Bernardus Winery

Love! Love! Love! This place we have been coming here over 20 years. Wine is amazing! Service is amazing! Patio is cozy. A must visit! Don’t be afraid to ask questions

Delicious wines across all the spectrums. For white lovers, I highly recommend the Sauvignon Blanc, rosé, the Provence, and all of the reds I tried were delicious, particularly the Pinot Noir and especially the Bordeaux blend (so delicious). The staff are wonderful and they even had a phenomenal singer/guitarist serenading us all as we sat and drank insanely delicious wine. I am definitely coming back!

This was a very amazing place to wine taste. There was so many good experiences that were 5+ stars. They have 5 Chardonnays, 7 Pinot Noirs, and more just in their printed menu. There are a few areas to taste inside and out. Besides the great friendly service, our favorite part was the style of wine. A little fruit forward, very smooth and all drinkable on its own. Highly recommend the trip out to the best wine experience in Carmel Valley.

Avoid Bernardus Hotel – Overpriced, Underwhelming, and Not Worth the Hype We stayed at Bernardus Hotel for one night to celebrate my birthday and my wife’s baby moon. What should have been a special, relaxing experience turned out to be a massive letdown. Yes, the grounds and ambiance are beautiful—but don’t be fooled. The service? Barely 2 stars, and that’s being generous. Let’s start with the spa. We booked 50-minute massages and asked to extend them to 90 minutes while en route. We were told they couldn’t accommodate because there were appointments right after us. Fair enough—except no one used the massage room after we left. Suspicious. We asked to check in early (and were willing to pay for it) but were denied right as we arrived. At check-in, they offered us a glass of wine—nice gesture—except they never actually gave us any. Just…forgot? Then the valet. We specifically asked him to bring in my wife’s Yeti water bottle (she’s pregnant and didn’t want to carry it around). He assured us he would—but of course, it never showed up with the luggage. And those massages? We were charged a staggering $680 for two 50-minute sessions that were easily the worst we’ve ever had. My “deep tissue” massage had no pressure at all, and my wife’s prenatal massage was essentially an oil rub. No real technique, no relaxation, no skill—just a waste of time and money. It honestly made us wonder if these massage therapists were even licensed. Staff were generally friendly but not the least bit proactive or accommodating. There’s clearly no focus on customer experience here—everyone we encountered seemed indifferent and undertrained. When we finally got to our room, we were greeted with a small plate of dried fruit and two macarons. Nice touch—but when we tried to order more macarons through room service (they weren’t on the menu), we were told “no,” but that they could bring us cookies instead. What kind of luxury hotel can’t offer more of a basic amenity they already gave us in the room? This stay cost us nearly $1,400 (yes, one night + two massages), and what we got was a below-average experience at best. Food was okay—nothing memorable. Service was unpolished and inconsistent. For a property that markets itself as upscale and charges accordingly, they completely miss the mark. If you’re thinking about staying here—don’t. There are plenty of other places in Carmel Valley that actually understand hospitality. Bernardus is a textbook example of style over substance. Huge disappointment.

Bernardus Winery is absolutely one of our favorites in the Carmel Valley. If you are in the area this stop is a must. Their tasting room is a former Bank of America location that was thoughtfully and beautifully remodeled. The staff here are extremely friendly and knowledgeable of the wines they have available. We were delighted by the entire tasting and ended up grabbing a bottle of the Marinus to take home!

We stumbled upon Bernardus Winery during our 2-day stay at Carmel Valley. We went in on Day 1 to ask for info on wine tasting. We came out a few hours later after tasting 4 different types of wine: Rose, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Marinus Bordeaux Blend ($30/person) We sat in comfy chairs in the patio area. Very relaxing latmosphere for wine tasting particularly on a warm September day. Staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. They allowed us ample time to enjoy each wine before introducing the next one. We like the Marinus Bordeaux Blend 2015 so much we even bought a bottle! We totally enjoyed our wine tasting experience. Thank you Rouark for looking after us so well. Highly recommended if you are in the area.

I seldom rate unless extremely impacted. Staff were awful. Man with the tiny glasses could not have been more unfriendly. Never got to taste.

