Page 102 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2021 REDISCOVERING CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST

the fresh seafood caught daily in Monterey, to welcomed us like old and valuable friends — any
farm-to-table produce from the Salinas Valley. client of Sammy’s is treated like a VIP. We started
He’s lived in Monterey for well over a decade and out on the comfortable front porch where winery
regaled with local lore, including stories about his associate, Eric Rough, served us some delicious
encounters with Clint Eastwood, the ex-mayor, A- sparkling wines.
list star and director. They poured us a second glass of bubbly when
Our first stop was Odonata winery in the Santa Sammy asked us to bring our glass and follow him
Lucia Highlands owned by Winemaker Denis Hoey around to the winery. Assistant winemaker Fran-
and his wife Claire. We’ve been on way more than cisco Bunuelos Jr. was busy hosing down wine
our share of winery tours, but our visit to Odonata storage tanks when we turned the corner to the
exemplified the difference in Sammy’s approach to outdoor courtyard of the winemaking facility. He
the business. The wine maker and his small team quickly found us some glasses, grabbed a wine

102 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2021