We booked a wine tasting at Mia Marie for a team builder and had a wonderful time. The venue was…read moreextremely accommodating to fit into our schedule. The vineyard is nestled in the hills of Escondido which offers spectacular views of the region. We were there late afternoon and it was all very pretty with the sunlight and shadows. The venue itself is very suitable for small and large crowds. There is ample parking and clear directions to the tasting area. Our team tasted a variety of wines which were all unique and delicious. The menu offered many options for us to try. Our wonderful host Monique has a passion for wines and was extremely knowledgeable. I learned a great deal about the different types of wines. It was a beautiful afternoon and evening with my colleagues. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely and are looking forward to our next visit for live music and salsa dancing! Thank you Mia Marie for hosting us! And thanks to our knowledgeable and delightful host Monique for an amazing wine tasting experience! Highly recommended!

Had a great first time wine tasting experience when I visited! Monique was extremely knowledgeable…read moreand accommodating. Beautiful views as well!

Amazing views and wine. Great service and dog friendly. I used my Groupon with no problem.read more

Such a beautiful view that even teenage boys will stop and appreciate it!…read more I found a great deal on Groupon that included four glasses of wine and a charcuterie board, enough for four people. It was the perfect way to sample their wines while enjoying the scenery. We also ordered two pizzas: the Sunshine Cheese Delight and the Sunshine Meat Lover. Both were good and hit the spot. We added a large bag of Stellar Pretzel to share, and for dessert (because I absolutely have a sweet tooth), we tried the Sunshine Double Chocolate Cake and Tiramisu. I prefer sweeter wines and ordered the Rosa and Riesling , both were great and exactly what I was hoping for. A couple things to note: I had read in other reviews that there were servers, but when we visited, we ordered inside, were given a buzzer, and picked up our food ourselves. It was also pretty cold outside, and it took some time for the staff to turn on the warmers. We came on a Sunday and learned that live music starts at 3 PM. My husband and I definitely plan to come back for a date when there's live music playing. We were able to park near the top by the tasting room, which was convenient. There's also seating below near a beautiful waterfall and koi pond , it's a bit of a walk down (and back up). Overall, such a scenic spot with good food, sweet wine options, and a relaxing atmosphere. We'll be back!

Orfila is a beautiful winery and I am a wine club member here. It is a Friday evening favorite to…read moreenjoy wine and good food while overlooking the view of the Hills and vineyard. One thing we love was their live music on Friday nights, but they have changed up their event calendars discontinuing music on Friday nights and only have it on Sundays. They added other things like trivia and line dancing during the week, which may be popular, but for us live music is what drew us there. I hope they bring it back.

What a beautiful winery we have that's not too far out of town. Located in Escondido and not too…read morefar off the freeway. I was here to do a race that came with a wine tasting event after. They have a huge tasting room where we got our wine and I tried a few of their reds and I especially loved the syrah and merlot. I'm not a huge fan of rosé but the friends who love rosé said that theirs were pretty good too.

I just got back from an afternoon at the Forgotten Barrel Winery. What an amazing time we had. No…read moreonly so they have a wide choice of wines to choose from, by the glass and by the bottle, but the prices are reasonable. They also offer tasting menus, so you get healthy pours of different wines to try. They also offer some premade food for sale, charcuteries, hummus, crackers, cheeses. Plus there's a food truck that sells amazing burgers starting at 3. While we were there, there was live music being played in the Central courtyard. Guests could sit on their provided seating under a large shaded tree and some had their small dogs with them on leash. Because we were a medium size group and had made a reservation, we were placed in a separate room with plenty of inside and outside covered seating. The winemaker even gave us a tour of the facilities. Showing is the process from the grapes, to the hopper and ending with the barrels where they age. It's definitely worth driving out to visit this beautiful winery in Escondido.

We stumbled upon this nice venue while searching for another winery online. We enjoyed an evening…read moreof music and comedy called, Jazz & Jokes. The staff are very friendly and efficient. It turned out to be a very nice place to visit. We enjoyed ourselves.

What a nice find for us! A short drive from San Diego Wild Animal Park led us here after we visited…read morethe park. We were greeted by their friendly servers who sat us out on their patio. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the view. From the patio you can see the big balloon at the Wild Animal Park floating up and down. We decided to have a glass of red. Our friendly servers were so helpful, offering us tastes of their wines to help us decide which one we would get. Tough choices because they were all very good! A very nice vibe here. They are only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Tasting Flights (Four 2 oz. pours): Sparkling $25, Mixed $22, Red $25, Reserve $29, Dessert $24 (3…read morepours) We used to be members of Hungry Hawk several years ago but hadn't stopped in for some time. We had specifically joined the wine club because we really enjoyed their white wines, which is unusual for us as we're more "big red" drinkers. However, on this visit the tastings were primarily reds. We were told that they will be releasing a few more whites as we get closer to summer. Their large patio, with umbrella/roof-covered tables, offers beautiful vineyard and surrounding mountain views. They also have live music, but it's best to check their website calendar as to who/when. WINES: We shared a Red and Reserve flight, but we did ask to try the new 2024 Estate Mélange Blanc (58% Pinot Gris, 42% Viognier) which was one of our favorites. The wines are well-made, and they offer a nice selection of varietals, so you should be able to find something you like. We brought in some hummus & pita bread to munch on during our tasting, but they do sell a few snack items as well. We ordered two 4oz Beehive Cheese blocks ($8.50/ea.), which were a nice addition to the tastings. If you haven't been here before, I recommend you give them a try. They do take walk-ins, but reservations are recommended.