Enjoyed a birthday kickoff wine tasting at Bernardus for a friend - a beautiful setting, terrific wines, a knowledgeable host in a young man named Roarke. 🍷 Highly recommend as a fun gathering spot for friends and great wine!

Our group visited several wineries in Carmel Valley on Saturday. We all ranked Bernardus as the best overall experience. The venue is very nice, both the outdoor and indoors. As it was chilly, we sat indoors in a private room which was very comfortable. We had scheduled an appointment, which is advisable, as it is a popular winery. We were quickly seated and served our first glass of wine. The tasting pours were generous and we tried quite a few of their wines. The service was excellent; friendly, informative and catered the the many preferences of our group. The wines were very good, notably the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir received rave reviews from our group. Overall, a great day and I would highly recommend a visit. Be sure to make reservations to assure the best experience.

Bernardus is both a winery and a beautiful resort. We had considered staying at their resort located not far from their Carmel Valley tasting room, but opted to stay closer to the ocean and downtown. But we knew that we wanted to try their wines regardless. Let's start at the beginning, which was quite frustrating. I made a reservations several days in advance on Tok. We were just down the road at another tasting room when noticed we would likely be 5 minutes late. I called the tasting room several times and no one answered. I checked their website and there was some conflicting information about if they were open that day. We noticed nobody in the parking lot as we drove by and became a little concerned that perhaps they had closed early. We decided to go visit anyways and we are so glad we did. There was one server, one other couple tasting, and a member picking up. The server seemed a bit stressed and frantic, so we did our best to make it easy on her. I noticed the review on 7/27 said something about no dogs, however we brought our small beagle and there was nothing said about this to us. The sever even brought out a water dish for her. I too, would be frustrated if that were my experience. The tasting space was unique in that it was an old Bank of America building. As evident by the overnight drop box. Kind of cool! They've created a nice outdoor patio with plenty of umbrellas and seating. It was quite enjoyable outside. The wines were pretty nice, mostly from the Santa Lucia Highlands and surrounding Monterey County AVA's. We were treated to two different Rose's on arrival, which were having a bottle sale. We're always looking for a good pool wine and these definitely did the trick. Especially at price of under $20/ bottle. We were able to do a few side by side tastings which were pleasant. And even given a few off-menu splashes. We left with several bottles, mostly because we shoot for the waived tasting fee. But also because we love having bottles to reminisce on trips. Their price points were also great. While Bernardus was not my absolute favorite on this trip, I would still return to try some of their Pinot Noirs.

Ambiance: Winery Perfect for casual wine tasting, but not ideal if you're hoping for the vineyard experience. Service: Good Our server was very attentive and super bubbly. She went through the wine list and gave her honest opinions on flavors and parings. Wine: Good Their selection of wine was good. I personally prefer fuller body and new age wine. But it is a great for people who have a palette for lighter wines. I loved their chardonnay- tastes like candy! Parking: Street

Friendly, accommodating and intelligent gentleman greeted us during the week. WE LOVED our short experience and purchased some Bordeaux - Thank you for your warmth - Jim & Jeannie

Stayed the weekend in the area for a friend's bday and wanted to do at least one wine tasting. We stopped in and were met with similes and friendly faces. We had a dog so we got seated on the patio and got to drinking. The guys who were working that day were great. Lovely lads. We ended up getting a bottle of red to go and had a great time. Would recommend!

Although we checked (too far in advance, a few months) we were not allowed in with our dog. We were told that dogs are no longer allowed on the patio or on the premises due to too many incidents. At this point, not a dog friendly establishment (unless your dog is a service dog). We were so looking forward to this experience. We will not ever be back.

I came here for a tasting on a Saturday. I ended up leaving with a bottle of Chardonnay. This is definitely a winery for those who like the lighter wines. The price for wine tasting was pretty hefty. I bought a $50 bottle of wine and my checkout for tasting + bottle was $95. I guess I've been spoiled in Sonoma where the purchase of a bottle waves your tasting fee. Servers were great through! The drive out to this winery is absolutely stunning.

