The 15 Best Wine Tasting Rooms In Solvang, California
Santa Ynez Valley is a vibrant and charming strip of wine country located in Santa Barbara County. The area is best known for its ability to produce quality Pinot Noir thanks to the unique nearby ocean climate. Though there are a handful of different towns located within the valley, none are perhaps as unique as the Danish town of Solvang. Between the transportive architecture and informative museums, Solvang gives visitors a true taste of Denmark right from the heart of central California.
However, the biggest draw to Solvang is definitely the endless array of wine tasting rooms. Since the main part of town is so small, travelers are able to walk from tasting room to tasting room, stopping for fresh bread or gourmet cheeses along the way. Whether you're a visitor or a local, Solvang is full of renowned wineries that are worth checking out. That said, we've rounded up this list of the best wine tasting rooms in Solvang, California.
Alma Rosa Winery
Located in the beautiful Sta. Rita Hills, Alma Rosa Winery boasts an impressive tasting room just 45 minutes north of downtown Santa Barbara. Specializing in vineyard-designated and small-production wines allows each bottle at Alma Rosa to be unique in flavor and bottled with care. Alma Rosa is known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, but also offers a myriad of other wines grown and bottled on-site for guests to taste.
The tasting room is charming and more modern when compared to surrounding wineries. The courtyard is over 1,000 square feet, and with both interior and exterior space to indulge in a tasting, guests can enjoy sipping no matter what the weather. The tastefully decorated interior is flooded with tons of light thanks to the large windows and open setting. The tasting fee is only $25 and includes an ever-changing selection of five Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Rhône varietals, and sparkling wines from the Alma Rosa portfolio.
Casa Cassara Winery
Casa Cassara is a classic family-owned winery in the Santa Ynez Valley. The family has been growing grapes since 1988 and making wine in this fruitful valley since 1999, perfecting the signature Casa Cassara Pinot Noir. However, more recently, Casa Cassara has been branching out into other varietals as well. The tasting room is located in the heart of Solvang, making it the perfect place to swing by for a tasting during the day.
The tasting fee at Casa Cassara is just $15 and includes a selection of five wines. Unlike many other Santa Ynez Valley tasting rooms that only offer a set tasting menu, Casa Cassara provides guests with a full list of the available wines and allows each individual to select which wines they would like to try. After selecting their favorites, guests are walked through the most ideal order of the selections by one of Casa Cassara's knowledgeable wine experts for a personalized tasting experience.
Royal Oaks Winery
Looking for something sweet? Royal Oaks Winery offers a beautiful Solvang tasting room specializing in a variety of sweet and dessert wines. From Moscato to Concord and everything in between, the sweet selections at Royal Oaks are aged to perfection and add an exciting twist to traditional drier wine tasting available across Solvang. With both a recently renovated indoor tasting room and a spacious outdoor patio for guests to enjoy the tastings, there is no shortage of aesthetically pleasing spaces to enjoy at Royal Oaks Winery.
In addition to the standard tasting, Royal Oaks Winery has also created a collaborative tasting experience with local Santa Barbara chocolatier Jessica Foster, who has hand-created chocolate truffles made especially to be paired with specific Royal Oaks wines. Although the sweet wines are the star at Royal Oaks, the winery also offers more traditional, drier wines for those with less of a sweet tooth to enjoy.
Dascomb Cellars
Dascomb Cellars is one of the oldest, most tried-and-true wineries in Santa Barbara County. The original East Valley Vineyard was planted in 1974 and has since been pruned and refined to yield some of the most delicious and fruitful harvests in the valley. Owner David Dascomb takes great pride in his blend of tradition and passion for winemaking, ensuring that his tried and true practices create consistently high-quality and delicious wines.
The Dascomb Cellars tasting room offers wine tastings, wine by the glass, and whole bottles for sale in the charming downtown Solving space. The interior is inviting and warm, as white walls are adorned with minimal natural wood and live plant accents that give the space a pleasant, open feel. The outdoor patio is open year-round and allows guests to enjoy a leisurely tasting in the beautiful central coast sun. Whether you choose to enjoy a glass of your go-to Dascomb Cellars favorite or indulge in a tasting experience, the quality of the wines at this local spot is consistently impressive.
