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- Hours:
Thu-Fri 12 pm - 6 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
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$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Stacy G. said: "Vom Fass ("from the cask" in German) is an international chain, and this is the only store in California. The location (around the corner from a McDonalds) may seem random, but a tasting here is a treat. I've been olive oil tasting…" read more »
37 reviews for Cornell Winery and Tasting Room
37 reviews in English
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Review from Kali M.
9/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fantastic tasting room -- my fave in the area. They have wines from a variety of labels, so you're not tasting the fruit of just one winery.
The sommeliers are incredibly friendly and enthusiastic about their wines, and have a much higher knowledge of what they're pouring than the average.
The atmosphere in the tasting room is rustic glam, and there are peacocks wandering the property. Awesome. -
Review from Carly P.
10/11/2011
What a delightful little tasting room tucked away in Agoura! I went with one of my wine meetup groups and our organizer got us a $10 tasting deal. We tried about 5-6 wines which progressed in the usual fashion (light whites to heavy reds) but were all from different wineries. The wine wasn't anything to write home about (I think this was because they tried to pour mostly local stuff) but the experience is what you need to come to this place for.
The drive to this place is fantastic - a most-do is you've never driven out here! The tasting room is tucked in the back of a wine shop and all the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. I think the owner must be obsessed with peacocks because not only does the tasting room contain a lot of peacock art and decor but we saw an actual peacock on the property when parking. Totally surreal! Tried to take a picture but it scurried away - damn!
Unfortunately, I did not get to stay and eat at the place next door but heard it was amazing from the regulars.
So if you're looking for a Saturday/Sunday where you want to stay local but try something new, drive out here for some wine tasting and finish at the Ladyface Alehouse for some beer tasting on your way back to the 101 :) -
Review from David M.
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ambiance: 5 stars. Wine: -1 star.
What a cute place! The girls working here are extremely friendly and the tasting room is part wine shop, part art gallery, and part, well...tasting room. We shared a tasting flight for $15 which I'd consider fair. The only problem is the wine itself. None of it was any good (the Pali they served was passable but even then we never ended up drinking our bottles we picked up in Lompoc and weren't tempted to buy any today either).
It's always fun to watch fairly well-to-do folks stroll in, try some spectacularly bad wine, and say "mmmm!" Might want to get a refund on those wine education classes, bro.
I'd be tempted to come back to the area, but for the restaurant next door more than the wine here. Still, if you're fairly new to wine or just want a buzz, by all means try the tasting. You'll probably love it.Listed in: Vino!
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Review from Diana D.
5/9/2011
A nice tasting room with a rotating flight. The people there are very friendly, and the wines we tasted were all wonderful.
The room is a little dark for me, I like to be able to look at my wines. We wanted to sit at the bar (a quirk of mine) but it only seats four. In the end, the people there were really good about bringing the next taste and making sure we were OK.
They know their wine and the winemakers, which is a nice thing to see.
Just a few suggestions to make it 5 star:
1. Offer some sort of cheap cracker or bread in bowls.
2. Maybe consider offering more than one flight?
3. Turn up the lights, just a bit.
4. Move the sales floor for wine to the back room and open up the front with an extended bar for tasting.
I will return again and again, becuse it was such a lovely experience! -
Review from Forrest D.
South Pasadena, CA
2/21/2011
A great room with a lot of character, it's not a tasting room for a specific winery but more of a wine bar in actuality. This is a good thing, as they have quite a lot of very good wines.
It's also not particularly private. Seating is of the communal type at big long tables. Though it might not be for everyone, it's a nice fit for a wine bar as it encourages interaction and talking between guests and if your lucky you'll meet some interesting, like-minded people.
The room is large and full of interesting local artwork, as well as plenty of wine. The staff is helpful and friendly, and you can order some fantastic food from the restaurant next door if you'd like. I would actually recommend walking next door and eating at the actual restaurant just because it's such a charming experience but if you can't tear yourself away, that's okay.
While it's true they don't post the pricing on the tastings and wines, prices are similar to all the other tasting rooms in the area. Approximately $15 a flight, which certainly isn't cheap but is comparable to all the other local stops.
They are occasionally closed for private parties, as we sadly found out on our latest vist, so you might call ahead to make sure they're open. Don't worry though, Sip Cielo around the corner is just as fun and nice and open just as late. Just one more great addition to our Malibu wine tour.
Wines - A
Ambience - A
Service - A
Value - AListed in: Malibu Winetasting
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Review from Ariel P.
Studio City, CA
1/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
The location is great- off the beaten path a tad, but not so much where you can't find it- just enough to make you feel out of the big city.
