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37 reviews for Agua Dulce Vineyards
37 reviews in English
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Review from Chris Y.
3/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Clean, comfortable, friendly, generous... everything a winery should be. You'll come feeling like a wine novice and leaving feeling like a true "Cork Dork".
As soon as you arrive, you'll find plenty of parking right in front of the building. Their tasting room/gift shop is well-stocked, offering not only wines but also artisan spices, meats & cheeses, wine accessories, and other things wine-related.
Unlike some wineries, this place is kid-friendly. Even though we didn't see any children during our visit, we were informed by the staff that children are welcome in the tasting room. Being a parent myself, I appreciate that. Although I would never recommend bringing children, just as a courtesy to fellow oenophiles.
The vineyard is large and beautiful. There's a large, open grass area with some patio tables just behind the main building. They encourage you to hang around the winery and enjoy a picnic if you like. There's also a small area with various farm animals that you can look at.
My personal experience here was very good. My wife & I came with a group of friends to celebrate a birthday. We all made reservations for a wine tour & tasting that they found LivingSocial.
We were greeted by a gentleman named Steve, who checked all our reservations and then conducted the tour. He was a very lively, very friendly and kept everyone smiling. After showing us all the equipment they use to make the wine, he gave us a taste of a young, unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon straight out of the wood cask. Shortly after that, we were taken to a room where we had more wine paired with various cheese samples. The tasting finished with a sample of their Syrah Port with milk & dark chocolate. If you've never tried Port and chocolate, you're missing out on one of life's delicious pleasures.
All their wines are very good, but their Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Reserve was definitely everyone's favorite. We ended up joining their wine club and purchased several bottles of wine, which we immediately drank at the picnic area. They even let us use their wine glasses and bottle opener as long as we agreed to bring them back before we left. I could understand bring back the bottle opener, but I found it a little odd that they made us return the wine glasses as well. Every other wine tasting I've been to has let me keep the wine glass as a souvenir.
It should be noted that the Agua Dulce wines are rather pricey. The prices aren't unreasonable considering the quality of the wine. But if you want to buy a bottle, the prices range from $30 to $100. Joining their Wine Club will help lower the prices considerably (up to 50%), but if you prefer not joining the club, then be prepared to spend some serious cash on wine purchases.
Just as our visit was coming to an end and we were getting ready to leave, Steve gave the birthday girl one of their Agua Dulce wine glasses to take home. The hospitality was definitely top notch. The whole staff was very gracious and generous with their wine. They kept offering more pours for whoever wanted to try more. They really made us feel welcome.
I'm already looking forward to making another trip to the winery and tasting the premium wines again. -
Review from Frances C.
Walnut, CA
5/10/2012
I went there for the barrel tour/wine, cheese and chocolate tasting.
I enjoyed the tour. I came out feeling like a cork dork :) I really liked the tour of the barrels, it was really neat to see all the wine in the barrels and learn the process of wine making. I was excited to taste the unfiltered cab, I actually liked that one the best... After the tour is over, we got to try different wines:
Chardonnay
Zinfandel
Sangiovese
Cabernet Sauvignon
Syrah Port
- of course each was paired with a cheese and the port with chocolate.
I appreciated that I we got to tour their facilities, it was a great experience. The wine was okay.
They have tables set up outside, so you could set up a nice lunch after the tasting. -
Review from Jeff B.
Glendale, CA
(Tasted 4/01/12 SU @ noon): Sweet water indeed, and such a nice surprise out in the middle of nowhere!
Thanks to a Living Social offer for Agua Dulce Vineyards (guided barrel tasting and wine pairing experience for two with gourmet cheese and chocolate - $49), I treated a female friend to a late birthday present (we actually tried sooner but our schedules never matched up). We've both been aware of this vineyard in passing (i.e. signs along the 14 Antelope Valley freeway, friends who live in the area, or printed advertisements), but this was to be our first time.
You must make reservations to partake in this guided deluxe tour, and the number of people in each group is kept to a minimum. In total, there were about twenty of us. Because this vineyard is literally out in the sticks, we started a bit late as they waited for stragglers, and once we did start, one big family had to join us about fifteen minutes in. Our guide was Cathy, who was very informative, friendly, and extremely easygoing. The tour took us to the vineyard outside (not much was going on at this time of year, but there were some sprouts that started to pop up), to the modern barrel room, to the labeling room, and then eventually to the tasting room...which kind of reminded me of one of those temporary class trailers on school campuses. This isn't a knock against them, just simply an observation which oddly had a warm spot in my heart during my college years.
