Introduction

This region has a split personality. Some of the wineries are in the charming Carmel Valley and the others are an hour away in the Salinas Valley. Since those wineries don't want to be associated with the vast row crops of the Salinas Valley they call their western edge next the mountains the Santa Lucia Highlands. Most of their vineyards are on this bench above the Salinas Valley so fair enough.

So what to the Santa Lucia Highlands wineries offer? The wineries and back roads aren't crowded and the wines are excellent. Blackstone has the fanciest tasting room, Parasio has the gift shop and a good view, and Hahn has the best view. If you are returning to the coast then the back road to the south is a wonderful mountain drive into Carmel Valley, especially in the spring.

For ambiance the clear choice are the tasting rooms in the village of Carmel Valley. This little town is becoming another Los Olivos or Healdsburg with an infestation of tasting rooms but tasting there is a wonderful experience. Just park, explore, taste, and for lunch there is a nice selection of cafes or have a winery picnic.

Traveler services are in the cottage town of Carmel, the Village of Carmel Valley, and Monterey. There are many wonderful hotels and fine dining restaurants available and much to do in the area. There isn't much in Salinas except the Steinbeck Museum and great Mexican food. Salinas is primarily the agriculture services hub and Monterey and Carmel are, well, you know about them.

- Jim Preston

Must See Monterey County Wineries - an introduction to the region.

• Chateau Julien
  • Architecture and interior - beautiful chateau inside and out.
  • Picnic site - nice courtyard with tables.
• Heller Estate
  • Wine - organic.
  • Landscaping - nice landscape art.
  • Picnic site - secluded little area.
• Georis
  • Landscaping - gardens and water features.
  • Experience - taste flights in the quiet and beautiful garden courtyard or in the old adobe tasting room. Excellent.
  • Restaurant and picnic site - this is one of the finest winery picnic sites in California! Get lunch at the restaurant and enjoy the garden setting.
• Chateau Sinnet
  • Interior ambiance - artsy and colorful interior for a tasting and an indoor picnic on a cold day.

Off-The-Beaten-Track Monterey County Wineries

The forgotten wineries along River Road in the Salinas Valley make for an outstanding day trip. Not even the locals remember they are there. Visit them and you'll find great hospitality and wines at reasonable prices.

For wine prices, selection, hospitality, view, and picnic area it is hard to beat Hahn.

Romantic Monterey County Wineries

A special ambiance for long quiet conversations and enjoying love. Usually we have a secluded outdoor scene in mind.

• Georis - very romantic courtyard garden setting with water features!
• Hahn - fantastic view from the deck or picnic tables under the trees.
• Chateau Sinnet - try the artful back room for secluded and Frenchy.

Notes

Your tastes change frequently. Do wine ratings, gold medals, etc. really matter?

We have hundreds of winery interview videos in winery profiles. We shoot these at winery events because that is the cheapest way to gather content. It would be nice to go to each tasting room but this gets very expensive quickly. See our Compare Winery Features search engine for which wineries have videos in your target region.

We are adding our Discover California Wine Regions videos to the Recommended Wineries by Region pages.

California Wine Travel Planner