We were looking forward to the winery as the highlight of our trip. We had made a reservation at the restaurant but did not realize we needed an additional reservation for a tour of the winery, so unfortunately we were not able to see the process but the restaurant was exceptional. We had a charcuterie board and a wine flight sampler and goodness was it fantastic. The winery is beautiful, the service was so friendly and kind and the wine delicious. Absolutely worth a visit! read more

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ONCE UPON A TIME.... In a far, far away place (292 miles to be exact)... A land known for its Valleys FULL of Carmel... hence the name... ;) Surrounded by Green Rolling Hills... A Cool Climate... And chock-Full of Bodies!!! Wait, Wrong Folktale! What I meant was, Full-Bodied Wines... There, That's more like it. Yes... It's place where Magical Grapes turn into... No, not grape juice... But Wine!! Yeah, I told you they were magical! Take that Jack and the Beanstalk with your "magic beans". Now, grab my hand, and take a leap of faith... (You hearing this Rapunzel?) And listen carefully while I'll tell you a little tale about an enchanted little place known as... FOLKTALE WINERY & VINEYARDS First, let's talk about the lay of the land. As you make your way through Carmel Valley Road, it's almost like you are in a modern day Enchanted Forest. (Wait was that Goldilocks??) Nahh, just some blonde lady jumping out a window. Anyways.... As you reach Folktake Winery, take the long dirt road and park your chariot wherever you see fit. Now, as you make your way up to the Folktake "Castle".... (No joke, it's giving me Castle Vibes) Trumpets and the Lute begin to sound off and at once, you will be formally greeted by a Knight Guardsman wielding a sword who is standing fast to either admit or deny entry granting that you have a formal invite for the Queens Ball.... Thankfully for your sake, and mine... That was no Knight Guardsman (it was just the hostess on her cell phone probably scrolling through TikTok)... And Luckily there are absolutely no reservations required to attend the ball... Aka... Drink from the vine until your heart is content! Upon entry... We were greeted, seated and gracefully treated. It was as close as I've ever been to feeling like a Princess... haha Wines flowed from the heavens into our Glass Goblets... The finest Dough & Cheese were presented on a wood platter... (we went with their Margherita flatbread) And a Caesar Salad of all Caesar Salads graced our palates topped with the finest Grana Padano, Turkish Anchovies & House Made Croutons. This alongside ice-chilled buckets of some of Carmel Valley's Finest squeezed grapes... A Feast indeed it was! This Folktake was slowly turning into a Fairytale! And if you decide to visit one day... Before you ride off into the sunset on your white horse holding onto your Prince Charming... I challenge you to the 2021 Folktake Piquette Experience! Before we headed out, I wanted one more glass of wine so I inquired about the Piquette. First off, such a cool story behind this wine. When I asked whether it was good, the gentleman's face said everything I needed to know.. But the story (The Folklore) that came with it, MADE me want to try it for myself. Basically, it was explained that back in the Day... The King and his entourage would come through town and take all of the Good wine for himself. The remnants of that wine (the leftovers) known as Pomace was drunk by the farmers who produced the good wine for the King. The Piquette made by Folklore Winery & Vineyards is a homage to those Farmers. My advice, before you buy the bottle, ask for the story, then have yourself a little swig... Hey you never know, you might just LOVE it! As for the Queen (my wife) and the three Princess (my daughters)... We returned to our own Castle the next day... And We ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER! read more

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Gorgeous winery, good wine, good service! Such a beautiful place one of my new favorite wineries you can definitely spend all day here. Wish I tried the food! read more

We visited on a Saturday with reservations for both food and a wine tasting, and unfortunately, our experience was disappointing. It took about 15 minutes before our server even came to greet us or offer. It then took quite a while to receive our wine glasses. The server explained they had run out and had to go to another building to get more, which added another 15 minutes. The staff did not seem very attentive, and it honestly felt like one person was trying to manage everything. While I do feel for them if they are short-staffed, the service overall was very poor. On a positive note, the pizza and clam chowder were delicious and came out fairly quickly once ordered. At the end of our visit, we asked someone at the front desk if she could take a quick photo for us, and she responded, "Sorry, no, I'm very busy right now." That felt unnecessarily rude and left a final negative impression. Unfortunately, we won't be recommending this place to our friends, nor will we be returning. If you're looking for attentive, friendly service, this may not be the right venue. read more

