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53 reviews for Presidio Vineyard & Winery
53 reviews in English
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Review from Tim L.
Torrance, CA
7/24/2011
We stopped by here for our last tastings of the day. It was just after 5pm and most of the vineyards just closed. Presidio opens till 6pm, great last stop. We tasted the reds. Amazing syrah!
Chris was so helpful and informative! He not only knew his wine but also helped us find some hidden gems in Santa barbara! Thanks chris! We found the wooden steps down to the beach!! Just beautiful! Great way to end our one day trip to sb! -
Review from erika n.
Los Angeles, CA
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been a member of Presidio wine club for over a year now and I have to say that I do really enjoy their wines. I took up the option of picking up my wine shipment each quarter so that I actually go out to Solvang and enjoy some of the free wine tasting there. For the most part, I've had a great experience visiting the winery (except for the time that the sommelier with the thin mustache was super pretentious and was only nice after I said I was a member - ugh! what a... well i'll leave it up to you to describe that type of person)... but the other sommelier is super nice!
This quarter they allowed us to choose which wines to pick up and it was the best thing because I chose the most expensive red wines - of course! Their Artistic License Pinot Noir and their AL Syrah... yummy!
Their crackers are pretty awesome actually, so I'd agree with Linda L. who mentioned those... -
Review from Lili H.
7/9/2011
The bartender was nice and all smiles until he saw our coupon!
he seemed quite knowledgeable but I didn't really like his attitude.
The place is nice and well decorated, the wines were good.
Only 3 stars because of his lack of friendliness and customer service :( -
Review from Linda L.
Rosemead, CA
7/19/2011
I am writing this review not for their wine but for the crackers that they serve with their wine. The wine was decent from what I remembered.. but then again.. I think after your 5th winery in a row.. all wine in any way, shape, or form tastes "decent".
Anywho.. forget about the wines.. back to the crackers. I loved the Canadian Leaf shaped crackers so much that I bought a whole bag! haha.. The End. -
Review from Rosemary T.
Tustin, CA
5/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was my first stop @ Solvang. I never tasted wines at wine shop, and I don't like to taste wines at a wine shops, but I was recommend to come here because they have good wines, so I thought to give it a try.
This place should be a 3.5 star place, but no half star, so give it a 3. Man, I wish Yelp can somehow create half star boxes ^^
The best wine here is their reserved Syrah. I loved it because it's not too dry like how good red wines can sometimes be. The other red wines are not bad, but not my taste. Some of their wines are aged in a stainless steal barrow, so it has this metal taste that just does not work with me.
As for their white, I thought it was o.k. because some tasted too watery for me. Their white wines are not special, so I wouldn't recommend it.
I don't know if I would come back here again simply because I don't like tasting wines at wine shops. If they have a wine tasting room at their Vineyard, I would definitely go try it there. -
Review from Rebecca E.
Huntington Beach, CA
8/11/2011
Love this place!!!! During our wine tasting weekend we stumbled by this place to do a tasting. We had a voucher from our hotel: buy one tasting get one free!! The bartender was so friendly and knew so much about the selections we had made. My husband and I ended up doing two tastings here one right after another because the wine was so good. If you want some amazing wines this is the place to come. We left here with five bottles!!!
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Review from Michelle M.
Orange, CA
12/26/2010 3 Check-ins Here
My friends and family love Presidio. Its a great family owned business.
I first got acquainted with them while on a biodynamic wine tour and joined their club. Its $35 every 3 months for two bottles and you get a discount on all their wines. You can also taste there for free any time.
I've only been in twice since, but everyone we bring with us tastes for free as well. Great wines, great customer service.
Current favorite is Diego Red, give it a try with spaghetti. My husband says it will "change your life". -
Review from Ms J.
San Diego, CA
2/21/2011 1 photo
Bartender was awesome.
( This was our first wine tasting we have ever done) we learned a lot.
We did 3 other tastings around town and found this was our fav. wine and wine tender.
( not sure of the correct term to call him ) either way he was funny as heck and wish we woud of stayed and drank more. -
Review from Susana V.
Burbank, CA
12/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'm glad I only told Chris today that I had already reviewed this place, only to find out that I hadn't....
Second time in Solvang.
