As a caveat to this review, please note it was the last winery of the day and we were a bit wined out in many ways. :-O Highlights: - They let us in to taste even though they were minutes to closing - They were pouring a good amount of wines - I believe there is a view outside but we didn't have the time to peruse around and enjoy it Lowlights (my flipside to highlights): - I didn't particularly care for any of the wines but we were rushing a bit so tastes weren't completely pure. - Atmosphere: seemed less like a tasting room and more like a super cramped bar on a Saturday night. Maybe at a more mellow time we would enjoy it more. I'd try it again when we have more time... read more

Stopped by for a tasting on New Years Eve day. Wife got a regular tasting and I got a reserve, so we could cover almost all of what they were pouring that day. The room was festively decorated with a holiday spirit. It is located next to the river, and there's a good sized outdoor deck that is probably a nice cool hangout in warmer weather. Our server (John, I think) was the best -- friendly, knowledgeable, and generous with the pours! For the holidays, they were serving a warm, spiced honey mead out of a crock pot. It was delicious. But the smell could overcome the tasting when the lid was open, so we occasionally had to step back when they served. Stand outs were a reserve Pinot Noir, their La Vita Italian blend, and that awesome mulled mead. There was also a small but nice selection of gifts, and candies in case you needed to buy off your patient kids. ;-) read more

The location is surprising, being outside of the downtown, tucked away in a largely residential area. It hides a tasty surprise. Bargetto wines were first introduced to me on a visit to Monterrey, as they've a tasting room there. The staff at the main Soquel location are even better than the Monterrey staff I'd enjoyed, and the wines continue to be both delicious and affordable. As my lady likes whites and I like reds, it's a double bonus, as they produce both, and either spectrum boasts tasty varietals. Well worth the visit. read more

A little behind on my winery reviews. 2009 shall hence be known as THE WINE TASTING YEAR! ATMOSPHERE: Situated in a residential neighborhood with lots of trees, they have a great patio. Very quiet - with a quaint creek. There's a little gift shop inside and the people are very friendly. Tasting fee was $5 for 5 wines. WINES: Plain comes to mind when drinking Bargetto. The only thing that was special was the dessert wine. They have a handful of dessert wine flavors, such as the olallieberry and raspberry. We ended up buying 6 bottles (a mix of red and white, including the gewurtz) for 20-30% off. I probably wouldn't buy Bargetto again, but at a discount, they make a decent weekday wine or as a base for sangria. read more

This is a (mostly) family owned winery with it's own vines and a fairly complicated production facility. They have a sizable paved parking lot that is fairly easy to get into and out of. That sort of thing may seem unremarkable, but in this area parking isn't necessarily a given. no worries for parking at Bargetto though. There is both inside and outside seating. Both offer views of the surrounding creek and woods, and the outside patio thingy is particularly filled with awesome on sunny days. The inside tasting area can be better in some ways-mainly it offers air conditioning and heat should you so desire such things, and is richly laid out. The inside offers a decent view of the creek via a set of picture windows. I had no issues with the staff on my visit-they were more then usually knowledgeable being patient with our numerous questions about everything. Among other things were got a nice summarized version of the winery's history, family and vintages. Bargetto does a lot of things, but the cab's here are very consistent. The La Vita-a red wine-is a real standout and both are always worth a buy. They've started up a line of meads, however the mead may or may not be on the tasting menu. If mead is your thing, you should totally invest in a bottle as surprisingly the mead they put out is of really high quality. You know just like you'd expect from a hundred year old winery. Anywhoo, if you're reading this and wondering what the heck mead is it's a alcoholic drink made primarily from honey and isn't the easiest thing to get right. Something of an acquired taste, and unless you are truly adventurous or have tried (and liked) it before just stick with the wine. No kitchen on site, and genreally speaking the outside lends itself to picnicking a bit better then the inside if you've a mind to bring some noshables. I really feel that this is one of the better spots for a group wine event in the area. Fairly easy to get to with good verging on great inside and outside areas. Lots of paved parking and known willingness to work with you regarding catering/photography/activity booths and or other miscellaneous personalized needs. Overall this is a pretty decent spot especially for those that favor red wine styles. read more

