Tie: Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Bernardus Chardonnay
Bernardus Winery, 5 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley (831) 298-8021, bernardus.com
In baseball, they say a tie goes to the runner. In wine tasting, a tie goes to the sipper. Imagine this scenario: You visit the Bernardus tasting room looking for a top-notch white wine. The Sauvignon Blanc is really good, with tropical notes and plenty of refreshing, brisk lime. However, the Chardonnay hits the right palate notes, with ripe fruits with a subtle but sturdy oak undertone. There’s no way to decide between the two, so you take home two bottles instead of one. That makes you, the sipper, also the winner. And you are helping the planet by drinking, because Bernardus practices sustainable agriculture on their estate vineyards. Everyone’s a winner.