My friend and I came for some wine tasting. We had a lovely time, great service and all around good time. That was all dampened by the fact that they charged my cc twice and when I called them Three times, they never bothered to return my call. This is no way to conduct business. They did finally remove the second charge. But come on a return call would have been nice.

Bernardus has been my go to winery for the past couple years, and I will never stop returning. I have had a wonderful experience each time and always recommend Bernardus first when asked about wineries in the Valley. I highly recommended not only because of the kind staff and tasty wines, but also for the ambience. The outdoor seating is perfect and isn't too fancy. Philip is extremely knowledgeable and friendly, he has been the highlight of each visit.

Joined the club on a tour, ordered wine six months ago. Never received the wine, no one answers the phone, left message and they won't return my call. We live in Campbell, supposed to have it mailed the wine. Now we are forced to make a trip because they won't communicate. Terrible business. Never experienced this from a winery before. Very disappointed.

This was the second tasting room of our trip. We were served right away! Phillip helped us out, and was great. Him and the rest of the hosts were very friendly and quick to serve and start up a quick conversation. There were a lot of people here, before us and while we were here- so they were busy for a Friday afternoon. It was also a bit loud inside, but it was our second tasting room of the day, so it didn't bug me that much. :) I could see though how it could bother some folks. Luckily, they have multiple seating options both in and outdoors. I was impressed with all the options that they had for sitting areas. There was a private room with a long table that could sit about 10-12 people for a more "private" tasting. Next to that there was a couple of couches that looked like a living room. Then of course the tasting room area with a counter, no bar stools. One table with 4 bar stools. Then outside they had a large patio. That caught my attention, that they were able to accommodate a lot of parties. The wine was good too. A Good mix of reds and whites. We had a complimentary tasting here with our stay with one of the local lodges. We were supposed to get the "basic" tasting, and Phillip ended up letting us taste some of the more expensive wines, which was fun. Pour sizes were generous. Another friendly plus was that as my friend and I were attempting to take selfies outside, Phillip came running out to our rescue to take a real picture for us. It was very kind of him. So if your party needs this, ask and I'm sure they would be willing to accommodate. They have their barrels set up very nicely out front and it makes a great photo! A good choice to stop if you are in the Carmel Valley.

Went here with my girl. Staff was very friendly and even gave us an extra pour of something not present on the menu. Very tight and cozy inside. Wines are very much cool climate style, high acid!!! Chardonnay was my favorite. Pinot was decent. The red Bordeaux style blend just wasn't well made, not the right site and climate for those varieties around there. As I stated staff was awesome and they recommended some places nearby for lunch. Ended up buying bottles of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to tuck away for a few years. Worth a visit but their wines are all over Carmel and Monterey shops too!

We have never heard of this Winery in Carmel before visiting for a tasting. The experience was wonderful! The wines we tasted were excellent leading us to buying numerous bottles of our favorites (and joining their wine club). In addition to the excellent wine tasting we have to shout out to Roark and Philip who were our experts teaching us about their wonderful wines. They are knowledgeable, friendly, professional and humorous which we just loved! Our experience was so enhanced by these two gentlemen and we are grateful for meeting them. We'll be seeing them in March.

The staff are pleasant and the environment is welcoming. I highly recommend tasting here when you are in the valley.

Was staying at the Bernardus lodge and they mentioned showing them your room key can get you a complimentary tasting ... 2 whites (sauvignon blanc and chardonnay) and 2 reds (pinot noir and their flagship wine). their reds were big and delicious. Next time will do an all red tasting. This place was packed, I mean full house both inside and finding a place to park. But it's worth it. The people there are so nice, knowledge of wines but not pretentious and willing to educate and accommodate depending on your wine preference. We also ordered a cheese and charcuterie plate which was generous, delightful and hit the spot. Some hard cheese (cheddar and manchego), some soft cheeses (brie and perhaps goat in a olive oil/garlic mix) and a wonderful blue cheese. Multiple types of salami and two different types of cured meats. The place was fun, the wines memorable, the food tasty and the people awesome. Loved it!

