Skip to Content

Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley – Date Week 2016

Every year, my husband and I have a week where our kids are away and we celebrate Date Week. We try new restaurants, spend uninterrupted time together and sometimes we even go out of town. Date Week this year was very special thanks to Holman Ranch Vineyard & Winery in Carmel Valley. We were guests of the ranch for an overnight stay, tour of the winery and dinner at Will’s Fargo Restaurant.

Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley

We drove to Carmel Valley from Los Angeles and made our first stop at the Holman Ranch Tasting Room on Carmel Valley Road. We tried their Estate Grown Chardonnay. It was very good (and I don’t always love Chardonnay).

Holman Ranch Tasting Room in Camel Valley

Then we went to see our room at the ranch, which is nestled between two mountain ranges in the Carmel Valley. The ranch is only available to the public for special events so we definitely felt like were staying somewhere very special. Every room is named after a famous person who had stayed at the ranch at some time. Back in the 1940s, the ranch was a gentleman’s retreat and some of Hollywood’s most famous actors would travel to the ranch and stay. We were in the Charlie Chaplin room.

The Charlie Chaplin room at Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley

It was cute and cozy with plenty of room if we had brought our kids with us (they were away at summer camp for the week). Each room had rocking chairs on the porch with a little table. We later had a tour of the property and the meeting spaces, which were equally as charming. The ranch reminded me of the spot in Tucson where my husband and I were married years ago so it felt like the perfect place to spend a date night.

Holman Ranch chapel and Meeting Rooms

Or a wedding. We were there on clear day and saw beautiful views in every direction. The ranch is on 400 acres that include a horse ranch, a working vineyard and olive grove.

The Vineyard and grounds at Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley

Our day also included a tour of the winery and wine tasting. The wine is made solely from grapes grown are on the property, which is certified organic. Ladybugs, spiders and bats act as pest control on the sustainable ranch. It all seems to be working well because the wine we tried was delightful. We had a great time in the Holman Ranch Wine Cave tasting wine and learning how it was made.

Wine Cave at Holman Ranch

There was more wine to enjoy after the tour. We were taken by shuttle to Will’s Fargo Restaurant in town. We had another wine tasting and enjoyed dinner on the patio. Will’s is a rustic steak house, but we had a special dinner to accommodate everyone’s dietary restrictions – no gluten, dairy and red meat. One person in our party had a steak that looked pretty amazing.

Holman Ranch Pinot Noir at Will's Fargo
Crawfish_corn_Holman_ranch

We had the most wonderful time at Holman Ranch. We were tired and stressed out when we arrived, but it all fell away once we drove on to the property. We met really fun people, drank delicious wine and enjoyed breathing the clean Carmel Valley air. I hope to someday go back with my kids and hike around vineyards.

Yvonne and Husband on the porch at Holman Ranch

Holman Ranch hosts weddings, corporate events and retreats that can include guided hiking, yoga, wine tours, wagon rides and wine blending where you are a winemaker for the day. Or you can join their wine club.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. However, I was provided lodging and meals for review purposes. All opinions are my own. 

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.