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Tastes of the Valleys
Rating Details »
1672 Mission Dr
Solvang, CA 93463
(805) 688-7111
Solvang, CA 93463
(805) 688-7111
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
13 reviews for Tastes of the Valleys
I dont like giving places a 5 star review unless the place was damn near flawless, and Taste of the Valley was damn near flawless. Ok, so number one reason we came in: it was open past 7pm. In all my research of the area and what to do at night, this was the number one spot to hit up. Unless you're going to a restaurant, not much else is open in Solvang later than that. Not only is it open later, it also comes pretty highly recommended not only on yelp but by people I know who are familiar with Solvang. Im glad I went.
The clerk helping us was hospitable and welcoming and so were everyone else working there. They had no other customers at around 7 on a Wednesday night which I was told is the norm for a weeknight, except 2 different guys who rushed in before closing to get a bottle of wine. Both werent staying in Solvang so it adds to its character-people are willing to drive out just to be here.
Like others have said, its like this really cool and cozy cellar complete with a bar(duh), a fireplace with cozy chairs to sit in. If Im worth millions someday, Im building a replica of this place in my house.
After pouring some wine and beers she immediately gave us menus for restaurants in the area. She also asked what we were planning on doing like if we wanted to see a movie, go bowling, etc..They're not only concerned with what you do at their place but what you on your stay in Solvang. Its a very comforting feeling if you're not completely familiar with the area.
Ok so the wines...they have a good selection and thoroughly cover their bases in varietals of reds, whites and even beer. We started with some amazing Rieslings that were sweet and light on the palate. Then some chardonnay, pinot nior and there were some small bites to munch on while you eat. I dont completely remember the prices but the lady was so nice and we were last customers so she only charged us for every full glass that was poured and not the several tastes we tried. For our several glasses of wine (like 5) and 2 beers it was about $30. The clerk even came outside with us and pointed us out to the restaurant we decided on.
We recieved extraordinary customer service and tasted some really good wines in an intimate setting devoid of all pretension. I couldnt ask for anything better than that.
Wow! I was really impressed by this great little wine bar. I was referred here by Babcock Winery. I had some time to kill before heading north and this place is one of a few that is open very late. In Solvang, very late is 8pm weekdays and 10pm fri and sat (which is when Tastes of the Valleys closes).
I immediately liked this place, it is very cellaresque, you step down going in and it is set up like a wine cellar. They have a fireplace and everything, very cozy. I was tended to by the lovely Bristol (hope I remembered her name correctly). She claimed she was not a wine expert, yet she had tons of information about the wines they carried and what they were pouring that night.
I did a tasting that was heavy on Au Bon Climat pinot noirs. This is great because you do not often see these in tasting rooms. Bristol had all the info on each pinot and even made me a nice list of what I tasted so I can enter it in my tasting book. My favorite of the bunch was the ABC Isabelle pinot, named for the winemakers daughter.
This place was not in the movie Sideways. They apparently had some sort of licensing arrangement on using the name at one time, but thankfully it appears they have dropped this gimmick for the most part. This place stands on it's own. They also do have some sort of club, but I had no idea until I went to their website (after leaving).
The owner (Ash) was strolling around and socializing with his customers and drinking a glass himself (as any good wine bar owner should be). I really liked this place and I cannot wait to come back.
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nice little place that actually stays open after 5 pm in Solvang! LOL. classy little tasting room/wine bar. attentive bartender who gave some great tips on the surrounding arewa Recommended highly.
This is a fabulous little wine bar, tasting room, and shop that features central coast local wineries. They are open late Friday's and Saturday's and feature live music (most Saturday's) by Ray Fortune. It is a very relaxed and elegant atmosphere and I was able to take my time with tasting. The cheese plate was a very nice addition as well.
One of the few places to go for an after dinner glass of wine ..... romantic, comfortable and very good service ........