Bargetto Winery - Wineries Near Me - Soquel, California

See all

Great local winery & they have been there for a long time. Lots of history with the sweet dessert wines. Went there for an event with friends. We enjoyed several great wines. Love the Retro labels on some of their bottles. Price points are good too! read more

Been going here with my husband for years. Their wine club is a very good deal. We've been members for a few years now and have never had any issues. It's a fun, very laid back atmosphere and employees are fun to talk to. The whites are okay. Pinot Grigio would be your best bet. The Chardonnay is a-okay too. Their Sauvignon Blanc is a bit too lemony, too citrusy for my taste, but you can decide for yourself. For reds, I'd go with La Vita, an excellent blend. My husband is a fan their cabs. You can't go wrong with their dessert wines. The Bella Dolce, Olallieberry and Pomegranate are all great. The Raspberry is so-so. If you mix it with a cheap champagne it can make a good cocktail. Or it could be good poured over some vanilla ice cream. I just don't care for it on its own. Their Port is also okay. I admit I'm a little overly critical of ports. I would definitely pair it with some dark chocolate. Cin-Cin, Bargetto! read more

I've never visited a winery before so this was a first for me. John handled to tasting of wine for us. He was absolutely the BEST! He was very knowledgeable and personable. He didn't just "talk" wine with us. He shared the history of the winery and building. When we bought a glass of wine and sat out on the patio he brought out some umbrellas to protect us from the sun. If and when I'm ever in that area I'll have to drop there again. Not just for the wine, but the great company! read more

Bargetto Winery - Wineries Near Me - Soquel, California

My old manager had been talking highly about this place so me and my bf decided to come & check it out. I am so glad we did because our first time there was a blast! & of course we became members that day. They had amazing deals, amazing wine experts and pourers. Overall all of the employees were great. Now we come every Sunday I mean once in a while you will run into a customer who's rude to ya but that's inevitable. I understand some older folks don't like being around us at first. But this place is awesome, & I would never let a rude customer keep me from coming here. They had amazing wines, amazing service, great products, they always have such nice events for members, & their view is great! Also I love that it's close enough but also far enough that it's not filled with tourists. Ask props to John and al they always make sure we have a great time read more

One of my faves! We are long-standing members and not only are their wines fabulous, service is spectacular, and the ambience is spot on.

Came here at opening on a Wednesday with my mom for a tasting. Staff was very friendly and greeted us at the door. The place itself is very pretty and rustic. The experience was very friendly and laid back. The wines are very affordable and tasty. My mom and I both really loved the pinot grigio and the zinfandel. Very tasty. Our pourer Skip was super friendly and knowledgeable. He made our experience very enjoyable. I will definitely return and will buy their wines if I see them in a restaurant. read more

Bargetto Winery - Awesome tasting room! - Wineries Near Me - Soquel, California

It's a beautiful space near the creek, but they don't take advantage of it. It's an awkwardly designed tasting room, and it's not comfortable or beautiful. More importantly, however, is that the wine just isn't very good. And it's expensive!!!!! The most annoying is that their tasting fees are pricey and then they won't waive the fee even if you buy a bottle of wine. It's an expensive outing without the benefit of amazing wine or amazing service or amazing atmosphere. We won't be back. read more

Solid 4 stars. Staff is friendly and easy, and not too pushy on the wine club. Wine is good and moderately priced. We walked away with a bottle of the merlot reserve ($40) and the la vita ($60). Not being a fan of the merlot, it was delicious. So why not 5 stars? For spending $100 on wine, they didn't comp any tasting fees ($15), which is standard practice if you buy any wine at Napa or Sonoma winery. If not all tasting fees, at least one. But all in all, nice spot and may be back in the area. read more

