Paraiso Vineyards has a lovely tasting room and boutique. They go beyond the expectant cork toppers and have a lovely showroom of beautiful odds and ends. They also have a delicious assortment of chocolates and truffles you can try and pair with your Pinot. I recommend the chocolate covered sea-salt caramels.

For the wine, they have a lovely array of reds and a few whites. They are known for their Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs. They have a lovely Zinfandel, which is not estate, but the grapes come from the not so distant Paso Robles. You can't really go wrong with any of the Pinot Noir's. I preferred the Eagle's Perch Chardonnay over the the other one as it had a bit more body. They only use French Oak, so more fruit forward and light on oak. They also use a small percentage of new French Oak, so if you prefer more fruit, you will definitely like this.

The tasting fees are cheap! It is only $5 to taste around 5 wines, so that alone makes it a great value. They sit on top of a hill, so the view from the back patio is beautiful! You can take a picnic lunch and enjoy a bottle under the tree on the picnic table.

If you are hitting Soledad wine country, you should definitely put this place on your list of things to do.

Perched on a south facing rocky slope in Carmel Valley, California, 1,100 Bordeaux varietal grapevines are hand manicured and pampered to produce a sumptuous Cabernet blend.

These vines relish warm summer days and cool evening ocean breezes. Hand picked and crushed by the Crist family, this estate grown wine is lovingly hand crafted.

This tiny Hillside vineyard has produced a fantastic rich Cabernet that is both intense and classic with the feel of a top Bordeaux and the ripeness of a Napa wine. This Cab does have little amounts of the other Bordeaux varietals Blended in that give complexity and style to this wine, and have done so perfectly. The fruit is dark and robust and has super depth and balance. It starts off with a wonderful nose of black fruit, wild flowers, violets and a woody sage note. The mouth is thick and full with vibrant life and brightness with Currants, red and black Berries, cherry and fresh plum flavors that are tucked in seamless layers with mineral, smoke, cedar, cigar box and Vanilla. The color is very pure garnet and shines in the glass with purple edges. The wine is robust and shows a nice acidity and firm tannins that give it structure and focus that will age very well and should continue to develop for the next 3-5 years. With only 96 cases made, Spencer’s Cabernet Sauvignon can only be found in a few local restaurants and bottle shops in Carmel and Carmel Valley, This wine won’t last long.

If you want to let your hair down, have a fun, memorable experience, try some unique wines, sample hot sauces, enjoy yummy cheese and crackers and cut loose - Chateau Sinnet is for you!

Spending an hour with Sonny will be an experience you will not soon forget - the man is a born entertainer and pours with a heavy hand. I strongly recommend making Chateau Sinnet the final destination on your Valley wine tasting itinerary so you're not pressed for time and are properly lubricated for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

This place was recommended by the tasting room where we were unable to have a picnic. I was so very glad that I had discovered it!! Tasting fee is $8. The wines were really good. The pourer was very friendly and knowledgeable. The tasting room was cozy and inviting with some olive oil and Meyer lemon marmalade samples. This place is also like an art gallery inside out. The picnic area in the fenced garden setting was very comfortable and we also enjoyed many interesting looking art objects. We were informed that this place is the first one of the series of wineries in the area