THE 10 BEST Wineries & Vineyards in Santa Ynez, CA
Wineries & Vineyards in Santa Ynez
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Wineries & Vineyards
Wineries & Vineyards • Wine Tours & Tastings
What travelers are saying
- GradingMachineOak Park, CA500 contributionsMy wife and I have visited this winery a number of times over the years. It's a favorite and always on our loop when we taste wine in Santa Inez. Driving home from Paso Robles yesterday, we fortuitously stopped here and had one of the best wine-tasting experiences we have ever had while escaping the worst downpour of the afternoon. Our experience started with our friendly and very knowledgeable sommelier (Jessica). It was entertaining as well as educational to hear her describe the wines. For example, Jessica poured the Grenache on the tasting menu and then opened a bottle of Rhapsodie to let us detect the same Grenache grape that is 68% of the Rhapsodie blend. I remember purchasing Rhapsodie last time (and again this time), but I remarked that I had a hard time opening the bottle with its bulbous rubbery cap. Jessica gave us an impromptu lesson on how to open a bottle with that particular cap. Problem solved! The afternoon was enjoyable, and we learned so much from Jessica about wines in general and the grapes grown in various wineries from Santa Inez to Paso Robles. We left with our three bottles of wine and look forward to visiting again this summer.Written January 6, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Donn GMontrose, CO21 contributionsRoblar has always produced consistently solid wines and their facilities are fantastic. Service he’s been inconsistent over the last decade or so, but this visit was fantastic. The staff took great care of us and the charcuterie and cheese board was awesome.Written January 5, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Stacy StricklandSeattle, WA892 contributionsWe did the Sideways self-wine tour this past weekend. It was really hot, so we were inside and didn't get to gaze at the beautiful views while tasting.
The service was good, and engine was friendly. We sometimes had to probe for information about the wine.
The tasting fee is fair for what you get, and the charcuterie pack has a nice assortment.
We found it odd that there were no Australian wines available when we were there.Written September 6, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - KebabloverSouthport, UK366 contributionsThis was our first tasting experience and certainly encouraged is to visit more vineyards. The setting and tasting rooms are beautiful. Our host tended to go through the motions and wasnt particularly engaging. The wines were quite excellent but dont bother with the charcuterie selection.Written May 19, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- LomitaMikeLomita, CA35 contributionsTheir tasting room is a shaded, outdoor courtyard. The tasting is very leisurely, forcing you to not hurry through the tasting, and giving time to connect with your fellow travelers. This is much better than the bar-like tasting rooms, where they hover over you and keep the pace going.
The wines are very good; I note that some other reviews felt the wine was served too warm. They are served cool but not chilled. This enhances the flavor.
Brander Vineyards is across the street from Rancho Olivos, the olive oil farm and tasting area. Do both in the same trip.
A bonus for me was that I learned the owner is also an alumnus of the same small college I attended. Go Stags!Written August 10, 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Richard KPalos Verdes Estates, CA819 contributionsI love the Santa Ynez Wine Trail!! Close to LA, lots of great wineries, and not snobby like Napa, etc.Written September 4, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Surfcity4meMidway City, CA8 contributionsCute place. Beautiful driving in. It was a Friday at noon and not busy. Nice outdoor seating. The owner introduced himself at our table which was nice. We had wonderful tasting and our server talked to us about the wines and we had some yummy pairings. The grapes were out of season so nothing was growing in the vineyards but was strolled the grounds with our wine and enjoyed the property. Good for small and large groups. I was driving so I just tried a couple of the flights but my family really enjoyed it. Reasonable prices too.Written January 30, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- DanielSan Francisco, CA64 contributionsI'm always a little hesitant to go to these high priced tastings ($50), especially from a producer I'm not really familiar with. But in the case of Brave & Maiden, it's more about the experience than the wine itself. With only 4 wines in the tasting flight it's a steep $12 per wine tasted, but I think what you're really paying for is the fancy tasting barn and the attentive service.
