This was a pleasant tour of the agricultural industry of Salinas, Castroville, and Watsonville. Our tour guide was Evan Oakes, owner of the company and he was very knowledgeable. We were picked up by a tour bus at our campsite in Marina and driven to an artichoke farm where we walked around and learned about the different sizes and what to expect from an artichoke, as well as how to cook them. There was a cute shop to browse and shop if you wanted. We continued along the route to learn more about what the various plantings were. Our next stop was Driscoll Berries where we sampled strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and deliciously sweet blueberries. Of course we were allowed to purchase berries if we wanted. On the drive back Evan continued to talk to us about the culture of the industry. We had 31 in our group and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Tour was from 9-1. Highly Recommend it. read more

Evan is an excellent communicator, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the Salinas Valley agriculture scene. If that is your interest, he is the man to go with. I, however, went for a specific purpose - to learn more about how artichokes are grown so I could grow mine better here in San Jose. Therefore a lot of the information while interesting, was superfluous to my purpose. I hope the information that I got on artichokes will help me in my garden, but I won't know for sure until next year. Watch for the update... Thanks Evan. read more

Ag Venture Tours & Consulting - Wine Tours Near Me

Excellent tour! Evan was extremely knowledgeable about the area and gave us great info along the way. We did his Monterey Peninsula tour one day and his Big Sur tour another day. We made several stops along the way to go outside and view and take pictures. Breathtaking views! Nice new van, clean, modern. Safe driving; we felt very safe driving with Evan; he was an excellent driver. He picked us up at our hotel in Carmel-by-the-sea. He was very warm, friendly, and professional. I highly recommend this tour. I give it a 10 out of 10! read more

Earlier this month, my parents and I enjoyed a splendid half day wine tour with Evan. Evan picked us up at our Monterey Hotel and orchestrated a well-organized and thoughtful tasting experience. Our first stop for the tour was at Cheesbro in the Heart of Carmel Valley. Our second stop was at Boekenoogen. Following, the second stop, we stopped at a Vineyard, where Evan explained the harvest process. I was very impressed with Evan's knowledge - not just of wine, but of the earth. He has a very extensive background in agriculture in the Monterey Bay Area/Salinas Valley. His knowledge of the farming practices provided a more nuanced backdrop for the tasting experience. Our third stop was at Chateau Morgan. Yes, you can go and taste wine by yourself in Carmel Valley. But, if you want a carefully curated experience where you taste, appreciate and learn...your best bet is to reach out to Evan. read more

The tour guide Evan was amazing. Very knowledgeable and pleasant to be around! Will use him again soon for family and friends

I am one of those people who goes out to the Salinas Valley and just has no idea what the crops are, or how they get processed, or what it might be like to be involved in the farming. We had a great time on the Farm Tour. The whole area is full of gorgeous scenery anyway, but Evan did a great job of sharing his enthusiasm for how things get done. He answered all (and there were many!) questions. We learned so much about artichokes and strawberries and lettuce and cauliflower and raspberries and even a bit of viticulture. Evan drives with great caution and was able to get right up to where some of the workers were processing products in the field. We also enjoyed seeing the big packaging/trucking plants at T&A. I feel much more connected to the foods we consume now. I would recommend this tour to anyone with an interest in farming or looking to do something really different while on the Monterey Peninsula. I would also try the other tours he offers! read more

We had an amazing day doing a wine and agricultural tour with Evan from AG Venture Tours. He was flexible to our schedule, provided insightful and knowledgeable commentary, and best of all made us laugh a lot! He has great connections at small wineries off the beaten path! I would highly recommend a tour with Evan and AG Venture! read more

Ag Venture Tours & Consulting - Wine Tours Near Me

Evan was great! Very communicative throughout the whole process and the tour he set up in Santa Cruz was fantastic. Highly recommend! read more

Ag Venture Tours & Consulting - Wine Tours Near Me

Our group of 5 did the Ag tour with Evan and we all highly recommend it if you are interested in how vegetables get on your plate. Evan was both friendly and knowledgeable. read more

I live in Monterey and thought I knew quite a bit about the Salinas Valley. But taking Ag Venture Tours was incredibly educational and fun! This is a must-do tour for everyone to really appreciate what it takes to serve that fresh salad you put on your table. From seeds to planting, harvesting and distribution...you get to see or hear first hand what it takes. I have done his wine tours in the past with Evan and they are excellent...but the Ag tour is amazing. I highly recommend! Evan is super knowledgeable and a nice guy. read more