Walked in and was a little confused on where to sit/ order. Stood around for about 5 minutes to wait for someone to give us a hint they worked there and then asked where we sit to get started tasting. You have to walk through the middle "bar area" so it seems like it would be off limits or they would have to seat you- kinda weird. Family style seating in the middle of the store- which looks nice but is kind of a pain in the ass- especially if your in a dress- which i was. It was just me and my boyfriend and we had to squeeze between 2 large parties that were taking up most of the table- which we don't mind- it's a nice way to start talking to people but for people who want some alone time or don't like sitting directly next to or in front of a complete stranger this is your worst nightmare.
The wait/ pour staff was great after we finally found out where to sit. They were really knowledgeable about the wines and quick to answer questions/ offer.
Never saw a price list- it doesn't exist.
The tasting menu had a good selection- few whites and some great reds. No bottle or glass price listed anywhere- we weren't even sure how much our tastings were going to cost us but we've done temecula and Paso Robles, Solvang, etc. so figured it would be around the ballpark of those places.
wrong.
Didn't end up buying a bottle mostly because we weren't sure of the price....and paid $33.50 for 2 tastings..... pretty expensive for wine tasting if you ask me- We would have bought a bottle if it included the free tasting- would have been worth it, left feeling pretty cheated. -
Review from Douglas C.
Gresham, OR
12/30/2010 5 photos
I was the designated driver, and don't know much about wine, so I won't speak to the actual vino, and limit myself to the establishment.
We drove several miles back into the hills behind Malibu to what looked like cluster of old farm buildings. The Cornell winery tasting room looks like an old barn or warehouse; long and narrow with a galvanized metal roof. The entrance, a wooden porch added to one end of the barn, welcomes you with a colorful tile mosaic peacock.
Inside is an ocean of rough hewn wood, and exposed wooden beams. Along the long walls hangs paintings by various local artists - some of it actually quite good. Each work is spotlighted, creating an oscillating pattern of vibrant color and warm wood down both sides of the building.
The front half of the space is the store, packed with crates of wine, wine paraphernalia and the counter. The back is the tasting area, and is dominated by a huge, long, wooden table under a massive chandelier hanging from the roof timbers.
Our group bought a flight of wine, each glass of which was accompanied by a short description of the grapes and wine. The folks running the place were very friendly and helpful. They didn't rush us at all, and we spent the whole afternoon relaxing, drinking and playing with the magnetic acrobats
that were the center piece of the main table.
We had a great time at Cornell Winery. -
Review from Josh S.
8/16/2011
Celebrated a family birthday here and had a fantastic evening. Great charcuterie plates, fantastic bread and this amazing dip called Malibu Mud to start (combo of olive oil, balsamic, herbs, etc.). Tried a bunch of great wines too. Then we had dinner in the private room, catered by the Old Place next door. Nice salad with candied nuts, great rib eye, salmon and cheesy noodle creation. There was also a ton of mushroom options floating around but that isn't my cup of tea. Wonderful staff taking care of us, perfect evening to celebrate a birthday.
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Review from Lauren P.
Redondo Beach, CA
9/9/2011
Very neat atmosphere...did flight of 8 wines for decent price. Wines were delicious...staff was friendly but a bit disorganized when it got busy. Took approx. an hour to taste all 8 wines...
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Review from Sherry S.
12/29/2010 6 photos
While everyone was out shopping day after Christmas we thought what better day than to go to Malibu and do some wine tasting.
This place had the most wonderful art all over the walls, all local as well.
The house itself used to be some sort of a storage place. They really brought some big life in to it. It's even got the chandelier that just seems to look as if it always was there.
There are big hardwood tables throughout so we grabbed our spots and commenced to sip wines. While we did this they have some entertaining magnets of naked women on the table that you can pose in circus acts or more like Cirque de Soleil.. you'll just have to go and visit. -
Review from Ruby N.
Acton, CA
10/24/2010
In a word: effervescent. (Not the wine literally, but the experience as a whole.)
My friends and I enjoyed the wine tasting here last night prior to our reservation at the restaurant next door, The Old Place. I have to be honest that I have not been to many wine rooms, or tastings for that matter, so my experience is a little limited. But with that said, I thought it was incredibly pleasant. The vintage décor, the bright hint of oak smoke mingling with the air outside, and the local art displayed on the walls just added to the almost whimsical vibe of the area. I love that going here was like taking a step away from Los Angeles for a while without having to travel some huge distance.
