Winery Recommendations + Suggestions

Sorted by Location.

Yay! You’re going wine tasting and that’s literally the best! These recommendations are a combination of wineries and tasting rooms that have been recommended to me as well as the ones I’ve visited. The ones I’ve visited have a little description. Happy to talk through anything further - we can talk vino all day!

San Diego

• The Rose (South Park) 

• Vino Carta (Little Italy)

• Carruth Cellars (Little Italy)

• Pali Wine Company (Little Italy) - great flights and great Charcuterie

• The Wine Pub (Point Loma) - GREAT selection staff and cheese boards - live music Fridays

• Mission Cellars (Poway) 

• Boutique Vino (East Village)

• Village Vino (Kensington) 

• San Diego Wine Company (Miramar)

Willamette Valley (Oregon)

• Bergstrom - Biodynamic and just amazing

• Cristom Vineyards

• Domain Drouhin

• Argyle - focus is on bright, clean sparkings

• Bethel Heights

• Lange Estate Winery & Vineyards

• Lemelson Vineyards

• Lingua Franca (appt only)

• Ardor Natural Wines

• Methven Family Vineyards (Dundee) - This place is just a tasting room but packs a big punch with their reds - loved  the '13 Jill Marie and the '13 Citizens Pinot.

• Four Graces (Dundee) - small tasting room in the Foley wine family - good whites

• Anne Amie (Carlton) - 100% do a tour, the full production is amazing. Pinot Noirs are always amazing - must visit.

• Soter Vineyards (Carlton) - What a cool tasting experience. It was unlike anything I've ever done. They take such great care of you and the atmosphere is homey and cozy. 

• Fairsing Vineyards (Yamhill) - INCREDIBLE view! Their reds are good, and the view is unlike anything else. Sit in the Adirondack chairs and take it all in. 

• Archery Summit This is in the Foley family of wineries and it's incredible. They take so much pride in their wine and the organic production, the whole winery tour is amazing.

• Stoller Family Estate 

Sonoma

Healdsburg

• Banshee - Great Pinots - cool tasting room, reservations encouraged

• Bella Vineyards - Must do, and if you have time - do the Jeep tasting + tour. Great Zins and a tasty port wine too

• MoniClaire - A friend’s family home that has a small tasting room - you can stay there on AirBnB for an amazing experience or just taste 1:1 with the winemaker

• Preston Farm + Winery - right next to Bella, a cute little spot with good whites

• Twomey - Beautiful tasting room and they give you your tasting glasses as a gift when you’re done!

• Cartograph - some of the best Pinot Noirs ever. Always a favorite for a group and the people there are incredible. Please tell them Erin sent you, we love their wine club!

• Williamson Wines - An absolute staple. The tasting is free and comes with a cheese pairing. They have a lunch and wine tasting on groupon which is also highly recommended - their GSM and Sparkling Shiraz is unreal - all Austrialian style wines

• Lioco - Such a cool tasting room. Delicious reds, the winemakers broke off from Banshee so similar style of wines

• Seghesio - major Zin house. The Rockpile Zin is out of this world

• Flight Deck - fun spot for the end of the day, lots of different brands and does mixed flights

• Siduri - Only Pinot Noirs - good selection, does seasonal food bites along with the wines too

• Lurton - French (Bordeaux) style wines - small production but traditional french wines

• Idlewild - Italian wines! Cool spot with full cheese boards as well

• Rockpile

• Flowers

Monterey / Carmel By The Sea

• Windy Oaks - crisp whites and a delicious 2013 Pinot

• Folktale Winery - Get. The. Chard. 10/10

Napa

• Duckhorn Vineyards

Temecula

• Hart (focused on single varietal vs blends)

• Polumbo Family Winery

• Peltzer winery (young grapes because a newer winery but amazing spot and ambiance. They have great events there too so check out their events calendar)

• Vindemia - a small outdoor only winery (you won’t want to go when it’s pouring). Great wine, a little pricey for bottles.

• Masia de la vinya - newer winery with great views, ambiance, and Italian wine

• Frangipani - Insane views, bring lunch and grab a bottle here. 

• Chapin - super bold, spicy reds. Yum. 

Santa Barbara County

• Alma Rosa (Owned by the guy who created the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Try the amazing little restaurant next to it at Industrial Eats)

• Foxen + The Foxen Shack (Foxen does Pinots and Chards, the shack does bigger reds)

• Story of Soil +1 - female owned and cute little tasting room

• Lincourt (Los Olivos) - Foley family winery with GREAT Pinots

• Bridlewood Estate Winery  (Los Olivos) - Can find in grocery stores but the tasting is all estate wines - reservation only, definitely recommended 

• Demetria Estate (Los Olivos) - AMAZING. The view, the drive, the wines. Appointment only, but WORTH IT.

• Andrew Murray Vineyards +1 - great reds (Mostly focuses on Rhone Varietals). They also sell stainless steel growlers you can get refilled with either Zin or their white blend for a discount every time you go.

• Zaca Mesa-Excellent Syrah here.

• Spear-New tasting room in a beautifully renovated dairy barn looking over the valley. Reservations required

• Brave and Maiden- Honestly, the wines were good not great, but the estate is probably the coolest thing out there. It’s brand new and absolutely stunning. Reservations required.

Paso Robles 

• Justin Wines World-class bordeaux-style varieties

• Sculpterra - decent collection of Reds, but the gardens and sculptures are worth at least one visit!