If you’re up in Northern California looking for a place to taste some satisfying and affordable wines, Salinas Valley is a lovely and quiet alternative to the hullabaloo that is Napa. I enjoyed a very mellow afternoon exploring the valley that neighbors Carmel with two of my dearest friends Clare and Carley earlier this season. The three of us share a deep appreciation for the opportunity to dedicate a whole afternoon to the pursuit of delicious tasting stuff.
After a leisurely late morning drive from Carmel by the Sea, we indulged in tastings at a handful of wineries thanks to Clare’s thoughtful planning. Wrath Winery in particular is well worth noting for its ambience and service, and one I wouldn’t mind returning to soon. Wrath’s wine tastings are set in a cool and isolated modern building along the main road, surrounded by rows of their picturesque vines and overlooking a calming pond afloat with lily pads. Not too shabby.
We were delighted to be among the few visitors at Wrath that day, which is a relief for anyone who has had to elbow her way up to get a glass of wine at an overcrowded tasting bar. In addition to their generous pours, gracious service and humble attitude, I found the flight quite reasonable and the wines very yummy overall. The winning wine that day was definitely their Chardonnay, which tasted just like a giant bite of fruit!
Unsurprisingly, we couldn’t resist the offer of cheese pairings. For six bucks we scored a healthy portion of genuine “Monterey” Jack cheese (as in, it was actually made from the milk of cows grazing happily in Monterey, CA). As a bonus we got a hefty glob of quince paste and all you can eat crackers, which guaranteed our ability to put away the entire block of cheese. As if you ever doubted me.
After the wineries, Clare suggested we make a stop at The Farm - a local community education center and fresh produce market in Salinas Valley that she was curious about.
Once we finally figured out how to get to the Farm parking lot (a bit confusing) we enjoyed browsing their modest yet well crafted display of local produce inside.
Early summer bounty of course spelled out gorgeous bright green Asparagus loud and clear. This summer I’ve had asparagus in everything from a creative take on Tabouleh, to a warm soup puree, to piping hot off the BBQ! I have to admit, I’m sad to see slowly slipping out of season and look forward to its return next year when I plan to make lots more of that picnic-friendly Tabouleh!
Clare and I couldn’t resist taking home one of the Farm’s fresh baked fruit pies for dessert that night. The crust was soft, sugary and made a perfect pre-breakfast snack the next morning.
Carley’s big take away from the Farm was three baskets of ruby red strawberries that you could smell from a mile away. We snacked on them during the ride back and marveled at the unmistakeable flavor of a just picked berry.
Carley and I look forward to a (yet to be planned) berry picking excursion this summer, to be followed by our first lesson in jamming and canning. I can’t help but delight at the simple idea of taking the smells and flavors of early summer and capturing them in a jar to help brighten up a grey winter morning later this year.
