I could not possibly love Folktale Winery any more. The estate is situated on fifteen acres of sustainably-farmed vineyards just ten minutes outside of town in Carmel, California. The patio is beyond perfect to sip the day away. Imagine sipping the best rose you’ve ever had on comfortable couches in 70-degree weather, roses swaying in the breeze, killer playlist setting the tone. This is Folktale Winery.

Located 2-2.5 hours south of San Francisco and just five miles from the Pacific Coast, Folktale needs to be on every Carmel Things to Do list. The grounds are gorgeous, the wine is fantastic, and the food is to die for.  Here’s everything you need to know!

My friend Eric and I spent hours longer than we had anticipated at Folktale. We could hardly tear ourselves away to explore Monterey! First we had a glass of champagne upon arrival, then we enjoyed sparkling brut rosé on the patio. It’s a magenta pink and tasted like candy on my lips. This is hands down the best sparkling rosé I’ve ever had. I loved it so much, I shipped myself several bottles!

Next we toured the estate. Tours are $40 per guest (reservations are required so book in advance!) and include visits to the Vineyards, Barrel Room, and Rose Vineyard with a Folktale Tasting Flight on the patio following the tour. Tours last 45-60 minutes with the tasting to follow. I enjoyed seeing the barrel room set up for that night’s wedding. American oak and French oak barrels are stacked floor-to-ceiling on every wall with twinkling lights draped romantically over the center. The bride picked a beautiful date for a vineyard wedding!

The Rose Vineyard has roses at the end of every row of vines because roses are more sensitive than vines and can alert wine makers to potential problems before the vines are affected. It also makes for a beautiful vineyard! Conrad, our tour guide, told us all about the grapes grown on the property and even let us try a few varieties straight off the vine! I was surprised how tasty they were.

Next up we went inside the Cellar, where the fall harvest was being processed. It’s always a treat to see the wine making process! It’s such a blend between art and science and Conrad explained that Folktale’s winemaker loves to experiment with bold new combinations and methods.

Finally we settled on the patio for the tasting portion of our tour. We started with the Grenache Blanc, which Conrad explained as a “sleeper wine” due to its 14.1% alcohol content. It’s crystal clear with an easy-to-pair flavor. Next we had the 2017 Rosé, which tasted like nectarines to me. Next up was a highly drinkable Viognier with flavors of white peach. It has an amazing after taste. I enjoyed the Viognier so much that I ordered a few bottles to ship to Texas. The 2017 Grenache is sweeter and less bold than the first grenache we tried. The 2016 Pinot Noir we ended with would be perfect to pair with steak.

We decided to eat sometime during our tasting as we watched plate after plate of delectable dishes walk past us. Plan on eating at Folktale Winery. The food is amazing! We noshed on a charcuterie board, burrata with frybread, and deviled eggs with bacon jam. (Note: the menu is seasonal so offerings may change.) The frybread is insanely good. I was moaning. Pizza dough is fried up and served with marinated burrata with Meyer lemon, black garlic, and Calabrian chili oil, which really sends it over the edge. This is what food should be, especially when washed down with a glass of grenache blanc.

We really had the most magical experience at Folktale Winery. I can’t rave about it enough! If you’re ever on the Monterey peninsula and you love wine, visit Folktale and tell them The Rose Table sent you. No plans to visit California any time soon? Order Folktale Winery wines online here. I’ll be ordering their brut rosé for years to come!

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Happy sipping,

 

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Disclaimer:  This article is intended to be a general resource. Any recommendations are based on personal opinion. A portion of this trip may have been compensated but opinions are my own, always. I’m not a fan of negativity so if I don’t like something, I don’t write about it. I’m here to tell you about the best of the best!