Heller Estate has now become Maasa Estate. My three siblings and I brought our father here after we had seen croquet set up on the front lawn. When the owners heard that my father had just celebrated his 96th birthday, they brought out complementary champagne. We played a hilarious game of croquet according to "gopher rules" i.e. liberally interpreting rules to avoid the holes left by gophers. The owners brought wine to taste out to the croquet court and we enjoyed delicious snacks ordered from the menu. Full meals were available, too. The wait staff were very attentive to our needs. There was a nice wind protected area for diners and kids could run around on the lawn. This is a family-friendly outing—for young and very old.

Carmel Valley is magical in and of itself, but the boutique, yet homey, Heller Estate is great. The wines are fantastic, location great, and people very friendly.