I can't believe I haven't written a review of this place yet. Tucked away in the trees just a short drive from the beach, Bargetto Winery is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. I was brought here with some friends after the Begonia festival, where we spent a lovely couple of hours flirting with the pourer, having some wine and cheese, and sitting in the sun. I really enjoyed their scope of wines, including their dessert wine, and this is my go to place to get a wine "from the area" to bring to a friend. I'll definitely back just as soon as the weather heats up, to spend another gorgeous day on the back patio. read more

Since recently becoming a wine snob and going to my first passport day, Bargetto Winery has been helpful with aiding in my snobbery. My new obsession of theirs is the one of their dessert wines the CHAUCER'S Olallieberry Wine. I mean WOW. I am also a really big fan of any of their Merlot as well as the 2006 Chardonnay Reserve. Five wine tastings for $5 bucks is a great way to spend a weekend afternoon. The atmosphere is beautiful and their patio area is my favorite to chill and listen to the creek. No matter if your a red or white wine fan you can't go wrong with Bargetto. read more

This review is for Bargetto as a wedding venue. I enjoyed the wedding and would definitely come back for normal wine tasting! The ceremony took place outside on the patio, overlooking the creek and wilderness. Post-ceremony, we had wine, beer and tapas in the barrel room nearby. The wines included viognier, chardonnay, zinfandel, syrah and olallieberry dessert. The beers included olallieberry, a porter-like beer and a brown-like beer. The tapas included wild mushroom empanadas with chipotle aioli (yum!), cheese jenga (no joke, the cheese sticks were stacked like jenga), lots of other delicious cheeses, crostini, crackers, vodka soaked tomatoes, gazpacho shooters, and grapes. Post-cocktail hour, we headed back to the patio, which had been transformed into a lovely dining area, bar and small dance floor. There were enough bathrooms for a small wedding (one girls', one guys', one unisex). There were ample heat lamps scattered among the tables and lovely strings of lights above the patio. Dinner consisted of salad, shaved zucchini salad, saffron couscous salad, fennel and white bean salad, achiote shrimp skewers, pork tenderloin skewers, chicken skewers, chimichurri sauce for the skewers, and tortilla espanola. The wedding "cake" was mini meyer lemon creme brulee (only okay brulee but so cute), strawberries, tiny gingerbread cookies, and tiny hershey kiss on shortbread cookies. Served alongside dessert was tea and masala chai tea (already prepared with milk, sugar and spices). Overall, the wedding was very well-organized, classy and fun--I would definitely recommend Bargetto as a venue! read more

The Bargetto Winery is an amazing retreat in the heart of Soquel! Out of pure luck, I stumbled upon their Art and Wine festival and I was so happy that I did. For $10 I got a wine glasses and about 6 wine tasting tickets. The combo of the view of the Soquel River and the amazing tasting wine makes this Winery a great place to stop at while you are antiquing downtown Soquel. read more

Possibly the worst customer service I've ever had wine tasting. I never take the time to review places unless it's superb or absolutely horrible, and this was the ladder. Made a group reservation in advance, they mentioned we'd have a table from 3-5, but failed to mention everyone needed to arrive at the same time in order to wine taste so we were apparently already not welcomed at this establishment. They make you pay upon arrival (and tip) and I wish I could have not tipped based on the incredibly RUDE server named Al. He judged us the moment we walked in, and acted as we were below him and wasting his time. The whole group was speechless at his demeanor towards us and the attitude he gave us the whole time, I'm talking eye-rolling, "are you guys able to listen or am I wasting my time...," absolutely ridiculous behavior from an old man who is working in hospitality. It made the whole group uncomfortable every time he was near. On top of it, the wine is not up to the scale we prefer so no one purchased any bottles. Save your time and money, and head to Soquel Vineyards up the road. Places like this are what give wine-connoisseurs a bad name, pretentious and arrogant. read more

