Wallys Wine & Spirits Santa Monica And Beverly Hills
Wallys two gorgeous and intimate wine stores in Santa Monica and Beverly Hill, where 2500 different blends line the 20 foot walls and over 200 cheeses feature on the menu. Sit at a marble communal table to indulge in wine tastings, cocktails, cheese, caviar and delicious bites. There is also a wine-cave inspired private room.
Santa Barbara Wine Region
The Santa Barbara wine region spans 50 miles, so be prepared with a plan before setting out in the car for a day of tasting.
Our favorite Santa Barbara wine tasting areas are the downtown areas Urban Trail and the Foxen County wineries. These two areas tick all the boxes.
Youll get a feel for the town of Santa Barbara, where many of the top wineries have tasting rooms, and youll get a chance to drive around the countryside and see the vineyards and wineries that are spread throughout the region to the northwest of Santa Barbara.
Downtown youll find a collective of tasting rooms in an area called El Paseo. We stumbled upon this enclave and were delighted at the variety of wineries. This is where youll find Happy Canyon, Jamie Slone and Grassini.
In the Funk Zone, youll find tasting rooms like Riverbench and Santa Barbara Winery both have some terrific Pinot Noirs to try and The Valley Project, a modern tasting room with an incredible map of the region displayed on their back wall. Its a must for newbies to get the lay of the land.
Wine Tasting In California
Can anyone recommend any good wine tasting in LA? I would prefer if it wasn’t too far out but open to options if it looks good.
Are you looking for a wine bar where you can taste or did you want to go to wineries?
You’d have to drive out of LA if you are looking for wineries.
What is your itinerary for this trip?
Where are you staying in LA and will you have a car? Did you want a winery or a restaurant?
Please post in the Los Angeles forum so we can see your post and it doesn’t get lost in this overall CA forum.
James I think you should use the Ca forum to plan your overall itinerary with your interests and tastes and we can help guide you. You’ve asked a couple of questions about the mustang and wine tasting in LA — fine questions but they are disjointed and do not give us a clear picture on how to help
Forums work best when one provides the overview and we can then help you. You could google wine tasting La or cheap mustangs CA if you wanted
CA is HUUUUUGE as much as driving from London to Venice so when you post things in the state forum which is used to plan itineraries, things can get more confusing
We are staying in Beverly Hills and we do have a car however if we are drinking I would prefer to not drive. Are there any that provide a coach in and out of the city?
Also I was hoping for a winery if there is one? I’m also going to Palm Springs if there are any near here.
Edited: 6 years ago
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How To Save On California Wine Tasting
So the free options are drying up and tasting fees are climbing each year. What is a wine lover to do? How can you find the best California wine tasting discounts? You could switch to drinking only water. You could try sneaking wine from the dump buckets on the tasting counter. Or, you could follow some of our tips below!
Top 7 Vineyards In California To Visit This Summer
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California produces 90% of U.S. wine, courtesy of its mild climate and diverse terrain of mountains, valleys and vast plains. In recent decades Californian wines have forged a global presence, notably since 1976s famed Judgement of Paris. In this international blind tasting event, California newcomers went head to head with established French favourites, and walked away with the honours.
California boasts over 2,000 wineries, spanning major producers to boutique family-run ventures. So how do you choose which ones to visit? Here we tempt your taste buds with seven of the finest.
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Top Wineries And Wine Tasting Experiences Near Malibu
Cornell Winery & TastingRoom Here the action revolves around a dark wood bar and a communal area with picnic tables and benches.
Malibu Wines at Saddlerock Ranch offers a relaxed environment to enjoy Semler and Saddlerock wines reservations are strongly recommended on Saturdays and Sundays. Malibu Wines is also known for its Wine Safaris, where you can tour the property in an open-top vehicle, check out the vineyards overlooking the Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Plus, mingle with a giraffe, a water buffalo, llamas, and other exotic animals. But theres more! You can also take a Wine Hike or a Bike Tour, with all tours concluding wine tastings.
The Barn at Cielo Farmers Winery and Tasting Room is in a Tuscan-style stone barn on a hilltop with picnic tables and sweeping views of the vineyards. Its the perfect place for a Malibu wine outing. You can also enjoy an afternoon of yoga and mindful movement amongst the vines. If you want to taste wine and picnic, take a winery tour or participate in a yoga class, Cielo requires you to make an appointment.
Rosenthal Malibu Estate Vineyard Wine Bar and Patio is at the top of Kanan Dume Road, but their tasting room is located just across from the beach right on PCH in Malibu proper near Topanga Canyon Blvd.
NABU Wines, located in Westlake Village, NABU features wines made from fruit grown in Malibu and Napa Valley Excellent tasting room experience here.