Incredible; we did a walk of the vineyard with Matt the vineyard manager who gave us a complete tour and history of the property from when it started through today, and did a beautiful tasting in the middle of the vines on a stunning day. Absolutely wonderful and we cannot wait to be back! Oh and the wines were simply delicious!

We were excited to try this winery and both us and our family arrived separately at the site a bit early. It was about 10:50 am and we decided to sit at the patio and catch up until it opened at 11am. An employee came out and was extremely rude and told us we were being very disrespectful to sit there before they opened. We moved to our cars and waited until 11 to still see if we could make the visit work but at about 11:10am, another employee said they weren't going to open until 1pm for some unknown reason. We visited 2 other wineries that day and joined both their memberships. Have been to many wineries but never experienced such anger and bad will from a winery employee. Will never visit this place again and am surprised they receive any guests.

went for wine tasting on a Friday and patio was lovely and nearly full. server was not informative; tasting was $30/person and she disappeared after the Chardonnay. Left and told no one! Found Sally, who completed our service; was very knowledgeable, but had too many to handle. Note to all: shush your loud talkers who get louder as they drink and please don't bring toddlers to a winery. Dogs are welcome! Probably one of the worst "tastings" out of nearly 100 partly due to wine, mostly to bad service, partly to rude guests.

We had a lovely afternoon tasting. We didn't have a reservation but they still fit us in. Sally was fantastic, very knowledgeable and engaging. I learned so much about malolactic fermentation and why the wines that have more of that provide my fav buttery warm Chardonnay flavor.

We stopped in after a day of driving up and down Highway 1. We didn't stop in many tasting rooms on our trip, but this one was right on the way out of town right as we cut across the middle of nowhere to get back to the 101. There is a lodge in town with the same name that was sold a few years back so they are no longer connected. $12 for a tasting flight of four wines is a bit steep, but after a day of hairpin turns I needed a break. There are plenty of other tasting options and this is just the one we rolled with. We came in not long before closing time so we made it pretty quick as the sun was starting to set. The room had another couple in it and we didn't get the most personalized experience as the attendant would pour our samples and then walk away to talk to some guy about the register not working correctly, but I didn't mind much as we wanted to taste and hit the road. The wines were good. Highlighted by the 2014 Pinot. Fruity, good nose. Overall, a solid wine. The town of Carmel Valley has an abundance of tasting rooms do you have plenty of options. Bernardus was a good choice.

Lovely area to sit and enjoy outside. Tasting fee $12. One tasting fee refunded for every $75 spent on additional purchases Served with crackers too 1st taste: 2016 Griva Sauvignon Blanc. $24 2nd taste: 2015 Monterey County Chardonnay $25 3rd taste: 2014 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir $35 4th taste: 2010 Marinus - Flagship Wine $65 served with chocolate covered coffee beans.

I didn't realize until checking in @ the Bernardus Lodge that you could get access to the winery, just down the road, complimentary. While staying on the property, I fell in love with the sauvignon blanc (mind you, I don't consume much wine). My gf did too. It was her call to check out the winery, and I am glad we did! We pulled up a little after noon today, and were delighted to see a few cars out front. It is nestled right in the middle of Carmel Valley Village, which almost reminds me of a small scale old town Temecula (in terms of architecture). That's a good thing, because I enjoyed that place as well. We went in (we saw a water bowl outside, but wasn't sure if it was pup friendly or not. After reading reviews, it looks like it is!), and we were greeted. They handed us lists of different tastings. When we said we were from the lodge, they apologized, and got us the Lodge tasting menu. There were 4 different types- the sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, and the flagship "Marinus". Believe it or not, I enjoyed all four of the wines. It was also nice to hear stories of one of the (not sure if he was but I will call him one anyway) sommeliers came from the CIA in Hyde Park in New York, and made it out west. It made me briefly miss my days of culinary school. Anywho, the property is quiet, beautiful, and friendly. The wine was great and the time we spent was well worth it. There is plenty of seating around, with rooms and patios nearby. They have more than just wine for sale (wine related items, chocolates, and things of that nature). They also have a wine club. Not sure what it entails, but I should definitely look into it. Cheers to wonderful wine for breakfast!