The place itself is pretty impressive. Opened in 2018, it still looks new. It's professionally decorated with modern pricey furniture. Almost like you walked into someone's mansion. The tasting experience is definitely not standard. There isn't a bar you walk up to, or standard restaurant tables you sit at. Each tasting party is given their own private area. There's an area with couches near the fireplace, a long impressive dining table in the main room in a partitioned off area, another room off to the side with another tasting area. It's all very well thought out.
The one thing that we thought was strange but some people might like is the host interaction. The host meets you at the door, invites you in, takes you to your tasting area and ... sits down with you. We had a little conversation about wine. But it felt kind of awkward to taste with our host sitting there watching me. I'm an introvert so maybe this just wasn't the experience for me, but after enough akward silence our host got up and gave us some privacy. My wife said it felt like a job interview.
Beyond that, the wine isn't much to talk about. I thought it was rather mediocre and nothing stood out to me as being good enough to purchase. I guess the experience is supposed to put you in the mood to buy wine, but I go to a lot of tastings and if I don't like the wine I'm not buying any bottles regardless of the experience.
So overall, it was an interesting experience that I'm glad I did once, but I doubt I'll be back again.Written October 9, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - FippsCalifornia117 contributionsThis property is beautifully done. The winery is beyond great. We where lucky to have Christopher as our host, not only he is
an expert in his subject, he has a passion for what he does. The wines are magnificent and fine with si much care and refinement. The wine tasting room is also amazing. It’s a most of you go to Santa Barbara!Written December 1, 2018This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Robert SNorthport, NY13 contributionsSpent a day in the area visiting a number of high end wineries. All were great, but this was my favorite. Jarod gave a wonderful tour and tasting. Met the parents. Tasting was like hanging out in a good friends backyard sharing their best bottles of wine. Great experience and awesome wine!!!Written February 24, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- David from La PalmaLa Palma, CA558 contributionsGood Sparkling Wine. Disappointed with the Pinot Noir. Purchased a bottle of the Champanky for $34 ($6 less than the listed price of $40). Tasting fee was waived with purchase. Nice tasting room in the picturesque little town of Santa Ynez, a few miles east of Solvang. Crowded on the weekend. Hours are 11 am to 5 pm Thursday thru Monday.Written March 28, 2015This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- sampap76Gerringong, Australia14 contributionsWe wandered into CrossHatch (after a delicious lunch at Birkholm’s bakery), wrongly assuming that it was a free wine tasting like they commonly are back home in Australia.
The tasting was USS$20 per person, or buy three bottles and get the tasting for free.
We enjoyed the fun atmosphere in the quaint windmill setting, and the service was very attentive.
There were five wines on the tasting menu from a limited number of cases and we particularly liked a couple of them.
After tipping, the cost was effectively AUD$66 for two glasses of wine, which is quite steep. However, the boutique experience more than made up for it 😊Written September 14, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Ed SMinneapolis, MN489 contributionsThe tasting room is located in the town of Santa Ynez. They have a great tasting room manager, she is friendly and very knowledgeable about wine. She shared lots of info about wines and AVA. Their wines are very good. It is a rather small winery, the owner does everything, actually growing the grapes and making wine. They also have tasting room in Santa Barbara. Our visit was a special experience.Written February 5, 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions about Santa Ynez
- These experiences are best for wineries & vineyards in Santa Ynez:
- Small-Group Santa Barbara Wine Tour to Private Locations - Max 7 Guests
- Wine Tasting Tour from Santa Ynez Valley
- Wine Tasting Tour from Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara Vineyard to Table Taste Tour by E-Bike
- Santa Ynez Valley Biking and Wine Tasting Tour
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- These are the best places for couples seeking wineries & vineyards in Santa Ynez:See more wineries & vineyards for couples in Santa Ynez on Tripadvisor
- These are the best places for groups seeking wineries & vineyards in Santa Ynez:See more wineries & vineyards for groups in Santa Ynez on Tripadvisor
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