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Carmel Road Finds a Home Off Ocean Avenue B Y L A R RY H A R L A N D 192 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 wine notes Carmel Road winemaker Kris Kato and tasting room manager Christina Gray pour three different Pinot Noirs, a Chardonnay, a Riesling and a Barrymore Wines Pinot Grigio in the Ocean Avenue tasting room, which is located in the Pine Inn courtyard. Photo: Kelli Uldall J ess Stonestreet Jackson Jr. built a California wine empire, imprinting the Kendall-Jackson brand on the world wine landscape. Look closer though, and you learn the late wine magnate turned a Depression- era upbringing—with jobs from soda jerk to longshoreman to ambulance driver—into a successful law practice. While the Kendall-Jackson umbrella casts a large shadow, the collection of properties include smaller, single-vineyard wineries where a Jackson- inspired work ethic yields outstanding wines that close the gap between ultra-expensive premium labels and the bulk market. Carmel Road became one of Jackson's prized jewels in 1996. Wanting a vineyard between Napa to the north and Santa Maria to the south, Jackson (who died in 2011) fell upon a 400-acre plot in Arroyo Seco. The warmer southern stretch of Santa Lucia Highlands produces rich pinot noir, with a slice of land reserved for off-dry riesling. "I never got to meet him," says current Carmel Road winemaker Kris Kato, "but we hear all the time his mantra, to showcase the uniqueness of the properties, and make great wine barrel by barrel." Jackson's purchase of the Panorama Vineyard in 1996 set the stage for rich, concentrated fruit. The certified-sustainable vineyard is densely plant- ed, resulting in smaller grapes with a greater skin-to-juice ratio. Six differ- ent pinot noirs have distinct differences, but all are intense, complex and richly textured. These wines are sold and showcased at the tasting room in the Pine Inn courtyard in downtown Carmel. "It's been in the works for five years," says tasting room manager Christina Gray, who calls the space "cozy yet elegant." Open daily from 11am to 6 pm, the tasting room offers two flights, mix- ing Kato's Carmel Road offerings with Barrymore pinot grigio, a wine- making partnership with actress Drew Barrymore. In the end, Carmel Road boasts its share of cachet, but its roots are reflected in its tagline: "Where a tranquil state of mind meets artisan style." Carmel Road Tasting Room is located on Lincoln between Ocean and 6th, Carmel. For more info, call 831/624-1036 or visit www.carmelroad.com.