Quick Bites: Carmel adds another tasting room (!), 'sip-n-smoke' fun and Car Week cometh.

And then there were…21?!

As in the number of Carmel-by-the-Sea tasting rooms, or roughly double the number of spots to swirl and sip that existed just a few years ago.

Note: That's an unofficial number, because there are so tasting rooms accumulating in Carmel that certainty can be as slippery as a squooshed grape.

(The chamber counts 15, and doesn't include venues with more limited tastings like Neilsen Brothers and Surf N Sand. More on what constitutes a tasting room on the blog soon—and how my number got Chamber Chief Monta Potter accusing me of a nefarious agenda. She did help me update my list, including Southern Latitudes' shift to the Crossroads outside Carmel's boundaries, for which I thank her.)

Whatever the case, the tiny city's impressive winery-driven renaissance continues this weekend as Windy Oaks Estate (574-3135) opens a new tasting room at Su Vecino Court, on Dolores between Fifth and Sixth, across the courtyard from Jack London's.

The grand opening is noon-7pm Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 9-10, with Cheese Shop goodies and appetizers. Tastings run $10-$15.

It's owned and operated by co-proprietors Jim and Judy Schultze. 

Jim also handles the winemaking. Judy was born in Carmel and her parents were married at St. Mary’s by-the-Sea.

The winery itself is located in Corralitos, where their son Spencer is assistant winemaker. His brother James manages the tasting room, where the varietals include estate grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, plus Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. They also do a Rhone blend.

Here's my existing lineup of Carmel-by-the-Sea tasting rooms: Email edible@mcweekly.com any thoughts.

Albatross

Alexander Smith (Paraiso)

Blair Estate

Caraccioli Cellars

The Cheese Shop

Dawn's Dream

De Tierra

Figge Cellars

Galante Vineyards & Winery

Manzoni

Neilsen Brothers

Otter Cove Wines

Puma Road

Scheid Vineyards

Shale Canyon Wines

Silvestri

Southern Latitudes (not counted: relocating to Crossroads, where Taste Morgan also sets up shop, outside of Carmel proper)

Surf N Sand

Trio Carmel

Vino Napoli (Pepe's Napoli)

Wrath Wines

Windy Oaks

•••

More news flows from there:

• Friend-of-the-Weekly Anthony Anderson of Law & Order has a new food show that has him hunting for the country’s best home cooks. Click it to kick it. 

• The Dinner Belle has officially launched at CarmelBelle (624-1600), celebrating with a succulent three-course yum run of heirloom-watermelon-goat gouda panzanella, super tasty wild salmon and banana creme pie in a mason jar. Place is looking pretty sweetly complete too.

• Galante Vineyards hosts annual BBQ and Muster at the winery noon-3pm Saturday, Aug. 9, for club members and guests. (Sign up now!—and 4-8pm Aug. 13 does "sip 'n smoke," an evening of fine wine and hand-rolled Cuban cigars from master Payne Mason, who will prepare your personal stogie ($75; RSVP).

• One big story from this year that didn’t quite crack my top 10: The rise of rocky ride of Lucky’s Roadside (899-5825) in Seaside, a great spot with a good concept from Bill Lee. Check out that top 10 and other nibbles with the foodie newsletter. Sign up at www.mcweekly.com/edible.

• My top two Car Week events race this way up like a 250 Testa Rossa: McCall Motorworks Gathering at the Jet Center and The Quail in Carmel Valley. Check p. 34 and next week’s issue for more. There’s also a Balvenie Rare Craft Collection whiskey making/tasting Aug. 13-16. www.thebalvenie.com/collection for more.