We did the 1/2 day tour and were picked up at our hotel in Pacific Grove. Evan is pretty knowledgeable about the local wineries--and wine stuff in general. We visited two wineries and learned a lot about the growing, fermenting and bottling process. The only real downside was the $35 fuel surcharge per couple on top of the tour price. That really stung and I wouldn't do it again if that was part of the deal. read more

My brothers and I took my mother tasting in the Santa Cruz mountains for her 60th birthday. It was an absolutely perfect day, thanks to AVT. Evan took us to four wineries so we were able to try a variety of different wines from the area. Evan explained to us the process of making wine, differences in wine among different regions, and common challenges faced by growers. He was so informative, yet so friendly and down to earth. If you are at all interested in learning about wine while also having just an enjoyable and relaxing day in the Monterey Bay area, you should definitely call AVT. read more

Evan is very knowledgeable about the wine industry, and conducts a great tour. We had an awesome time, and ended up joining a winery while in his good care. read more

Evan is the owner and the tour driver. He is more knowledgeable about wine than most of the people working at the wineries. In addition to his knowledge about wine, he is also very knowledgeable about the entire Monterey Bay area's history and about its agricultural industry as a whole. We took the Salinas tour over Presidents Day weekend. He gave us a great tour that included 4 wineries, which were catered to our likes. We went to Marylin Remark, Pessagno, Hahn, and Paraiso. Everyone at the wineries knew Evan, which scored some extra off menu pours for our group. BTW...if they are pouring the Faite Pinot Noir at Paraiso, it is amazing and should not be missed. If you are looking to take a wine tour, I highly recommend using Ag Venture Tours. Don't waste your time with the wine shuttle. read more

I live in Salinas and thought I knew a lot about the local agriculture and wine production....Evan proved my knowledge to be really basic - I learned so much about our climate and crops - like the Salinas Valley is the largest wine grape producing region in California - it was amazing and really interesting. Evan Oakes knows his stuff and the wine tasting along the River Road Wine Trail was awesome. Such tasty wines and friendly people. Plus it was an authentic experience, not touristy at all! Evan knows all of the vintners and has good relationships with the wineries, so that we got extra tastes that were not on the menu and even some behind the scenes peeks at production and a vineyard tour. We had a wonderful time and I highly recommend taking a tour with Evan - it is worth every penny and then some! I will surely go again as I'd like a refresher - plus the wine tasting is so wonderful - thanks Evan! read more

Evan provided a detailed and descriptive tour. I especially enjoyed the Steinbeck references while traversing the Salinas Valley. His knowledge of agricultural practices and local wineries was current and informative. We asked a lot of questions throughout the tour and he was happy to answer all of them. Since two of us grew up in the Salinas Valley, it was refreshing to see how the Valley changed and adapted with new industries while maintaining it's unique qualities. I would definitely take another tour with Age Venture Tours. read more

We took the driving farm tour with Evan and it was wonderful. Evan was very friendly and knowledgeable and patient. We asked a lot of questions and he was able to answer them all. He was also a safe driver. We covered a lot of ground and would recommend his tour to others interested in agriculture. read more

We took the half day Ag (not wine) tour and really enjoyed it. Evan clearly knows a lot about agriculture and its history in Monterey county and does a good job explaining it. As a native Californian I thought I knew a fair amount about the Ag industry but hadn't realized how big a part of it the Salinas valley is and how high tech some of the farmers are. Highly recommended read more

Don't call this place unless you want to be hung-up on. Evan was argumentative from the start. He took the attitude that I didn't know anything about the area and had to be explained that Carmel BY THE SEA is different than Carmel VALLEY, he schooled me. He did not want to discuss the trip over the phone but rather wanted to do an itinerary and have me change it. Don't ask him any questions!!!! And then when I asked for an estimated price, he acted like I was asking for the moon. Then he hangs up. "I tried lady", he says. I'd hate to see him when isn't trying. read more

We opted to take the Agricultural tour with Evan and were very happy with the choice. Evan is very natural and has extensive knowledge of the industry and the area. He is a great tour guide. We visited a number of farms and witnessed a variety of activities in progress from soil preparation, planting, weeding, harvesting, etc. We also squeezed in a vineyard. On our next visit we will surely reconnect with Evan for a winery tour. If you've been intrigued by the produce industry and the practices utilized to produce massive quantities of produce, I highly recommend this tour. read more

Evan is the most remarkably well informed & knowledgeable person I have met in the agriculture field. His understanding of all topics from micro climates to labor issues, machinery & history of the area is unparalleled. Our 2 1/2 hour tour was far too short given how much there is to see & learn about this area. I told my travel Agent Annie Myott at Crafted Escapes in Costa Mesa that her clients should not miss Evan's tours if they are interested in the wine or other crops of this amazing area. read more

Fantastic and interesting, well worth a few hours if you are in Monterey. Really enjoyed the tour - will learn a lot!