So let the tasting begin! We were given pours of five varietals: Reserve Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah Port. And, we were given a plate of various cheeses, crackers, and chocolates for pairings. Lastly, we were asked to give each one a rating after each pouring. Cutting to the chase, my favorite was the Syrah Port, and my sweet teeth couldn't be restrained from their urging for me to buy a 750 ml bottle ($92.00 - GULP!!!). Easily the most expensive bottle of wine or port I've ever bought...but it was that good! Otherwise, I did fancy the Chardonnay (light and buttery) and the Cabernet (bold with a subtle nose and finish). If we wanted more of any of the wines being offered, Cathy was more than happy to oblige; pour away, sister!I also bought a bottle of Pineapple Coconut Mango Tequila Sauce ($9.50) for dipping or marinading.
It was a good group that ranged from the full family who showed up late (with two children in-tow), to a couple older and younger couples, my friend and I, and everyone with varied wine experiences.
The service was incredible from start to finish. The gentleman who greeted us was very affable, and that carried on throughout the rest of the staff. I didn't want to leave!
Parking is ample and they have their own parking lot.
Overall, I was extremely happy to finally visit Agua Dulce Vineyards, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Such a nice thing to have about an hour or so north of Los Angeles. I don't know what the normal price would be for this tasting, as most tastings I'm used to are around the $10-$12 range. But that's without a tour of the vineyard and the rest of the facilities and the fancier cheese and chocolates. With that being said, I found decent value based on this offer as noted by the prices I quoted above (total bill was around $110.00; no tip). I felt the price for the port (as lovely as it was) was high. Although, I've bought really good port for around $35 for the 375 ml bottle. The gift shop was very cute and had plenty of items to choose from. The atmosphere was modern country and unpretentious. Attire is casual, and I'm sure they would welcome t-shirts, boardshorts, and flip-flops (how I like o roll), please show some respect and go business casual at least. I will have to knock them an extra half-star (actual rating is 3 1/2 stars) because...they don't take my credit card of choice...AMEX! -
Review from Sunny R.
12/19/2011
I had found a half-off coupon for a private tour, barrel tasting and wine/cheese/chocolate pairing on http://livingsocial.com for Agua Dulce Winery. So yesterday we headed out there to imbibe ;)
What a great surprise! We didn't have that high of expectations but this place, their wines and the excellent staff (thank you Mary and Steve) made our afternoon an experience to remember.
We started with the tour and learned so many new handy wine tips. Plus, who doesn't love the scent of oak barrels - bonus!
They have a lot of acreage for their vineyards, their wine member parties and the stray animals that they adopt. A beautiful llama was part of their little zoo. So sweet.
The wine and cheese pairing was phenomenal. Chardonnay with Fontina cheese. Cabernet with Kassan cheese ( a great Greek cheese we've never had before) and marmalade. Zinfandel with Asiago. Sangiovese and Gorgonzola with honey. I'm not a fan of Chardonnay but this was seriously the best Chardonnay I've ever had. None of that silly buttery flavor - this was clean, crisp and had a great oak to it. YUM
Then, we ended with an award-winning Port and 3 different chocolates with varying degrees of cocoa content. Wow, I've never had chocolate and port before and now I know I've been missing out! This Port was smooth and sweet and delicious, and it went extremely well with the chocolates.
They didn't skimp on the wine samples either. And if we wanted an extra taste of anything, Mary and Steve made sure we had it. They were also generous with the cheese. There was so much that Honey and I couldn't finish it all. I would have loved to share photos but our camera broke and it'll be 4-6 weeks before I get it back.
After the tasting we got to check out the VIP room available to wine club members and then went out to the main tasting area to sample some Robusto Roja and Merlot. Their wines are so smooth and flavorful. Every taste was truly a treat. We also bought some great holiday gifts in their gourmet shop.
Our tour lasted about 90 minutes and even after that we didn't want to leave. We ended up spending 3 hours there and still didn't get to roam the rest of the grounds. We'll definitely be back! We're planning on going back soon to picnic on their tables with a bottle of wine and some of their cheese. And we're trying to figure out what to call our row of grapes when we join the wine club - Grape Escape? Whatcha think? -
Review from Maribeth H.
Beverly Hills, CA
12/11/2011
It's fun having a winery so close to home.
I don't have anything negative to say. If it were a winery where I could go buy the port in a local store for less, I would have something to say, but you can't.
Closer than Temecula, WAY closer than Napa and Sonoma....