Crawford Family Wines
With an impressive industrial wine-making space in Buellton and a charming tasting room in Solvang, Crawford Family Wines specializes in a technique of wine-making known as the "garagiste" style. This traditional small batch technique produces simple yet quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Rhône varieties produced in micro-batches for maximum flavor curation. The winemakers at Crawford Family Wines are proud Santa Ynez Valley locals and work tirelessly to ensure each of the family-made wines exudes the unique flavors of this vibrant region.
The Solvang tasting room is located in the heart of the charming community directly across the street from the Solvang visitor center and the mission. The tasting room offers a variety of tasting experiences from a classic flight, to cheese pairings and other specialty tastings. If you plan to enjoy Crawford Family Wines with a group of friends or family, consider booking a private tasting in advance. This unique experience offers guests the opportunity for a personalized tasting experience with winemaker Mark Horvath, which includes current releases and other special features.
Dana V. Wines
Owned and operated by experienced winemaker Dana Volk, Dana V. Wines offers a wide variety of wines in the stunning Solvang tasting room. While many of the tasting rooms in Solvang are outposts of their own local vineyards, Dana V. Wines sources from a range of local farmers, allowing for the same local taste and quality but also providing a greater range and variety of wines and flavors. The wines are hand-selected from the highest quality vineyard blocks from across the valley to ensure each of her house-made wines is up to standards.
Dana V. Wines is much more than a tasting room, though — it is a hub of community and creativity in downtown Solvang. In addition to a standard tasting flight or a single glass of wine, this adorable spot offers an array of exciting wine-centered events. From wine pairing courses to group tastings, harvest parties, and live music events, there is never a dull moment at Dana V. Wines.
Sanger Wines Tasting Room
Since 2013, Sanger Wines has united three notable Central Coast wine brands to create a united wine production and tasting room. Formerly independently owned and operated Consilience, Marianello, and Tre Anelli have since combined into a single conglomerate. The brands are united by a shared passion for mixing the Mediterranean wine experience revered in France, Italy, and Spain and practices with the lush grapes from wineries across the central coast.
The Sanger Wines tasting room in Solvang offers a variety of set tasting menus, as well as single glasses and full bottles of a diverse selection of wines. Priced at $30, the Sanger Experience Flight takes guests through a selection of limited-production wines from the delicious Marianello and Tre Anelli wines. The $25 Consilience Flight offers a tasting of wines hand selected by winemaker Brett Escalera. Both of these tastings also include a complimentary olive oil and vinegar tasting of both flavored and unflavored favorites to enjoy in addition to the wine.
Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards
Lucas & Lewellen has been making high-quality wines from the grapes grown in an expansive estate in the Santa Ynez Valley since 1975. The impressive estate spans over 400 acres across three of the valley's distinct climate zones, allowing Lucas & Lewellen to produce a wide range of quality wines. The wines produced are so popular that they are sold in 14 countries. However, nothing is better than enjoying a glass of this fine wine from the charming Solvang tasting room.
The L&L tasting room in Solvang is consistently ranked as one of the best in this wine-dominated town. While many other tasting rooms in the area offer limited tasting menus, there is no shortage of options at Lucas & Lewellen. With selections of earthy and rich reds, bright whites, exciting sparkling wines, and many signature Port wines. There really is something for every palate to enjoy at this lively tasting room.
McClain Cellars
McClain Cellars is easily one of the most stylish and inviting tasting rooms in Solvang. The interior area is sleek and decorated with bright and vibrant art on the walls in addition to the displays of the Santa Ynez Valley-sourced wines. Communal tables, a sleek bar top, and luxe chairs and sofas further add to the luxurious interior of the tasting room. Take a seat on the front patio alongside the 36-foot-long fire pit and enjoy a tasting experience warmed by the firelight as you watch the patrons of Solvang.
McClain Cellars offers a wide range of tasting experiences for guests to enjoy locally harvested and bottled wines. In addition to standard wine tastings, there are also artisan popcorn tastings, cheese pairings, charcuterie boards, olive oil and vinegar tastings, and opportunities to engage with the owners and skilled winemakers behind this impressive wine company.
Buttonwood Farm Winery
Since 1983, Buttonwood Farm Winery has been exercising a farm-forward approach to its winemaking. The 42-acre vineyard covers sun-kissed land, giving the grapes and therefore the Buttonwood wines a distinct and consistent flavor. The tasting room is on the same property as the vineyards and is located in the less concentrated farmland of more rural Solvang, allowing guests to not only enjoy the tasting of the wines from a downtown tasting room but also to enjoy tours of the vineyards and a first-hand look at the stunning location the wine comes from.
