Was in the area and stumbled onto this winery and decided to give it a try. The owner, who is I think 90 years old (if I remember correctly) still lives at this location. Loved learning about the roots of this winery. Tried a new wine today - viognier. I guess it's not a super popular white wine but it tasty, just a tad sweet. You can sit inside or outside and they were very friendly and attentive. read more

Kalyra Winery - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

Cheers to the weekend! If you're looking for somewhere to wine down your work week, consider a tasting at Kalyra Winery in Santa Ynez, CA. They offer two tastings (Kalyra Sampler Tasting and the Reserve Dessert/Port Tasting) both for $25 each. After your tasting inside, enjoy a glass on their deck on the lawn. The vibe at Kalyra is laid back, which I enjoyed after a long day of siteseeing. read more

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This place was a small but great wine. I wish Mary had more help because she was so busy and got bombarded with a huge group of around 12 people and then four other groups of two or more. It was overwhelming for her and my boyfriend and I and the couple doing a tasting to the table next to us had to get up to go to the bar for our next pour. One of the pours I wanted to buy a glass but there was only one bottle left so I bought it. I felt like they should for sure have some kind of a food option and some additional help for the staffing. Overall I liked this spot and my boyfriend and I are excited to open up the wine on a special occasion in the future. read more

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We did the Sideways self-wine tour this past summer. It was really hot, so we were inside and didn't get to gaze at the beautiful views while tasting. The service was good, and employees were friendly. We sometimes had to probe for information about the wine. The tasting fee is fair for what you get, and the charcuterie pack has a nice assortment. We found it odd that there were no Australian wines available when we were there. read more

Excellent wines and a cool new location in Buellton, CA! Ambiance is casual and friendly. They have great staff who know their wines and can make recommendations so everyone is happy. read more

Wonderful staff- and product! The staff are so welcoming, knowledgeable, professional, and a joy! We had fun trying out some delicious wines, with great conversation. We then drank our faves at the picnic table out on the lawn and left with bottles to enjoy back at home. Great bonus that it is dog friendly! Don't miss this place! read more

The $2O wine flight consist of 2 whites 2 reds and a Grenache rose. The reds were blends. Whites were Pinot Gris & Sav Blanc. Very dog friendly and courteous. The location was chill and outside was spacious. Overall good place to visit for the experience and dog friendly-ness. The wines weren't anything to get too excited about. But we did enjoy our experience. They had single varietals of red but they don't offer tasting of those. Once the representative realized I wasn't going to join their wine club she lost complete interest. I tipped in cash after paying for two tastings by credit card. This isn't personal but our honest experience. read more

Kalyra Winery - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

A sleepy, little no-fuss winery known for their flights of dessert wine -- and recognizable for scenes during Sideways, but I digress. Zero frills here with its surfer decor, shady patio, and colorful lawn chairs situated on the small green space. This winery is conveniently located next to others on N. Refugio Rd., making it easy for you to plan the perfect schedule for wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley. They have flights here but only offer 3 pours in each type at $12 each. A little pricier if want the standard 6 pours offered at most other wineries. Plus, I'm no wine expert, but their wines were very noticeably lower in quality. I selected the Mike's Sampler Flight which included a Sauvignon Blanc, a Montepulciano and a Tawny port. The Sauvignon blanc was the only redeeming pour, and thankfully so. A little dry but certainly leaning on the sweet side, but not overly so. The Monte thingy was flat and the port, having never had one before, was like a really bad mead; honey-suckled and cloying. The scenery was lovely enough staring off into the vineyards for miles. Service was amicable and servers were not overbearing to guests. They are one of the few wineries that offers so many dessert wines so if that is your thing then you'll be delighted. Stay far away if not. Otherwise, come for the pop culture intrigue, I guess! read more

Kalyra Winery - a row of wine glasses on a table - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

