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Rennsport Week Recommendations - And it starts with Wine Tasting at Bernardus Winery!
Rennsport V is coming up fast on the calendar later this month. In honor of that event, I have arranged for all of you a complimentary
(free/no-cost-to-you) wine flight at Ben Pon's Bernardus Tasting Room in Carmel Valley Village. It will run the whole Rennsport week -
from Monday September 21st to Monday September 28th! That will allow each of you an opportunity to leisurely go to the Bernardus
wine tasting location in Carmel Valley as your schedule permits and take advantage of this special offering to those attending Rennsport!
Just identify yourself as a Porsche enthusiast when you come in to the tasting room and request the complimentary flight of three wines
that has been kindly selected for us by Sales Manager Rob Baker. They include a '14 Sauvignon Blanc (Griva Vineyard),a '12 Chardonnay
(Sierra Mar Vineyard) & their renown '09 'Signature' Marinus!
***
Here is the location of the Bernardus Wine Tasting room in relationship to Laguna Seca Racetrack:
For more information on Bernardus and their tasting room, please click on this link below:
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I have know Ben Pon Jr. since we moved here to Carmel in 2000. In case some of you don't know, Ben Pon is an ex-factory Porsche
race car driver & a member of the well-known Pon family of Holland. He and his family are closely connected to Porsche's & VW's
history in the Netherlands. Today, 'Pon' is one of the largest enterprises in that country, which includes automotive franchises of
the VW Group. http://www.pon.com/en. But Ben Pon Jr. established a separate private businesses in Monterey many years ago,
which until recently also included the Bernardus Lodge besides the winery. The latter has now been sold to a private investor
group that runs boutique hotel resorts. But Ben retains ownership of the well regarded 'Bernardus Winery', which coincidentally
celebrated its 25th anniversary this year!
Ben Pon has a fascinating racing history with Porsche:
He has raced 356 Speedsters, 356 Carreras, 356 Abarths, 904s, 906s, 910s and 911's. And he raced in just about all famous
racing circuits of Europe & America with them: Solitude, Nürburgring, Spa, Zandvoort, Monza, Hockenheim, Daytona, Sebring,
Reims, Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Mugello, Zolder &...LeMans!
While you are at the Bernardus tasting room, please ask to take a look at the book Ben has published with the history of his
racing involvement with Porsche. Here are a few photos from my own personal copy of this interesting book:
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Unfortunately, Ben Pon will not be in the US for Rennsport. He has some previous travel commitments to South America
in September which he couldn't cancel when Porsche switched the dates for Rennsport V. However, I think all of you will
appreciate the complimentary wine tasting at his winery which welcomes all of you to this historic Porsche gathering at
Laguna Seca! So...Proost!
To Ben & his team at Bernardus: 'Als blijk van onze dankbaarheid'
Recommended restaurants in Carmel Valley Village...
While you are visiting Carmel Valley Village, I would recommend a few places to go if you want to have
something to eat after your complimentary wine tasting at Bernardus.
Walter Georis, who owns with his siblings a few famous restaurants in the area including Casanova and
La Bicyclette in Carmel, has a very picturesque place in the village called 'Corkscrew Cafe'. If the weather
is nice, I suggest you try their patio in the back!
If you or your significant other have time & are interested in architectural
design, you need to visit Jan de Luz Antiques across from the Bernardus
Winery tasting room. Quite a few pieces at our home (wooden staircase,
antique zinc bar, a wine tinajon, etc) we purchased from this knowledgeable
French-Basque purveyor!
Here is a list of my favorite restaurants in our area in case it might be useful to some
of you visiting for Rennsport! It's not too early to start planning & making reservations
at where you want to eat during those few nights of Rennsport. We are expecting lots
of visitors that weekend.
I first prepared/compiled this list for friends & readers of Rennlist coming for the 2014
Porsche Parade in Monterey. And I now revise & update it yearly for occasions such as
the Monterey Historics...or Rennsport!
Other restaurants in Carmel Valley & Carmel Valley Village that I recommend:
Baja Cantina (Mexican) on 7166 Carmel Valley Road (not far from Carmel-by-the-Sea): http://www.carmelcantina.com
The weekly gathering of sport cars & hot rods is on Thursdays!
The Baja Cantina owner, auto collector Pat Phinny, also is the proprietor of 'Turn 12'
restaurant (American) in downtown Monterey - thus named because Laguna Seca
has 11 turns! http://www.turn12barandgrill.com
*********
Village of Carmel Valley (20/30 minute drive from Carmel). Can also be accessed via
Laureles Grade from Route 68 in vicinity of Laguna Seca):
Corkscrew on 55 West Carmel Valley Road / Carmel Valley Village http://www.corkscrewcafe.com
The owners, Walter & Gaston Georis, also are the proprietors of Casanova &
The Biclyclette in Carmel. Gaston drives a Boxster.
Wine Tasting
Bernardus Winery Tasting Room on 5 West Carmel Valley Road / Carmel Valley Village http://www.bernardus.com
Bernardus Winery is owned by Ben Pon, an ex-Porsche factory driver,
whose family are Porsche (& VW Group) importers for Holland!
Talbott Vineyards Tasting Room on 5 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley Village http://www.talbottvineyards.com
Talbott was owned by a friend, notable motorcycle collector, Robb Talbott!
It has just been sold. Robb used to have part of his extensive motorcycle
collection on display at the tasting room.
Carmel Mid-Valley
Jeffrey's Grill / 112 Mid Valley Center / Great Breakfast & Brunch spot.
Halfway to Carmel Village. Closer to Quail Lodge & Carmel proper! http://www.jeffreysgrillandcatering.com
*******
By the way, you can drive from Carmel to Greenfield (on 101, south of Salinas)
via Monterey County G16 Road. Pretty twisty...and a good interior road to drive your Porsche!
Finally, the 'Aquarium' in Cannery Road, Monterey
(if you do one tourist stop, this is the one!).
World class aquarium on Monterey Bay! http://www.montereybayaquarium.org
*************
Have a great stay in our peninsula during Rennsport...
and I hope to see many of you while you are here!
Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel
.
Last edited by Z356; 09-22-2015 at 07:46 AM.
Reason: Tassajara Fire Info on G16
Thanks! Staying in Carmel and lots of great ideas!
Originally Posted by Dr. No
That is a great list Eduardo. I can vouch for several, but not nearly all of the restaurants, and I'm going to file the rest of them away.
Thank you gentlemen...hope it's useful to some of you.
******
Checked with Bernardus Winery today to see if everything was in place for the complimentary wine tasting for those attending Rennsport.
And was pleasantly surprised they had prepared this additional information sheet. It turns out that our complimentary tasting includes
some of their very expensive wines...so that is a bonus for all of us! And it will go on all week - from today, Monday Sept 21st to next
Monday, Sept 28th! So please take advantage of it while you are visiting for Rennsport!
Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel
PS The fires near Laguna Seca at Laureles Grade & Route 68 are almost 90% contained. The larger Tassajara Fire at Cachagua
past the Carmel Valley Village is still going, but it's coming under control. Hopefully it will not effect Rennsport this weekend!
09-11-2015, 05:24 PM
Rennsport Week Recommendations - And it starts with Wine Tasting at Bernardus Winery!
