SEASIDE
WINE TASTING, ALLERGY-FRIENDLY DINING, AND WHALE-WATCHING UP NORTH BY NICOLLE MONICO
As Prince Harry’s Spare plays over the speakers, I get comfortable in the passenger seat for the first leg on the 101. Winding through vibrant green hills and thick forested mountains, we take every opportunity to film our view, like the true desert dwellers we are. Before long, we trade Harry’s breathy British accent for stand- up comedy radio. We're surrounded by a sea of emerald when we arrive at Holman Ranch Tasting Room . “We are the only ones [here] to do 100 percent estate, 100 percent Carmel Valley appellation,” says tasting room lead Giuseppe Cossu. I haven’t wanted to finish a white in years, but I could settle down with Holman’s light, dry, airy 2022 Pinot Gris. Cossu tells us that the winery is mostly supported by its members, online sales, and tasting room visits— you can’t find their wines in stores. (Though the owners
I
packed too many shoes. Beige wedges, brown platform sandals, black ankle boots, Nike sneakers, Rainbow flip-flops—you’d never know I’d be spending 16 hours out of my 72-hour vacation in a car. But that’s the beauty of a road trip, a whole backseat dedicated to soles.
It’s a Thursday night. My friend and I hit the road at 7 p.m., headed to the Malibu Beach Inn . We’ll set off for Monterey tomorrow. As we drive through LA, the cars push past us like
20-somethings gunning for the stage at a music festival. We’re no longer in SD. Nearing the hotel, we’re surrounded by heavy fog and discreet luxury. The 47-room property sits along Billionaire’s Beach. No need for my Sounds of the Ocean playlist—our suite is nearly touching the sea. The crashing waves lull us to sleep. In the morning, we scan the aisles at Whole Foods, wondering if we’ll bump into Miley Cyrus. She remains elusive, so we head to Blue Bottle for coffee.
do ship some to their fave restaurants in their hometown of Alabama.) Since they only release wines twice a year, they sell out quickly, so we savor what’s in our glasses. Later, we pass through pastures, towering tunnels formed by trees, and miles of new foliage to check in to Carmel Valley Ranch , about nine minutes outside of town. Situated on 500 acres of land, the ranch feels like a grown-up summer camp. The property features everything you could ever need: residential homes, a full- service spa, a golf course, hiking trails, three pools, an apiary, farm animals, organic
FUN FACT
Monterey’s famous Cannery Row was named after John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name, not the other way around.
7576 JULY 2023
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