9 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.“

“HIGHLY RECOMMEND! This is an impressive family oriented winery place. It’s beautiful and uses a dry method. Dean was an amazing and knowledgeable wine expert and walked through every type which by the way we loved each one. We also met Lucas and Nicole! Thank you so much!“

“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.“

“I just tried a bottle last night and loved it. I like Merlot and Bordeaux blends, Daou, and Pomeral. This fit right into my sweet spot. Nice fruits, enough tannin for structure and a smooth finish. A nice surprise alone and nice for entertaining..“

“The perfect venue for my baby shower!! Elena was incredibly helpful making suggestions before we booked and she went above and beyond day-of helping with clean up and taking pictures for us. Minimal decor was needed because the tasting room itself is so cute! Couldn't recommend more for a small event!“

“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.“

“Dogs and wine! What is better?“

“The food and cocktails were incredible! I really liked the chicken jus that comes with the chicken skewers, which were perfectly glazed and the corn bowl was amazing too. Our cocktails were excellent and they have a well balanced wine list which we will try next time, since we’re coming back next week for the flank steak and pork chop.“