A Taste of the Monterey Coast with McBride Sisters Wine Co-Founder, Robin McBride
Robin and Andréa McBride
“The coast has shaped who I am as a person, and it’s the reason we specialize in coastal wines,” says Monterey native Robin McBride about the region’s dramatic, rugged beauty. “The rocky coastline, the salty air, the color of the water, looking out at the horizon. It gives me a sense of perspective.” Growing up in the area, Robin fell in love with winemaking. Her interest and passion were shared by her sister, Andréa, though the pair remarkably grew up on different sides of the world and only met as adults. Andréa was raised in Marlborough, New Zealand, which is why the siblings got their start by importing New Zealand bottles to California in the early 2000s. Over time, the sisters began producing an award-winning portfolio of their own wines, which now includes Black Girl Magic wines, SHE CAN wines (affordable, high-quality wines and spritzers in a can) and McBride Sisters Collection Reserve wines. Robin and Andréa were the first Black women winery owners on the cover of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Though she now lives in the San Francisco Bay area, Robin’s connection to the coast is a throughline. “The influence of the coast is evident in every bottle we make. It keeps me connected to where I grew up,” says Robin. Spend the day with Robin and read on for her top picks around the region.
AM
01
Start the Day With:
An Oat Chai from East Village Café in Monterey. (Editor’s Note: They make the chai in-house!)
02
Favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner:
For breakfast, Little Swiss Cafe in downtown Carmel (the blintzes are a must!). For lunch, London Bridge Pub overlooking the harbor in Monterey has the best fish and chips. And come dinner, Stokes Adobe in Monterey—order the Caviar Potato Halo—or Nicolás Cocina De Herencia in Carmel for the Molcajete Verde.
Favorite Outdoor and Winter Activites:
Take a trip down Highway 1 to Garapata to walk the coastal trails. Or grab ice skates and hot cocoa at Custom House Plaza, which turns into an outdoor ice rink during the winter months.
PM
Where to Stay Over:
Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley has gorgeous grounds, excellent dining, an on-site vineyard, and an expansive spa for relaxation.
Secret Spots:
Quarry Park in Monterey, which I don’t think was an official park when I was a kid. You could walk through the trees and shrubs, jump over one stream, and find a big waterfall at the end.
Favorite Memories:
Watching my kids run free on the lawn at Colton Hall. Driving through Candy Cane Lane at Christmas. Watching them risk their lives at Dennis the Menace Park (which isn’t really dangerous anymore). All the things that I did as a kid, my kids loved as well.
Go-to Local Gift:
When in season, picking flowers at Earthbound Farm Stand to make bouquets for friends and family.
End the Day With:
A drive along Oceanview Boulevard in Pacific Grove at sunset.
Introduction by Tanvi Chheda
PLAN YOUR
DREAM DAY
- East Village Café
Monterey, CA - Little Swiss Cafe
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA - London Bridge Pub
Monterey, CA - Stokes Adobe
Monterey, CA - Red’s
Monterey, CA - Rosine’s
Monterey, CA - Bernardus Lodge
Carmel Valley, CA - Colton Hall
Monterey, CA - Earthbound Farm Stand
Carmel Valley, CA