I ordered wine to be shipped from Bernardus Winery in April 2021. The wine did not arrive and I called. Someone answered the phone and said someone from the Winery would return my call. I did not receive a return call. I tried a second time with the same result. I sent emails and guess what? No reply. I sent a letter in the US mail. Once again, no reply. A few weeks ago, I sent another email. This time I got a reply. It said my email had been blocked by the recipient. Not sure where to go from here.

Bernardus Winery Lori Brake It's really too bad.The customer service is horrible! We visited from out of town a month ago. Our experience at the tasting room was fantastic. The wine is wonderful. We purchased 6 bottles of wine to be shipped to us for Thanksgiving, and joined the wine club. We were given a ship date and date to expect delivery. When nothing arrived we called 5 separate times and left detailed voice messages, asking them to please call us back. We heard nothing. On the day before Thanksgiving I emailed them, and the reply was simply that they were short staffed and busy, and what do I want to do. At that point we decided that we no longer wanted to purchase the wine or be in the club. When I emailed, letting them know how disappointed we were in their customer service and that we would have understood the delay had they contacted us to let us know, the assistant manager replied that I was an unforgiving person and to never contact them again. I forwarded the message to the manager, explaining again that we loved their wine but because of their customer service we would not be buying from them. She apologized and said she would get to the bottom of this, and get back to me. I replied that I would appreciate that. It's been another week, and no response. Silence. Don't buy wine to be shipped or join their club. Don't expect any sort of customer service. They are totally unprofessional.

Best wine tasting experience on the entire west coast! The only winery where both whites and reds are equally phenomenal! The staff is absolutely amazing and incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating to allow you to taste literally every wine on the menu! Sally, Collin, Steve, and Naomi made the experience! Each of them catered to us making us feel that they genuinely appreciated us visiting the winery! We can't wait to come back and visit again! This is a wine experience you will only find here!

The tasting sizes here are very generous and the wine is delicious! We came here for our honeymoon and they gave us two free small bottles of wine! The patio is adorable and cozy. I definitely recommend this place!

Marinus is one of my favorite wines I have ever had. Taste A Dream is their slogan and you surely will if you try some of their wines. The tasting room has a nice outdoor patio and the staff is always very friendly and knowledgable. Bernardus is a must if you are visiting Carmel Valley.

After a beautiful day along the Monterey Coast we turned inland to head back to Buellton and there were several quaint tasting rooms along the main drag of this little town in the valley. Overall the wines were very nice but it's getting a 3-Star as the service was lacking, big time. I felt like we were an afterthought or in the way. Granted it was getting late in the afternoon but it wasn't like they were swamped with people. Perhaps because we were only sharing a tasting and not buying a case of wine like the older couple at the other tasting bar. At one point the gal serving us seemed to express a staffing issue to another gentleman working there, and there may have been a register issue too. I know we all have our bad days. Nevertheless, that part all turned me off, who knows maybe we would have considered a larger purchase?! They do get high points for their, 2016 Griva Sauvignon, it was one of the better ones I had on the trip. Their 2014 Monterey Co. Chardonnay, our server said they've been making for 28 yrs, it gets 92 pts on Wine Enthusiast and I enjoyed it too, scoring high marks for me!! Finally, if all the wines we tried here of the reds, really enjoyed the 2014 St. Lucia, a yummy jammy

Pros: Quickly served. Nice sized pours. Friendly helpers. Tasty Chardonnays. Cons: Expensive tasting. Have to spend $75 for tasting to be waived. Personally, I didn't care much for the $125 red blend. I've had much better for much less. Helpers spent more time emptying boxes and moving product around then spending with patrons. Very loud small tasting room. Last impression: I have been to a lot of tasting rooms, mainly in Paso and SLO, this one was a 5 out of 10.