Not very nice since you can't go in the front anymore and the area for guests is about half the size. So the wait times are up but they made it seem like they might let in you in if you were any sort of member. Hostess seemed annoyed when we got there. After this I checked their page to see the reviews with the past two months and noticed the way they respond to complaints basically the same way every time. But the wording was odd. So I ran it through an AI text detector and turns out it's 91% AI. So this makes then out to seem uncaring, lazy, and less intelligent. I mean who can't write five sentences by thinking with their brain right? Definitely not the same as it was a few years ago. read more

Folktale Winery - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

We had the best time at folktale on Friday to kick off my bachelorette! Folktale has amazing ambiance and delicious fresh food options. We had the hummus and artichoke dip and both were superb! I've had the flat breads on a previous visit and loved them! They also have live music in the evenings and are just an amazing hang spot for either a tasting, bottle of wine, dinner or all of the above. Like I said I've been to folktale before but this experience our server Andy Yanez made feel extra special. Even though it was a busy day he took time to check on us and made us feel so welcomed and appreciated! I really cannot thank him enough for treating us so well and for capturing a great photo to remember the wonderful day with. Shout out to Andy for amazing service! read more

Folktale Winery - Patio seating - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

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Today we had a very disappointing experience at your restaurant. We made a reservation and specifically hoped to sit outdoors to enjoy the music, which was the main reason we came. When we arrived, there were many empty tables outside, and we asked if we could sit there. We were told they were reserved for later. I even explained that we would leave before the reservation time, but the request was still denied. Instead, we were seated at a long shared table with our kids, and shortly after, some staff members sat next to us at the same table and began having a loud work discussion. It felt very uncomfortable and unprofessional to be placed in that situation, especially while dining with family. It was disappointing enough that although we originally planned to order a full dinner, we changed our minds and only ordered something small. It's especially frustrating because we drove all the way from San Jose expecting a nice evening, and this place used to provide a much better experience. I hope you will take this feedback into consideration to improve how guests are seated and to ensure a more pleasant atmosphere for your guests. read more

One of my favorite wineries in the Monterey area. It lives up to its name, it's definitely magical! The entrance is grand and stunning. It looks like a castle. There's lots of opportunities for photo opps, indoor and outdoors. The grounds are just gorgeous. I love coming here in the summer for some good wine and yummy food in their outdoor seating area. Sometimes they even have live music. I recommend making a reservation ahead of time. During my last visit, my friends and I shared two flatbreads: the pesto and a Margherita. Both DELICIOUS and shareable. We sipped on their Le Mistral The White Witch. A crisp and fruity white wine at a reasonable price point. Our server was knowledgeable about the wines and let us taste between a few different wines before committing to a bottle. It's always good time at Folktale! read more

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My friends and I got the artichoke dip and the flatbread that had hot honey. Honestly the flat bread was absolutely delicious and would get it again. My friends and I made a reservation and we were seated promptly. It was very sunny that day so the waiter kindly moved an umbrella over for us. Overall it was a great experience and would come here again. read more

Folktale Winery - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

Folktale is a fairly large property for wine tasting, dining , and definitely would be a great place for a large private group event. Great 1st impression! We made reservations, anticipating that we would have lunch and also do their curated wine tasting flights. We each drank a different wine flight of 5 wines. The chilled still rose' and sparkling rose' were our favorites. Their all day menu has lots of snacks/bites, and charcuteries to pair with wine tasting. The main course selections on the menu are fairly limited, so checkout their menu on the website prior to going for lunch or dinner. My wife and I shared the sweet heat flatbread (sausage , pepperoni, cream burrata cheese, honey and chili oil) and their cheeseburger to share. Both were made extremely well, and tasted even better. The flat bread had lots of flavorful toppings. The sweet heat was a brilliant concoction. The burger was cooked and seasoned very well and was served with house made potato chips. Melissa was our server. She was friendly and knew Folktale's wines. However, she really just poured the wine for our two flights. We poured our own water, and a food runner brought out our food. I make this distinction only to point out that this is winery that also makes/serves food. This is not a restaurant with attentive table service. We had a good experience at Folktale. We will definitely comeback to have their sweet heat flatbread and their sparkling rose' on a sunny Carmel afternoon. read more