Friendly owner. The wine is very good and although the vineyard is small, it's a great place to…read moreorder wine and support a small business!

Love meeting the owner and getting to know his process!!…read more Very personal and great wine

Espinosa Vineyards was a fantastic way to spend our afternoon after a busy day at the San Diego…read moreSafari Park. Between great service, plenty of parking, and delicious wine, I would happily stop by again! We also enjoyed a thoughtfully-crafted charcuterie board.

Espinosa Vineyards is so relaxing and delightful. Just hang out and enjoy a bottle of wine and…read morechill The service is beyond reproach, friendly accommodating. It's like being in a family backyard. . Wow, what a backyard a musk come the wine is absolute delightful. Enjoy the photos.

We stopped by Belle Marie Winery an hour before close on a Tuesday. Located right off of Champagne…read moreBlvd. (I kid you not) in Escondido, this is one of many wineries in the area. We easily found parking in their complimentary lot. Ambiance (4.5/5): This is one of the things that make wineries great... the scenic views. While they have a tasting room inside, your best option is to sit outside on the small yet charming patio. The best part is that you'll enjoy the mountains in the background as you sip on your vino. Service (4.5/5): We ordered a bottle of wine about 10 minutes before close. One of the owners was nice enough to allow us to stay outside on the patio way past closing time. He said we could stay as long as we wanted. That's the type of service you rarely see at drinking holes these days. Food (N/A): They had various snacks to purchase and you can also add chocolates with wine flights but we were on a liquid diet. Drinks (4/5): If you're interested in doing a wine tasting, they have both a red and white option. The prices are affordable (especially by California standards) for both flights and if you'd like to purchase bottles of wine for enjoying there or to take home. I did the red flight. They serve it to you on a cutting board of sorts with a piece of paper giving you a short description of each wine. From there, we had a bottle of sauvignon blanc. I didn't take any wine home, but you can get a discount if you buy in bulk. One last thing that made Belle Marie an awesome winery is that it was one of the few open on a Tuesday in the area. A lot of them are open on the weekends only or Wednesday-Sunday or Thursday-Sunday. Belle Marie delivered on the only day we could stop by. For that, I'm grateful!

What a cute little winery! The outdoor space is spacious, dog-friendly, and absolutely beautiful…read morewith the castle backdrop. As for the wine, the flights were limited to just a choice of all-white or all-red. I got the red flight and was hoping for some bolder flavors, but perhaps they are better known for their whites? The ladies I was with said they really enjoyed the white wines!

Lovely winery tucked into the hill right as you enter Highland Valley. The owner Ray was incredibly…read moresweet and took his time telling us their story. We did a tasting on their gorgeous patio and enjoyed the view. Ended up taking home a bottle to enjoy later, too! Adding this spot to our list of favorites for when we are in the area, for sure.

Highland Valley Vineyards is the kind of hidden gem you almost don't want to share but it's too…read moregood to keep quiet. This spot is where the wine, the views, and the vibe all line up perfectly. The scenery is stunning, the energy is laid-back but elevated, and the wine? Absolute knockout. We came for a tasting and left as wine club members without even hesitating. A big part of the magic is Ray, the owner. He's not just pouring wine--he's pouring his heart into every glass. You can tell he genuinely loves what he does, and it makes the whole experience feel special. Highland Valley has that sweet spot mix of intimate, welcoming, and seriously impressive. It's the kind of place that makes wine lovers geek out, while also being the perfect backdrop if you just want to sip, relax, and soak in the views. Honestly, you'll want to tell all your friends about it because that's how good it is.

I needed to get a birthday present for a friend who likes Spanish wine and the big box stores…read moreweren't cutting it for me. I was on a time crunch when I stopped in. I asked the man at the counter if he could point me in the direction of what I was looking for. He did and then some!! I found exactly what I was looking for even though I only had a vague idea, thanks to him. I love the store, it's in a little shack next to the nursery on San Marcos blvd. They are reasonably priced (often less than the big stores). They have a good variety and it's fun to wander the aisles. Plus they have fun events and ever changing flights. Sign up for their emails so you know when they're serving something you'd like to try or something you know you like. Plus the outdoor patio is very pleasant. If you sit at the bar everyone chats, it's a nice environment!

My husband and I went here today for the first time after visiting the garden/ nursery next door…read more We were greeted with a smile and offered suggestions or help for finding any certain wines in their shop. When we arrived we were the only people in the shop so we asked the employee if the wine bar area was open and if we could grab a glass of wine. He said 'of course!' We sat down, and were able to easily see the wines available and pricing. The employee introduced himself as Jim, and we soon learned he was the owner! Within a few minutes more guests arrived and filled the space. Jim knew everyone's name, even asking about pets and upcoming trips. It seemed like a real community. I quickly got to know the other local guests, and learned about their wine club! From Jim's service, the great variety of wine, overall ambiance, and laid back vibes I would recommend everyone to check this out. I'm already looking forward to coming back for the wine club events! They do also serve a small selection of cold bottled beers and snacks like chips and crackers. I did see other guests bring in their own food, so maybe that's allowed too. Thanks Jim!