Monterey Wine Festival

In keeping with the Central Coast [1]’s obsession with food and wine, the annual Monterey Wine Festival (800/422-0251, www.montereywine.com [2], mid-Oct.) celebrates wine with a generous helping of food on the side. A number of tasting events mark this weekish-long festival, including a major day event at the fairgrounds and possibly a swanky nighttime soiree at the Monterey Bay Aquarium [3].

You can also expect a few private events and parties at participating wineries and restaurants. Check the website for this year’s venues, ticket prices, and event dates and times.

This festival offers the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to Monterey [4] and Carmel wineries [5], many of which have not yet hit the “big time” in major wine magazines. The Wine Festival is just one of many similar events held each year in the region, so if you can’t make it you’ll have plenty of other opportunities to enjoy all the best edibles and drinkables the Central Coast [1] has to offer.