Chateau Julien – A Full Production Winery In Carmel Valley

A BIT OF HISTORY

In June of 1982, Bob and Patty Brower’s Chateau Julien Wine Estate in Carmel Valley became an official bonded winery, #5101 since Prohibition and #400 in the State of California.  Two years later, in 1984, the winery’s tasting room opened to the public.

Located on 16 acres at the foot of the Carmel Valley Mountains, five miles from Highway 1, Chateau Julien Wine Estate features a French country Chateau, cobblestone courtyard, picnic area, Chai (pronounced “shay”) barrel room, vineyards and cellar operations.  All wine production takes place on the estate, including the aging of over 1,200 oak barrels of wine.  

THE EXPERIENCE

The tasting room is located in the Great Hall of the Chateau, a replica of a home on the French/Swiss border. When you first enter the Great Hall, you see an impressive array of etched bottles in all sizes bearing a variety of ribbons for wine awards and honors.  As you round the corner, there is a fireplace at one end of the room and a set of French doors at the other end leading out to the garden and patio.  In the center of the room is an 18-foot mahogany table for tasting wines.  Chateau Julien is a bit unusual as there is no tasting bar.  The retail sales associate stands at the end of the table and pours the wines.  For the winery, it’s a good way to keep people moving around the room to check out the available merchandise for sale or outdoors, instead of sitting or leaning on a bar and taking up space.  As a wine taster, it’s a bit uncomfortable.  I want to be able to put my glass down and take notes, or just put my purse down, or get out of the way of the rest of the guests trying to get their next pour. If it’s a nice day, you can head outdoors to the patio.  If it’s cold or rainy, you’re stuck in the tasting room and it becomes a juggling act – especially when the tasting room is crowded and you’re trying to reach the only dump bucket in the middle of the table. 

John and I went to Chateau Julien with our friends Joyce and Gary. As we entered the tasting room, there were already ten other tasters in the room.  Shawn, a retail sales associate and certified sommelier, was pouring tastes for visitors.  He gave us a very hearty welcome and invited us to the end of the table to grab a glass and try some wine.  Chateau Julien featured six wines on their tasting list (2008 Sangiovese Rosato, 2008 Private Reserve Chardonnay, 2006 Private Reserve Merlot, Hawk House Red, 2006 La Conviviance, and Julien Port) for a $5.00 per person wine tasting fee.  Shawn was very friendly and shared great information about each wine, including how it was made, what makes it unique, the blend of grapes, and the aromas and mouthfeel.  Near the end of our visit, Shawn went to the retail area to ring up wine sales and was replaced by Melinda.  On the final pour, Melinda went a bit rogue and offered a taste of either a Carmel Cream Sherry (not on the tasting list) or the Julien Port.  I really like when winery personnel go off of the list and pour other wines they think you may enjoy.  They’re exposing you to more of the Winery’s offerings and you feel somewhat special because you got a little extra.  It’s a win/win.  When I worked at the tasting room and poured a wine that was “off the list”, more often than not, my guests purchased that wine.  What was so odd about this experience is that Melinda offered one or the other.   My friend Joyce is a big fan of the Julien Port and was excited to see it on the list.  Now she was asked to make a decision and try the port she loved or taste something new that she may or may not like.  In the end, it worked out as I got the sherry while Joyce got the port and we traded our glasses halfway. Rather than make the tasting room visitors figure out a solution, why not just pour both?

TOURS AND TIDBITS

If you visit Chateau Julien, be sure to make a reservation for the complimentary tour.  The tours are offered twice a day and include a visit to the vineyards and cellar operations.  It’s a great way to understand the process of winemaking from the grape to the bottle. The winery also offers a number of private tours and tastings, such as the Winemaker’s Tour ($50/guest) and the Grand Estate Tour ($25/guest).

Chateau Julien offers a beautiful setting for private events in the Chateau, Chai and on the grounds – a few years ago, I took my marketing team on a “field trip” to the winery for a private tour and wine tasting in the Conservatory.

Be sure to bring crackers or snacks with you, as there are no nibblers in the tasting room.  You can also bring a picnic lunch or purchase a cheese plate and a bottle of wine to enjoy on the patio. 

OTHER DETAILS

Chateau Julien Wine Estate

8940 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel, CA, 93923

831.624.2600

Wine tasting hours: 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday – Friday, 11:00am to 5:00pm Saturday and Sunday.  Tours by reservation: 10:30am and 2:30pm Monday – Friday, 12:30pm and 2:30pm Saturday and Sunday.