montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2025 105 SPECIALTY FOODS BEST LOCAL WHITE WINE Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc Bernardus 5 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley (800) 233-2533, bernardus.com The winemakers and vineyard managers at Bernardus select grapes based on terroir, knowing that the right plot of soil with the right climate will produce a winner. It’s like the difference between building on States Avenue or the Boardwalk. One will get you table wine, the other is Bernardus’ Sauvignon Blanc, with its zesty aromas and notions of lemon curd and tropical fruits over a bed of dried grass and herbs, with an aged minerality. This is winemaking for the Park Place set. BEST LOCAL RED WINE Wrath Pinot Noir Carmel Plaza, Mission and 7th, Carmel, (831) 620-1909 35801 Foothill Road, Soledad, (831) 678-2992 wrathwines.com Board game night isn’t complete without wine. But with so much to choose from in Monterey County, you might think it’s a bigger challenge to pick one out than winning an actual game. Thankfully, a winning suggestion for red wine comes from the Weekly’s readers. Nothing will delight players more, or temper any over-competitiveness than a contemplative glass of Pinot Noir from Wrath. Red fruit aromas and signature smoothness go down easy, even in the heat of play. BEST LOCAL ROSE Folktale Sparkling Rosé 8940 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley (831) 293-7500, folktalewinery.com Sometimes, you might really want to play a game of Bridge—spending hours deep in tricks, contracts and bids. At other times, nothing but the easy breezy fun of Go Fish will do. The same goes for wines. Folktale Winery’s consistently popular sparkling Rosé is made for fun—for afternoons in the sun, for gathering with friends, for carefree times. And sometimes that’s just what you need. BEST LOCAL BEER/BREWERY Alvarado Street Brewery 426 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 655-2337 Carmel Plaza, Ocean and Mission, Carmel. (831) 293-8621 301 Main St., Salinas. (831) 356-0219 asb.beer Imagine a game where everyone wins. No, we’re not talking about participation trophies—or are we? In its decade of brewing, Alvarado Street has won national awards. The beers rotate and the brewers are always coming up with new options, but they also produce well-loved signature beers, such as Monterey Beer and Mai Tai. And owner J.C. Hill is a master brewer (he’s got a degree, you know) who studied traditional Bavarian styles. So in the lineup of beers there is something for everyone, and it’s all very good. So yes, every beer drinker who participates wins. BEST CAPPUCCINO/LATTE Captain + Stoker 398 E. Franklin St., Monterey 206 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 901-3776, captainandstoker.com Before you can be fully ready to engage your chess opponent, you need to get your mind clear, sharp and focused. To do that, a cappuccino is a good idea—a smooth and pleasantly frothy way to soak up the strong espresso buzz with just the right amount of foam and warm steamed milk. At Captain + Stoker, the thoughtfulness starts even further upstream with the bean roasting phase. These are coffee people making drinks for coffee people. If you’re more of a chess person, just enjoy the winning buzz, perfect ratios and attentively prepared drinks. BEST SMOOTHIES Perfectly Pressed 961 W. Alisal St., Salinas, (831) 998-8770 491 Alvarado St., Monterey, (831) 747-1127 Carmel Plaza, Mission and 7th, Carmel, (831) 250-7873 perfectlypressedjuice.com What’s the most quintessential California experience? Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge? Catching a 49ers game in Santa Clara or a Dodgers game in L.A.? Watching surfers rip off Santa Cruz? Throw in an honorable mention for enjoying a fresh, local, organic smoothie or pressed juice anywhere in the Golden State. In Monterey County the best come from Perfectly Pressed, which now has locations in Salinas, Monterey and Carmel Plaza. Enjoy a “Carrot Top” or “Golden Glow” and know you’re doing it right. Best Bagel | Bagel Bakery
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