You knew Chalone Vineyard produces spectacular wines. But until the winery’s Carmel tasting room opened at the end of 2023, you had to wind your way to the towering peaks near the Pinnacles for a sample – and hope you had a friend with willpower to be the designated driver for the trip back home.
What were the less adventurous missing out on? Well, all of Chalone’s recent releases rated 90 points or more – often much more – by wine critics. The 2021 Chardonnay Musqué offers aromas of an orchard in summer and bursts with fresh fruit on the palate – peach, with Meyer lemon and a delicate, earthy spice. The Reserve Chardonnay of the same vintage, but this time aged in oak, is rich with a buttery sheen from which the essence of freshly cut stone fruits sings over the genteel notion of vanilla.
But this is the county’s oldest winery (the first vines planted in 1919), so they go a step further. Guests can sample winemaker Greg Freeman’s personal selections. There are cheeses from The Cheese Shop, each paired to a Chalone wine or a round featuring caviar. “Greg wanted to make sure we had our best foot forward,” explains tasting room manager Stacey Garrett. “Food and wine – what’s better than that?”
The tasting room is nestled in a corner of Carmel Plaza. Already a handsome and comfortable space once occupied by Hahn Estate, the team simply decorated with new artwork and put their focus on great wine.