They had a selection of eight local wines to taste for $15 + tax in total. I thought all were of a very nice/fine quality and didn't have that unappealing grape juice flavor some local area wines have had to me. The servers seemed to have a decent knowledge of the wines they were featuring, which was nice. The pace was very laid back though, so definitely allow enough time to savor the experience and not rush through it. They fit us in without a reservation too, which gives them another star in my rating.
This is definitely a top choice for something different to do on a lazy weekend day. -
Review from Yi Z.
11/12/2010
Don't try this place when you're already drunk. This is essentially a wine store that carries local wines so there are thousands of bottles surrounding you. I was definitely a little tipsy by the time I arrived and I was really concerned that I was going to knock things over. Luckily, I stayed in the middle of the walkway and I was able to get out of there without doing any damage.
We were the only customers there the entire time. The owner of Cantara Cellars happened to be visiting the store. We ended up buying a bottle of the Cantara Franknvine, which is some sort of red wine. It was definitely our favorite out of the 8 we tasted but it was a complete rip off at $40. The other standout was a Pinot Noir that cost only $10. We definitely should've gone with that bottle. One thing that I was a little bit disappointed about was the quantity of Rosenthal wines promoted. We had just gone to Rosenthal earlier that afternoon and tried 8 of their wines so I really didn't need to drink 3 more at Cornell. I would imagine that many other visitors also take the same route as us and would feel the same way about the repetition.
Around the tasting room, there are peacocks that roam the area. Did you know that apparently peacocks like cat food? I guess they're a similar species, kind of.Listed in: Wine
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Review from Roxy H.
7/14/2010
I am a fan of the Cornell Winery and tasting room... It's very quant and has a nice selection of local wines. It nestled in the mountains on Mulholland Hwy.
The owner Tim is a hell of a guy and will go out of his way to make sure your having a great time. -
Review from Ian B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/23/2010
Tasting rooms are popping up all over the place, but this is a truly special spot.
1. The drive on one of the most amazing roads in California - Mulholland.
2. The escape to this forested nugget in the Santa Monica Mountains is special... you feel like you have ascended into another place and time.
3. The staff is attentive, friendly, and very well informed... they have a number of staff with a JWE Certification and they know their wine.
4. They are true to the terroir and represent Malibu and Santa Monica Mountain wines.... of which there are many and many very good offers.
Unique, clean, beautiful, and authentic... some of my favorite descriptive terms and a reason this is on my list of TOP DATE excursions. The Old Place Restaurant next door for when your date is going extra well and you need a little more wine and time together.... hopefully the magic rubs off on you. -
Review from Minnie F.
Los Angeles, CA
8/30/2010
The Cornell Winery and Tasting Room is GORGEOUS.
It was busy when we were there but it made for a fun time.
Only bummer was we really didn't care for the wines :(Comment from Tim S. of Cornell Winery and Tasting Room 8/30/2010
So sorry you didn't find a wine that you liked. Just so you… More » -
Review from Jessica E.
Upland, CA
11/4/2010
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Excellent wine selection. The ambiance, location and people make this a perfect spot to get together with friends or for a romantic getaway. I hope to celebrate my next birthday here...
Give it a try, I know you'll love it just as much as I do! :D -
Review from Robb B.
Thousand Oaks, CA
9/7/2009 2 photos
We had a pleasant visit. The staff is very nice and personable.
The tasting room offers a selection of a variety of local wineries, most I had never heard of before which was a real treat. This is a nice place to visit over and over again.
Looking forward to going to the Old Place next door for a nice dinner. -
Review from Ryan R.
Newbury Park, CA
6/1/2010 2 photos
What a great place.
Its been on my to-go list forever so we did an outting for the wifes birthday
The wine is fantastic and it is very nicely decorated with great big walnut tables and early wilderness americana on the walls and on display.
The 8 wines we tasted were all great, unique and crafted by local vintners. Ill definitely be returning. -
Review from Beach B.
Los Angeles, CA
3/27/2011
very nice atmosphere and good selection of wines. Wines can get expensive. They dont give you much wine in the tastings. They watch very well how much they give you and dont try to treat you.
They give you a little so if you like it, you are forced to get the bottle to enjoy more. -
Review from Matt M.
Santa Monica, CA
3/24/2010
Great little winery nestled in the mountains. The funnest part of going to Cornell Winery is the drive through the canyons. It's easy to miss the winery on the side of the road, but once you've been there you'll never miss it again. The inside is nice and relaxing and the staff is not only knowledgeable, but extremely friendly. The large tasting table makes it easy for groups to go and the prices for tastings as well as bottles is a great value.