In essence, science is a perpetual search for an intelligent and integrated comprehension of the world we live in -- Cornelius Bernardus Van Neil Part #1 of 8 Carmel Valley tasting room experiences I have no comprehension for what occurred yesterday at this winery. Bernardus Winery is one of the most recognized names in the Monterey area. Besides the winery, the owner Ben Pon operates a highly regarded lodge and rstaurant in the area. He appears to be an interesting man who raced Porches when he was younger, participated in the Olympics as a skeet shooter and operated a wine distribution firm in Holland. But his staff either have no common sense or are lacking basic human empathy. This was our second visit during a second tour of the Carmel valley wine area. It was a stop I missed last summer but wanted to rectify it on this go around. My Monterey Yelp friend who went with me last year joined me again for the day's winery hopping. We entered a crowded tasting room but found a spot at the corner of the longer bar. There are two types of tastings, one standard and one premium. As I wanted to try the SB and the Marinus, we opted for core as they were both on that tasting. We both hate crowds so we tasted outside on the lovely patio. For some strange reason we were the only ones outside on such a lovely day. The first wine was the SB and it was quite lovely. A nice grassy acidity makes this a lovely sipping wine and perfect for summer. You can generally find this for $11.99 to $15.99 in stores so do not buy it direct from winery at $18 I went inside to get next taste...went back to corner of bar...put down glasses...and saw a man lying on ground who had collapsed and was being attended to by either his companions or other wine tasters. his eyes were closed. It looked like he was fading away. Shaken, I went outside without wine and started to tell my friend the story. We went back inside, a bit unsure as paramedics arrived. They were working on him in the corner right where we had started this visit. Now the surreal part: everyone else kept drinking!!!! Here is this guy with paramedics around him and no one stopped what they were doing. I walked up to the bar and said: "I thought you'd guys would be closing." Cheerfully, the young girl filled our glasses with Chardonnay and stated "Of course not. Here is your next taste." People looked at me like I was weird for even mentioning the guy who may or may not be dying 5 feet away from me. We walked outside...put the glasses down in complete disbelief. "Why wouldn't they at least shut the tasting room and have everyone outside why the guy gets worked on?" My friend stated: "Geez, give the man some space and privacy. That's terrible! I can't finish tasting here." It certainly gave us a bad feeling not only to drink wine, but also of the winery itself. We didn't continue and just left our glasses and drove down the street to a different tasting room. I'm still in complete shock the winery didn't close off the area while the paramedics were there. I assume everything turned out okay because I see no news reports of a man dying in a Carmel Valley tasting room but still. It seemed rather cold and heartless; yet another example of how commerce (Sell more wine!) is what our souls are made of these days instead of basic human decency. And what it says about those people in the crowded tasting room continuing to drink while a man laid on the floor in medical distress is even more appalling. Is that the customer who drinks Bernardus wines? I won't visit here again and I can do without the lovely SB. Not recommended especially if you want to taste without witnessing someone receiving medical assistance or if you want to taste with wine drinkers who have a heart.

This review is only for the reds - didn't try the white wines. Good winery overall for reds but not 5-star, especially for the price. One of the Pinots was amazing (the Pisoni, in which they source from Gary Pisoni). But the others weren't up to the same par and were overpriced. It's a very popular place, so crowded, but the service was excellent and very generous. Plus they have crackers, such a small thing but key when you've been tasting all day. Thanks to Brigid who was a great host there.

Hmm... there is really nothing that stood up to write about this winery. Tasting room was okay but really no charactor, and the guy who was poring wine was not really informative either. I personally am oppose to pay to taste, but heck I was there already why not pay $10 to taste, right? I usually don't prefer Pinot, but out of the wine I tasted Pinot was the only wine that I would pay to drink again, and oh the wine is pretty pricy too. There are gazillions of wineries in California which has more personality and tasty wine with much more affordable price, I finished my $10 wine tasting and moved on quickly.

Bernardus is one of my favorite tasting rooms in Carmel Valley. The wines are good and the staff is friendly. The tastings are on the inexpensive side, $7.50 for a regular tasting and $15 for the reserve. They have a couple of Sauvignon Blancs, several Chardonnays, a few Pinot Noirs, and a couple of blends. They're all well-made wines, but none impressed me until the 2006 Signature Marinus. It's full of tannins and spice and ages well. If you're in Carmel Valley, Bernardus is a must-stop.