I will first say I'm very appreciative that this business and its employees are working during COVID, thank you. The property is very beautiful, you can take in the vineyard while you drink. There's about 10 small tables on their patio and then a couple of picnic tables in a grassy area off to the side. I wasn't really in love with their wine or their charcuterie tray. And I wasn't really in love with the service either. Something about the place was not warm or inviting and you could feel it. I would recommend a different tasting room unless you want a nice view. read more

Kalyra Winery - Charcuterie and flights - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

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I love this wine, is my pit stop for deserts wines. My family and friends enjoy them as well. We want to send kudos to Mary what a fun gal, she make our experience fun and enjoyable every time we stop. We always look forward to visit the winery and be help by Mary. Wines are great here and the atmosphere is always inviting. Ice-t is our favorite one ! read more

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First time doing wine tasting in the Santa Ynez valley and I was so excited to hear that this winery had dessert wines AND they're pet friendly! The dessert wine flight was amazing and our host was very informative and kind! Thankfully the tasting room wasn't as busy as other wineries which allowed more one-on-one time with our host. The 2019 Grenache Angelique and the 2020 Muscat Ottonel were my favorite, but I just had to take 2 of the Ottonel to take home. Good thing they also ship orders across the country so I can always savor a taste of Kalyra wine! I thought that the prices were also decent compared to other places especially since buying 2 bottles replace the wine flight fee. Apart from the wine, they also had a nice little array of merchandise and just had to take one of the blankets which is made from recycled shirts! I absolutely recommend this winery and will be coming back again soon. read more

Kalyra Winery - 2020 Muacat Ottonel dessert wine - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

Visited Kalyra winery on a Tuesday evening and it was perfect. The place was not busy but quiet and calm. The sunset was beautiful. Our server was so nice and took the time to explain the menu for us. Kalyra was our last stop after Solvang. My fav wine was the first on the tasting list (2019 Pinot Bianco) and the reds are also very nice on the nose and palette. Thanks so much, will be back soon! read more

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Hello wine lovers!!! I have been a member of Kalyra for a good 8 years. I have traveled a bit of the world in search of Ice wines/Late Harvest wines. The absolute most enchanting of the sweet nectar of the gods is from Kalyra. What a celestial experience it always is with Mary at the helm. read more

Kalyra Winery - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

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Kalyra Winery is located in a new location, in an area off of Industrial Way where you will find other small wineries with its own parking lot. According to one of the employees, the original location's roof was blown off and is being rebuilt (the original location is dog friendly). But until then, they are currently at this location (140 Industrial Way in Buellton). Anyways, we came here by recommendation of another winery since I love dessert wines. My husband, our little girl dog (yep the tasting room is dog friendly) and I arrived on a Saturday, around 3:55 pm. We sat at 2 tables at the bar (there is limited seating here, in addition to some seating outside (uncovered). We were greeted by both employees behind the bar and ended up doing two wine tasting (current Yelp check in deal: 2 tasting at 50%. The tasting cost $20 that includes a souvenir glass). My husband did the sampler flight which had 3 regular wines and 2 dessert wines. He thought the wines were good. I, of course, did the dessert wines. Of the 5 I had, I loved the Le Cuvee and Chardonnay Ize Sticky Wicket the best. The Chardonnay Ize Sticky Wicket was the sweetest of the 5 wines on the list and I would describe being syrup honey like taste. If dessert wines are your thing then this is the place to come to. I loved both of these wines so much that I ended up buying them, Le Cuvee, $26 ($19.50 for club members) & Chardonnay Ize Sticky Wicket, $27 ($20.25 for club members). And because I purchased these bottles, we ended up getting both of our tasting free. We also still were able to keep the wine glasses as a souvenir too. With the sticky wicket wines, the employee assisting with our tasting told us that they freeze the grapes, which makes it sweeter, prior to processing. So all of their sticky wicket wines are very sweet because of that. After we paid for our bottles, we were given a voucher for a free wine tasting at a selected list of wineries around town and Solvang (which was rather quite a few locations to choose from). I just wanted to mention that Lincoln, this labrador that is one of the owners from one of the wineries in this little area, walks around all the wineries and has often times stopped by this winery. He came by twice during our visit. When we first parked our car and headed over to Kalyra Winery, he followed us over (most likely because of our little girl dog). But don't worry, Lincoln is friendly. He is also not shy so if you happen to be sitting outside and eating food, he will probably be right there to get a tasting (lol). Overall, we had a great time and definitely have plans to come back to this winery again the next time we are in the Santa Ynez Valley. read more