Has a great time here on a Sunday morning with my partner, some family and their kids. We were taken care of by Sergio and he provided great service the entire time! The flatbread pizzas were pretty yummy... we tried 3 different ones! My cousin's wife suggested this specific Rosé to share amongst all of us and we actually all liked it! The venue is cute and a great place to take a larger group or just come on a date. The Sunday morning that we came, they had live music that had started shortly after we arrived (10:30am). read more

Folktale Winery - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

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Nick was a wonderful and knowledgeable server, and even the temporary set up they have going on is still beautiful. Their rosé was amazing. Will be back! read more

Folktale Winery & Vineyards is pure magic. The setting alone is worth the visit -- beautiful gardens, charming architecture, and a relaxed Carmel Valley vibe that makes you want to stay all afternoon. It feels intimate, scenic, and effortlessly romantic without being over the top. The wine was excellent, and the experience was made even better paired with amazing food and a knowledgeable wine expert who guided us through everything with passion and ease. An unforgettable atmosphere with equally great wine. We'll definitely be back. read more

Folktale Winery - Charcuterie plate - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

We thoroughly enjoyed the wine and charcuterie. Unfortunately, our server was quite short with us the entire time we were dining. She did not share the details about the wine during the wine tasting and lagged with checking in on us as a group. It was difficult to get her attention or any server for that matter. We sat for a while before being seen. She also forgot about the sandwiches we ordered which we decided to not follow through with since it was too late at that point. Overall disappointing experience considering how much the wine and tasting was. read more

We walked up to the hostess stand around 2 pm on a Saturday, hoping for some nice wine tasting and a light lunch, the hostess was so rude and snarky. We felt uncomfortable and we were told without a reservation it would be 20 minutes. Which was totally fine with us to wait but her attitude was so nasty and her co-worker just bought right into her attitude as well, so disappointing on a Mother's Day weekend to be treated like that. We didn't even want to stay and walked right back out and left. We had a wonderful time and the wineries on Friday in Paso and had shopped a variety of wineries to stock our wine cellar, we will definitely not be stocking any wine from here. Hopefully management can have a long to the hostess's as the are definitely the face and first impression of the winery and can literally alter the tone with their attitude. read more

Beautiful atmosphere and an amazing menu. The wine selection is delicious. We didn't expect their award winning rose to be our favorite by the end of the experience. Server seemed a little overwhelmed with the volume, but was still able to give us the wine tasting experience before transferring us to the PM server. Can't wait to come back, maybe during the evening for a sunset! read more

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I've been here 4 times and I never leave disappointed. Friendly service and great tasting wine I decided to come here for my birthday and do not regret it read more

Folktale Winery - Our wine - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

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Our experience at Folktale Winery was awesome! The ambience and live music was great! The staff is very friendly. Gerry was very knowledgeable and approachable. We had many questions for him and he answered them patiently. Nick was also very helpful. He moved us to a warmer table and gave us additional recommendations. We will definitely come back to enjoy more wine read more

So we came on a Monday afternoon for a wine tasting. Place looked kind of dead but we were told it would be an hour wait to do a wine tasting. I am not sure what their business model is but I am simply their to try their wines and see if I want to buy any, like what occurs at most wineries, but that apparently is not an option. Place looks nice and staff were matter of fact, kind of neutral attitude. If you want to go there make a reservation, otherwise it isn't worth it read more