Price wise - do you have any idea how much it costs to make wine???? It's so stupid expensive it's amazing anyone decides to try to do it. The wines (for the price) show effort and expenditure.
Go drink your yellowtail you complainers.
I love when someone really tries to make WINE. Will only get better as this winery learns more and the vines mature.
Roping in real LA area wine people with a livingsocial deal was brilliant. Bravo to whoever got that going! -
Review from erin X.
Culver City, CA
11/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
So we had been sitting on this Living Social deal for a while and finally got around to cashing it in.
Glad we did this on a Saturday afternoon so traffic wasn't bad at all to and from the winery. It was actually a nice scenic drive. Bring your camera!
We weren't really sure what the deal covered except for a wine tasting and lunch. We ended up getting a tour around the winery which was cool and informative.
The wines were really nice but our favorite for the day was a Shiraz Port that was amazing!
Although we swore not to join another wine club... we kinda did. But it was worth it if not just to save money on the bottles of wine we picked up, (yes even a bottle of the Shiraz Port)
Of all the wineries we've been to I've never seen one that actually personalizes their wine club by actually adding your name to a row of vines. We look forward to going back to see the "Tricia and Erin Xavier" row but it best be making the most amazing wine! ;)
Solid place, definitely going back soon with friends.
erin-x -
Review from angela k.
10/17/2011
My boyfriend took my family and me to Agua Dulce Winery with the Living Social Deal. It was $40 per couple for barrel tasting, picnic lunch with glass of wine.
Kathy was our tour guide and she was fantastic and enthusiastic about explaining how their wines are made. Steve who greeted us there was very friendly and made us feel welcome.
The barrel tasting was fun. We got to taste about 5 different wines at the cellar. Chardonnay, Syrah, Unfiltered Cabernet Sauv, Port wine, and one more wine that I can't remember. I thought their wines were actually pretty good for a small winery on the 14 highway.
For picnic lunch, we had to choose one of the 3 (turkey, italian, veggie) when we made the reservation. The italian (salami and provolone) deli was actually really good. Turkey was great too. Both choices went very well with the glass of wine from which we choose from their bottled syrah, cab, merlot, chardonnay.
Definitely a great deal from living social. If you just go there without living social, they do wine tastings for $7 per person where u get to try any 5 wines of your choice on their wine list. But this is NOT barrel tasting like the one offered from living social.
The whole experience was great. Very cute place for couples and adult families to go. I think this place is a hidden gem before you reach the Antelope Valley on the 14. -
Review from Karen F.
Chicago, IL
3/11/2012
Though I did not come in with a coupon, I was happy to find that there was a Foursquare special for 2-for-1 tastings. The tasting experience was very pleasant and the staff was knowledgeable.
The wines were good and came with crackers and an olive tapenade that was so good, we bought some to take home. Apparently, an employee's son is a chef and prepares it from scratch.
There are five tastings for $7 and we liked everything we tried, though we did not buy a bottle because it was pricey. The port came with chocolate chips that paired very well with it, and they have chocolate chips for sale designed to pair specifically with their wines.
The website says they give tours, but I was told that tours are only for people who bought the Living Social coupon. -
Review from Robin W.
11/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Like many others,I purchased a Living Social deal and am glad I did.
I was able to make a reservation the same day I called. The drive on a Saturday morning was quick and felt like we were getting out of town, far,far away. The Winery is very quaint and picturesque. We browsed the gift shop and picked up a bunch of tchotchkes. Then, we embarked on the tour.
The tour leader was a very exuberant man with a great sense of humor who obviously knows and loves wine.
We sampled a bunch and learned a lot about barrels - more interesting than it sounds.
We even tried some "thieved" wine-unfinished, straight from the barrel. A highlight was the pairing of port with chocolate chips.
Lunch was served in bags to enjoy anywhere on the property, along with a glass of wine.
The day was gorgeous, food good, staff incredible. I would return even without a Living Social deal. -
Review from Holly R.
Santa Clarita, CA
3/7/2012
Shame on us!!! This winery has been a short drive away for 12 years and we've never taken the time to drive up there. It took a Groupon to get us there and are we ever glad we did. The wine is great and the service and attention wonderful! We spent two hours just tasting and hanging out. After the wonderful wine tasting we became members, buying 6 bottles of fantastic wine at a great discount. We are hooked. We then took a walk around the vineyards. There are picnic tables and a great menagerie of animals (all caged). The store is well stocked with all kinds of spreads, cheeses, wine "stuff" and accessories. It's definitely worth the time to check out! Wine tasting is $7.00 per person.
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Review from Sam D.
