Caraccioli Cellars

We had a wonderful experience at Caraccioli this past weekend, and the sparkling wines alone are worth the visit—truly some of the best we’ve had in Carmel. Dana and the rest of the staff made the experience even better. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming, taking the time to explain the wines and make the tasting feel personal and relaxed even though it was very busy. Between the memorable sparkling wines and Dana’s outstanding hospitality, this was a standout tasting experience. Highly recommended, and we will absolutely be back.

I stopped by with a few friends for a glass of bubbles and arrived about half an hour before closing. We asked if it was too late for a tasting and were told that while a full tasting wasn’t possible, we could enjoy wine by the glass.

Unfortunately, our experience was less than pleasant. The staff member we interacted with was quite standoffish and repeatedly reminded us that they closed at six, despite us assuring her we would be done by then. She seemed intent on rushing us out, even while other guests were still receiving pours and tastings.

I completely understand that staff need to manage closing time, but it would have been much better if she had simply told us upfront that we couldn’t be accommodated, rather than making the interaction uncomfortable.

Lovely tasting room.located in downtown specializing in Sparkling Wines, Chardonnay Rose and Pinot Noir. Really enjoyed our time with the welcoming and knowledgeable staff to greet us. Our favorites were they Sparkling Brut and the El Bec and the Elevated Pinots. Highly recommend reservations as it a small tasting room and seating isn't plentiful.

I’m writing this review because I don’t think a place should be open if their bathroom isn’t functioning. When I visited the tasting room, the restroom was out of order, but guests weren’t informed upon arrival. The staff interaction also felt off — no greeting or explanation about whether the tasting room was open until we stood there awkwardly for a few minutes.
The wine itself was good, but the overall lack of communication and hospitality made the experience much less enjoyable.

I had a reservation but they accommodated me and my boyfriend to sit earlier. What a great experience, the wine and sparkling were all delicious. The lovely woman who helped us poured a few extra drinks and we appreciated that hospitality. My boyfriend and I got a good buzz from this place before dinner. I ended up being wowed by the Gambay wine and bought one to go! Thank you!

My wife and I have been members for several years and have never been disappointed by Caraccioli Cellars. The wines and sparkling are outstanding and the hospitality even better. Dana and her crew make Caraccioli Cellars a most visit location in Carmel any time we are in the area.

Best sparkling wines in the state!! They have such a great team too. The tasting room is located right in the heart of downtown and is very cozy.

My mother, my son and i stopped in for a wine tasting. Brock served us. The wines were delicious. Brock expanded our pleasure by teaching us about the company and how the wine is made. Learning about fantastic wine as we sipped in beautiful Carmel with great company was the perfect way to celebrate the afternoon.

Great bubbly wines! If you are local, it’s totally worth it to become a member. Dana and her team are lovely!

This once-loved Winery is losing its luster.

As a current member and years-long consumer, I have been disappointed with the wine and experience at Caraccioli. The Pinots, even El Beq lack the finesse of much cooler climate Pinot found in the Willamette and Burgundy. You get the predicable bright notes of red cherry, and strawberry, but not much complexity after that. Salinas is just too hot for Pinot. The sparkling wines also tend to be a bit lazy. An over-reliance on lees is very present. It tends to mask the varietal characteristics and seems desperate to make a correlation to low-quality champagnes like Vueve Cliquot.

All of this would be fine at $30, but the ever-increasing pricing makes it a harder and harder sell. Being in downtown Carmel I’m sure helps, as many of the patrons are desensitized to over—priced goods, a deliberate strategy?

Great Brut Rose!

I adore this place. A must stop every time I'm in town. The wine is second to none. While bubbly is their specialty don't ignore their other options. The reds are stellar. It's such a beautiful, intimate space and everyone there is so welcoming and knowledgeable.

Walking around town and passing by this beautiful wine tasting place, that is vary inviting. The case is, and we did the wine tasting and what an amazing wine this place offers. Unfortunately for the people that don't live here live here because you can't buy it anywhere else but here and in Michelin Star place restaurant in California. However, if you do come here and become a member, then they will ship it out to your house twice a year. Grapes are fully grown in their farm in Carmel and ot taste amazing.

We discovered these wines in Carmel 20+ years ago and have been ordering ever since. These are award winning wines, especially the sparkling, and we are so thankful for the work of this team the amazing products they produce year after year.

Great wines and accommodating staff.