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Mary was absolutely FANTASTIC ‼ Views were great, ambience and live music all made our wine tasting tour. I did the dessert wine flight and the port wine was delicious. Will be back!! read more

The wine tasting was not the best. The heat and covid situation were not here to help. read more

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I give this place the highest ratings possible! If you are a dessert wine enthusiast like me, this is the winery for you! We came here on an Easter weekend and luckily, the husband made reservations. This place gets pretty busy on a nice Saturday afternoon. After a hearty lunch in crowded Solvang, this was an ideal place to relax and enjoy a 3-flight dessert wine. Wine tasting costs $15 per person which was reasonable compared to other wineries around the Santa Ynez valley. I liked so much that I decided to sign up on their wine club. Laurie was such an excellent staff that we took home a couple of bottles. And since, we are from the Bay Area, they offered to ship it us. I look forward to my next visit and enjoy a glass or two of their sticky wicket wine. read more

Kalyra Winery - three glasses of wine on a table - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

If you are looking for a good variety of desert wines, this is a great winery to come visit. The prices are very reasonable. Great view from the wine tasting deck read more

Cool surf style. We did the desert flight. Super sweet and tasty. Cool surfboard little table. Nice service.

I went to three wineries during my weekend in Santa Barbara County. This one was hands down the very best. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Amazing selection of wines and a reasonable price for tasting and bottles. I had their dessert flight at the staffs recommendation because I am a sweet wine drinker. It was so delicious! I ended up taking home a bottle of the late harvest. I will definitely be back, this place is worth the drive for a day trip. read more

Kalyra Winery - View from the deck seating - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

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There is an outdoor seating area and it's dog friendly. We came here as part of the summer passport. If you've never heard of the passport, check it out. It includes wineries in Buellton, Solvang and one more area. It is the best deal if you are planning on staying around the Santa Ynez Valley for a few days or more. Also, they current have a yelp coupon if you check-in right now. Not sure how long that offer will last! The place is very casual and close to a handful of other wineries. read more

Kalyra Winery - Kalyra wine glass - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

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We've been wine thieves for 3 years. Kalyra is the highlight of our Solvang trips. The staff is so friendly and welcoming, the wine is great, and the views are superb. I wish we lived closer, but I know whenever we get back there it will be worth the wait. read more

A generous star today. Granted. We arrived late in the day but there were about 5 people sitting outside enjoying the sunset. We tried a dessert flight a red flight and a glass of red. Wines were drinkable. The views were great. The service and attitude were terrible. And for no reason. Must have been a bad day but they were rude and there is no reason for that. unnecessary. She was consistently rude though so it was not just us. Such a shame Not likely to return. UPDATE. The follow up from the manager was positive. We exchanged emails and although I will maintain the rating I will return. I did not accept a GENEROUS offer of a partial refund or complimentary bottle. read more

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Kalyra is more than a winery; they are an integral part of the community. They were out in full force during the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon, and somehow managed to pull off an incredible free movie night and fundraiser the same day! Imagine watching the sun set over beautiful vineyards, playing with pigs from a local rescue, and then curling up to enjoy a screening of "Babe" under the night sky; this was the experience we had last weekend. Beyond the event itself, the staff were super friendly and welcoming; I was genuinely thankful to have met them. There are many places that serve wine, but how many host free movies nights, raise money for great causes, have free live music, and more? Kalyra is a destination worthy of long detours and multiple visits. I wish I lived in the area; I would be here all the time! read more