I had an incredibly disappointing experience with Bargetto this past weekend. I'm well aware of their wines, and given them as gifts to some close friends who are Bargetto worshipers, but honestly??? They can do better. On our rainy weekend outing, some friends who are wine club members suggested we stop in. The tasting room is accompanied by a little gift shop, but the room with the actual bar is very nice. Overlooks the Soquel Creek, or whatever creek runs along side Main Street. The gentleman who was pouring was pleasant, and even had a sarcastic sense of humor, so brownie points for being fun. The wines are okay, nothing to really write home about. Impressive was the Mead. I don't know which one we tasted that day, but it was delicious! Not something I can drink a ton of, but quite tasty, and perfect when you're freezing from that damp cold weather common to the mountains in the winter. I don't think I tasted much that was memorable besides the Cab (I have no idea what year), full of green peppers (mmmm tasty), and the Mead. The merlot that won "Merlot of the year" left me longing for more. Merlots are common used for blends, so I get that they aren't the most amazing, but this wasn't as impressive as it's new title. So why two stars you ask? Sure every winery has it's good days, and it's bad days. Good wines, and not so good wines.... What really did them in was that the winery doesn't wave the tasting fee with purchase. I see more and more wineries doing this these days, and as you'll see in my Hunter Hill review, some do it because the wines are already incredibly low priced, and the wineries have to make up for it somehow. Bargetto wines weren't cheap, and even though they were 33% off for the Holiday season (although I suspect this might be a marketing ploy), it pissed me off so much, that I didn't buy any bottles while I was there. I wish I would have visited this place on a passport day, so there was no fee. Who knows, maybe we'll show up for winter passport in January, and they still charge a fee. Disappointing, and somewhat full of themselves. I'll return for my passport stamp, and hope for a better experience. read more

Ethan was amazing and friendly and was a wealth of info. We highly enjoyed his knowledge of the wine and his humor. He made our group wine tasting very enjoyable. We will definitely be back! Thanks Ethan! Give him a raise! read more

My tipsy parents insisted that we drop in on the way back from Soquel Vineyards. I obliged. I tend to skip this place. The wines are inexpensive and mediocre. They offer some extremely sweet wines for those who may be less accustomed to things like tannins & oak. We were poured "the best Merlot in California." The best Merlot it was not. Don't get me wrong though: the setting here is amazing & our server was very animated and engaging. There's a long history of Bargetto making wine in the area so it's probably worth checking out at least once! read more

Great staff here, we had a fun time in the tasting room. They have two options to taste, a $7 basic tasting and a $12 estate tasting. A couple wines I was not thrilled about here, but we did like the Tuxedo Red (for $18 can't beat the price) as well as their flagship wine, La Vita. Seeing as La Vita is $80 we did not buy any, but it was definitely a very cool Italian Blend. They have backberry wine here, as well as Mead. We did not try the Mead, but it had a 92 point rating and would be perfect for a cold rainy day. They have a very large gift shop, where you can buy many different items, so it is a little bit touristy, but the location is awesome. It is right next to the creek so you can look out into the mountains. This would be a great location for a private event as well. read more

Bargetto winery was the first stop on our class field trip for my wine appreciation class. Yes, we came here for a field trip and it was good day. Anyhow, during our field trip, we got a tour of the winery and got to taste some of the wines at the raw stage - before it goes through the riddling and what not. It was pretty cool. Afterwards, we got to try a flight of wines along with snacks such as wine, bread, hummus, fruit, and cheeses on the outdoor bar area. I really liked this winery, and the feel of it. Very quaint, and the outdoor area is gorgeous with christmas lights strung across the top with a view of a small creek and lots of trees. While I was standing there, I pictured a nice little dinner at nightime, it was totally cute in my head. Anyhow, the next reason why I liked this winery was solely due to their Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and their Olallieberry wine. The Pinot Grigio was one of the best I have tried, and they actually won a silver medal at one of the wine events. The Pinot Noir was also really good here. The Olalliberry was a wine that was very unique, and something totally different than I've ever tried before. It's a blend of Native American berries (I think). I don't usually like sweet wines, but this wine was amazing. Also one last thing, the wineries top wine, or flagship wine, is the La Vita. It's priced at $60 (if i remember correctly) a bottle. Maybe my taste buds just suck, but I personally liked the Pino Noir better than the La Vita. I think the blend of the three types of grapes is just a bit overwhelming for my taste. Overall, great little winery. I'll probbaly come back with my parents sometime since my dad just discovered theres wineries in the santa cruz mountains. read more

