Carmel Valley’s rack of tasting rooms has doubled in five years – plus Gallante and Cima Collina are about to uncork their own rooms and Silvestri is seriously considering it. A couple notes, before a look at the lineup: Remember that most places waive the tasting fee if you buy a bottle, and would love to sign you up for the wine club. The taste destinations are listed west to east (from closest to Carmel on out):


Boete Wines


Cabernet Sauvignon ($36) | Noon-5pm daily; $5 | 156 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley Hills Shopping Center | 625-5040 www.boetewinery.com

Chateau Julien Wine Estate


Private Reserve Merlot ($21) | 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11am-5pm Sat-Sun; $25/person | 8940 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley | 624-2600, www.chateaujulien.com

Heller Estate Organic Vineyards


2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($42) | 11am-5:30pm daily; $7/person (waived with a purchase of 2 bottles) | 69 W. Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley | 659-6220 www.hellerestate.com

Talbott


Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay ($40) | 11am-4:30pm daily; $7.50/six wines | 53 West Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley | 659-3500 www.talbottvineyards.com

Georis


2007 Georis Merlot ($50) | 11am-4:30pm Mon-Thu, 11am-6pm Fri-Sun; $20/five plus cheeses
 4 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley | 659-1050, www.georiswine.com

Carmel Hills Winery


2009 Gold Medal Pinot ($45) | Noon-5pm daily; $10 | In Lyonshead Gallery, 12 Del Fino Pl., Carmel Valley | 659-0750 www.carmelhillswinery.com


Chock Rock Vineyards


2009 Pinot Noir ($30) | 11:30am-5:30pm Thu-Mon; $5/five wines, $2/one1 Del Fino Pl., Carmel Valley | 659-7625 chockrockvineyards.com

Joullian Wines


2007 Sias Cuvee Zinfandel ($26) | 11am-5:30pm daily; $15 | 2 Village Dr., Carmel Valley | 659-8100, www.joullian.com

Boekenoogen


2007 Boekenoogen Santa Lucia Highland Estate Pinot Noir ($36, sold out) | 11am-5pm daily; $5/three, $7/five, $10/seven | 24 West Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley | 659-4215 www.boekenoogenwines.com

Bernardus


2007 Marinus Meritage ($28) | 11am-5pm daily $7.50/Tasting Fee (waived with a purchase of $75 or more), $15/Reserve Pour | 659-1900, www.bernardus.com

Chateau Sinnet


2005 Red Eyed Monkey ($24) | Noon-6pm daily; $7.50/person | 13746 Center Street, Carmel Valley | 659-2244, chateausinnet.com

Parsonage Winery


2009 Estate Syrah ($36) | 11am-5pm daily; $10/7 wines | 19 E. Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley | 659-7322, www.parsonagewine.com

Holman Ranch


2009 Pinot Noir ($30) | 11am-6pm daily; $5/4 wines | 19 E. Carmel Valley Rd. Suite C | 659-2640, www.holmanranch.com

Joyce Vineyards


2007 Russell’s Vineyard Estate Cabernet ($50)
11am-5pm Fri-Sun; $5/premium tasting (5 Monterey County wines); $7/estate tasting (4 Estate wines) | 19 E. Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley | 659-0312, joycevineyards.com

Chesebro Wines

Vermentino | 12pm-5pm Fri-Mon; $5/person | 19 East Carmel Valley Road | www.ChesebroWines.com

Silvestri Vineyards (opening March 1st 2012)

2007 Pinot Noir ($32) | 11am-5pm Thur-Sun; $7/standard tasting | 19 E. Carmel Valley Rd. Suite G | 659-1700, www.silvestrivineyards.com

Three ways to get there without driving:


Grapevine Express


888-678-2871, www.mst.org | $2/regular, $1/discount
The MST Carmel Valley Grapevine Express buses sippers from downtown Monterey through Carmel Valley’s wine corridor, making stops at four different tasting clusters. Buses circulate every hour.

Wine Trolley


624-1700, www.toursmonterey.com | $99/person, $225 and up/special packages
The trolley rolls out an all-inclusive five-hour guided tour, with big box lunches from Tarpy’s Roadhouse and wine tasting at at least five different venues. Packages also includes bottles of wine, cheese platters and specialty crackers between stops.

Ag Venture Tours & Consulting


761-8463, www.agventuretours.com | $60-70/half-day; $85-130/full-day
Ag Venture uses vans or a bus to visit multiple wineries on a full-day excursion or three wineries on a half-day trip. A wine-savvy guide answers questions and spouts off insider commentary along the way. Each excursion includes pickup and drop off, winery tours and vineyard walks, but doesn’t cover wine tasting and entry fees.