Los Angeles, CA
8/22/2011
I've called about 5 or 6 times, attempting to make a reservation for my LivingSocial voucher. Every time I utter the words "Living Social" the receptionist immediately says the reservationist isn't in or I "just missed her." I leave my name and number every time, but nobody ever calls back. So I call back at the times they tell me to call back, and still nothing.
This place already gets an F for customer experience and I haven't even been there. I think I'll cut my losses on this one. If their customer service is this bad over the phone, I can't imagine how annoying they must be in person.
UPDATE: I finally got a call back on my 8th attempt....right after I canceled my voucher and got a refund from LivingSocial. :-) Note to staff at Agua Dulce: It should not take 8 attempts to make a simple reservation. If you require reservations, the person picking up the phone should know how to make one. -
Review from Russ M.
Los Angeles, CA
9/11/2011
Like many people that have reviewed Agua Dulce Vineyards recently, we came here using the Living Social deal. Booking our reservation for the winery tour was no big deal. However it did take 2 days for someone to call us back and confirm.
The winery itself is pretty nice. the tasting room was typical of what you see at most wineries. The picnic areas were sufficient with tables in the front of the tasting room and several others out back. The tour was actually very informative and the tastings were nice. They also had a lunch of sandwiches prepared for us that was pretty good.
As far as the wine goes. Well, not bad I guess. The wife and I thought that the Chardonnay was the best of the bunch. Would I come back here again? Absolutely. Not far from the house and a nice place to spend an afternoon. -
Review from Floribelle V.
Los Angeles, CA
2/14/2012
I bought the Living Social barrel tasting experience. I never knew that there were vineyards right outside of LA, especially off the 14. This was a great day trip to do some wine tasting and learn the process of wine making. Cathy was a great tour guide and made you feel right at home. Great selection of wines. If you need a day trip and don't want to drive to far, this is a great spot to go and have some wine and just chill.
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Review from Tatiana Y.
Los Angeles, CA
9/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I bought a Living Social deal and had a great experience with Agua Dulce Vineyard.
Made reservations very easily. I was able to call, speak to someone, book my date/time, and received a confirmation email after 2 days.
The bf and I were running a little late and called Agua Dulce to let them know. They said it wouldn't be a problem and they would just escort us to wherever the tour was when we got there. Luckily, when we arrived, everyone was just leaving the store room to start the tour.
I wish I got our guide's name because she was fantastic. She first took us to the vineyard and talked to us about the different types of grapes. Afterwards, we went to the barrel room where she explained to us each of the different steps of production. I learned A LOT on this tour and absolutely loved it.
We got 4 different tastings, some of which were complimented with a cracker, or a couple of chocolate chips (for a dessert wine). After the tour, we were able to select a full glass of one wine to enjoy with our lunch. I was very impressed with the lunch that was included in the deal. Since it was an online deal, I thought it was going to be very mediocre, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw bags labeled with everyone's last name on it. The lunch included two of each for you and your partner: a foot long sandwich (pre-chosen when you make the reservation), a side of potato salad, a bag of chips, two shortbread cookies, and a glass of wine. They let you have your lunch anywhere you'd like. Most people ate at the patio tables in front of the store room, but the bf and I sat at a picnic table by the vineyard.
Amazing deal, learned a lot, had some good wine, and a yummy lunch. Thanks Agua Dulce!
(We went into the store room and looked around a little, but honestly, we didn't have any intention of buying any bottles of wine or a membership, so I'm unable to comment on the prices. Sorry!) -
Review from Tiffany C.
Fullerton, CA
5/13/2011
I haven't even visited this place yet and I already have my doubts. I bought a living social deal for a tasting for 2 and a picnic lunch for $40, and when I called in to make my appointment, I was interrupted mid-sentence to be put on hold, only to be told that I would be called back within the hour. I got a call 8 hours later at 5:30 pm, when they were about to close, telling me to call back the morning after. I called at 10:30 am, and the same woman tried to put me on hold again. I asked her if there was a better time to call back and she promptly and quite tersely replied, "No."
I am already very annoyed at the client reception for this place and am crossing my fingers that my hour-long drive next week won't be regrettable. Will update afterward..... -
Review from Scott R.
Copperopolis, CA
3/18/2011
Agua Dulce Vineyards puts up a great facade. But the quality behind that shiny exterior, both from the wine and customer service perspectives, leaves a lot to be desired.
I just happen to live about 5 minutes away from this winery and it still took me a year to make my first visit. On that visit, we actually had a really nice experience. The tasting room is gorgeous, they have a wide selection of typical tasting-room-chotchkies (glasses, wine holders, cheeses, etc.) and the tasting counter is large enough to accommodate a ton of people.