We are wine members and enjoy their events all year long! We take guests for tastings and the staff is awesome! read more

Bargetto Winery - Bargetto has wine and music in the cellar! - Wineries Near Me - Soquel, California

Love Bargetto Winery!! I've been going here since I was a kid (haha, not drinking) and it hasn't changed much but still remains a classy local wine tasting spot. Great outdoor area overlooking the Soquel Creek which is perfect for a picnic or to peruse the occasional craft fair or art and wine festival that they have. This is HANDS DOWN the best place in the Santa Cruz area to get meads, ports and dessert wines. They have a wonderful Ollalieberry wine that is fantastic for breakfast syrups, desserts or just to enjoy! They also have good specials for both wine club members and regular schmoes like me! Slam your beak into that jessie. read more

Great wines, lovely setting! Cheryl was very knowledgeable and added to a very pleasant experience at one of the oldest privately owned wineries in California. read more

Gorgeous setting, kind and friendly staff, and great wine! A wonderful place to spend a lazy afternoon or to hold a special occasion event.

Soquel Bargetto has th prettiest tasting room and patio overlooking a creek and wilderness. Very romantic. Getting to th wines, the Sauv Blanc And Pinot Grigio are pretty good and well balanced, the Chard not my preference. The reserve reds are quite delicious and the sweet wines are good if you like that kind of stuff. Me, I pour the sweet wines with a mid range Sparkler and yummo! We joined the locals club for 2 bottles per month and are having fun! Great events, good wine, reasonable prices.... read more

Yoga and wine with Amanda was the best! Loved the class and the tasting in a gorgeous setting overlooking the creek. Perfect way to spend an afternoon with girlfriends, locals and visiting, and hopefully it will be a regular (weekly!) event! read more

Bargetto Winery - Wineries Near Me - Soquel, California

See all

We went to Scotts Valley Art & Wine Festival. Bargetto was one of the wineries pouring today. Although I didn't taste any of their wines today, I was once a wine club member. They have a rather nice little winery. Today's event had Zinfandel from Lodi, Chardonnay from Santa Cruz Mtns., Pinot Grigio (actually one of the few whites that I actually like) from the Santa Cruz Mtns., Syrah from the Santa Cruz Mtns. and Frescolino Dry Rosé. At their winery they also offer a Dolcetto (my fav.), an Olallieberry Wine which is sweet, and much, much more. read more

I've been to both of their retail locations: the winery in Soquel, and their shop in Monterey. At both places, the staff were very laid back, unpretentious, yet knowledgeable. As the other reviews indicate, the standout wine here is a dessert wine- the Ollalieberry (officially "Chaucer's California Ollalieberry Wine"). It is amazing, and I don't love sweet wine. Somehow it gets the right balance between sweet and tart, plus the wow factor of tasting a fruit that hasn't yet been -tini'd (Ollalietini anyone?). I also recently enjoyed a 2006 Monterey County Gewurztraminer: it's lovely. Fresh, a little sweet, but not too sweet, just enough zing to keep it interesting. The only bummer is the plastic cork- I haven't been able to open the bottle I brought home because my wine screw keeps slipping out of the plastic. Why doesn't the world realize screw caps are the answer to all our problems? God bless NZ and AUS vintners... Anyway, if you have a chance to visit the Soquel winery, it is a beautiful spot tucked away off the road, with a nice garden perched on the edge of Soquel creek. This is definitely a family owned place, and in Santa Cruz, where families tend to stay over generations, that means something. When I went there a few years ago, we got to taste things that were poured directly from the test beakers. Take that, Napa and Sonoma. The Monterey store is a great place to stop after you've suffered through the disappointing "A Taste of Monterey" upstairs. A Taste of Monterey: $10 tasting fee, crowded with overtanned golfers and possible Floridians, wines that don't really represent the true outstanding nature of the terroir. Bargetto: no tasting fee, not crowded, wines you want to buy. read more