Beringer Vineyard Napa Valley
Californias oldest winery dates back to 1876 and was the first to open its doors to visitors and launch vineyard hospitality in the Napa Valley. A visit to the estate is a visual treat, where youll discover beautiful 19th century architecture set within expansive leafy gardens. Beringers quality roll-call includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. Enjoy wine tastings on the veranda of the ornate Victorian Rhine House, followed by a stroll around the gardens and estate.
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Pismo Beach Wine Festival
Of all the Central Coast wine events, Wine, Waves & Beyond is the frothiest! Stay for a long weekend of wine and surf-related experiences, perfect for wine tasting Pismo Beach. Events include a surf movie premier, a Volkswagen bus show, a surf competition, and a grand tasting of the finest coastal wines. Wine, Waves & Beyond is also a philanthropic event that has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local charities over the years.
How Does Winetasting In Napa Work
The best way to sample a winerys offerings is to pony up for a formal winetasting. As the name implies, this is your chance to taste some of the winerys current releases.
Others incorporate food, chocolate, and other delicious treats into the mix. Across the Valley, many tastings are seatedmeaning you and your traveling companions sit as you would at a restaurant, and a server or host brings the wines to you. Some wineries also still use tasting bars at these, you simply walk up to the bar and stand while you sip. Hosts do their best to facilitate your tasting, providing general tasting notes before you sample, then checking back after you sip to answer questions you might have.
Many wineries require appointmentsespecially when youre aiming to taste rare wines or have a food pairing. To make these, go to the winerys website or call.
Once youve sat for a tasting, dont rush. Basic tastings last about an hour, while more involved tastings can go anywhere from 90 minutes to two or three hours. Hosts are trained to pace the tastings slowly to keep everyone relaxed. Remember that you dont have to drink every drop of each wine tables and bars always are equipped with dump buckets into which you can pour any wine youd rather not drink.
Most wineries are open daily from 10 or 11 a.m. until 5 or 6 p.m.
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Macrostie Winery And Vineyard :
MacRostie Winery was originally opened in 1987 by Steve MacRostie. A visionary, MacRostie was one of the first people to plant in the fog-shrouded vineyards of Sonoma County. After thirty years, he sold to Distinguished Vineyards and Wine Partners in 2011 but still guides the winemaking along with winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen.
MacRostie produces pinot noir and chardonnay from numerous sites including the fifty-eight acres from the Wildcat Mountain Vineyard that was planted in 1998. In February 2015, MacRostie Winery opened the winery and tasting room on Westside Road.
Sitting on twenty-eight acres, thirteen of which are planted to pinot noir, the estate house is a modern facility with views overlooking Sonoma County. From the moment you walk up and are greeted with a glass of chardonnay to sitting on the patio or in the living room, you may never want to leave.
Lodi Is Home To Some Of The Oldest Vines In The World
Get up close and personal with vines that could tell stories from more than a century ago. They stand alone, with thick trunks and crazy branches – these vines are not like any youve seen before.
Some notable ancient vineyards include Bechthold and Lizzie James .
This age on a vine results in wines with more depth and complexity, so if you see these vineyards on a wine label, snag that bottle!
120-year-old Zinfandel vine from the Lizzie James Vineyard in Lodi, California.
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Napa Valley Wine Tasting
Wine tasting on a budget in Napa may seem impossible. Napa is the place to glam it up. Big and bold Cabs dominate the scene and ornate estates line the major wine trails. Napa stands alone in the mind of the wine-tasting public. For the honor of tasting wine at an esteemed Napa estate, you will pay between $40 – $50. That is a standard taste. The costs go up quickly from there for other “experiences”. Use our suggestions and you can easily save hundreds of dollars in tasting fees.
Neociant North Park Urban Winery
This North Park district winery is located in a bustling part of town, with lots of emerging businesses including retail and cultural venues! This urban winery is just that, a cornerstone of the revitalization story of this part of San Diego. Their tasting room where youll find yourself right at home, features a lounge-like atmosphere with strong modern elements. Its a relaxing and laid-back feeling environment where you can unwind with a nice glass of wine and some friends.
This is where they feature some of the winerys finest wines. This is one winery that prides itself on making totally local craft wines. They have a hearty selection of reds and whites, including a delicious Temranillo, Sangiovese, and a lovely collection of locally sourced Chardonnays. Head on down to North Park for an enjoyable glass of wine, and slow-down for a little while in their relaxing tasting room.
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Top 10 Wineries To Visit In Southern California
Robert Renzoni Vineyards, Courtesy of Visit Temecula Valley
Southern California Wine Country has a rich history dating back to the 1700s when Franciscan missionary, Father Junipero Sera, established the first known vineyard in California in San Diego. The past few centuries have seen immense growth of Southern Californias grape growing and winemaking scene, as many sub-regions have emerged, each with its own defining microclimate and winemaking culture.