This time was specifically so we could buy wine at Presidio. My boyfriend and I absolutely fell in love with their 2006 Shirah. It has such a powerful aroma! We are big on strong, flavorful reds and this one won us over a few months ago.
Chris was as great as the first time we were there!
Worth the 3 hour drive -
Review from Elizabeth A.
Phoenix, AZ
10/23/2010
On my trip to Solvang with my friend T, we stopped in to Presidio, well mainly because it was relatively close and still open after 5pm and our resie was until after 7! Plus, they are full certified organic and Biodynamic estate! No pesticides here my friends!
This is a quaint little tasting room in downtown Solvang with cool Adirondack chairs made out of wine barrels - so cool - too bad Southwest wouldn't let me check them!
T and I enjoyed sharing a wine tasting in which we both ended up purchasing a couple bottles. BUT the best part was getting to know the wine maker, Douglas Braun. He was so cool, spent a ton of time with us telling us all about how and why he got into winemaking, what he loves, what he hates, all about his dogs! It was perfect and really personalized the wine tasting experience!
Doug was a fantastic host and I look forward to indulging in more of Presidio's wines the next time I'm in Solvang! -
Review from Marthie D.
Corona, CA
2/11/2010 3 photos
Lemme bullet point this for you..
-I can't remember what I liked here. Why? Because they don't give out a list of the wines tasted, so you can jot down what's good and what's not. Plus I don't think any of the wines were quite memorable.
-Well, what I do remember is the harshness of their reds. Me no like.
-I did like their complimentary leaf crackers!
-Service.. It was alright. I came here with WineEdventures and our tour was split into two tables for tasting. The person describing the wines mostly stayed at the other table and seemed as though he was explaining everything to them and just pouring for us. He did say, "This is so and so wine," before pouring into our glasses, but I felt like that was it and the other table got all of the wine education.
-Location... It's no vineyard. This place is located in the town area of Solvang. Cool! But you don't get the whole vineyard aspect. Their vineyard is elsewhere. But I did like that this place is right across a yummy bakery I went too (Mortensen's!) ! :DListed in: Santa Barbara.. Santa Ynez..…
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Review from Ben G.
CANAL STREET, NY
10/9/2009
2 stars for service.
The man pouring the wines is sweet, he even gave us an extra taste of a dessert wine. However the wines were not good at all, so i'm not going to take the time to write a lengthy review. Definitely the worst wine I had the entire trip.... and the tasting glasses were so small, you couldn't even smell the wine properly.
Thank goodness someone gave us a comp card for this tasting...Listed in: Tour de Vino - 2009
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Review from Amy S.
Thousand Oaks, CA
5/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We had a lot of fun here...final stop after breakfast on a whirlwind bachelorette party trip to Solvang. We were at the door when it was unlocked right on time. The wines were great, my friend loved the Pinot Gris and I can't wait to enjoy some of the case she bought of it!
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Review from Joe B.
4/9/2008
We rolled into Solvang just before the 5pm closing, and luckily they took us and another few folks in. The $8 tasting started off with the whites, as usual, with a dry Syrah rose, which was quite nice, followed by a particularly sweet Gewurtz that I didn't care for as much as the drier Syrah. And organic and biodynamically raised to boot!
On to the redheads! ;-) I actually liked the regular Syrah more than the white-peppery Estate Syrah, which felt like it was trying to be a Sangiovese or Nebbiolo with that peppery feel. Ended up buying a bottle of the regular Syrah, which was the best of the bunch and, ironically, the cheapest! The Pinot was fairly bright and fruit-forward for that varietal, without the explosive finish of some Pinots, but it was still very enjoyable - it's a unique Pinot, and it's hard to make a bad one if you put any care into it.
The port was especially good, a great finish! Yummy, in the top 5 most overused words on Yelp, is the right one here, and let's throw in a dark and spicy for good measure. -
Review from Clay B.
Santa Maria, CA
11/21/2010
I found out about this location through a friend. We visited a few times, and I signed up for their membership both for the wine and the atmosphere.
The staff is friendly and helpful, especially Chris. He'll take time to talk with you and your friends and explain what you are drinking. After visiting a few times, he knows all of us and our names, and will go out of his way to make our experience more enjoyable.
I love their wine, especially the Pinot Noir. Of course when it comes to food, taste is always personal, so your mileage may vary. Coupled with the awesome staff and generousness, it was a no-brainer for me to sign up for their club. If you are not a member, the tasting is quite inexpensive compared to other locations in Solvang. Members and their friends taste free!