My wife and I tried their basic tasting ($7) and were pleasantly surprised by what we found. Then we got to the prices. HOO-BOY. Another reviewer pointed out that their prices are from a different country/planet and I couldn't agree more. However, when you join their "club" all the prices get cut in half (about $17-$45/bottle). I figured that since we lived so close, we would join and stop by now and then for a tasting and a few bottles.
To join their club, you need to buy 6 bottles once per quarter. But you can't buy them at any time. You MUST buy 6 bottles every 90 or so days. The ones you buy in-between don't count. And if you want to come in a week early, too bad. A bit much if you ask me. This wine "club" was clearly designed to take advantage of the sunk-costs argument of people who drove all the way out here and want to go home with at least a bottle or two...
Also, while chatting it up with our pour-er Dusty, and also while slowly amassing a collection of bottles that we were going to purchase, I asked how many tastings I get per year as a member. Dusty began to tell me (as any self-respecting wine salesperson should) that if I came in to buy bottles, I could always have a taste. But right in the middle of that chat, the owner bursted over and said "You can have FOUR!, one per club shipment". Just rude and surprising. Why would I buy MORE wine from you if you're being so stingy with 8 ounces of "free" wine?
Overall, our experiences declined to the point that we no longer found value in their wines and decided to cancel our wine club membership. This led to a months-long dispute with them and my credit card company.
It's nice to have such a nice tasting room and winery nearby, but the overall business practices and attitude from these folks have left a bad taste in our mouth. I've recently heard that they've taken on a new partner, and I can only hope that the experience improves with time. -
Review from Randi B.
Randomly found this winery on Yelp. Very glad I did! On the drive down the highway, my friend and I were honestly not expecting much. But we pulled up to a beautiful, nice looking winery. Yay!
The server, Cody (Kody?) was way friendly and we enjoyed hanging out with him. The wines were good - they only offer one white and one rose, the rest are reds. The chardonnay was absolutely delicious! The reds were okay, i'm not a huge red fan though. The port was out of the world, one of the best I have ever had!
They gave us some olive spread and some mustard dip with pretzels and bagel chips. Tasty! We ended up buying some of both.
Once the tasting was done, we asked for glasses. Cody informed us they don't sell glasses, but he poured us one anyways. Yay! We took our glasses outside and hung out in the back with the animals they have. Cute goats and rams! Loved it.
My friend ended up joining their wine club, so hopefully she will take me back with her when she has pick ups.
Only downside for me were the prices. While the wine tasting was cheap ($7 a person) the bottles were a bit much. $44 for chardonnay - $92 for the port! I didn't buy any wine because I didn't want to spend that much. Bummer!Listed in: The Adventures of Lil Wino.
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Review from brad h.
Lilburn, GA
12/12/2011
Decent Winery, good wine. We had an enjoyable experience with the tasting. They specialize in Sangiovese. We bought a bottle at $36 which I think is a bit pricey for the quality. Picked up two bottles of Merlot which also seems a bit high. We picked up a bottle of Syrah Port for a gift... The tasting was fun and a good price at 7 bucks a person... If you are anywhere near this place and want to enjoy some wine,give it a shot.
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Review from Annie N.
10/11/2011 1 photo
LivingSocial brought me and 4000 others here (not all at once dont worry) :) It was well worth the shillings spent.
We had a barrel tasting, with picnic lunch, and 2 glasses of wine. The guy that helped us, I cannot remember his name, robust in size with fairer skin, but he is in charge of marketing there, and has a very friendly, social personality. Their little store has a lot of neat specialty items, like a gift shop, this is where my bf bought me a gorgeous apron! We had long chats about the winery, its history, and he even let us try some extra things on the side, such as their Olive tapenade which is REALLY freaking good. He then had us try a port/cab fusion (might be wrong about the types there, but it was a fusion) and he taught us CHIP & SIP lol which meant, Have a chocolate chip, then a sip of the wine..or was it the other way around?!? Anyway, the picnic was nice, came with an italian deli sandwich, chips and a dessert cookie. The problem though, we at at the picnic tables outside where in the distance they have llamas and goats. Lets just say the winds were not in my favor and I caught a gust of goat armpit or llamma crotch every 10 minutes. Overall a wonderful wine tasting adventure though :-D -
Review from Sheila K.
