For my birthday this year, Joel and I did what we always do, got in the car and headed toward the coast. Instead of aimlessly driving the bending roads, this time we had a destination in mind: Folktale Winery and Vineyards.

On a previous backroad adventure, we had driven past the beautiful estate on Carmel Valley Road and made plans to come back and check it out on my birthday in the coming weeks. When we arrived, we were immediately greeted with champagne. Smiling ear to ear, we made our way to an empty table in the back.

As we took our seats, we looked around and enjoyed the ambiance. The soft noise of friends catching up filled the air, and the delicious smell of fresh bread put us at ease.

We ordered one of each tasting flight, picking and choosing our favorites, attempting to describe the creative flavors. Of course we couldn’t resist the Wood Fired Artisan Bread Board with Sea Salted Cultured Butter and Pimento Cheese, too. We felt like we were back in the UK, making sure to savor every last bite.

Once we realized our glasses were empty and the bread was all gone, we felt a rush of sadness, wishing we could stay a while longer. Joel and I became wine members that day. We laughed on the car ride home because we realized it was our first, big adult decision together. Folktale has that effect on you, or maybe it was just the wine.