No shortage of choices along Monterey's wine trails

Just two hours south of San Francisco, Monterey County's wine country feels worlds away. From Monterey's tourist-packed Cannery Row and the chic town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, to the pastoral charms of the Carmel Valley and the River Road winery corridor in the Salinas Valley, a wide range of tasting experiences await.

Here's a sample of the region's many tasting-room offerings, both established and new:

Cannery Row

A Taste of Monterey

This wine-focused visitors' center represents more than 85 wineries from the region. Tasting fees range from $10 for six tastes, including a Chardonnay/Pinot Noir flight or a red/white combo of other varietals, to $20 for five reserve wines (refunded with purchase).

700 Cannery Row, Suite KK, Monterey; (831) 646-5446 or tastemonterey.com. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. A second tasting room is located in Old-Town Salinas (11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday; until 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday; closed Sundays).

Bargetto Winery

This Santa Cruz Mountains winery has been in business since 1933. At its Cannery Row outpost, mix and match five reds, whites and dessert wines for $5, or sample five reserve wines for $10.

700-G Cannery Row, Monterey; (831) 373-4053 or bargetto.com. 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; until 8 p.m. Saturday, until 7 p.m. Sunday. A second tasting room is located at the winery in Soquel (noon-5 p.m. daily, with tours available by appointment).

Scheid Vineyards

Scheid has been in the business of growing premium wine grapes since 1972. At its polished wine lounge, sample six estate-grown wines from Monterey, including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, for $10 (fee waived with wine purchase).

751 Cannery Row, Monterey; (831) 656-9463 or scheidvineyards.com. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, until 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday. A second tasting room is located at the Greenfield winery (11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily).

Elsewhere in Monterey

Otter Cove Wines

Owner/winemaker Richard Oh recently relocated this former Carmel Valley Village tasting room to downtown Monterey. Seven pours, including a Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, are $5 (fee applied to bottle purchase).

315 Calle Principal, Monterey; (831) 333-1313 or ottercovewines.com. Summer hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; off-season: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday or by appointment.

Pierce Ranch Vineyards

This small, family-owned San Antonio Valley winery specializes in Spanish and Portuguese varietals, with a few Rhone wines thrown into the mix. Taste five to six wines for $5 (refunded with purchase) at the year-old Monterey tasting room.

499 Wave St., Monterey; (831) 372-8900 or piercevineyards.com. Noon-8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, until 6:30 p.m. Sunday-Monday; 1-6:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday. Hours will change after October; contact the tasting room for details.

Ventana Vineyards

Ventana has been producing estate wines from its award-winning vineyard in Arroyo Seco for more than 30 years. At the Monterey tasting room, try nine wines, including "Gold Stripe" Chardonnay for $5 (fee waived with wine purchase of $15 or more).

2999 Monterey-Salinas Highway, No. 10, Monterey; (831) 372-7415 or ventanawines.com. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. A second tasting room is located at the Soledad winery (11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, or by appointment).

Carmel-by-the- Sea

Cima Collina

Napa-trained winemaker Annette Hoff specializes in Monterey vineyard-designate wines, primarily Pinot Noir, although Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc also are produced. Sample eight wines for $5 (refunded with purchase of $40 or more).

San Carlos Street, between Ocean and Seventh Avenues (in the Paseo Courtyard), Carmel-by-the-Sea; (831) 620-0645 or cimacollina.com. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Monday; dogs welcome.

Galante Vineyards

Galante's tasting room, tucked away in a tiny cottage, offers country hospitality. Reds are the specialty, though an estate Sauvignon Blanc is also available; taste six for $10 (refunded with individual wine purchase of $50 or more).