10/10/2011
I came across this place through a living social promotion for the unfiltered barrel tasting tour. We were really happy with the tour, the lady that gave it was super entertaining. This place has some farm animals too which entertained us before the tour. The tour also came with lunch. It was delicious and plentiful. I was really happy with the overall experience and would recommend this tour to others. Overall, a nice small and quaint winery with loads of flavor from the previous owners.
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Review from J M.
Encino, CA
Updated - 11/8/2011
So we finally did make our reservation and the staff was very nice and we had a great time. Had we not prepaid for this, we would not have gone and the original rating would stay the same.
First impressions mean a lot and this first impression was not a good one. My advice, be more proactive Agua Dulce! Dont make people feel like you are begging for their attention to use a service they pre purchased from you.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/10/2011
I will update this if/when we actually make it there. I like others, purchased the Living Social… Read more »
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Review from Sharon L.
Santa Monica, CA
9/26/2011
We had plans to come on the tour a few months ago, but due to an unfortunate skate boarding accident the night before, my hubby wasn't feeling up to it. Flash forward to last Saturday, when we were able to finally use the Living Social deal for a tasting and lunch for two for $40.
We made the trek up from Santa Monica (approximately an hour drive) and really enjoyed the scenery. We always forget how dry and desert-y Southern California is!
When we arrived, the tasting room was bumpin' with a bunch of Alpha Romeo car enthusiasts on a wine tasting tour (cause wine and cars together is always a smart idea - ha ha). When noon rolled around, Cathy called all of us to to a central spot and the tour began. Wine and I are secret lovers, and I thought I knew a lot about the wine making process, but I really did learn a lot from Cathy on Saturday. The tour was about 45 minutes long and we tasted 4 different wines - a chardonnay, a filtered syrah, unfiltered syrah (straight from the barrel) and a Port-style wine. Then, we were given our lunches which were packed neatly in nice bags with our names on them! I wasn't expecting much in the way of lunch...I knew we were getting sandwiches I didn't think they'd be anything special...wrong! The sandwiches were substantially sized, deli-style and DELICIOUS. The lunch also included a bag of chips, potato salad, a cookie, a bottle of water and a healthy pour of any of their wines (I picked the Chardonnay). We brought our lunch out to the picnic area on the patio outside of the tasting room, and enjoyed a nice, quiet afternoon.
I definitely recommend checking this place out. I had a great experience and will probably go back at some point in the future! -
Review from G W.
Pasadena, CA
8/1/2011
Awesome. My girlfriend and I had a wonderful time. We went using a http://livingsocial.com wine and lunch voucher with a tour. Great people and great lunch. We liked it so much and enjoyed their wines we became members. Salud!
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Review from Larry M.
9/24/2008
I was so excited to have a winery in my own backyard. I was curious to find out what type of product they are putting out. So, I picked a Sunday and a buddy and I drove on up. I should have done this years ago. We knew we were getting close when we saw the vines lining Sierra Highway.
This is a nice place, their tasting room is comfy and loaded with knick knacks. I am kind of neutral on this, the focus should be the wine but they carry things I cannot find easily find so it is OK. They also carry Boars Head meat and cheese products in case you want to have an impromptu picnic. So far, so good.
So, I look at the wine list. I see a problem right away. They carry many different varieties and all of them are estate fruit. How can they be growing zinfandel and chardonnay in the same area? Well, I guess you can but both are very different and require complete opposite environments to get good fruit. Also, how are they growing red grapes in an environment that freezes and gets snow?
So, I move beyond this and I tell the girl to pour me whatever she recommends. I like to taste without seeing tasting notes or pricing. I do not want this to influence my thoughts. I try many of the non-reserve wines and find them to be just OK. I make my notes on a separate sheet. Yes, I do this a lot and enjoy wine immensely.
Then I move onto the reserves. I taste two of their reserve cabernet's and two ports. One of the cabs is quite good. The other fair. One of the ports is quite good as well. The other port has barnyard on the nose, this has something to do with a failed fermentation process.
So, then the big reveal comes. I take a look at the pricing and their notes. I am utterly shocked to see their cheapest red starts at $30 a bottle. Most of their product is $40-$70. Then we get into the reserves. They want $139 for the cab I liked. I had to walk outside and look around just to make sure I was not in Bordeaux, France (I was not). Then, the ports. The one I liked they wanted $92 for.
The cab was good, but not $139 good. I would put it up against a $50 Napa cab any day and it would be blown away. The port? Wow. I have in my cellar a 2000 Vintage Porto from Portugal. It was rated 100 points by Wine Spectator. Having consumed fine vintage ports, I know what they taste like. I paid $75 for this bottle. These guys want $92 for a bottle of their Syrah port. This is laughable on so many levels.