One of the better wineries in the area, in my opinion. Loved the tasting room and the stories about the late owner. All wines we tried were great. We went when there weren't a lot of people, but I can see how it can get very crowded very quickly!

When I first walked in here, I thought it was going to be a a super high end snobby place since they own that fancy pants lodge nearby, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a Saturday afternoon and we easily found a spot at the smaller bar area for a tasting. They offer two kids of tastings, the Core for $12 and the Signature for $20. Since this was my 3rd stop already, I went for the $12 tasting. The Sauvignon Blanc was good, the Chardonnay better, the Pinot was fantastic, and best of all was the 2011 Marinus. OMG that blend was delicious. A light full bodied red with a great end. I could drink this stuff all day everyday. Phillip poured our tastings and was very light hearted and fun. We enjoyed our time here and I will definitely be back.

Great wines, awesome grounds... Excellent location... A must-stop on the Carmel Valley wine corridor...

Going into this Wine Trolley tour we were taking, we (all 4 of us) were excited that Bernardus was an option because we love the main lodge/venue because of its beauty and its landscape. This was our second stop on the tour and I must say, originally I was excited, but after visiting here, I wouldn't have chosen at all to go here. The people were rude upon our arrival and did not pay any sort of attention to us, which I found amazing considering we were the only people in the establishment. We sampled 4 different wines, but I was so disappointed with the aura the staff was giving off that it really put me off for the entire experience. I was really looking forward to sampling their wines and learning a little bit about the grapes, growth, etc, but I did not learn a thing because no one spoke to us. Seeing as it is supposedly the "finest" winery in the area, but they can barely welcome you through the door? I was exceptionally disappointed in Bernardus and would not return in the event I visit the Valley for wine tours again.

Fantastic experience from start to finish! Staff was knowledgeable about the wines and did a fantastic job conducting the tasting. We opted for the Signature tasting at $20 for four wines mainly because we wanted to try the reserve Marinus. Bonus - as the person who conducted our tasting also offered us a taste of a lovely rose and an additional pinot noir as well as an earlier vintage of the Marinus. I was impressed as I enjoyed every wine in the tasting. My favorites were the sauvignon blanc and of course the Marinus. The sauvignon blanc was crisp, fruity and would be wonderful to sip on the deck on a warmer day. The Marinus was full and lush - a wonderful Bordeaux style blend. As we were deciding on a bottle to take home, we were told about their close out deals and ended up with an earlier vintage Marinus and Parrot Ranch cabernet sauvignon. I can say that both of these wines were also delicious. The earlier vintage Marinus was a bit smokier and the cabernet was light with hints of fruit, but not overly jammy. Bernadus also carries whimsical art prints by Will Bullas. One of these made its way home with me as well. They were kind enough to comp the tasting fees with the purchases we made. We will definitely visit again!

A tale of 2 wineries. Bookenoogen - awesome wine, awesome service. Bernardus - terrible wine, terrible service. I understand the challenges businesses are having during COVID but angry, non-communicative service and terrible wine can't overcome - pandemic or not. A lot of wineries are doing it right. Bernardus isn't.

Stopped in for a tasting. Kid and dog friendly. They have a cute patio sometimes with a band. The patio was full so we found a table by the front door. The wines we nothing to rave about. They tend to focus more on dark reds. The place was packed and understaffed. Had to literally flag one of the employees down to pay. Wont be back

Very simple place. The staff was very friendly. My wife had the "Vault" flights and I the " Marinus". The pours were very generous and we enjoyed all of them except the Chardonnay. It was dry by design, so if that's how u like your chard's you can't go wrong. This place is a must try when in the valley.