Overall, I love going to this place even when I'm not picking up shipments. Definitely drop by if you are in the area! -
Review from Kristine M.
Fair Oaks, CA
7/1/2011
What an attitude the guy at the counter had! One of the stingiest tastings I have ever had. The Biodynamic® wines were out of this world, but priced to match. Very tempting, but we did not want to give that guy the sale.
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Review from dave m.
Santa Monica, CA
5/29/2007
This is a nice place for wine tasting they have a couple tables where you can sit back and they bring you wine. Theres also a counter where you can stand and drink. They even have crackers and some delicious olive oil for dipping.
The wine tasting costs $7.50 for 6 different wines. You can also pay more for a bigger glass. If you decide to buy a bottle of wine you can turn in your glasses for $3 credit for each glass.
The staff is very knowledgeable about their wines and they make good suggestions.
Out of all the wines i got to taste i just had to pick the one that cost the most. I think they trick you like that. =) -
Review from Hang C.
Sacramento, CA
8/23/2009
Next on my list was wine, you can not come all the way u here and not tried the locals winery???
I came to this one place with a pretty setting located and nested in the heart of Solvang. I tell you having a day here without wine, is like going to the store and not buying anything at all.
Oh yes, the wine tasting..it was quite and relaxing just way I like it. I had a wine flight and much to my surprise it was good, you can't find Santa Barbra's wine getting any better than this!! The staff was welcoming, still they wondered why I am here alone.. :P
I just told them my friends couldn't come, they had work and some are out of town. I had lots of free time on my hands, so I'd used it wisely and what better way to do it then with wine???lol..
My first flight was the local's favorite and are very very well known for the Burgundian varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, are from the 35 year old, located on a 34 acre "Mission Vineyard" in the Santa Maria Valley. The Santa Maria Valley is perfect for producing Burgundian varietals, with prevailing winds from the ocean causing the valley to have a cooler summer, warmer fall and more moderate winter than the surrounding areas. This region is perfect to produce high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. On the other hand, the Bordeaux varietals, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, are produced from grapes grown in the upper reaches of the Santa Ynez Valley, where they thrive due to its slightly warmer climate.
Hey I am no wine expert, but if you think about it, I have did my research and experiential wine tastings too!! But when I get tipsy is when I know my wines at it's best!!! I know my wines, just don't say it much, because I want to know how knowledgeable the person is when I am with them...lol.. that's another hidden talent!! Cheers!!!
I like the place, the servers, the selections of wines they have to offer, the ambiance itself was very cozy and warm, A great place to take your loved ones, no not kids that are under 21 years of age, they do not allow them inside, but a date, a husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, just a friend friend, you name it!!
Go on, don't be shy, grab a bottle or two, share or not to share..that is entirely up to you!
So, I got to give it an A+ :P -
Review from Kali M.
11/29/2009
We stopped here only because our hotel gave us coupons for a free tasting. Really wish I hadn't wasted the calories (yeah, on 1oz. pours).
Between the four of us, we tasted nearly every wine they had (four tastings each). The only one worth anything, though not much, was their rosé. Everything else tasted like cheap grocery store wine.
Oh, and our pourer was a ball of snark. One of the people in our group mispronounced gewürztraminer (not difficult to do), and he took great joy in poking fun at her attempt.
If you're without a car or isolated to Solvang for some other reason, then sure, give Presidio a try. Otherwise, get in the car and drive to one of the many, many, MANY superior wineries in the area. -
Review from Swapna M.
Placentia, CA
4/12/2010
A girlfriend of mine went wine tasting here and brought back a bottle of their gewurztraminer.
Let me just say that it is GREAT!!
Since I do not live in the area, I have ordered additional bottles of their wine and had them shipped to me.
Delicious gewurztraminer!!! -
Review from Amy C.
Pasadena, CA
1/16/2008
I love this tasting room. We went because our hotel gave us free wine tasting passes. They made money off us though, I think we spent a few bills on their wine brewed from organic grapes. Yum.
The Gewrztraminer is the best! -
Review from IRIS H.
