montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 101 Specialty Foods Best Local White Wine Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc 5 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley (831) 298-8021, bernardus.com Chances are, in a duel between local wines, Bernardus wines would be victorious the majority of the time. According to Weekly readers, the crown jewel of white wines this year in a county that generates bottles that are arguably better—yes, we said what we said—than those grown in more famous regions like Napa and Sonoma, is a complex variety. Bernardus’ Sauvignon Blanc is grown in Griva Vineyard, located in the consistently sunny climes of Greenfield. A glass of Sauvignon Blanc is an expression of tropical fruits and fuzzy ripe peaches, enjoyed as an experience unto itself, or to heighten any dining experience. Best Local Red Wine Wrath Pinot Noir Mission between Ocean and 7th, Carmel (831) 620-1909 5801 Foothill Road, Soledad (831) 678-2992, wrathwines.com City folk’ll know the Carmel tasting room and country folks are familiar with the winery tasting room on River Road. And everyone knows that Wrath’s Pinot Noir reigns supreme in Monterey County. Wrath operates seven vineyards all within the county and makes Pinot Noir blends that showcase the personality of each of them. The wines range from the more complex blends with clonal blending and whole cluster fermentation to the EX series, which includes minimal handling. Head in for a tasting and experience a suggested flight or choose your own Pinot adventure for a sip of the best. Best Local Rosé Folktale Sparkling Rosé Folktale Winery, 8940 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley (831) 293-7500, folktalewinery.com We doubt Miss Kitty on the long-running TV show Gunsmoke was serving rosé at the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, but surely she would have enjoyed the pretty pink color and delightful bubbles of Folktale Winery’s sparkling rosé, even if her cowboy clientele stuck to whiskey. The cowboy palate accustomed to hard liquor probably wouldn’t be able to appreciate what the winery describes as “soft notes” of watermelon and kiwi, an elegant wine with a creamy texture and a bright finish. Maybe, if Miss Kitty had access to it, she would have packed a bottle of the sparkling rosé in the basket for a strictly platonic picnic with Marshall Matt Dillon. It’s the perfect bubbly beverage to enjoy with friends. Best Local Beer/Brewery Alvarado Street Brewery 426 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 655-2337 Carmel Plaza, Ocean Avenue and Mission Street, Carmel (831) 293-8621 301 Main St., Salinas (831) 356-0219, asb.beer If the history of the craft beer renaissance in Monterey County is ever written, it would begin with fatherson team John and J.C. Hill founding Alvarado Street Brewery in 2014. A decade later—and accolades that include several medals from the Great American Beer Festival—ASB remains on top of the pack with a wide variety of beers that offer something to please every palate, with a range of IPAs, the ever-popular lager Monterey Beer, sours and more. ASB even offers “Froth Water,” a zero-alcohol sparkling water with Citra and Mosaic hops for those who want the taste of hops without any octane. And they’re still pouring a decade later at the original downtown Monterey location, plus two more—all are always busy. Best Cappuccino/Latte Alta Bakery 502 Munras Ave., Monterey (831) 920-1018, altamonterey.com Life on the frontier meant drinking coffee straight up—gritty, unfiltered, and typically boiled over fire and served in a tin cup. Now, atop a creamy shot of espresso, we’ve figured out ways to add layers of hot milk with varying degrees of fluff. Science! We’ve come a long way, and the baristas at Alta Bakery have mastered the art of crafting your sweet coffee treats just the way you like them. As a bonus, you can sip them in the lovely historic garden out back. Best Smoothies Perfectly Pressed 491 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 747-1127 961 W. Alisal St., Salinas (831) 998-8770, perfectlypressedjuice. com Perfectly Pressed is on a mission to provide healthy beverages without preservatives from local purveyors of produce to break the cycle of snacking on ultra-processed foods. With two storefronts, one in Salinas and one in Monterey, their mission is coming to fruition, one Green Flash (coldpressed juice) and Matcha Mantra Best Gourmet Burger | Covey Grill at The Quail
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