Parisian Wine Bar Outing at DeTierra Vineyards Tasting Room in Carmel, California by Ruth Paget
I went out for an unexpected wine tasting at DeTierra Vineyards Wine Tasting Room in Carmel, California.
My husband Laurent and I were exchanging red DeTierra wines for whites, because our daughter Florence Paget is filming food content that mostly features chicken, seafood, and ham dishes. (You can find her videos on Instagram.)
DeTierra is so well organized that they can accommodate a serious taster like Laurent who was sampling DeTierra’s North Coast Brut champagne-method sparkling wine and me who drank a respectable pinot gris to participate in the tasting.
We ordered the cheese, charcuterie, and fruit board ($25) to go with the wine for a light lunch. I liked how this board was organized to appeal to tasters who like Italian, French, and English flavors with their wine.
This generous board was made up of:
-Genoa salami
-San Daniele prosciutto
-cheddar cheese
-brie cheese
-baby Swiss cheese
-whole wheat crackers
-fig jam
-grapes
As I sipped the pinot gris, I told Laurent I was reconnecting with my English heritage as I placed slices of brie cheese on top of the wheat crackers with the fig jam dolloped on top. This creamy, sweet combination did taste good with the mildly sour and refreshing flavor of the pinot gris. (Pinot gris is not as sour as a Portuguese vinho verde, but does have a pleasing sour taste that is good for quenching thirst on a hot day.)
The salty Genoa salami and prosciutto were a nice flavor contrast to the fig jam. The grapes freshened everything up. I liked the board very much, which was surprisingly filling.
We finished our lunch with a Cabernet franc wine used in the Bourguil and Chinon wines of the Touraine region in France.
I enjoyed our impromptu lunch around opening time when the tasting room was not full. DeTierra offers Napa worthy tastings, but it is a nice place to rest up while doing some Carmel business for locals as well. (Located at the corner of Mission and Fifth)
There is even a hidden passageway to the left of the entrance of the tasting room, so visitors can say they know of at least one Carmel secret passageway.
DeTierra's Wine Tasting Room allows you to have a Parisian wine bar experience without leaving California's Central Coast.
Happy Tasting!
By Ruth Paget
-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books
-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games
-developer of food and beverage knowledge games
-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center
-creator of French travel and culture games
-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs
-family genealogist
-developer of 9 music theory games
