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The Best Dog-Friendly Wineries in Monterey Wine Country
8 min read
Planning a wine tasting trip with your pup? Bring your best friend to Monterey.
Dog-Friendly Wineries in Monterey at a Glance
- 18 wineries in the Monterey wine region that allow your pup on the patio or inside the tasting room
- Includes tasting rooms in Carmel by the Sea, Carmel Valley, and River Road/Santa Lucia Highlands
- Leashes recommended and sometimes required
- The best wine country day trips have two things in common: great wine and room for the dogs
What pairs with your Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir? Pets! At least when wine tasting in Monterey County. As a tight community of grapegrowers and winemakers—the kind of people who think a Saturday with the dog on a patio with a glass in hand or hiking through the vineyard is basically a perfect day—we know these trails well. From the walkable tasting rooms of Carmel-by-the-Sea to the sweeping estate terraces of the Santa Lucia Highlands, here's where to take your dog and what to drink when you get there. Dog policies can change seasonally. Always call ahead or check the winery's website before visiting. Keep your dog leashed unless the winery indicates otherwise.
STOP ONE: A WALKABLE WINE TRAIL
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel-by-the-Sea was made for dogs. The village is famously dog-friendly: dogs on patios, dogs on the beach, dogs in the boutiques. Pair that with a walkable cluster of tasting rooms just a few blocks from the ocean and you have the ideal first stop on any Monterey wine country itinerary.
Caraccioli Cellars
7393 Dolores St (between Ocean & 7th) | caracciolicellars.com
Dogs welcome inside
A sleek, cellar-like tasting room anchored by a Perota wood bar and some of the most sought-after sparkling wines in the appellation. Caraccioli's Brut and Brut Rosé are sourced exclusively from Santa Lucia Highlands fruit and they pour Pinot Noir with the same focused restraint. Reservations recommended; open daily.
Scheid Vineyards Tasting Room
San Carlos & 7th Ave | scheidvineyards.com
Well-behaved dogs welcome inside
Warm, inviting, and just one block from Ocean Avenue, Scheid's Carmel tasting room is a reliable anchor for any village wine walk. Daily flights draw from 12 estate vineyards across Monterey County, so there's always something to discover.
Dawn's Dream Winery
NW Corner of 7th & San Carlos, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921 | dawnsdreamwinery.com
Dog-friendly patio
A warm, welcoming tasting room in the heart of the village with a hidden courtyard patio. It's a lovely spot to linger with your dog while you work through a flight of five award-winning wines. Founded by Dawn Galante, the winery is centered around the "wine for a cause" philosophy, dedicating a portion of wine sales proceeds to different causes, including animal rescue. Dogs are more than welcome here: expect treats (pup cup appearances), toys (social media giveaways too), and a fresh water bowl waiting when you arrive.
De Tierra Vineyards
Carmel-by-the-Sea | detierra.com
Dog-friendly with outdoor space
A fun, approachable tasting experience where wines arrive in test-tube flights, a playful presentation for seriously good, sustainably harvested Monterey County estate wines. Outdoor space gives dogs room to roam while you run the flight.
“The best wine country day trips have two things in common: great wine and room for the dog.”
STOP TWO: Crossroads Carmel
Just minutes from the village, the Crossroads shopping center is home to one of the region's best-loved tasting destinations — and a heated dog-friendly patio that makes it easy to linger.
Taste Morgan (Morgan Winery)
204 Crossroads Blvd | morganwinery.com
Heated, pet-friendly outdoor patio
Owned and operated by the pioneering Morgan family, Morgan Winery's cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah from the Santa Lucia Highlands are anchored by the estate's Double L Vineyard, the first certified organic vineyard in the appellation. Their tasting room in the Crossroads Carmel shopping center offers a convenient spot for indoor or outdoor wine tasting. The patio tables are perfect for pets and people watching.
STOP THREE: Carmel Valley
Twenty minutes inland and a world away from the coast, Carmel Valley Village is a sun-drenched cluster of tasting rooms, restaurants, and garden patios that feels made for a slow afternoon. Dogs are welcome at most stops and the outdoor seating here is some of the best in the county. Park and walk or take short drives in between tasting rooms.
Folktale Winery & Vineyards
8940 Carmel Valley Rd | folktalewinery.com
Pets welcome on leash
Fifteen sustainably farmed acres along the Carmel River, anchored by a walled Wine Garden with outdoor tables, lounge seating, and live music every weekend. Yoga in the vines, artisan workshops, picnic provisions, and seasonal concerts round out one of the valley's liveliest venues. Family and pet friendly inside and out. Reservations required for the Wine Garden. Note: Renovated tasting space and Wine Garden reopen in late April 2026.
Corral Wine Co.
19 E. Carmel Valley Rd, Suite C | corralwine.com
Family- and dog-friendly
A hidden garden with lounge areas, fire pits, umbrellas, and more than enough room for the pets under your table — among the most spacious outdoor settings in Carmel Valley Village. No reservation needed for parties of six or fewer. The estate pours Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Petit Sirah from the Corral de Tierra AVA. New charcuterie board service by nearby Carmel Valley Creamery. There's even a kids' play area, which makes this one of the true all-ages destinations in the valley.