I first got introduced to Folktale through their whole cluster Pinot that you can find at K&L for $30 a bottle. I think it's quite good at the price. (spoiler: Folktale sells this wine at their main location for $75). I happened to be in Carmel Valley and stopped by the winery to do a tasting and (I assumed) pick up a few bottles. I was shocked to learn the tasting fees are $45 (mixed red/white) and $60 ("signature red") and they are *not* waived with bottle purchase. I spoke to some of the winery employees about this and they agreed that this is insane (even Napa's fanciest / most overpriced wineries waive tasting fees with purchase) and mentioned that they were being forced to push wine club memberships, of which the smallest is 4 bottles per quarter (16 per year). I also note that they require a 30 day written notice to cancel, and cancelling before two shipments results in a $150 early termination fee... so watch out if you're going that route. I enjoyed the wine, I thought the venue was lovely, but the extreme prices and almost cell-phone-store-level contract practices were a huge turnoff for me. I left without purchasing a bottle and will not be purchasing directly from Folktale- ever. read more

Folktale Winery - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

I LOVED this winery! Will definitely come back next time I'm in the area. Everything about the winery was awesome: the service, the general ambiance (perfect for kids and my 3 year old had a fun time roaming around and playing; just overall a nice environment and looks perfect for a wedding), and the FOOD! I don't always expect food at wineries to be amazing but the pizza was one of the best I've had in a while. It was the one with spicy sausage and honey. Sooooo good. Housemade kettle chips were good as well. For the wine flight, I splurged on the reserve ($60 for 5 generous pours). I will admit that although I enjoy wine, my palate isn't very sophisticated, so my opinion doesn't hold much weight, but while I really liked the two whites ("we are the flowers" blend and the reserve chardonnay), the three reds were just okay. The sommelier did a great job describing the wine and he was super friendly, though. read more

What an amazing place! We are locals, but finally tried this place and had an incredible time. First and foremost, the customer service was amazing. We had Nick help us and we met the sommelier, Daniel, and the manager, Ethan. Everyone was so incredibly kind and truly went above and beyond to ensure we had an incredible experience. Second, the wines were delicious. Third, the ambience was so beautiful. Fourth, this winery was actually kid-friendly and my kids had an incredibly fun time too. My family enjoyed it so much, we joined the wine club! We cannot wait to come back!! read more

Folktale Winery - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

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Our experience at Folktale Winery & Vineyards was exceptional. The cuisine and service were both outstanding, creating a memorable and welcoming atmosphere. Nick, our server, was particularly impressive--personable, attentive, and highly knowledgeable about the wines. His thoughtful recommendations and warm hospitality made our first visit truly special and inspired us to return. On our second visit, the experience was just as wonderful as the first. The live music added to the ambiance, and watching the sun set over the vineyards provided a spectacular and unforgettable backdrop. It's a beautiful setting paired with excellent service and food--an experience we would gladly repeat read more

Beautiful winery, live music and the Rosé is divine!! Also, the service provided by Nick was spectacular and he truly went above and beyond to ensure that my group had the best experience while at Folktale! read more

Love folktale My mom & I have been members here since around when they first opened. We come here every time we're in town, I do miss when the members had the better VIP section back in the day. Good vibes, good food and wine! Love that they have live music a lot of the time. Service is good unless they're supper busy. read more

We had a reservation, due to traffic we were running a little late and we called to let them know. Have to say the girl we spoke to was rude, short and almost made us change our plans. We really wanted to go here so we came anyways and had the best time. The wine was fabulous, and our server was amazing! Shoutout to Rod our wine educator! He was amazing so fun and personable, we even signed up for a wine membership because of him. Will definitely be back! read more

We had reservations for Friday, but got stuck in traffic at Bixby Bridge AND we didn't have phone service! When we finally arrived, we were pleasantly greeted by Rhea. She reassured us that we would still be able to be seated. She found out I was celebrating my 55th birthday. I was so kind and thoughtful and bright us the Artisan Cheese & Charcuterie Board as a gift. Amir and Nick also provided excellent service. The food was great. The service even better but the company was priceless. Thank you for making my 55th birthday girls getaway a fabulous weekend! read more

