Carmel Wine Walk-by-the-Sea Tasting Room Tour - Part 1, Carmel, California

Carmel-by-the-Sea is home to 18 (at last count) wine tasting rooms. There are two ways to go about sampling the wares of Carmel's wine rooms. If you are in town for just a short time and do not plan on coming back, pick one or two that interest you from this two part blog post, drop in and enjoy.

If you are a local or come to Carmel often, the best deal is to purchase a Carmel Wine Walk Passport from the Visitor's Center on San Carlos between Fifth and Sixth.

The current cost of the Passport is $65.00 which entitles the buyer to one $10 flight of wine at nine of the fourteen tasting rooms listed on the passport. A flight of wine is either three, or four pours of about two ounces. Roughly one glass of wine in Italian speak.

Now I love wine, but after two glasses I am done for the day. So how does this Passport thing work if you don't, can't, or shouldn't drink all nine glasses in one day?

The good news is that the Passport does not have to be used all in one day. That's a relief. In fact as of now, there is no expiration date on the Passport.

So how do you use your Passport? Currently the Passports are issued in a handy business card holder with nine businesses card size passes. When you arrive at a wine room, present your pass. Ask the Bar Keep their suggestions and options for using the Passport. If you are stepping out with your significant other or a friend you may want to just use one pass but share one glass (three pours of three different wines) - yes you may do this. Less wine per person but you may each enjoy a taste, which honestly is what this is about. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).