Joyce Wine Company
1 E. Carmel Valley Rd | joycewineco.com
Dogs welcome inside and out
Joyce is one of the easiest places to walk into and walk out happy. Tasting flights, wines by the glass, cheese pairings, and bocce ball on site. Multiple outdoor patio areas give dogs plenty of room to settle in while you do the same. Russell Joyce is known for his Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, but don't miss his delicious Albaríño and crisp rosé. Don't pass on a wine club subscription for access to the best parties.
Bernardus Winery
5 W. Carmel Valley Rd | bernardus.com
Dogs welcome (with well-behaved people)
One of the valley's most established names, Bernardus pours single-vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay and Pinot Noir — and its flagship Marinus Bordeaux-blend from the Cachagua region — on an outdoor patio with an expansive lounge area off the tasting bar. Cheese and charcuterie are available.
McIntyre Vineyards Tasting Studio
24 W. Carmel Valley Rd | mcintyrevineyards.com
Family- and dog-friendly indoors and out
McIntyre's oldest estate vines were planted in 1973 in the Santa Lucia Highlands, making this one of the appellation's most storied sites. The McIntyre family took over the former Boekennogen tasting room in the heart of Carmel Valley Village not long ago, and daughter Kristen McIntyre runs the tasting room with her partner in crime, Junebug, an adorable Frenchie. Walk-ins welcome, and there's a spacious patio outside for four-legged companions; open daily 12–5 pm. SIP-certified sustainable.
STOP FOUR: Santa Lucia Highlands & the River Road Wine Trail
This is the heart of it. The River Road Wine Trail winds through the east-facing benchlands of the Santa Lucia Mountains, where the same afternoon winds that cool your glass also shape the wines in it. The views are panoramic, the patios are generous, and the wines poured here — Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown in the Santa Lucia Highlands at elevations above 1,200 feet — are what put Monterey on the world wine map. Your dog will like it here. So will you.
Odonata Wines
645 River Rd, Salinas | odonatawines.com
Pets welcome on leash; winery dogs on site
Odonata is one of the most relaxed dog-friendly winery stops on the River Road trail. A sunny estate patio surrounded by vines encourages you to bring a picnic, while an on-site fridge stocks charcuterie, cheese, and provisions for those who don't. Cornhole on the lawn, lounge seating under a shaded pergola, and plenty of room for the pets to settle in around you. The tiny warehouse winery pours two sparkling wines, rosé, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Viognier, Syrah and more.
Rustique Winery
1010 River Rd, Salinas, CA 93908 | rustiquewines.com
Dogs welcome
A charming rustic barn with tasting spaces indoors and out, overlooking the vineyard and a new flower field, it's one of the most picturesque stops on the trail. Plenty of room for you and your dog to settle in and stay a while. The rare Riesling and Blanc de Blanc sparkling wines are worth the drive, not to mention the family hospitality, and Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.
Wrath Wines (River Road)
35801 Foothill Rd (at River Rd), Soledad | wrathwines.com
Dogs welcome
An estate tasting room with outdoor picnic areas and sweeping views of Santa Lucia Highlands vineyards terracing up the mountainside. The terrace overlooks a pond and offers room around the tables for dogs to rest while you taste — a dog water bowl sits by the tasting bar door. A serene elevated pathway between the pond and the vineyard is ideal for a slow walk with a glass in hand, taking in views of both the valley below and the mountain terraces above. Site-driven single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, sparkling wines, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc; SIP-certified and sustainable. (Wrath also operates a small tasting room in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea.)
CRŪ Winery
37500 Foothill Rd, Soledad | cruwinery.com
Dogs welcome on leash
Perched on the east-facing terraces of the Santa Lucia Mountains within Paraiso Vineyard, CRŪ's outdoor seated tasting patio offers some of the most stunning vineyard and valley views on the entire trail, including Pinnacles National Park on the other side of the valley on a clear day. A central fire pit with built-in seating anchors the space, surrounded by working vineyard rows just steps from your chair, with plenty of room for dogs to rest nearby. Single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Pessagno Winery
1645 River Rd, Salinas | pessagnowines.com
Pet-friendly on leash; vineyard dogs on site
Owned by the Ray Franscioni family — multi-generation Monterey County farmers whose name is woven into the founding story of the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation — Pessagno pours limited-production, luxury single-vineyard wines from Santa Lucia Highlands and San Benito County on an open-air patio. Vineyard dogs frequently greet yours.
Scheid Vineyards — Estate Winery
1972 Hobson Ave, Greenfield | scheidvineyards.com
Dog-friendly
An expansive shaded patio and garden filled with roses, lavender, and a small vineyard offers plenty of room for walking dogs, enjoying the views, or simply sitting and relaxing with your pet. On-site outdoor games (bocce, cornhole), picnic areas, a chef's garden, and vineyard demos round out the experience. Surrounded by estate vineyards, and a landmark 400-foot wind turbine that you'll see from the road.
Whether you're starting your morning in Carmel Village or heading straight to River Road and the Santa Lucia Highlands to spend the afternoon among the vines, Monterey Wine Country has a dog-friendly itinerary that works. The wineries above span four distinct areas, each with its own character, its own climate, and its own reason to linger.
The wines reflect where they come from: cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay shaped by the same Monterey Bay winds and afternoon fog that keep your dog comfortable on the patio. That's not a coincidence. It's the Santa Lucia Highlands.
