Monterrey - Carmel

Monterrey - Carmel

ROAR Wines

glass of wine

Gary and Rosella Franscioni founded ROAR Wines with the conviction that Pinot Noir had a bright future in the Santa Lucia Highlands, coupled with the aspiration that their farming expertise would translate into exceptional grapes and wines. In 1996, they planted Rosella’s Vineyard on their home ranch, followed by Garys’ Vineyard in 1997 in partnership with the Pisoni family. The inaugural vintage of ROAR was released in 2001, crafted from these two vineyards. From the outset, the couple’s mission was to create wines they themselves would enjoy drinking, a vision that garnered critical acclaim almost immediately. About a decade later, they expanded their endeavor by planting two additional vineyards: Sierra Mar and Soberanes. Today, Gary and his sons continue to enhance and innovate in both the vineyards and winery, striving to produce the highest quality wines their land can offer.

Blackstone Winery

Rows of wine barrels - Pixabay

“Sonoma County is one of the most fabulous places in the world to live and make wine,” says Gary Sitton, Blackstone's winemaker. “There’s no place like it. The immense diversity—from the coastline to the mountains, valleys and rivers—still leaves me in awe. For me, tapping into this range of growing conditions is fundamental to making beautifully expressive wines.”

Georis Winery

grape clusters - Pixabay

The tasting room is located at 1 Pilot Rd., Carmel Valley, California. This adobe-style tasting room evokes the early California Mission architecture, featuring tall ceilings, a large fireplace, and hand-hewn oversized beams supporting an impressive roof adorned with antique handmade Spanish tiles. The surrounding gardens boast lush, mature landscaping and include a small decorative vineyard planted with Petrus Clone.

Visitors can enjoy the stylish interior while tasting the fine wines or choose to stroll through the gardens to find a favorite spot. The knowledgeable staff is prepared to provide insights into the winemaking philosophy and offer detailed information about the world-class wines.

Guests are welcome to visit the tasting room Wednesday through Monday from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with exceptions for weather conditions and holidays. For inquiries or to make arrangements for large groups, please call (831) 659-1080. The team appreciates advance notice to ensure a delightful experience while savoring some of California’s finest wines.

Twisted Roots Vineyard

wine tasting with small bites

The name "Twisted Roots" originates from the deep and gnarled roots of Lodi old vine Zinfandel found in Julie Ruiz’s childhood vineyard, where the vines date back to the early 1900s. One day, while excavating vines, Julie's beloved uncle remarked, “Those roots are really twisted; that would be a great name for a winery.” This moment became a cherished memory for both Julie and her husband, Josh, marking the true birth of the winery.

Both Josh and Julie share a profound love for agriculture, community, and friendship. Josh's mission has been to cultivate a sense of community around wine, a beverage that was not common in his own upbringing. As an entrepreneur, he was determined to create a winery rooted in the legacy of Lodi Vineyards and to share those wines with his new home in Carmel Valley.

By fortunate circumstances, he partnered with several close friends to develop a dynamic winery and hospitality experience, offering a diverse selection of wines not typically found in the area, including Old Vine Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Hard Cider. Each wine is produced in small batches, carefully sourced from unique sites to ensure quality and meticulous attention to detail. Visitors are invited to explore the charming, newly renovated tasting room, the perfect setting for enjoying life’s most important treasures—connection with others.

Pessagno Winery

glasses of white wine - Pixabay

Calling to book with Pessagno was super smooth and the tour itself was incredibly cheap! $10/person! The tour ran about 90 minutes, which included a wine tasting. The property was not big, but the personality of our tour guide Chris was huge; what a nice, generous fella! Huge tasting room- with records playing for background music. We were told we can even bring your own '45; if the staff approves, they will play it. They also had cheese platters available with Brie, Manchego, other varieties, nuts and dried fruits. Great Pinot Noirs, Ports and Port Varieties. This vineyard's production is low, but quality is significantly high, especially for the price point.

Hahn Estates

Logo for Hahn SLH wine label

Grown on over 1000 acres in Monterey County, the diverse vineyards of Hahn Estate make up some of the best Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah plantings in the region. The unique qualities of the vineyards coupled with the sunny days and foggy nights helps to create wines of depth and complexity.

At Hahn Family Wines, a family-owned and operated winery, founders Nicky and Gaby Hahn arrived in the Santa Lucia Highlands in the late 1970s. The Swiss-born couple swiftly identified the area's capacity to yield wines with remarkable nuance and character, deserving recognition on a global scale.

They expressed their vision: "We produce world-class fruit from meticulously managed vineyards. Therefore, we merit recognition through our own premium pricing and an exciting appellation that wine writers can discover, acclaim, and celebrate."