Long Beach, CA
7/30/2007 1 photo
You know..I have to say I really kinda like this place. The staff is always a lot of fun, the wines are always pretty good, and they usually hook you up with a couple extra tastings if you ask. I like that we can come here with a couple of friends and sit at a table and enjoy tastings as a group. Sometimes this place can be a little crowded I think it is because a lot of the local hotels offer free wine tastings here.
All in all I always make this tasting room one of my stops in Solvang. -
Review from Mariegrace M.
Long Beach, CA
4/20/2010
This place is a little hard to find since it's not directly on Copenhagen. You have to walk around the building to the parking lot area. I was a little excited to visit here since I read on a website that you can keep their logo glass when you have a wine tasting, but they didn't let me :( Oh well, it was still a good wine tasting.
Here's the list of wines I tried:
2008 Gewurztraminer
2008 Syrah Rose
2008 Chardonnay
2008 Estate Chardonnay
2007 Pinot Noir
2006 Port -
Review from Jancy L.
Los Angeles, CA
7/28/2009
Cute little spot in town with THE BEST customer service. Angela served us and even though they were almost about to close (1/2 hour), she didn't turn us away nor another couple that walked in right at closing. The place was nice, with little things here and there you can buy to keep or buy to eat in conjunction with the wine.
Their tasting was VERY nicely priced. 6 tastings for $8, what a deal! So I teamed up with the bf and we got every kind they had (13) minus one. And what I liked most was that the was a variety across the board, half whites, half reds -- Viognier, Pinor Gris, and Gewürztraminers! Yum.
Conversation was nice and they are certified organic and biodynamic, which I finally found out means a closed, self-nourishing system.
We ended up with a couple bottle for home and some great memories. Woop woop! -
Review from Stacey P.
Los Angeles, CA
10/23/2009
I recently made a stop in Solvang, CA on the way to P.R. which is the cutest little danish town and like nothing I had ever seen. It looked like a town Disney would create in Epcot center. We didn't have much time before tasting rooms closed so we hurried and made it into Presidio just in time. This was such a cute place. They had a lot of knickknacks for sale, but I was focused on one thing. Tasting the wine. It was $5 for 5 tastings which is pretty standard throughout the county, but it also included a glass you can keep or return for $3 towards a bottle purchase.
Because it has been a week since I have been here, I don't remember too much. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and helpful and they even gave us some Paso Robles suggestions.
I ended up buying a bottle of Syrah for about $25. -
Review from Kenny L.
9/16/2009
Unfiltered wine is different, but different does not necessarily mean good. Personally, I liked the texture of of the wines, but the wines were uneven in quality. Really liked the Syrahs, one of them were marketed as "the perfect barbecue wine," and it was, the tannins and the pepper notes would go perfectly with good sauces and smoked meats. But at $23-28, I don't think it was the perfect barbecue price.
I don't think you should drink any wine more than $15/bottle for barbecue. -
Review from Thia G.
Walnut Creek, CA
10/20/2008
Pretty good place. The wines here are decent, but not really my preference overall. The guy at the counter was generally pretty friendly, and relatively knowledgeable about all the wines.
A little pricier (from what I remember) than some other places, but worth a visit if you're staying in Solvang.
Try the grape juice (non-alcoholic) - it's REALLY good! -
Review from Christine D.
San Diego, CA
4/28/2009
We were on our way to Cambria and we made a detour to Solvang because we are sooo spontaneous like that! We decided to do some wine tasting, but once we arrived to this cute little dutch town we didn't know where to go. I jumped on yelp and saw some reviews for Presidio. It was easy to find in town, right on the main street so we ventured in.
Chris was working behind the counter and he was a lot of fun. He joked with us and his sarcastic humor was right up our alley. Oh- and the wine was good too!
You get to keep your glass at the end of your 6 tastings, but they will also make a deal with you: if you give back your glass they'll take $3 off a bottle of wine! I liked the glass but we already have 24 wine glasses at home and don't have the space for anymore so we left with a bottle of Gris instead! Score! -
Review from Gerald S.
Chino Hills, CA
6/5/2007
This winery was the first one we visited when we got to Solvang and we couldn't have picked a better spot. We were supposed to have 7 tastings, but the staff is so nice they gave us 10. Of course all their wines are so good that we finished all the wines they gave us. Their best wine was a white called the Gewurtztraminer.
