7 Best Wineries near Santa Margarita

“Went for lunch on a recent trip to California. Everything was very nice and their wine is excellent. Too bad that it is not located at the vineyard. The best experience that I have had at other places was restaurants and tasting rooms at vineyards, often with great views of the vines.“

“There are several wineries in the area but this one has left an impressionable mark on our small group. We popped in a few years ago just because we were in the area for another event. No reservations, no nothing, we just pulled up without the desire for a pretentious experience. We got welcomed like we were family. We left the event having exchanged contacts with the owner. This is an amazing place, family owned, great wines, great people. Put it on your list if you really want to go to a winery that actually gives a shit.“

“Clesi’s Italian varietals are first class. Their wines were reminiscent of the fine wines we tasted on a trip to Italy a couple years back, smooth, lite, easy to drink. Becky provided us with the back story on each of their varietals and the different regions in Italy they are native to. Clesi winery is now on our short list when in the Paso Robles (Templeton) area.“

“We had a fabulous time last Saturday at the Pizza and Wine Pairing event. The food, the wine and the atmosphere was perfect. Annie and the Venteux staff did such an amazing job coordinating and arranging this event! We love all of the Venteux Vineyards events and the wonderful people that make it happen. Thank you Venteux Vineyards.“

“So glad I learned of this fun, intimate wine tasting room in downtown San Luis Obispo! They have very good wines, including some unique whites and a stellar rosé, all sourced from the fabulous Edna Valley. I joined their wine club on my first visit! Service has always been exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable. Elena, who is almost always there, treats us like good friends…sort of a “Cheers” vibe, but with good 🍷“

“Kim is great! She made us feel welcome! Great prices for tasty wine!“

“I asked a very prominent Edna Valley grape farmer who the next up-and-coming wine maker in Edna Valley was, and he pointed me to El Lugar and their wine maker Coby Parker-Garcia. I dropped by their tasting room next to Ancient Owl and was absolutely blown away by the quality of their wines - the best tasting I’ve done on the Central Coast perhaps ever. They are very Pinot Noir heavy, which isn’t even one of my favorite varietals, but the artful skill of the winemaker shines through. I didn’t have a single wine I disliked, but their Pinot from Bien Naciedo stood out as an utterly flawless wine. How it doesn’t earn a 98–100 point score from wine critics is beyond me. That said, my personal favorite was their Pinot from Bassi Vineyard near Avila Beach. There was a very interesting cayenne note in there that made the wine really exciting and, lucky for me and my pocketbook, was one of the cheaper wines they sell. I don’t think you can go wrong here. The only error you can make is not coming paying this hidden gem a visit. I see a bright future for Coby and El Lugar.“