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5 Stars - A Truly Wonderful Tasting Room and Incredible Community Partners!…read moreWe had the pleasure of visiting Caraccioli Cellars in charming Carmel-by-the-Sea, and it quickly became one of our favorite stops. The tasting room is absolutely wonderful--intimate, cozy, and beautifully designed with a sleek, modern cellar vibe. The striking Perota wood bar, warm ambient lighting, and inviting seating options make you feel right at home while sipping on their elegant sparkling wines and exceptional Pinot Noirs. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate, turning every tasting into a memorable experience. Whether you're a bubbly lover or exploring their still wines, the quality shines through with every pour. It's the perfect sophisticated yet relaxed spot right in the heart of downtown Carmel. What truly stood out to us was how generously Caraccioli Cellars supported our Signature Day Spa during our recent ribbon-cutting celebration for the stunning new location in Carmel Plaza. They went above and beyond to help make the event so special and successful--what an amazing community partner! The turnout was incredible, and their involvement added that extra touch of elegance and warmth. Thank you so much, Caraccioli Cellars team! We can't recommend your tasting room highly enough, and we're so grateful for your kindness and support. We'll be back soon for more of those delicious wines--and maybe a spa day paired with a bottle to take home. Cheers! -- Tonya & the Signature Day Spa Team

It was a gorgeous sunny day in Carmel-by-the-Sea and after walking the village, we wanted to pop…read moreinto a place to do a wine tasting. I had not heard of this place but we really liked it. Great variety of wines from the region - Santa Lucia Highlands. It was five wines for $40 for a single tasting. Loved Caraccioli's 2020 Brut Cuvée, 2025 Rose of Pinot Noir and their 2023 Pinot Noir. So good! And service was great. I would come back here. I bought two bottles of wine to take on my journey.

Great wine tasting! Rose Brut

Best bubbles!!

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Pinot

De Tierra Vineyards

4.5(120 reviews)

0.0 mi

Great atmosphere and service, host was super friendly and knowledgeable and had other…read morerecommendations around Carmel for us. Wine tastings were very reasonable and enjoyed the rose the most.

We had such a beautiful experience at De Tierra! The wines were smooth, balanced, and thoughtfully…read morecrafted -- you can truly taste the care in every pour. The tasting room had a welcoming, intimate vibe, and the staff made us feel right at home. Perfect spot to relax and enjoy Carmel Valley wine country. Definitely coming back!

The cozy tasting room

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Our tasting from left to right: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Rosé of Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir, & Red Blend

Albatross Ridge Tasting Room - Carmel by the Sea

4.7(388 reviews)

0.1 mi

GF loves her beer and wine! While strolling in Carmel we decided to stop in this place. I'm not…read moremuch of a wine drinker still learning. My GF decided to do a tasting and I usually just take a sip off her tasting. My pallet seems to like the more expensive wine. Not by choice I just like smooth alcohol. We must have tried over 10 different wine and Johnathan made it so enjoyable and even gave names to some wine. So 10 tasting later my GF walked out with a membership and 6 bottles of wine. My GF like the one Johnathan called Sean Connery so much! I purchased that for her as late birthday gift. Come all and try this place out and give Johnathan a holler! Nice tasting room knowledge guy and plenty of room.

Albatross winery One of the 19 wine tasting rooms in…read moredowntown Carmel had a nice vibe. Highlights: - Jonathan was fun and gave us great local recommendations - 3 different tastings to choose from or can get by the glass - Nice white open tasting space with a long bar and comfy stools and a few tables - Mostly Chardonnays and Pinots which are varietals we prefer but also few others as well - Zinfandel: was my fave got a splash of then bought a few bottles of Midlights: - Weren't blown away by any of the wines - Higher price point for what they are Lowlights - Need to get 3 bottles to cover 1 tasting and they comp the cheapest one

Bar seating

Albatross cubvee beaudry chardonnay

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Interior seating

Galante Vineyards Tasting Room

4.2(171 reviews)

Had the best time at Galante Vineyards yesterday. I was visiting with my bestie Maria, who is…read moreactive military, and we were so touched by their generous 50% military discount. It made our afternoon extra special! Our server, Patrick, was the highlight of the tasting. He is incredibly knowledgeable and shared so many interesting details about the different notes and the winemaking process. He mentioned he's aspiring to be a professional sommelier, and his passion really shines through. He was so attentive and warm to everyone there. Highly recommend the wines, but definitely come for the top-tier service!