I do not want to be insulting, but I have to say something. I had a nice conversation with the tasting gal and told her my thoughts. She admitted she knew little to nothing about wine.
You can join their club. You have to buy 24 bottles of wine a year though. I have never in my life heard of a club where you have to buy this much. When you do join, they offer insane discounts on the wines, as much or more than 50%. So, that $139 bottle became something like $60, which is still high but a bit more palatable.
I then find out that their everyday prices used to be at the "club" level but a consultant came in and told them they were charging too little for their wine. So, they created a club and raised prices for non club members. Having tasted at wineries up and down California and in five other states, I have never seen pricing this out of whack.
I leave without buying anything, something I rarely do at a winery. I wanted to like this place, I really did. I was so let down by the experience here. I guess I can take comfort in knowing that central California is still less than a 2 hour drive away.
And who is buying this stuff at these prices? I think they are taking advantage of uneducated SCV folks visiting a winery for the first time. I wish I could recommend you go, but I cannot.Listed in: California Wine Tasting
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Review from Kaye P.
Los Angeles, CA
12/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'm not normally a red wine fan, but when my friend Jessica suggested this place, I figured, what the hey? Thank goodness I did, because the wine was excellent!
The drive is beautiful from Los Angeles, taking you by Vasquez Rocks. They have a great patio for sitting on, and a large tasting room which was was filled with Christmas. It was fun exploring the little items they had with lots of great last-minute stocking stuffers to check out while waiting. The woman helping us was friendly and knowledgeable about the wines, the processes, and all the grapes are grown ON the vineyard.
The Port was probably the best I've had, and I loved their Sangiovese and Zinfandel. I ended up buying the port for a Christmas present.. and will definitely be going back with friends! -
Review from Susie M.
Van Nuys, CA
10/24/2011
My friend bought the picnic and tour for 2 through livingsocial and we used it on Oct 23 at 3pm. The facilities and vineyard are beautiful and clean. The staff were so friendly and charming, even though they were very busy. The event went off without a hitch because they were so well-staffed and well prepared. I've gotten used to being treated in a begrudging manner when I use these discount coupons, but the people at AD were excited to have us and were happy to pour the wine while sharing great stories about the winery and how they produce wine. The lunch was fabulous too; the sandwiches were so big! A big thumbs up to the big-hearted and generous AD folks- it was a real treat.. I have to add that it was just as good (in some cases, better) as any Santa Barbara winery tour and picnic I've experienced.
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Review from Holly T.
3/31/2008 2 photos
I was definitely skeptical when Vince suggested a trip up to visit wineries in Antelope Valley, but I found nothing about Agua Dulce not to like. The drive up Sierra Hwy was lovely in the springtime, with wildflowers abloom.
Tastings were offered for $7 for a choice of 5 tastes. On the day we went there was a choice of about 7 from their Angeles Crest label and about 7 from their Aneas Reserve label.
Due to my unwarranted skepticism, I selected my 5 tastes solely from the reserve label. Vince and Mike were more brave and tried some from the Angeles Crest label as well. Everything turned out to be surprisingly good. The Angeles Crest wines were lower priced and lighter bodied but did not suffer in quality. In fact even ended up buying a bottle of the Angeles Crest Zinfandel to take home, since I'm not a fan of huge grapey zins and this one seemed moderate enough to be more food friendly. The Aneas Reserves were all smooth, full bodied, and well crafted, and I especially enjoyed the reserve chard, reserve zin, and reserve cab. Even their reserve rose was drier than I expected and pleasant to drink. The bottles were all a bit pricey, but the wine club discount is significant.
Afterwards, we enjoyed a picnic on the tables outside and took in the lovely view.
We were hoping that there would be other similar wineries out this way, but unfortunately this was the only one in the area with a tasting room. It did give me hope for Antelope Valley as growing region; it would be interesting to see if more wineries like this show up on the map - wineries that focus on quality rather than crowd-pleasing high sugar levels. -
Review from Mark Y.
Los Angeles, CA
10/17/2011
Just went on the Agua Dolce Winery tour and it was fantastic! From Steven, the General Manager and Kathy, the Tour Guide to the detailed tour throughout the facility, it was not only educational (and tasty) but entertaining. Who knew you could have some many laughs on a winery tour even before you started drinking? Go, go, GO to Agua Dolce. We're going back back soon and taking friends.
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Review from Eve B.