This is all you can ask for in a wine tour...a great guide and great wine! Evan was awesome. He's excited about grapes and wine and it shows. He was eager to teach and explain and we were even more excited to listen and learn. It was really nice to have a tour that was not just about drinking the wine, but actually learning about where the wine comes from and the intricate details that play a huge role in making a good wine. We were able to visit one vineyard and 3 tasting rooms. All were exceptional, and we ending up buying a lot of wine. Evan seemed to have a good relationship with all the places we visited and we were treated very well by all. It was great that Evan even went off script a little for us and catered to our request to lunch at Bernardus instead of the customary picnic lunch. We'll definitely call on Evan and AG Venture Tours again when we come back to the area. read more

What an amazing experience! Our wine tour was in the Carmel Valley and Evan was the PERFECT tour guide. He is incredibly knowledgeable in the wine making process and know lots of fun facts as well. We didn't want the tour to end! We plan to schedule another vacation to the Monterey area with a few friends and go on another tour with Evan! This is a MUST DO for everyone. You will not be disappointed. read more

We had an amazing time today. We have done many tastings in the past but, learned more from Evan than all combined. Would take these tours over again! read more

Our group of ten had a great memorable time celebrating my husband's 40th. Good friends, good wine, excellent food (provided by Evan/AVT), and a knowledgeable guide with a good sense of humor. I would highly recommend Evan and Ag Venture Tours. read more

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Highly recommend the Salinas Valley Wine tour with Evan! I now have a better understanding and new perspective on the wine and food in this amazingly beautiful and significant agricultural area. The van is very clean and comfortable. We had a great picnic lunch and tastings were included at 3 tasting rooms. Evan gave us a great overview not only of the local wine business but also agricultural production since we were passing by fields of lettuce, carrots, broccoli, strawberries, celery, and broccoli rabe, to name a few. His presentation was comprehensive from historical and geological perspectives up to current production. He is able to answer any questions asked and took us out in the vineyard to explain how the grapes are planted, maintained, and harvested. We were interested to see the area and vineyards to gain a better understanding of this unique agricultural setting. We recently moved to the area and have been amazed by the quality and variety of wines in Monterey County. This tour proved that you can gain a better understanding and appreciation of wines when you sample them on the land where they are produced. Can't wait to join Evan for another local tour! read more

A group of military veterans and their spouses spent 5 nights in Monterey and celebrated Veterans day as guests at Presidio. We scheduled a wine and agriculture tour with AG Venture tours and had a fabulous time. Evan, our guide and owner, stopped along the Salinas Vegetable growing area and told us how it all worked to get the products to market around the world. His knowledge and ability to explain everything to us was perfect and we got to see vegetables actually being harvested and packed for shipment. Evan answered every question in a complete and understandable way and we all had a much better appreciation for the farmers and workers. We then visited 3 wineries and at one stop we actually went into the production area and received an explantation of the process and then got to sample the wine still in the oak cask prior to bottling, followed by a sampling of the wines they produce. The 2nd stop Evan set up a wonderful picnic lunch overlooking the Salinas valley and the vineyard, while we enjoyed the wine tasting. It was a fabulous picnic and we purchased 2 bottles of wine to enjoy with our lunch. After the 3rd winery visit we headed home and were delivered back to our hotel. Evan did a very professional and interesting narrative throughout the whole trip. Evan offers the most complete package, at a very fair price, covering both agriculture and wineries and there is no better choice and our entire group strongly agrees. read more

We did the Carmel Valley 1/2 day wine tour and highly recommend it. We've done a lot of wine tasting on our own but learned so much more from Evan. Was wonderful not to drive and just enjoy the scenery and good wine. He did a fantastic job of taking us to wineries that had the types of wine we liked. read more

Just took a farm tour with Evan. What an adventure. He gave us a terrific tour of the farming in the area. He was extremely well-informed about the history and operations of California agriculture. If you have any interest in where your produce comes from and how it is planted and picked, I really recommend having him show you around. I came away with a newfound appreciation for the effort that goes into producing the strawberries, lettuce, celery, artichokes, and other vegetables I see in my supermarket every week. read more