This hidden gem is tucked away in one of carmels enchanted secret-like courtyards cul-de-sac. The…read morecharm is definitely on, yet you walk into a rustic western style tasting room. However, winning me over by how cute this place was nestled in between the charming restaurants and stores around it, the wine!! OH my. I'm a huge port/late harvest wine SNOB. They have hands down one of the best ones I have tasted. "It's not quite a port or a late harvest" said the very informative wine specialist we had. I had a red wine flight and was really impressed with the selection. I thought it's all cute-on trend vibe was it, but the wine absolutely shined and I took bottles home! I wish I lived closer. I'd be a member in a heart beat. The guy who poured the flight for me has mentioned you could rent the above suite for your stay in Carmel. We didn't grab details but we are very much interested for our next visit! I highly recommend this tasting room! We didn't get a chance to see the wives place down the street but will have it on the agenda for next time?

Nice relaxing kid and dog friendly patio

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VIN By the Sea

4.2(13 reviews)

0.1 mi

We took our family to Vin for a post birthday celebration and we had a wonderful experience (our…read morefirst visit but not our last!). We all had glasses of wine that were chosen individually per each person's taste and they were all deemed delicious. We selected multiple appetizers thinking we would also order a dinner selection however they were so spectacular we just ordered more of the same. The owner sent our daughter multiple desserts for her celebration and she mentioned that they are all made in house which was so impressive bc they all were delicious none outshining any of the others. We plan to make this our regular restaurant to visit, it was that wonderful!

We really enjoyed dining here after a day of looking at properties in the area…read more It was quiet and relaxed and the food was exceptional as was the bartender/ server. We had the Monterey Bay Black cod which was excellent and the Roasted Pork Chop which was good but portion was a bit small and needed more foraged mushrooms. All in all, a tasty meal.

Croissant pancake

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Bar area

Wrath

4.3(154 reviews)

During a trip to Monterey for my folks' 40th wedding anniversary, we were strolling around Carmel…read moreand looking for some wineries that had affordable tastings and solid reviews. My brother had visited Wrath only to purchase a bottle a couple years ago, and out of convenience, having parked in the garage right by the Carmel Plaza, Wrath seemed like a decent place for a wine tasting on a Saturday afternoon. Kathy was fantastic - very accommodating to our party of 6+baby+stroller, as we were able to sit outside and also listen to some of the live music, which the non-wine-tasters in the party enjoyed. I ended up getting the Single Vineyard Tasting, which came with 5 wines (one white, four reds, mostly Pinot). All were very tasty, had a great smell (i.e. not too vinegar/alcohol-y), and were overall decently priced between $29-$55 per bottle. I personally enjoyed the KW Ranch - sweet and smooth, and purchased a bottle, but we also just really appreciated the atmosphere and service of Wrath winery!

Great spot to grab some wine near Alvarado brewery So glad…read moreI stumbled upon this spot. We were greeted by Kathy and she recommended white and red wines for us Cannot wait to be back They also have outdoor seating

Today's selection

Wrath Swan/ 828

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Wine bar area

The Cheese Shop

4.8(659 reviews)

We always have a great experience coming in here. Today we…read morewere helped by Adam. He is very knowledgeable and patient. We picked some great cheeses and signed up for the Cheese or the month club. Great shop with great selections!

This is the highlight of our Carmel visit this year! We come to Carmel 1-2 times a year since the…read morepandemic and idk why evenly discovered this place this year! As everyone already says - the cheese is wonderful, no doubt. We've tried so many ones and purchased too much?! But all good we're going to eat it all. I also love that they have bread option so if you just want to sit outside and enjoy your purchase you can absolutely do that The experience would've not been better without Teagan! Teagan helped us try so many different cheese and he just knows what is a good one to try after we tell him our preference. It was absolutely delightful to be helped by him. We wanted to do the wine tasting too but unfortunately we got there too late. But def next time! We are now new repeating customers of the Cheese Shop and I cannot wait to come visit again and hopefully be helped by Teagan!

