winery name: Bernardus Winery (located in Carmel Valley) -tasting experience: 9/10, this is a winery where they simply value great wines w/ no frills that is now standard in napa. u get to leisurely enjoy the wine at this slower paced area and experience fantastic wines from the carmel valley AVA. tasting room is humble but best to enjoy the wines out on their front patio. has a family vibe, think napa in the 90s. -tasting $: $30 for 4 2 oz pours but they are generous, especially if u show interest in their vintage (~10 yr) marinus blend or santa lucia highlands pinot. incredible value compared to napa, w/o sacrificing wine quality. for pinot & chardonnay lovers, u must visit here. marinus has a velvety texture, w/ balanced tannins, akin to bordeaux style. -reservations: Yes, but walk-ins usually ok, call ahead, website sometimes isnt updated especially during holidays -membership: 9/10, 20-30% discount off of 3/6/12 bottle allocation shipped 2-3x per yr. min commitment ~$700 for one of the most underrated pinot/chardonnay/red blend. -revisit: Yes, easy drive down from the bay area, worth exploring the beautiful valley, with lots of resort/ranch style boutique hotels to stay over the weekend. 20 min drive to Carmel by the sea and Monterey bay.