The on-site tastings start at only $25 and are 90 minutes long, and invite guests to sample some of the most popular wines grown on-site. Enjoy a tasting experience in the beautiful garden patio area right next to the fruitful peace grove. The dynamic tasting room is also lined with other Buttonwood Farm favorites including olives, pomegranates, peonies, herbs, summer vegetables, and peaches.
Rusack Vineyards
Rusack Vineyards is a popular spot located down the street from "downtown" Solvang. The stunning views and picturesque setting are well worth the short drive, and it is a great option for those seeking a true tasting experience in a vineyard. This boutique winery is surrounded by stunning rolling hills, making it an ideal spot to post up for a picnic with some small snacks or a light lunch.
That said, Rusack Vineyards is open by appointment only, so be sure to make a reservation ahead of time. Whether you choose to sit on the Oak Deck or the Canyon Terrace, there are charming views from every part of the property. Best of all, Rusack Vineyards is dog-friendly, ensuring that you can bring your four-legged family members along for the tasting. If you're a fan of red wine, the Pinot Noir and Syrah are both must-tries, while Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp and refreshing white option.
Lions Peak Vineyard
Lions Peak Vineyard has been producing premium wines since 1994, making it a staple in the Santa Ynez community. This family-owned and operated winery focuses on sustainability, allowing patrons and customers to feel good about the low-impact Lions Peak's wine production is having on the environment.
Tasting flights include five quality pours of either red or white varietals for $25. However, if you already know what you like and would prefer to order a glass, it is $20 for white wine and $25 for red wine. Reservations are required for indoor tastings for parties of four or more, so it is important to plan ahead. If you get hungry during your visit, there are small cheese platters and chocolates available for purchase. The brand's sommelier, Jennifer Soni-Arant, has won several awards and accolades, ensuring that a solid amount of care and consideration goes into each bottle of vino.
Cali Love Wine
If you're looking to let loose and switch up the traditional Solvang scene, Cali Love Wine is the place to be. Everything from the decor to the music turns a tasting at Cali Love Wine into a true party, making it a popular tasting room for birthday celebrations and bachelorette parties. Expect to find tons of neon lights, glitter, and pink. In addition to serving up some stellar bubbles and vino, Cali Love Wine offers karaoke and mimosa flights on Sundays.
When it comes to the wines themselves, all of the wines served are hand-made and sourced from local vineyards. Since most of the tasting rooms in Solvang close around 6 p.m., Cali Love Wine's 10 p.m. closing ensures that you can keep the fun going throughout the night before hitting the hay in a nearby hotel. Children are also allowed inside the tasting room until 7 p.m. daily.
Lincourt Vineyards
If you're looking for a solid view and a quaint setting, look no further than Lincourt Vineyards. This beautiful winery is situated just outside of downtown Solvang, and though it is not within walking distance like many other tasting rooms on this list, it is close enough. The rural charm of Lincourt Vineyards makes it a timeless gem that caters to locals and visitors alike. The tasting room itself has a vintage appeal and sits under a row of pepper trees, while the surrounding vineyards make for a photo-worthy backdrop.
Reservations at Lincourt Vineyards are for 90 minutes, giving guests plenty of time to sip and chat while taking in the stunning setting. The wine-tasting flights feature five seasonal estate wines and cost $35 per flight. However, if you decide to become a club member, flights are free for up to four guests. Dogs are also welcome here, allowing you to bring your furry friends along for the ride.
Rideau Vineyard
Rideau Vineyards has been a part of the community for more than 20 years and specializes in small production Rhône wines. The estate wines are by far the most popular and premium, and each Rhône varietal is hand harvested from the estate vineyard which is also sustainably farmed. Rideau Vineyards also offers locally grown wines that are sourced from some of the owner's favorite vineyards in the area, highlighting the tight-knit community found in Santa Ynez Valley.
That said, if you're looking for the cream of the crop, Rideau's reserve wines are where it's at. These bottles are made from the top sections of Rideau's estate vineyard. These wines are only available to the Cellar Club members, making them an exclusive treat. The tasting room is located in the historic El Alamo Pintado Adobe, and walk-ins are welcome throughout the day. Whether you're looking for a tasting or a glass, Rideau Vineyard is well worth checking out during a day in Solvang.