Wine and cheese tasting menu

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Talbott Vineyards

4.2(136 reviews)

0.1 mi

We were super excited to try vineyards in the Monterey/Carmel area because so many people had told…read moreus it's a hidden gem, especially compared to how much attention Napa gets. We went in with pretty high hopes but ended up feeling underwhelmed by the offerings. A lot of the wines tasted watered down, mild, and somewhat similar to one another. This was true for both the reds and the whites. The charcuterie and cheese pairing was also disappointing, especially when compared to Napa, where tastings often feature thoughtfully curated cheeses and meats paired with each wine. That said, the staff were very kind and informative. They explained each wine carefully and in an engaging way, which definitely helped make the experience enjoyable overall. Ultimately, though, the wines themselves were underwhelming and none of them really WOW'd us. They also felt a bit overpriced per bottle (~75$) especially considering you can easily find excellent wines at Napa vineyards for a better value.

Revisited the tasting room and was again delighted with the ambiance, the service and the wine…read morequality. That said, I was shocked and disappointed to learn that the tasting room will be closing in March and apparently the Talbot wine production facility on River Road has already been shuttered. All of this is due to the acquisition of the brand by Gallo wines, coupled with a down turn in the wine industry. As a consumer, this really pisses me off. Yet another example of a larger business buying and closing down the competition, thereby taking away another option for the consumer as well as eliminating the experience and enjoyment of a quality wine. I HATE GALLO FOR THIS!!

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Scheid Vineyards Tasting Room

4.6(180 reviews)

The space is nice. Lots of windows allowing natural light. A little more than a handful of tables…read morebut I believer there is also a back room for larger parties. We did not have a reservation and were just wandering around Carmel looking for a place that looked interesting when we wandered into the tasting room. The staff were nice and the wine was solid but it just felt like we were constantly being slightly forgotten. The wine tasting flight took a long time with decent waits with empty glasses. It was crowded at first which we understood but it continued even after it cleared up. Maybe try to sit right at the bar for quicker service. May come back but with the many options in Carmel I would prob try one or two other tasting rooms first.

Great wine and service but having no bathroom is a real issue…read more We had a great time at Scheid Vineyards Tasting Room. It's a cute, cozy spot with fast, friendly, and informative service. The wines were so good that we ended up purchasing multiple bottles and had them shipped home (and looking forward to having them). However, the big drawback was that there's no bathroom on-site, which is a surprising and inconvenient issue for a place that serves alcohol. Having to hunt down a restroom elsewhere really took away from the otherwise relaxed experience. Still, if you're prepared for that hiccup, it's a lovely spot to enjoy some truly great wine.

Chardonnay

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Blair Estate Wines

4.6(75 reviews)

5/5 Stars - Wonderful experience at Blair Estate Tasting Room!…read moreStopped by the charming Blair Estate Tasting Room tucked away on the lower level of Carmel Plaza, and it was a highlight of our day checking on Signature Day Spa's new location in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The tasting rooms setting feels intimate and welcoming, with a great selection of their limited-release wines from Monterey County--especially loved the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay flights. What really made the visit special was Leigh--she was absolutely wonderful! Super knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely passionate about the wines. She shared great stories about the family estate and made us feel right at home. If you're in Carmel Plaza, make sure to seek out Blair and ask for Leigh--you won't be disappointed. Highly recommend for a relaxed, enjoyable tasting! Perfect little gem in the heart of downtown Carmel. Cheers!

Cozy Tasting Room with Exceptional Wines Loved our visit to…read moreBlair Wine Estates! The staff, specifically Leigh was welcoming, knowledgeable, and made our tasting experience relaxed and fun. Every wine we tried was delicious -- especially the Pinot Noir! The intimate setting made it feel personal and memorable. A hidden gem in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Highly recommend stopping by!