I would've gladly paid the $7.50 for a tasting at this winery.. however, it was FREE! Woo hoo! The hotel where we stayed gave us a coupon for 2... yes, TWO free tastings... totally worth it. We didn't buy the Gewurtz on our first visit, but we had to come by and get it before we left. -
Review from Dan G.
Menlo Park, CA
11/28/2009
$8 tasting, 6 wines
Sauvignon Blanc $16 - oof - pour out remnants
Chardonnay $22 - meh - pour out remnants
Pinot Nior $42 - double oof - left on counter
couldn't face the next 3 wines. Said thank you and bid adieu.
Wasted the $8. Another reason a tasting fee is bogus.
I've had unfiltered wines before, and it's not an excuse to make bad wine.
There are so many good wineries to spend your time, and money.
Nice space. Service was friendly and nice. -
Review from Angelinaaah h.
Los Angeles, CA
12/9/2009
We randomly stumbled across this winery and had a wonderful time. The person behind the counter definitely knew what he was talking about. The BF did the red wine tasting while i went with the whites. I ended up buying a bottle of the Syrah Rose and a bottle of the Gewertztraminer. The Gewertztraminer smelled absolutely amazing. The BF didn't enjoy any of his reds. Maybe you should stick with the whites?
$8 for 6 wines. He threw in a 7th since we were the only people there. -
Review from Gabriel T.
Sun City, CA
3/30/2010
Came here with my girlfriend and some of our friends during the Taste of Solvang event. We sampled a wide variety of wines and really liked most of what was offered. My girlfriend loved the Gewurztraminer, as did I - but I was surprised by how sweet it was compared to others I've tried. My favorite was the port.
Beyond the wines we enjoyed our time with Chris, the sommelier. He really went out of his way to not only show off the wines, but made our visit fun and memorable with his jovial manner.
We joined their wine club while we there and look forward to future visits. -
Review from foodandwine b.
Moraga, CA
2/25/2011
Two friends and I happened upon this venue while trying to find any tasting rooms open at 11AM on President's Day. The few we had passed were closed and we were quite stoked to find Presidio open. The wine was excellent, well priced and the tasting was reasonable (6 tastes for $8. Our wine expert (Kyle, I believe) was friendly and nice to us and the other patrons who eventually came in after seeing the first boozers arrive:) We all loved it! Yay Solvang!
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Review from Sanjeet A.
Santa Clara, CA
12/26/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Ask for Doug. He's great. He gave us a great introduction to the wines. The wines are great too. Recommend this place for wine tasting and their Syrah.
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Review from Megan H.
Lancaster, CA
2/12/2011
Presidio is one of the best tasting rooms in Solvang. Everything tastes great and their staff is very knowledgeable and fun to be around. Definitely try the rose and Diego red. Fantastic!
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Review from Jamie W.
5/3/2010
Hubby and I stopped in to Presidio this past weekend for our first time. Overall the wines were pretty good and we left with a couple of bottles each of the Syrah and the Syrah Rose. The guy serving them was friendly and kind of cute :) too (even if he was listening to Coldplay). Nice, relaxed environment. Will likely be back on our next trip!
Listed in: Santa Ynez Wine Country
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Review from Glen S.
Torrance, CA
6/8/2009
Presidio was awesome. We paid $8 for wine tasting for 6 samples. You get a wine glass but you can return it for $3 off a bottle of wine. They offer organic and biodynamic wine (no pesticides, chemicals) along with reserves in their sample selection.
Chris helped us out and provided us with lots of information regarding what we were sampling. He also recommended some other places to visit in Solvang.
I'm no wine expert so I can't critique their wine selection but the experience at Presidio was great. Granted, we got there when it opened with no crowds. -
Review from Sean F.
Arlington, VA
7/23/2011
Very friendly staff, rose is clean mulled is very aromatic!
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Review from Steve W.
Los Angeles, CA
Great little Vineyard . Recommend the 2004 Diego Red with a nice pasta!
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Review from Byron B.
Northridge, CA
11/2/2010
I am new to the wine scene so my review is more on the service than any of the wines. I went with my gf and sister to Presidio. We were all shocked by how cheap the tasting was, $6! We were helped by Chris who couldn't have been more awesome. He went over in detail local wineries, pariing, appalachians, and all kinds stuff. We ended up buying 4 bottles all together. Their Diego Red is a hidden gem! Ask for Chris you won't be sorry.