Newhall, CA
5/9/2009
Brief review:
Shopping local takes on a new twist when you have a winery 30 minutes a way. Just like any other winery that encourages return visits, Agua Dulce Vineyards has a large parking lot, outdoor patio seating, two large tasting rooms (one for members and one, with two tasting bars, for visitors), crackers, jam and chocolate for pairing.
We became members years ago enjoying the rich Zinfandels and Syrah, the sparkling and dessert, the Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. I don't compare their wines to any Old World wines as they are the "newest" and I'm not a snob. But wine is about the experience as much as the label. And wine tasting, at a winery, is one of the best experiences.
The tasting room staff, often manned by co-founder Cathy McAdams, is friendly and warm. Make the trip. -
Review from Jasmin B.
Los Angeles, CA
7/27/2011
This place rocks!
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Review from Minnie F.
Los Angeles, CA
6/22/2008
Pleasantly surprised by this winery. A tasting of five wines only costs $7.00 and we enjoyed most of the selections.
Although buying individual bottles was too costly.
It's great to know that taking a beautiful drive along Sierra Highway can lead to this winery. -
Review from Megan H.
Lancaster, CA
7/10/2011
My friend told me all about this winery, so I decided to check it out. I liked almost every wine that they had on the tasting, so I became a member. The prices if you aren't a member are pretty high in my opinion, but as a member they are very reasonable. Plus you get a free tasting for yourself and three friends every 6 months when you pick up your wine. I couldn't be happier with this place, and I recommend it to all my friends. Check it out!!
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Review from Marichelle M.
Glendale, CA
2/27/2011
A nice local place for some wine tasting. Stopped here after a drive through the canyons on a warm Saturday afternoon. Casual with inexpensive tastings. Bottles are pricey but worth it when there's a deal.
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Review from Jamie P.
Canyon Country, CA
7/27/2011 5 photos
LOVE! I have been going to Auga Dulce for a few years now and finally became a gold member a few weekends back. The wine is great! I am not a Chardonnay person but they have a great Chardonnay! The 2008 Sangiovese is amazing! They are so friendly and helpful and really make you feel apart of the family. Debbie, Steve and Cathy are all so helpful. I planned a surprise girls day for a friends birthday and wanted to make it extra special. I called and spoke with Cathy and we sent up a wine tour, tasting and special cheese tray for the girls. I wanted to have a few things set up for when we arrived so I went up there the night before and asked them if they would have my gifts, cupcakes and sign all ready and waiting for when the girls arrived. They walked me through how the day was going to go and even helped me add extra elements of surprise. When the girls and I arrived the next day it was perfect! Steve took us on an amazing tour of the vineyards with a full glass of wine and we even got to do a barrel tasting! He then took us inside and there was a BEAUTIFUL (and yummy!) cheese and meat tray that Debbie made for us. We did a tasting and munched on the delicious treats on the tray (MUST HAVE Olive Tapenade) Debbie's son makes it fresh and every time I go I buy a few containers of it! . We then bought a bottle of wine and took it outside along with our cheese tray. As we were walking back tot he picnic benches they had all of the gifts, sign and cupcakes set up on a table as one last surprise for the girls. We all loved everything and sat outside at the tables for about 2 hours just laughing and have a great time! We be back very soon and have all of my friends wanting to go back too!
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Review from GC D.
Amador City, CA
2/25/2009
Hey hey hey! Agua Dulce! They are one of my favorites in this region. It was one of the last I tasted at, so I can't remember much, but I remember the pourer being really funny. 4 stars!
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Review from melissa p.
Newhall, CA
6/23/2010
Went here for Valentines Day 201o dinner. They had special event going on which included a tour of the winery and food. I'm pretty sure for two it was around $100.00. It was honestly, the weirdest time Ive ever had in my life. Servers kept coming around the tables filling up our wine glasses. I must have had not even kidding, about 12-15 glasses. The seating was a little out of whack and it seemed like the main lady handing out glasses obviously invited a bunch of friends, there were too many people, for how much food was served. I hope they get it together by next year. This could be romantic, but it was anything but that. Still entertaining nonetheless.
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Review from Tony C.
Los Angeles, CA
3/21/2011
I won't get into much about the wine club membership, customer service, or all the other stuff. There are some issues with the winery so I'll leave that to other reviewers. But I HAVE to tell you they have the BEST WINE(at least for my taste). I've been to over 80 % of wineries in California(napa, sonoma, paso robles, and solvang areas) and I STILL rate their wine as my top 3 of all wineries. The Chardonnay is GREAT, and so is the Sangiovese.They're pricey so watch for case specials.
