“Every single wine at the tasting was awesome - that never happens, but here it does.Moreover the actual wine maker, Adrian, is here and not only pours the wine but happily talks about the how's, why's, etc of making the wine.Such a personal friendly experience.“
“I can't believe I have not written a review of this lovely tasting room. It's been a few months since we stopped in, but we had such a great experience I had to share. We have our favorites in Carmel Valley, but decided that when we visit, we need to make a point of trying a new spot. On this trip out, Rombi was the spot. They were highly recommended by Summer over at Parsonage who knows our palate very well. The tasting room sits back from Carmel Valley Road just a bit so if you weren't actively looking for it, it could be easy to miss. Their address is 1 Center Street, but they are basically right in front of Jerome's Market. The tasting room is cozy with a bar and only a few tables. They are only open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5:00. Typically the tasting room is manned by Sal, owner and winemaker. On our visit, Sal was elsewhere, but Kathy took wonderful care of us. Rombi is very small production with only about 300 cases a year. They specialize in reds. We were treated to tastes of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Syrah and Petit Verdot. Honestly, we loved each wine we tried. If I had to pick favorite reds in Carmel Valley these would be it with the exception of Parsonage wines which we dearly love. Kathy told us about the wines and made our visit so enjoyable. Each wine is priced around $70 - I believe one was priced a bit higher. I can understand the pricing with such small production and wonderful quality. However, I was so surprised the tasting fee was only $10 at the time we visited which is practically unheard of anymore. I would like to stop in again someday if only to meet Sal, who I hear is quite the character. Of course, we'll have to ask him "Where's Kathy?". Kathy made a point of telling us when she is behind the bar all she ever hears is "Where's Sal?" Rombi is definitely well worth a stop!“
“Sunday Brunch with Michael and Amanda Jones is a perfect start to any Sunday. I had not been to "brunch by Michael" for more than a decade, which left me wondering why it had been so long since I'd returned. Our meals were absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection. We started with coffee and fresh Esther Vasquez strawberries, a shared summer corn chowder and an elote dish. We three then individually had a vegetarian Benedict, a smoked salmon w Asiago omelet, and a steak and scrambled eggs combo. It was top tier and typical of Michael and Amanda...who are true culinary treasures for anyone who loves food in the central coast area. I am grateful that they have continued to carve out time from their busy catering business to prepare brunch once a week, mainly for locals. Service was just right-attentive but not intrusive. They are such a gift to the community.“
“We were in the area visiting our favorite wineries in the Valley and wanted to check out the new Pelio Estate. It completely blew our minds how beautiful this tasting room was. We had a large group of 8 and the staff were so incredibly kind and attentive to us. The wine was lovely and we can’t wait to visit again when we’re in town. Adding this to our favorites list is Carmel Valley!“