Take a road trip with us as we outline ten of our favorite Southern California wineries, from Malibu to San Diego and everywhere in between.
Is Carmel Valley The Same As Carmel
Not at all. Carmel by the Sea is on the California coast and 12 miles west of Carmel Valley.
A weekend at either destinations is always a great idea. However, Carmel Valley is specifically for those looking for wine tasting with a glass of Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. Carmel by the Sea is definitely way more touristy and popular, thanks to its European flair meets California cool with the beach, food, shopping and fairytale like cottages.
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Harvest Time In Napa And Sonoma
Peak tourist season in Napa and Sonoma also coincides with harvest season. While harvest season variers year-by-year due to weather and other factors, most wineries start picking grapes in August and continue through October. While visiting at this time of year is ideal, simply because of great weather and an abundance of activities, wineries are much busier, and you can expect to see higher rates for accommodations, increased traffic, and more massive crowds at tasting rooms and vineyards.
Painted Ladies Wine Country Tour
Painted Ladies Tour Company is beloved for their San Francisco city tours tootling around in a vintage VW bus. The family-run operation also spins their retro wheels through legendary Sonoma Valley on small-group tours to up-and-coming wine producers. Past guests rave about the friendly guides, great road-trip vibe, and the thoughtfully selected lineup that includes an Italian winery for lunch. And don’t worry you’ll get a Golden Gate Bridge photo op.
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What To Know About Sustainable Biodynamic And Organic Wine Just In Time For A Summer Tasting Trip
Nothing says summer like an idyllic, sun-soaked day spent sipping wine in a vineyard. And knowing the vineyard practices sustainable and biodynamic farming techniques makes it even better.
When you drive up to a biodynamic vineyard, the first thing you notice is how beautiful it is, Chris Benziger, the vintner at Benziger Family Winery in Sonoma, California, told Travel + Leisure. It’s full of “habitat highways,” like olive trees and lavender bushes, as well as animals roaming, like the sheep on Benziger’s land, which do everything from pushing debris into the ground to eating leaves and even fertilizing as they go.
“When you see a well-run, sustainable vineyard, you see how naturally it blends into the land,” Benziger told T+L. “It’s not so neat and angular. When you see a sustainable, organic vineyard, they’re more in tune with the topography of the land, it looks more like an old traditional farm from 100 or so years ago than it would a big, industrial farm.”
The wine itself also tells the story.
All of the growing conditions from the type of soil and the climate to how the vines are cultivated create the terroir, a French term loosely translated to mean “a sense of place.”
Benziger added it’s that sense of place that makes the glass more complex and more interesting.
“You’re not just getting primary fruit notes, you’re getting the minerality of that site,” he said. “Every bottle of wine is like a little zip code depending on where you are in the world.”
The Best California Wine Tasting Discounts
CWA Staff
California wine tasting discounts may become harder to find during the pandemic. Wineries are limiting the number of people who can visit. The state of California is mandating that wine tasting is done outside, making it impossible for some wineries to offer tastings at all. But as we get things under control, wineries will increase the number of people they allow. That will lead to more competition and discounts will be back!
Some people as us if wine tasting on a budget even possible? Wine tasting used to be free. I know it’s hard to remember, but it really wasn’t that long ago. Wineries were happy that you stopped by and couldn’t wait for you to try their wine…for free. Really, this is how it worked. They even threw in a free wine glass that you could just take home! As Archie Bunker once sang, Those Were The Days.
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What To Do In California
There’s so much more to do in California in between wine tastings and tours. If you enjoy outdoor activities and natural environment, you can’t miss a trip to the Yosemite National Park or to the Sequoia National Park.If you are more into cities, spend some days discovering the gorgeous city of San Francisco. Visit the sea lions at Pier 39, have a meal in the oldest Chinatown in the world and enjoy the view from the many hills of the city. And don’t forget the stunning Golden Gate Bridge! Learn more about what places to visit and what to taste in California by reading our travel guide.
La Finquita Winery And Vineyard
23123 Vista Ramona Road, Ramona, CA 92065, 896-4014
La Finquita translation: the little farm in San Diegos Ramona Valley is a must-see for its cave, if nothing else. This eight-acre property is owned by husband-and-wife team Charlie and Jess Koehler, who also happen to be the youngest winery owners and vintners in Ramona. Not only does it feature hand-crafted wines made exclusively from San Diego County grapes like petit verdot, tempranillo, syrah, grenache, and other Mediterranean varieties, it also boasts a stunning wine cave built into the side of the hill beneath the winerys tasting room, adorned with walls of wine racks, a medieval chandelier, and the unmistakable, heady aroma of wine as it ages.
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