I went here with my wine appreciation class at San Jose State. When we arrived, we were happily greeted with snacks, and a taste of their Honey Mead wine. We got a tour of the facilities, and the head vintner was very charming with his English accent. When we returned to the main area, we then tried 5 other wines, all which were equally tasty. I'm not sure how much it cost, because I was with a group, but it is worth a stop if you wind up in Soquel. read more

Super friendly people. Nice wines. Loads of outdoor space to enjoy the wooded views. There was a tour going on while we were tasting but. It sure of the specifics. They pride themselves on their Pinot but make many other varietals. read more

sales rep was rude and had a bad attitude with me for having questions that were above there pay grade apparently. Terry was super helpful and friendly! read more

DUUUUUUUDE... olallieberry wine! raspberry wine! Here's an awesome tip: mix either of the above wines with some champagne and a raspberry garnish and you are set. Tasting room is fun...beautiful place. Minus one star for the fact that my friend was working during my tasting and I had to request snacks, but mainly because the snacks were not good. That, and besides the Chaucer's wines the rest are just average. read more

We called to have our wedding there. They set up an appointment a week later. We went to the appointment but they didn't showed up or call or contact us again. I called three additional times to try to connect but no call back. I would recommend you not waste your time. read more

My husband and I were married here in October and I have to say, if we ever had a big shin-dig again, we'd totally consider having it here because the venue was great, but it really came down to the terrific service we received throughout the whole planning process all the way to the date of the event. Nancy was our coordinator, and she was very cool throughout the whole process, super accomodating, and kept us informed of anything that we might need to know about (ie weather that weekend etc.). Our caterer, Jim Cargill, recommended Bargetto as a venue because we were having trouble finding a place we liked that would let us bring in our own caterer. Even though it was a little out of the way for us, we checked it out and were really wowed by the service above everything else. The staff at Bargetto worked really well with our coordinators, caterer, and everyone else who was involved. I will say that some of the better wines are a little pricey, but the fruit wines (Chaucer's) are amazing. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area. Also, the bathrooms are really, really clean. read more

Recently held a client appreciation event at Bargetto and was very pleased with the experience! Unfortunately, the weather kept us from using their beautiful patio. If you have an opportunity to host your event on the patio- DO IT! It is absolutely breathtaking, with plenty of room, lighting, and a view of a giant gorgeous creek. The staff moved us in to their barrel room, which is very quirky and interesting. Room was cold but adequate heaters had been set up so all guests were comfortable. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Laura and Cher were able to answer all questions about scheduling, orders, catering, etc. The only reason I am not giving 5 stars though was bc of the delay in response time to some emails early in the scheduling process. Thankfully, they really stepped up closer to the event and even offered me personal cell phone numbers to stay in touch close to event. They put me right at ease on the day and helped out in so many ways. It should definitely be noted that Bargetto has a relationship with area shelters to donate food from events. We ordered a bit too much food and I was so glad that we were able to donate it to a good cause. The wine was delicious- my first Santa Cruz wine experience. Would love to go back and enjoy the tasting room on my next trip to the area. read more

Great atmosphere, friendly staff and quality wine, what more could you ask for? We will be back for sure.

Thanks Al for the good tasting, let him pick out our wines. Had good conversation and enjoyed the wine. Very informative about what they serve, showed us locations they grew the grapes at locally. The mixes of wine they have are very creative and tasteful. The honey mix they had was great, almost like a cider. I'll have to order some later for Christmas and have it as a warm drink. Thanks for the good time, will be back. read more