From mountain slopes to valleys and downtown locations, wine venues abound in Monterey, Carmel and Santa Cruz. Both the quality and quantity of the region’s wine offerings were recognized by Wine Enthusiast, which included Monterey County in its 2013 list of the “Top Ten Wine Travel Destinations in the World.” Perhaps surprisingly, it was the only region in California named.
“Our climate is perfect for grapes, and we’ve long grown grapes for wineries throughout California, but in recent times there’s been a huge growth in wineries and tasting rooms,” says Tammy Blount, CEO of the Monterey County CVB.
Complementing the region’s wine production is its abundance of fresh produce and seafood, making wine pairing dinners a popular option for meeting groups, Blount adds.
Also home to a wide array of wineries and tasting rooms, Santa Cruz County offers plenty of wine-themed group options, according to Christina Glynn, communications director for the Santa Cruz Conference and Visitors Council (CVC).
The Monterey and Sana Cruz bureaus are good starting places to narrow down the many wine venue choices. Here are a few of the most group-friendly options.
A former 1918 sardine factory located on Monterey’s Cannery Row, A Taste of Monterey (www.atasteofmonterey.com) is an event-ready tasting room and shop showcasing local wines. The 4,000-square-foot facility offers expansive views of Monterey Bay and several winemaking and viticulture exhibits.
Wine-pairing dinners, wine-tasting receptions, wine seminars and team-building events are available. Its Meritage Mission divides attendees into “winery teams” that work together to produce the best Bordeaux-type blend, design a label and devise a catchy slogan for their wine.
In the oak-studded hills of Carmel Valley, Chateau Julien Wine Estate (www.chateaujulien.com) has been producing award-winning Merlot varietals for 30 years. Accommodating groups of up to 325, its venues include a banquet hall in a French-style chateau, a conservatory and two outdoor courtyards overlooking the vineyards.
Once part of a sprawling ranch dating from Mexican colonial days, Holman Ranch (www.holmanranch.com) is both a meeting venue and working winery in Carmel Valley. A Spanish-style stone hacienda offers several atmospheric event spaces, including the Great Room with beamed ceilings and a fireplace. The winery offers Dine in the Vine events, with tables set up in the vineyards and a presentation by the vintner.
Attendees can taste wines from local boutique wineries at Surf City Vintners (www.surfcityvintners.com), a collective of a dozen wineries in Santa Cruz’s hip Westside neighborhood near UC-Santa Cruz. Housed in a series of former warehouses that also includes shops, an organic market and Kelly’s French Bakery, vintners from small, family-owned wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains are on hand to share their wines.
“You can set up a wine-tasting event for groups at Surf City Vintners, where they can visit a dozen tasting rooms, all within an easy walk from each other,” the Santa Cruz CVC’s Glynn says.
Established in 1933, Bargetto Winery (www.bargetto.com) in Soquel is the oldest continuously operating winery in Santa Cruz County and one of the most popular for events. It offers both an outdoor courtyard overlooking Soquel Creek and historic wine cellars, both available for catered events.