Call for reservation 

Hahn Winery

vineyard at sunset - Pixabay

This is a great vineyard and they make fantastic wines! The view from the deck is beautiful. The tasting room itself is nice. The drive up to the tasting room is beautiful and they have a lovely estate with rows of roses and trees, next to the vineyards. The service is fantastic and they are generous with the pours! I highly recommend going for a visit and enjoying the nice weather and scenery. They make a number of really nice wines and bottle under a number of labels. You may be surprised just how many different labels they have. They have some nice little snacks in the fridge there, but they are just enough to stave off hunger, so don't plan on getting stuffed with their snacks before tasting. I recommend getting a bottle and sitting on the deck with your own salami and cheese assortment.

Morgan Winery

Chardonnay grape clusters - by photographer Randy Caparoso

 

Discover Morgan Winery: A Taste of the Santa Lucia Highlands

With over thirty years of experience, Dan Lee has made Morgan Winery a name to know for anyone who loves artisan, vineyard-centric wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Monterey.

Originally hailing from a small town in California’s Central Valley, Dan was on a path to study veterinary medicine at UC Davis. However, as fate would have it, he discovered a passion for enology late in his college career—combining his love for science and agriculture in a delicious way! He quickly enrolled in the graduate enology program and landed a winemaking position at Jekel Winery in Monterey County.

After honing his craft at Jekel, Dan moved to Durney Vineyard, where he continued to create exceptional Monterey wines. While making wine full-time, he dreamed of launching his own label. At a Monterey County Winegrowers Association meeting, he shared his vision with a banker who would not only become his business advisor but also his wife, Donna Lee.

In 1982, Dan and Donna opened the doors of Morgan Winery, and their very first Monterey Chardonnay snagged a Gold Medal at the LA County Fair and a Platinum Medal from Wine & Spirits Magazine. Since those early days, Morgan Winery has blossomed into one of the Central Coast’s most celebrated labels, earning “Winery of the Year” honors from both Wine & Spirits in 1996 and the San Francisco Chronicle in 2003.

As Dan’s expertise grew, so did his focus on the Santa Lucia Highlands and single vineyard releases. In 1996, he and Donna made a significant investment by purchasing the Double L Vineyard, which has since become one of California's most renowned vineyards. Dan’s leadership was further recognized when he was named the first Board President of the Santa Lucia Highlands Winegrowers Association in 2005.

Today, Morgan Winery is synonymous with high-quality, artisan wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Monterey appellations. Located conveniently off Rio Road at Highway One in the Crossroads Shopping Center of Carmel, Taste Morgan invites wine lovers to immerse themselves in the family’s history and craftsmanship through a relaxed tasting experience.

Tasting Experience

Guests can enjoy tastings indoors or on the pet-friendly, heated patio, where they can savor a flight of four locally grown and produced wines from a curated tasting menu. Each flight is just $25, and the fee is waived with a $50 purchase. Club members enjoy complimentary tastings!

Whether visiting as a walk-in or reserving a spot in advance, everyone is welcome to indulge in the latest vintages— Join Morgan Winery for a delightful journey through the flavors of the Santa Lucia Highlands!

Chardonnay grape clusters - by photographer Randy Caparoso

Manzoni Vineyards

Painting, enjoying wine on the patio - agata

Tasting Room
Note that the Manzoni Cellars tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea has moved. The tasting room is now located in Hampton Court on 7th Ave between San Carlos and Dolores. Enjoy the spacious Courtyard. The new tasting room is spacious and inviting. You can always visit the tasting room in the vineyard on weekends. Located on the beautiful River Road Wine Trail in the Salinas Valley with wonderful views of the Santa Lucia Highlands. 

Hours:

CARMEL:

#4 Hampton Court on 7th Ave, between San Carlos & Dolores St.
Daily 12pm - 6pm.
(831) 620-6541

OPEN NEW YEARS EVE & NEW YEARS DAY
We will then be closed all Tues & Wed in January & February.

RIVER RD:

30981 River Rd, Soledad CA 93960
Saturday & Sunday 11am - 5pm
(831) 675-3398

We will be closed for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas at the Vineyard.

Local Restaurants:

Mission Bistro: Mission St. 2 SW of Ocean Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Ca. 93921 (831) 574-8344
Enzo Carmel: San Carlos St, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Ca. 93921 (831) 624-6545
Luigis: 346 Alta St, Gonzales, Ca. 93926 (831) 675-7800 / Open Mon-Fri Lunch & Dinner, Sat-Sun Dinner
4th St. Tap House: 25 4th St, Gonzales, Ca. 93926 (831) 675-5095 / Open Sun 12-8pm, M-T 3-9PM, TH-SA 3-11pm, Closed Wed.

Silvestri Vineyards

wine corks and glass - Pixabay

Wow what an inviting tasting room. I felt as though I had mistakenly walked into someone's living room. It is beautiful and cozy comfortable. Very upscale but not stuffy. The staff was incredibly wonderful and knowledgable of wine in general and guided me through the tasting with tidbits of information on the family, the vineyards and the tie into all the movie posters on the walls from all the movies Mr. Silvestri has written and composed. Quite an artistic wonder with the artistic driven musical passion combined with wnderful production of all his full bodied wines. A tasting room not to be missed.

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