It should be noted that after I posted my review for this place I was contacted by a rep for this wine bar informing me that the individual employee I railed against has gone on to other endeavors.
So...I would imagine that without the aforementioned unpleasantly didactic (I believe I referred to him as a) tool, that this would be a more enjoyable spot to get a full glass of wine in a town where so many of the other establishments can only pour you a taste.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/18/2009
Solvang is almost like an amusement park for winos. Every place is within walking distance and has a… Read more »
This was our first stop while in Solvang. The place was quaint and inviting, and we were very excited to get our trip started right. We had a flight of reds, which was fine.
This place had so much potential, but our experience was really tarnished by the service. We interacted with the manager and he was a REAL JERK (which really surpised us). Not only was he short with us, but he was also short with another customer who was trying to buy a bottle of wine. It was very obvious that he was all about the sale which made us NOT want to purchase from him. Don't get me wrong, he knew his wine but didn't know squat about customer service. We even asked him for recommendations for vineyards to visit and he rattled them off at warp speed. So we asked him if he could right them down for us or at least repeat them so we could write them down, and he acted like he were a complete inconvenience to him.
Luckily, he went to tend to another group which left us interacting with a newly hired employee (who was sweet, knowlegdable and gracious) and another senior adult staff member (who was also sweet, knowledgable and gracious). From the experience standpoint, they saved me from completely giving this place a bad rating.
If you go here, AVOID of the young, blond manager guy. It won't ruin your experience like it did for us and the other staff members are just as knowledgable and friendly.
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My buddy suggested we stop in here because "heeeeyyyyyyy, it was in Sideways". I agreed, since we had started late and we had been to a few tasting rooms in Solvang on a previous trip. Inside, we found a cool (as in not hot) dark, pleasant little cave to come in and sample a few of the best local wines. We went for the smaller flight of estate reds, and weren't disappointed. Some of the very good pinots this region produces were in there, and it was a fine place to start. We had just gotten started and were just getting our "wine legs", so not too much stands out, but our server was an excellent host.
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If you're looking for a relaxed and romantic place to enjoy some wine, you must check this place out. Dimly lit with a roaring fire and comfy seating, this bar has it all going on. The service was impeccable - knowledge without snottiness, friendly, and inviting. Minus one star because I didn't find a wine here that I fell in love with, but four stars easy for the atmosphere and service.
They also offer classes and events which I would so go to if I didn't live four hours away. They have a wine club too, based on the movie's characters Miles, Jack, and Maya. They didn't try to push the club on me though which was nice, and the place wasn't overly Sideways. Very cool.
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When we are in the area, we always go here. You can taste wines from some of the smaller wineries that don't have tasting rooms. The staff is friendly and knowledgable. We were able to taste and purchase wines we otherwise would never have gotten to try. The cheese plate makes an excellent snack if you are looking to taste wine but have dinner plans later. It is the best tasting room in Solvang!
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I am a local and this the only spot where you can get it all in one place. My wife and I frequently stop by for a tasting or just a glass of wine before going to dinner. Great atmosphere and knowledgeable staff. Enjoy.
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Great ambiance and wine selection. Lots of smaller central coast wineries are represented that can't be found easily elsewhere. Staff is very friendly and prices are reasonable. Sometimes their wine reviews are a bit enthusiastic, but not nearly as fierce as most of their neighbors. Solvang is drenched in wine bars and tasting rooms now and the guys really stand out. They even licensed the "Sideways" brand, which is great. Wish they would open more shops around California
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they rotate their tastings of local wines, so it's nice to go back every time. we're wine novices and alot of the stuff that comes out of our mouths describing wine may sound like garbage, but the staff didn't make us feel like trash. they were quite nice and accommodating while tayloring a wine flight tasting for us. we did a tasting from all over the valley the first time we went, and this last time we asked for specifically syrahs. you can try eight different vineyards in twenty minutes. comparing them side by side makes it much easier to buy what we like.