Unfortunately, the Old Place next door has yet to be open any of the times I've been there. And while the inside is nice, it's a shame to sit in a rather dark environment in the middle of the beautiful canyons.
Either way, I highly recommend Cornell Winery. -
Review from Amy C.
Mason, OH
7/31/2011
Loved how the ladies had a real knowledge of the wine and could tell us teh story of each one. They were friendly and the ambience of the tasting room was very comfortable. I'm not even a wine drinker and I bought a bottle on my way out because they were all so good.
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Review from Philippe R.
Los Angeles, CA
4/2/2010
Cornell tasting room,I love this place! which features some beautiful original art and has a varied selection of local wines, changing their tastings every week. The Cornell folks masterfully converted an old warehouse and it feels like you've stepped into a rustic past.
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Review from Leslie M.
Los Angeles, CA
7/26/2011
Had a great time at Cornell Wine Tasting Room this weekend. Went early, and were the only ones there for a bit. Nice variety of wines and great customer service. Very relaxed and got a nice Malibu cab. Lori made the experience fun, and I will definitely be returning.
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Review from ERIC P.
Agoura Hills, CA
4/26/2010
Dang, great find and super nice staff. Beautiful Decor, nestled in the woods. I'm still spinning from this amazing find.
Comment from Tim S. of Cornell Winery and Tasting Room 4/27/2010
I spent 20 years in the corporate wine world, so when I… More » -
Review from Tim S.
Thousand Oaks, CA
1/16/2008 1 photo
This one is tough since it is my own place. I am developing a soulful retreat for those people who demand character, texture, history and color in their lives. Being that I have more or less grown up in the alcohol distribution business, and I am not finding myself in a twelve step program, I have found it prudent to go with my skill set and focus on building my own business around alcohol and the sharing of it with other like minded people.
Some time ago I was given a choice, sell hard liquor and make lots of money or specialize in wine and follow my heart. I chose to skip down the path through the vineyards and learn how to share my love for the vine and what it produces.
Cornell was born from a connection I had with a friend of a friend. This dude, aka Morgan, has a father who owned a building in the Santa Monica Mountains off of Mulholland Hwy. Quite frankly this was an area that was not familiar to me even though I was born and raised in Southern California. The three of us were thinking about making a barrel of wine and using the building as the location to do so. I took one look and started dreaming, I kept my dreams to myself but after a few weeks and knowing that the wine making was probably not going to happen, I presented my idea to the boys. They both loved the idea and we all started brain storming on just how to make it happen. With three chiefs in the mix it was evident that someone had to take the lead so I put my head down and developed a business plan that was then presented to the owners son on a more professional level, he loved it and pledged his support. All we had to do now was convince his 89 year old father that the plan was worth his support.
I met Tom and was quite surprised to find him very sharp and extremely witty. I presented my idea to him in more of a story board than a serious business plan. My approach worked and Tom gave me a lease that was what I had dreamed about and I was off to the races.
It has been just about two years and Cornell Winery & Tasting Room is completed! We are now open as a specialty wine shop, featuring wines and producers from the Santa Monica Mountains, Art Gallery, we have more than 50 pieces of original art on the walls, and gift shop. The building looks like an early 1900's barn complete with antique farm equipment and surrounding structures to support the look and feel. The structure is made of split faced cinder block which looks like rock, giving the interior a cave like feel. The building is topped with corrugated steel and even has a church spire in the back.
We are located in the middle of what is called "The Three magical Miles". This area is marked between Paramount Ranch, home to the original movie set from some of the earlier Westerns, and the Rock Store, Steve McQueen's old hangout from the 70's that now is host to several hundred motorcycle enthusiast every Sunday along with Jay Leno.
You can check us out at http://www.cornellwine...
Thursday -Sunday 10-8pmListed in: My Treasure Test - LA County
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Review from Chris B.
Moorpark, CA
7/20/2010
What a unique experience. You feel like you've taken a step back in time. If you want a truly enjoyable afternoon, and wonderful wines, this place is a must.
Peacocks running wild, forest like setting, and the art work is lovely as well. I visit often and always love the experience.
Deanne, Dehada, Denise, and of course the Trevor's will make you feel welcome, and are a delightful team. -
Review from Debbie H.
Thousand Oaks, CA
5/31/2010
Beautiful place tucked away in the Malibu Hills. We bought two wines from our tasting and wanted to purchase more. Great ambiance to this place. Great location to mingle with friends and enjoy a great wine tasting. One of my favorite wine tastings spots and we've been to many from San Diego all the way up Napa Valley. The decor inside is so nice.
