In 2015, a band of artists, craftspeople, and lovers of life brought their wandering imaginations and lofty aspirations to a magical piece of land in Carmel, California. Out in the sunny valley, we cultivated grapevines and gardens to craft beautiful wines and experiences to delight the senses. We named this place Folktale Winery & Vineyards.
Folktale was inspired by the idea that in every great bottle of wine, there is a story. It is filled with uniqueness of place, a year of sun and rain, and the art and craft of winemaking. The story is about our people, our guests, and our passion. This is a love story, and the best love stories never end.
History
Folktale Winery & Vineyards was originally founded in 1982 by Bob and Patti Brower, as Chateau Julien Wine Estate. Inspired by their trips to the Bordeaux region of France, the winery was the realization of their dream to bring that experience of wine and hospitality to Carmel.
In 1996, the winery property was expanded to the adjoining parcel. In addition to building a new estate residence and expanding the vineyard, a 10,000 sq. ft. barrel hall was constructed to house over 2000 wine barrels. In 2015, the property was acquired by local winemaker, Gregory Ahn, and renamed Folktale Winery & Vineyards. The name is inspired by the thrill of discovery, the joy of gathering, and the idea that every great bottle of wine holds a story.
Vineyard
We are committed to sustainable farming practices for all our wines. The five acre vineyard at the winery is 100% organically farmed meticulously by hand. We installed owl boxes and raptor perches around the property to naturally manage populations of pests, like ground squirrels and gophers. Our estate vineyards include over 300 acres in the Arroyo Seco AVA of Monterey County, just over the Santa Lucia Mountains to the east.
Winemaking
Our winemaking team is led by David Baird, who works closely with our growers to realize a style of wine that fully expresses the terroir of Monterey County and all its diversity. Folktale wines express beautiful acid and minerality of Monterey’s cool climate and rocky soils. Focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as the stars of the regions winemaking, Folktale moves away from the rich styles of the past, moving towards bright, acidic style that best expresses the county’s terroir and pairs with the regions farm-fresh foods. David also crafts the award winning Rhône varietals for Folktale’s Le Mistral brand, which has been a pioneer in Rhône-style wines in the Central Coast since it was founded in 1992. Just like the Mediterranean wind that gives Le Mistral its name, the consistent maritime winds that howl in from the Pacific are a key contributor to the spice and earthy notes in these gorgeous wines.