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Wine is bad! Hope food is better. They make up for bad wine with nice atmosphere. If you want good wine - go somewhere else . read more

Soft singer singing Good to order which is a plus (taco Tuesday I guess) Ordered a bottle and waiter walked away with it after filling glasses. When we asked about where the manager came over and apologized, but said it was only property to give us a completely new bottle and didn't charge us for the new bottle. The singer was asked to sing happy birthday to me and he got everyone that was there to sing as well. Pretty special. Pinot that we ordered was very good too. It was an estate blend I believe. Lots of places to sit, comfortable chairs, and couches and beautiful ambience read more

The pizza was sooo good. The server was very informative with wine options and entertaining read more

Folktale Winery - Pizza - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

Folktale is hands down my favorite winery in the area. Not only is it gorgeous but the wine and food are delish and the service is always next level. As a local I am really excited about all the live events they have going on and love that you don't have to be a member to go to any of it. it's a perfect spot to bring in out of town visitors or just a lovely Friday night with friends. Folk yeahhh!!! read more

I cannot say enough great things about Folktale! The tasting room is a super nice place to relax, the food is wonderful, the servers are great, and it's very dog friendly! I consider myself a bit of a wine snob and can honestly say I LOVE all Folktale wines- we are proud members of the wine club. My husband and I also had the perfect experience of having our wedding here, we were married on the Rose Vineyard, and had our reception at the Vineyard House. It was an absolutely beautiful place, everyone had a great time, and the food was great! Couldn't have picked a better spot. read more

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Our entire experience was lovely starting with Sarah. She took the time to get to know us and somehow anticipated what we would like. We started with a bottle of the sparking rose and she would occasionally bring us samples of something else she thought we would like. She was so right. We ended up joining the wine club! Lovely atmosphere, great music and we ended up making a few new friends. What a great experience. read more

I mean the grounds looked amazing but I didn't like that you had to have reservations. There were plenty of tables but it looked like they were understaffed. Didn't get in because the wait was originally 30 minutes and then in about 5 more minutes went up to 45 for some reason. Might try it again with the reservation. Might not. read more

It was a great time! Very nice place with good food and drinks and it was a good get away from the chaos of car week. read more

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Honestly divine! Walked in with some girlfriends on a Monday and was able to get seated! The live music was so lovely! Our server, Nick, honestly made the experience. He was so knowledgeable and incredibly attentive in his service. He was great at helping us figure out what wines we would enjoy based on our palates. He really gave each of us a unique experience! I'd love to introduce more people to this place solely based on the service received. The food was also spectacular. Recommend the sweet heat flatbread and the artichoke dip. Can't wait to come back! A nice end to the evening after exploring Monterey. read more

We came here as Folktale was highly recommended. The venue is really beautiful and they had live music that was a great touch to the ambience. However, the wine was just ok for me. My partner and I shared two different flights so we could try various options. The service was probably where I saw the biggest area of opportunity. I asked the server about what the blend was in one flights, and he started reading the back of the bottle to me depending on what experience you are looking for, this may be for you but it wasn't a traditional winery tasting for us. read more

Had the most amazing time with my girlfriends who were visiting from out of town!! The service, the wine, the food, the ambiance...5 STARS!!! read more

Folktale Winery - Beautiful backdrop for pics with the girls!! - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California

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Great staff and relaxed atmosphere. Perfect place to take friends and relax while sampling a flight of the local wine. Special little spot.

I came here expecting a relaxing evening with my two friends. However, there were children about the age of 5 playing tag beside our table with no supervision. I love children, but this isn't the place for them. My friends and I all had wine glasses in our hands and if one of the kids did bump into us it could've been extremely dangerous. this place is beautiful and the wine was amazing, I would give it 5 stars if they didn't allow children in the winery. I would understand if we were at a park or a playground. read more

Folktale Winery - Wine - Wineries Near Me - Carmel, California