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Review from Jeff I.
Thousand Oaks, CA
7/9/2008
Went to "The Old Place" and just happened to stubble next door. I was lucky enough to find Tim doing a little cleaning. Awesome place... love the ambiance. Hopefully the grand opening is just around the corner. Best of luck with the county permits.
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Review from Jennifer C.
Chatsworth, CA
2/11/2011
I took my hubby here on our anniversary and our 2 hours here was more enjoyable than at most of the wineries in Temecula, where wine tasting is now "BIG business": overpriced flights and no tours.
We walked in, got a little table in the middle (not sure why my fellow reviewers got stuck at the humongous table in the back)and ordered 2 flights. The wines were better than expected and our host served us a cracker bar-mix (which was helpful as I do get shnockered easliy). We met a lovely couple and ended up inviting them to join us & had a great time. I truly wish I'd known about the Old Place restaurant next door as I would certainly have made our dinner reservations there; the dinner experience at Taverna Tony in Malibu started out nice but degenerated into a terrible experience due to the sloppy plating and HORRIBLE service!
I plan to visit Cornell this weekend and hopefully the great review of The Old Place in this Sunday's Times won't make getting a reservation impossible! -
Review from d r.
Encinitas, CA
4/28/2010
Loved this place and proximity to LA. Wrote a helpful review here with photos... http://bit.ly/d64zvK
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Review from Robin S.
New York, NY
1/7/2011
Had an outstanding experience here!! The setting is very beautiful and rustic with a terrific selection of wines. Great ambience. Manager DeAnne Kemp gets her own five stars! She makes you feel completely at home and introduced me to some great wines. It's a beautiful drive up there, too. You MUST go to Old Place to eat, which is right next door. Phenomenal food (and I'm a culinary school grad so my bar is high), great service and a really warm, fun place to eat and hang out. (Will review that separately.) If my review of Cornell Winery had to be cut down to two words -- GO NOW! This was the highlight of my weeklong trip in LA.
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Review from Gregory S.
Santa Monica, CA
1/2/2011
We had an excellent time here. The wines were just what we like: bold and beautiful. The place was very laid back and fun. The pours were generous. We will be back.
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Review from Brian R.
Los Angeles, CA
8/19/2009
The owners have done an amazing job transforming an old barn-like structure into a warm and friendly retreat for wine lovers. Elvis Presley and Sheryl Crow have appeared in movies shot right at this little bend in the road called Cornell that is full of great history and stories. It's well worth the drive...from anywhere! Come to experience the wonderful Cornell Winery and stay to hear about the history. You won't believe your ears!
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Review from J S.
West Hills, Los Angeles, CA
10/27/2009
This tasting room might have been the owner's dream but now it is quite simply dreamy. My husband and I had a delightful afternoon there sipping Mailbu and Central Coast wines. There was a terrific art exhibit, infused balsamics to sample, some tasty nibbles, nice chat with other tasters and an occasional surprisingly hip groove provided by a young man on a diggerydo. The atmosphere has a rustic elegance, (picture chandeliers and candelabras with a genteel western vibe) the staff is very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. We left with six great wines, taking advantage of the volume discount. A wine escape that could rival most any tasting room we've visited in the Napa, Sonoma or Santa Ynez Valleys. The owner Tim and his wife Denise are very hands on and it shows in every detail of the experience. What a wonderful addition to SoCal!
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Review from Danielle A.
Van Nuys, CA
5/31/2010
This tasting room is gorgeous! Quaint, modern, elegant, almost sensual atmosphere, tucked away in Agoura Hills. Such a great find! Their wine flight was 8 different wines, 4 white, 4 red.... and there wasn't one we didn't enjoy. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and walked us through each wine with a story of its origin. We travel long distances to enjoy wine tasting.. so nice to have such a gem right here the Malibu area. Would be a great stop on a date, or a girls night out. I will say that we were slightly shocked by the price at the end - $16/person. This is pricey for a typical wine tasting, but in retrospect, not surprising given their location. Would highly recommend this experience. And check out the restaurant next door for anther tasty treat!
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Review from Urban D.
Los Angeles, CA
10/31/2009
This is near LA? What a gem! Excellent local wines that are hard to find. Really good tasting flight (2 whites+1 rose+5 reds=$15). Delightful & charming rustic setting. Super nice & knowledgeable staff! We were even greeted by 3 peacocks. Can't wait to go back!
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Review from Grace C.
Newbury Park, CA
2/10/2010
this is my fav wine tasting room near by... good selections and great in support local wines!!! come give it a try!!!
