Monterey County wines are worth celebrating on any day ending in "y."
But for anyone in search of a little added inspiration, the Monterey Winemakers Celebration marks a quarter century of the annual humdinger 1-4pm Sunday, May 7, on Dolores and Seventh streets in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
The wineries gathered by the Monterey County Vintner & Growers Association will flow with depth of quality and quantity.
Those assembled include:
Bernardus Winery ● Big Sur Vineyards ● Blair Estate ● Caraccioli Cellars ● Carmel Ridge Winery ● Carmel Road ● Chalone ● Cholame ● Cima Collina Winery ● De Tierra Vineyards ● Estancia Estates Winery ● Figge Cellars ● Folktale Winery & Vineyards ● Hahn Family Wines ● Holman Ranch ● I. Brand & Family Wines ● J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines ● Joyce Vineyards ● Manzoni Vineyards ● Mark West Wines ● Odonata Wines ● Paraiso Vineyards ● Pessagno Wines ● Pierce Ranch Vineyards ● Puma Road ● Robert Mondavi Winery ● Scheid Vineyards ● Scratch Wines ● Shale Canyon Wines ● Silvestri Vineyards ● Smith Family Wines ● Talbott Vineyards ● Testarossa Winery ● Ventana Vineyards ● Wente Vineyards ● Windy Oaks Estate ● Wrath Wines
That's an rarely assembled lineup, and a primary reason this event has become one of the best values in the year's epicurean event calendar, and a reliable sell-out, particularly after it moved to its street-side setup in Carmel—and amplified its chef connectivity.
The number of featured food purveyors continues to expand. For 2017 that includes a record amount of restaurants, with these contributors slated to appear:
Aabha Indian Cuisine ● Affina ● Basil ● Big Sur Bakery ● Cantinetta Luca ● Carmel Honey Company ● Carmel Valley Ranch ● Chef’s Palette Spice Rubs • Christopher's ● Esteban ● Folktale Winery ● Il Tegamino ● Jeninni’s Kitchen + Wine Bar ● La Balena ● La Bicyclette ● Little Napoli ● Monterey Bay Aquarium ● Mulligan Public House ● Nothing Bundt Cakes Carmel ● Poke Lab ● Revival Ice Cream ● ROUX ● Salt Wood ● Trio Olive Oil ● Ventana
A new "Monterey Wine Camp" is also programmed.
"Whether a connoisseur or new to wine, learn more about wine growing, wine making, and wine appreciation," a statement from MCVGA reads.
The informal style classes include "Chardonnay: Oaked vs Unoaked," "Sensory Wine Experience," "Blending Experience," "Wine Writers Insights: On the Mind and Palate of Wine Writers Featuring Laura Ness and Mary Orlin," "Sustainability in Practice," "What’s Dirt Got to Do with It?" and popular "Taste Like a Somm: Sommelier Guided Tasting Tours." (available at additional cost)
Tickets ($75) and VIP passes (with valet parking at noon entrance, $125) are available at the Monterey Winemakers' Celebration Evite page.