22 Best Wineries near Aptos

“Beautiful location with great views!“

“This past weekend, we decided to visit Lester Estate Wines. The property is beautiful, with spaces for events and parties. Following the signs to the tasting room, you enter and see a long room decorated with all kinds of different woodsy/nature themed items. The staff greeted us and led us to a nice outdoor seating area. I tried the new Pinot Noir reds and she tried a mix of sparkling and still whites. Overall, it was a pleasant time and there is plenty to see! Another good wine tasting experience in the mountains north of Aptos!“

“The staff are so welcoming and very knowledgeable. The site is gorgeous. Lots of fabulous events throughout the year. And of course, fantastic wine! Several different varieties - all delicious. The owners have a devoted passion for the winery and members and visitors. 5 Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“The only thing that made me sad about Inversion Wines was that I hadn’t made it in sooner! I attended a baby shower this weekend that was superb in every way. Amazing wine, atmosphere, and people! Thank you!!!“

“Among the best California wines I have ever drunk!
Alex was very welcoming. He speaks perfect French and knows everything about the history of the vines from which his wines come (some of which are a hundred years old!). The wines are excellent, in a very light style which is more reminiscent of the finesse of great French wines than the American style. Among my favorites, pinots! delicate and with light fruit notes; a riesling with a perfect balance between aromatic profile and minerality, and an orange wine with an incredible nose... among others.“

“Always a wonderful time when we hang out at El Vaquero.“

“A stunning estate with warm, knowledgeable staff, and truly exceptional wines. As a wine nerd, I love their wine club for value and quality, especially their Pinot Noir. Their wines really highlight the distinctive character of the Santa Cruz AVA. Don’t walk, run to Windy Oaks as soon as possible.“

“The tasting is good. I particularly liked the first two better; rosé and pinotage. I'm not a fan of pinot but cabernet never disappoints (but that's a matter of taste and pairing). The view here is beautiful, and another point to highlight is that children are welcome, and it is also totally allowed to bring food from outside to have a family picnic while you enjoy some delicious wine and the magnificent view that the place offers you.. It's worth it. It's worth the winding road to get there.“

“Nice property. Decent wines. Good prices. Great service.

Tasting is $10 for 5 wines. They make a nice variety of wines, but more pinot noir and red heavy with some Italian styles. Wines are all very fragrant, but taste was ok. Only 1 standout wine. They waive the tasting fee for every 2 bottle purchase, but their flexible. Bottles are mostly $30-50

Stephanie was awesome. Very knowledgeable, friendly, passionate about the wines. Not very busy on a Saturday. Outdoor seating only. A bit strange that there was only 1 low table with chairs. Rest were all high top standing tables so be prepared to stand or sit in the sun on the side areas. Open seating. You go up to the bar area to get your own wines and taste at your own pace. Only 1 restroom. Self serve water provided. No food allowed (not sure why, they don't sell food)“

“Armitage wines offers a truly outstanding experience. It is not just the great history of the estate which was formerly owned by Alfred Hitchcock, but the delicious and high quality wines that you can sample in this amazing setting. The current owners are very welcoming and attentive and especially dedicated to creating a great tasting experience for their guests. We spend a whole afternoon trying the different wines and I have to say it is rarely the case that I am as pleased with the sampling as I was at Armitage. Next to this, the vineyard offers amazing views. Tucked away in the redwood trees you can see for miles while overlooking the grapes from the top of the estate. When the sun sets in the afternoon, it makes for an amazing play of light and shadows. We truly loved visiting this place and will definitely come back. It is well worth a trip. If this does not convince you, please see the attached photos. I am in no way affiliated to this place, but was simply amazed by our afternoon here.“

“Everything about this place has us planning our next visit. Decor inside, gas fireplaces outside and amazing wines and food. You do not want to miss Juan’s empanadas. We had the Syrah and the Viognier which were both excellent. Sean is also such an asset to the entire vibe. His hospitality is enough to return weekly. Thanks for the amazing date night setting.

Vegetarian options: Empanadas, salad, bruschetta

Parking: Parking along Pacific Avenue in metered spots

Kid-friendliness: More of a date night or adult gathering spot

Wheelchair accessibility: Accessible inside and out.“

“Great and friendly staff. Very helpful.“

“Absolutely one of the most beautiful places I have ever DJed. Marky and her staff were exceptional. Very well kept grounds. Top notch venue!!“

“service was great, winery was beautiful👌🏽“

“Great family gathering spot as well as great wine & friendly staff 🤗🍷“

“We have tasted many times at Wargin Wines and Mikael’s wines never fail to amaze us… so much so that we became members a while back! I tend to get headaches easily from wine and his wines have never done that. I think he is using quality practices to produce interesting, full bodied and tasty varieties. It’s always fun to see what new wines he has to offer. We’ve taken lots of friends to join our tastings (included in our membership BTW!) and they have all loved it too! Good prices, fun labels and great service! Try Wargin Wines!“

“Lovely location with beautiful views. You can bring your own snacks. The wine available are great. The hostess was good. The flights we all enjoyed. On this January day we sat outside and enjoyed the sun, did not need the umbrella. You can get club membership as well. We saw some humming birds darting through the flowers, and caught a couple deer on the drive to the parking. View of the bay.“

“We just spent an extremely pleasant afternoon, sailing with Team O’Neill and sampling Pelican Ranch wines. Next time we’re in Capitola (soon), we will be visiting the tasting room and bringing a few bottles home for sure!“

“Patty Gilbert's band playing this afternoon..... Great music , great wine. Had a glass of That's Amore Blend. Wine is excellent....50% Barbera... Definitely fruit forward.... Cherry and plumb. On the back end Cab Sauv jumps out .... Warm spice. Barbara did a great job pouring.
Ron“

“(Translated by Google) Very nice wine tasting in the heart of Santa Cruz. The person in charge of the tastings spoke very good French, which allowed us to take full advantage of this wine discovery. I highly recommend.(Original)Très agréable dégustation de vin au cœur de Santa Cruz. La personne en charge des dégustations parlait très bien français, ce qui nous a permis de profiter pleinement de cette découverte de vin. Je recommande vivement.“

“We usually frequent Santa Cruz so this was our first time stopping in Capitola, glad we popped in before hitting the beach. Service was great, server was extremely knowledgeable and personable, and wines were delicious. Very nice way to pass an hour in the early afternoon waiting for the heat to turn up.“