great Spas
With all that wine tasting you will need to relax a little. Carmel has a great selection of spa options. No Spaswinefood visit is complete without checking out a spa. For a day spa see Carmel's Day Spa and Uptake lists. If you are looking for a full service spa check the following:
1. The Spa at Bernardus Lodge
You will find all you need in spas services in Carmel. There is nothing like being pampered by a spa treatment.
Great Food and more
Clearly Carmel by the Sea is the perfect getaway. Any time you can get away to such a beautiful setting and have dinner, do wine tasting, walk beautiful Carmel beach, or explore Carmel and Carmel Valley Village it is a special treat. Carmel's Chamber of Commerce has a comprehensive online resource for anyone planning a getaway. Carmel's travel website provides extensive information on accommodations, restaurants and much more. For information on accommodations see also Tripadvisor and Yahoo Travel. Check the BlogMonterey for award winning Monterey County hotels.
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| L'Auberge Carmel Hotel and Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| L'Auberge Carmel Hotel and Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
Restauranteer, Tripadvisor, Yahoo and Yelp are great online resources to help you select a restaurant.
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| Carmel's Bistro Giovanni © Spaswinefood |
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| Hog's Breath Inn once owned by Clint Eastwood © Spaswinefood |
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| Vineyard Bistro, Carmel Valley Village © Spaswinefood |
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| Cafe Rustica, Carmel Valley Village © Spaswinefood |
A Taste of Monterey provides information on Monterey County wine region. If you are planning a trip book ahead, as accommodations (romance packages) in Carmel fill up quickly. Carmel is the perfect Spaswinefood getaway. Oh, Yes! Carmel is pet friendly.
I invite you to join me in my travels in search of the best in Spaswinefood, or visit my travel column.
Sharon
June 2011
Carmel Valley, California
© Spaswinefood
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