My wife and I planned to come to Carmel and try each of the wineries. This plan went awry and it's…read morePats fault! After coming to Windy Oaks first, we were met with sensational wines and an enologist and humble sommelier named Pat! He explained each wine so well and took his time to talk to each group in a relatively crowded tasting room. Anyone who walks into this tasting room with Pat can tell that he cares about the owners, the business, and his craft. We felt cared for by him and we signed up for the wine club as well. He talked about how the owners are awesome and very happy to accommodate customers (within reason). Also, how it is a small family business and my wife and I loved that! We went to a couple other wineries, but ended up back at Windy Oaks and talking with Pat. Both times, we met very kind customers and had great conversations with each. Many walked in and Pat knew them and their orders. The ambiance and environment were top tier! If you're looking for a winery to meet great people and drink great wine, I'd recommend Windy Oaks. It's truly not even close. My wife loved the SLH Chardonnay. I loved many wines including the Clone 943, Reserve Pinot (MUST TRY), Mouvedre (MUST TRY), and Diane's Block! There's wines for many different palates here! They also take very great care of their members! We got some cheese from the cheese shop and enjoyed it with the wine as well. Obviously, Pat was a large reason why the wine tasting experience was so enjoyable! We will be back for great wines and hoping to see him again!

Cute little place. We all had a great time wine tasting with the help of the young lady that was…read morepouring the wine that day. Bought a couple of wines, a wine glass and a candle.

We had the opportunity to cook with Valerie as a fun Fathers Day gift. It was a intimate setting as…read moreour own private session. She was fabulous including Dad who wanted to learn to cook fish better and involving the kids. It was a gourmet experience with a custom meal and two types of fish, marinated grilled artichokes and a delicious puff pastry appetizer. We now have new cooking and knife skills that will last us all a lifetime! She was very flexible, patient and thorough. Her time is worth every penny.

We had a very fun and productive evening with Valarie. She managed six adults and two children with…read moreease and grace. We learned new recipes, including four sauces. Thank you Valerie for making it a memorable evening for our family.

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

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!!

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!

Came here for a wine club event and I'm definitely coming back!!…read more Wide variety of wine to choose from and I believe they're one of the oldest in Monterey! Plenty of seating and it's also right in the heart of Carmel By The Sea! The wine is good, the scenery is good, it's a good place to study/work at! Can't recommend this place enough!

We were looking for a place to try our first wine tasting in Carmel-by-the-Sea and peeked into a…read morefew spots before finding this one--it was by far the most welcoming and inviting. The staff gave really clear explanations and were able to answer all of our questions about the wine. We really enjoyed several of the tastings and ended up taking home two bottles. Great experience!

It started raining before our dinner reservation at Nora's outside. Janice our wine host allowed…read moreNora's not only to serve us in the winery but also to bring a large table inside to accommodate more Nora's customers in the tasting room! I'm already a club member but 10/10 service! Thank you Janice!

Amazing reds, really knowledgeable host. Very intimate experience, we so enjoyed our time here with…read morehigh quality and well priced reds. Malbec was incredible.

OKAY! Let me first start off by saying, the reviews are true: the staff here -- super personable,…read morefriendly, so accommodating, and super dog friendly. We had two doodles that got TONS of luv. Had an outdoor heater on the patio. Loved it. Perfect place to play cards; enjoy snacks, good company (I was on a 5th date), and GREAT WINE. Known for their rosès and pinots. Highly recommend trying their red wine flight. Definitely make the stop if you're in the area! We will be back! :)

Nice ambience. Very good Pinots. Service was nice. Love the explanation of all the Pinots .read more

The tasting room is light, bright and inviting. JonPaul was…read moreour tasting guide who talked us through the wines, varietals and growing areas. We did one of each flight so we got to taste everything they were offering. I was surprised and delighted to see Touriga National on their tasting menu. This is a varietal that is usually used as a blending varietal in Portuguese wines. Not many places in the US grow this so it's highly unusual to see it here. Definitely make a reservation if you plan on swinging by in the afternoon. You might be able to walk in if you go when they open.

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.

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!