On our first trip to Carmel, during one of our road trips to see some wineries, one of them that we stopped at was Heller Estates.  They had a charming tasting room, with some unique sculptures on the grounds, which I believe were made by one of the principals of the company, if memory serves me right.  I have to presume that the sculpture that is featured on the labels is by the same artist, as there slogan is “Dances On Your Palate.”

We did a tasting, for that was the reason for the road trip.  I am glad that I was able to secure some labels from the winery, while we were there, as some of the labels have been lost in the soaking process, from the impossible glue that they have to attach to the glass.  So some of the wines that we tasted are gone from my memory, but I will mention the wines that I can safely vouch for.

The first wine that we tried was a 1999 Chardonnay with a very unique sculpture that is used on all of their labels, a dancing couple.  This wine was very enjoyable and is one of the varietals that I think of when I think of this area.

The other wines that I have memories of were made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape.  The first wine that we tried was a Cachagua Cabernet Sauvignon 1999.  This is a region of the Carmel Valley and it means Hidden Springs.  The next wine we tried was a “Signature Release” Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 which I presume was the flagship wine that they were the most proud of, as I could not find my tasting notes from this winery.  The final wine that we tried was a Durney Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1994 and I know that we enjoyed this wine the most; as it was the wine we purchased the most of, from the trip there.

One thing about visiting the wineries in the Carmel Valley is that they tend to spread apart and you can work up another thirst, as you drive and look forward to the nest winery and tasting room, but it is a most enjoyable way to spend a day or two, or even a week at a time.