I was researching wineries for a weekend trip to Los Olivos, and someone in a Very Serious About Wine Reddit thread strongly recommended the private tasting at the Dragonette Cellars production facility in Buellton. I'm no expert, but I love wine and drink plenty of it, and Dragonette blew me away.
We actually stayed in Los Olivos, where Dragonette has a tasting room, but opted to come here on our way back to Santa Barbara. This is an industrial-looking production facility, not a scenic vineyard, something to keep in mind if you're doing it for the 'gram. It's an awesome place, though, and all that functional, active winemaking equipment makes a cool backdrop for a tasting. Just bring a sweater if you get cold easily.
We were hosted by Stephen, a former Dragonette club member who became an employee for love of the wine. He was an immaculate host, friendly and knowledgeable, and when he saw how much we were enjoying ourselves, he kept bringing over more and more wines.
We ended up trying nine different wines, from 2022 and 2023: the Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc, the Grassini Sauvignon Blanc, the Radian Chardonnay, the Black Label Chardonnay, the Sanford and Benedict Pinot Noir, the Fiddlestix Pinot Noir, the Radian Pinot Noir, the Black Label Pinot Noir, and the MJM Syrah. Every one was distinct and outstanding, and we ended up signing up for the wine club and walking out with a full allotment of twelve bottles. We're no strangers to wine clubs, but this is the first time we've signed up for the twelve-bottle tier, which does come with extra perks, including a 20% discount (15% for the six-bottle tier). We decided on the twelve in part because the whites were so good, and we know that we'll drink through them quickly.
Dragonette has low distribution and doesn't do any marketing, so you really have to visit and try the wines to see what they're all about. The wines are exceptional, as is the Buellton tasting experience. If you're into wine, especially the wines of this region, you have to check out Dragonette Cellars. read more