Hahn Estate
37700 Foothill Road, Soledad, (831) 678-4555, hahnwines.com
Sure, you could stay cloistered on the Peninsula and sample wines at Hahn’s Carmel tasting room. There are many, many worse things. However, a trip to the Hahn Estate tasting room puts you smack dab in the middle of where wine comes from. You can hang out on the deck with a vineyard view and Santa Lucia Highlands scenery, and Pinnacles National Park across the Salinas Valley. There are different experiences offered, too, such as library tastings with tons of information or ATV tours through the vineyards to watch wine being made. Maybe do this before any tasting.