Moderate reddish-purple color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with an array of fresh berries. Brisk and juicy with a middle-weighted core of cherry and berry fruits, with a hint of cola, oak and citrus in the background. Soft with silky tannins. A sold daily drinker at a reasonable price.

It's hard to find a pinot noir full of character for a moderate price, but this one has an attractive varietal aroma of tea, cherry, earth, and subtle spices. Needs about an hour of air to open up.

Soft aromas of black cherries, blackberry jam and violets, picking up intensity with swirling. Lightweight flavors of darker Pinot fruits with supple tannins and a velvety mouthfeel.

The Arroyo Seco 2007 is a deeper, earthier wine, rather different in style and not as widely available.

Moderately dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Enticing aromas of dark raspberries and blackberries, black cherries, kirsch, brioche and oak. Discreetly concentrated flavors of chocolate-covered, perfectly ripe cherries, and fresh blackberry jam. The vivid fruit is nicely caressed by fine-grain tannins, the oak is beautifully integrated, and there is impressive aromatic persistence on the fruit-filled finish.

Sweet black cherries and milk chocolate.

A wine with few peers when it comes to out and out value.

Fragrant, fruity Pinot Noir; 2006 Carmel Road Monterey.

The Carmel Road Arroyo Seco 2006 is a keenly balanced bottling of fine fruity precision, and it is joined on our roster of Best Buys.

This is a notably more complex aromatically with a deeper and broader mix of scents that are primarily ripe pinot in character though spice and earth hints add nuance before complementing the rich, round and more concentrated as well as firmer medium-bodied flavors that possess good intensity on the slightly tangy but persistent finish. There is a touch of backend warmth but it's relatively subtle.

A pinot with a nice structure. Gamey, with notes of Strawberry, pine needles, oak and chocolate. Long flavors.

U.S. PINOT NOIR THREE STARS 2004 Carmel Road Monterey

2004 CARMEL ROAD MONTEREY PINOT NOIR Nicely balanced, this wine is aromatic (basil, plum, red cherry and pencil lead), softly fruity (pie cherry) and spicy, with a hint of tar on the lingering finish................

Aromas of toast, black cherry, wild raspberry, oak and spice; quite rich and big; flavors of vanilla, toast and black cherry; lingering finish.

Cobalt dinner shines spotlight on chef's dishes, Monterey wine pairings To dine on splendid cuisine created by Cobalt Restaurant's executive chef Daniel Traimas while taking in the elegant restaurant’s ocean views is a treat. But to indulge in and learn about a Monterey winery’s varietals and blends at the same time is a unique experience to savor. About 30 lucky people attended the recent Carmel Road Wine Dinner featuring winemaker Kris Kato’s wines and a collaborative blend Kato created with actress Drew Barrymore. During the initial meet and greet, we were warmly welcomed by restaurant and hotel management’s Robert Graney and Awet Sium and learned about Kato and his partnership with Barrymore Wines... The amazing dessert, banana cream pie jar, was nicely accompanied by the Carmel Road Riesling 2015.

Riesling is still an under appreciated variety despite the fact that it is responsible for a great many delectable wines that afford exceptional value. Particularly priceworthy favorites from California include the one star Carmel Road Unoaked Monterey 2013...

This Riesling is distinctly off-dry. It's rich with sugary orange and lime jam, white flower and mineral flavors, with the brisk acidity associated with the Arroyo Seco region. Easy to drink now.

Stone fruit, peach and nectarine on the nose from this Monterey County riesling along with a modicum of spice and minerality. Peach skin, nectarine pit and sunny citrus flavors come through on the palate. It has a soft flavor entry and lands on midpalate with a hint of St. Joseph baby aspirin or what seems like orange muscat as well. Not your typical German or California riesling, somehow that softness translates to further upbeat acidity on the finish, which is brighter, sunnier and more refreshing than expected.

Admit it, you like chardonnay. Here are 14 worth trying Unoaked chardonnays are being found in greater numbers because enough consumers have been turned off by the vanilla and butterscotch flavors that come from oak barrels. Like similar unoaked wines, this Carmel Road is a better match with delicate foods, such as fish. From Monterey, the wine offers bright acidity and stone fruit flavors.

Cobalt dinner shines spotlight on chef's dishes, Monterey wine pairings To dine on splendid cuisine created by Cobalt Restaurant's executive chef Daniel Traimas while taking in the elegant restaurant’s ocean views is a treat. But to indulge in and learn about a Monterey winery’s varietals and blends at the same time is a unique experience to savor. About 30 lucky people attended the recent Carmel Road Wine Dinner featuring winemaker Kris Kato’s wines and a collaborative blend Kato created with actress Drew Barrymore. During the initial meet and greet, we were warmly welcomed by restaurant and hotel management’s Robert Graney and Awet Sium and learned about Kato and his partnership with Barrymore Wines. The comfortable informal conversations were enhanced by chilled glasses of Unoaked Chardonnay 2016. Barrels give wine texture and complexity but an unoaked wine is lighter-bodied with more fresh fruit flavors. We agreed the tropical, juicy pineapple notes made this wine very special. Our first course was lobster spring rolls with rice noodles, cucumber, and pickled veggies with peanut sauce. They were so delicious. The seared foie gras was creamy and smooth and was enjoyed with red onion jam on toasted challah. Both paired beautifully with the Chardonnay.

As part of an ongoing wine dinner series on June 7, Carmel Road Winery joined the Whaling Station Steakhouse for an exquisite meal paired carefully with its best varietals, those that Monterey County is known for: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir… The second course, a decadent salad topped with two blackened prawns, went along smoothly with Carmel Road’s 2015 East Bend Chardonnay–a juicy, apple-y and quite traditionally lovely Chard with just a hint of oak. The strong butter sat well with the well-spiced prawns and delicate dressing.

Screw cap. Dry, full bodied, and smoothly textured, this is an excellent unoaked Chardonnay. It has white peach, apple, candied lemon, and roasted nut aromas/flavors, good balance, and a lingering finish. 4 stars, excellent.

4/7

Grapes for Carmel Road wines come from cool-climate vineyards in the Santa Lucia Mountains, inland from Monterey’s rugged coastline. This flavorful unoaked Chardonnay is bright and youthful with fruit-forward aromas and flavors of peach and pear with balancing acidity on the finish.