Was going to a different winery, but saw Bernardus and had to stop because I simply love their Pinots. As a first time wine taster, I definitely left Bernardus knowing I made the right decision. Right when I walked in I was greeted by a very welcoming staff, and was accommodated as soon as they had a moment. We decided on the Pinot Noir flight (obviously!!!) Although I love tasting wine, I also have a interest of simply learning about it as well. This is why I decided to write my review: Bridget. She was VERY INFORMATIVE!!! Any questions I had, she answered. She even gave me a map of the wine and where the grapes are grown. Whenever I came in from the patio for a new glass, she was ready to inform of the new wine we were trying and even offered and suggested more wines and winery's to try in Carmel Valley. I am so excited to continue my wine tasting journey, and will most definitely be back to see Bridget and the rest of the staff at Bernardus.

Someone used the word 'lively' below to describe this place and I would agree with this. When we came in the tasting area was packed but it only took a few seconds for the staff to make eye contact with us and show us an area where we can get started on our tasting. Very welcoming. Throughout our tasting the staff kinda kept us all entertained. The place wasn't that big which sort of allows you to have one big tasting group of strangers where you can listen in on everyone's questions and the answers from the staff. The staff was funny/witty and made sure everyone was having a good time...kinda like a party. This was the vibe I got when I visited and the staff totally did a good job of setting this vibe. I took a star off because there is only so much 'party' I can take. I'm an old lady party pooper who likes to enjoy her wine in peace. As for the wines...I love white wines and their chardonnay was yummy here. My husband prefers sauvignon blancs; the staff let him taste the Griva (which was really cool of them since it wasn't on our tasting list). He really liked that one and we ended up getting a bottle.

This place was ONE of my best experiences of Wineries I've ever been to?!!! The dynamics of this tasting room showed their unique personalities with ALL that work behind the bar! I was belly laughing over Greg's one liners while he poured, and as Philip explained the informative part of the wines we were tasting. Great combo!!!! All of us tasters on the other side of the counter had sooooo much fun!! Thanks for the great time!! This is a MUST hit! All their wines had personalities that also shined! Whites, Reds.... A splendor in the park!

Our favorite tasting room in Carmel Valley. Their Chardonnays are the best. Don't mess around just go for the Chardonnay flight.

My family and I had so much fun here! Miranda was so friendly and welcoming. She guided us through our wine tasting with such great energy. The wines are my favorite in Carmel Valley. We especially loved the Griva Sauvignon Blanc and the Rosella Pinot

My wife and I visited the tasting room in Carmel Valley for the first time as Bernardus is one of the few wineries we know of in Monterey County. We had a previous visit to their tasting room in downtown Carmel a few years back. The Tasting room was bland and gloomy, but there appeared to be a pleasant outside seating area. There are 4 different tastings, core whites, core reds at $12; signature whites and signature reds for $20. From the start of our experience (Phillip) came across as pompous. We asked if we could sit outside and he replied the outside seating was closed because it was raining (although it was cloudy it didn't rain one drop during our 5 hour visit in the valley). He did however state we could sit on a bench at the entrance facing the parking lot. Wow really? I didn't come to beautiful Carmel Valley to look at a parking lot. On to the wines. Don't bother with the core flights, as they all pretty much acidic and very blunt finishes. Hardly a hint of fruit, just alcohol and acid. The only wine that came close to having potential but probably still lacked age was the 2010 Estate Marinus. Taylor seemed to have noticed Phillip's indifference and engaged us at a more in depth conversation and information on their wines. We cut or tasting by pouring most of them in the dump bucket. We purchased a 2012 Estate Chardonnay ($40) and hoping for the tasting fees be waved which is almost standard practice anywhere in Napa, but alas not unless you spend over $75.While exiting we noticed several people walking from the outside seating area. We ended up having a great time at the Cowgirl Winery a block away, enjoying a bottle of their 2012 Cabernet; bold, full bodied with blackberry tones yum! Night and day on the service and atmosphere. I guess that is why Bernardus was empty and Cowgirl was full.

That was my worst wine tasting in 20+ years. Our server was too busy texting on his phone and we felt almost guilty for distracting him and trying to get some service. I work at the tasting room myself and can't imagine treating guests this way. We had to leave and go to another winery where our business was welcome. The sad thing is that we love Bernardus wines and were looking forward to the this visit.

We had a reserve tasting with Phillip and he was the BEST! Super informative and very personable. We will be back for sure..