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If you are wine tasting in the Solvang or Santa Barbara area make sure this is on your list of places to visit. They have the best view in the valley and you could sit on their grass or patio all day! They offered wine tasting flights for every specific taste (white, red, mix, dessert and light blends) and every glass was delicious. They offer full bottles and glasses as well, but their set flights are the best option. They come a unique lazy susan table rack and very generous pours. They have a large patio area or a grass area with recliner garden chairs and a few games. Dogs are welcomed and there is a very friendly dog that lives on the property. The staff is incredibly attentive and very knowledgeable about all their wines. Inside they have local licorice, clothes, bags and a few other fun gifts. ***Covid-19 updates*** They are not offering inside tasting and you can order the preset 3-glass tasting flights. They clean all chairs and tables between each groups and offer a paperless menu. The bathroom was spotless and I saw them clean it twice while we were there read more

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Have not been here in a while but the dessert wine tasting did not disappoint. As for me and my house it's the best winery. Made the best memories here! read more

This place was awesome! Darlene was pouring for our tasting and she was friendly, attentive and genuine. We had some great wines and loved the Grenache Blanc . We stumbled on this hidden treasure just driving around the area and also found out this is where the movie Sideways was filmed! What luck! Such a great place, check it out!! read more

Kalyra Winery - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

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Best kept secret in Santa Ynez Valley!! Unpretentious and delicious. Don't tell anyone.

Alice and Mary were very friendly and described the history and philosophy of Kalyra. They gave tips on where to eat and wine-taste in the area and were very supportive of other wineries. An enjoyable experience and delicious wines. read more

I really wanted to like this place more.... I mean, their open patio is awesome, great views all around. However, their wines were just okay. They specialize in dessert wines but I found that I wasn't a fan. The service was polite, but the waitress should have let us know that they actually charge for water here before giving to us. You could at least provide us free water with our two tastings we purchased right?? read more

Came here with a group, but I didn't get a chance to do any wine tasting as I had a headache. I'm giving this place 4 stars because of the location and the outside seating area. I recommend that you order take out or prepare a picnic and come here to enjoy your food with the wine here. They have about 4-5 tables out on the patio and high chairs along the patio to just sit there with a view of the vineyard with clear blue skies and an enjoy the nice breeze. There are a couple of tables adjacent to the tasting room under some big trees to shade you on those warm days. BTW, if you are not aware, this Winery was one of the places Paul Giamatti visited on Sideways. read more

One of the best wineries in Santa Ynez, patio view is breathtaking, best relaxing live music, wines are interesting and tasty, they have good selection of dessert wines. The wine maker/owner is Aussie so it brings out pretty interesting taste selection wines. As snack bar they sell popcorns and nuts on the side. Love Kalyra and will definitely come back. read more

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Didn't love the wines here but still had a nice experience with two of my friends. We tried one of each of their flights, they had a standard reds/whites and a sweet flight. Our tasting room associate was really knowledgeable and friendly and kept a diligent eye on our glasses even though they were busy with customers at the bar and we were sitting a ways away on the couches. She always made sure to check on us and pour the next tasting as soon as we finished one (we did come near closing). I would recommend this spot for those who want to try a couple tasting rooms in one spot since there are plenty nearby! read more

No one else was here and they were really nice about the 5 of us sharing two tastings, and taking our time doing so, so major points for that. But for me, none of the wines we tasted hit the spot. They did have a sweet wine tasting so if that's your thing you might be into this, but when I go to Santa Barbara I'm hunting for reds, and I did not find one here. read more

We had an amazing day at Kalyra Winery last Saturday. Drove from LA just to be in nature and drink our wines through the nice scenery and they provided us in a beautiful way. We didn't have a reservation but they accepted us with no problem and allowed us to bring our own food as well which is the plus for us. Their picnic area is also nice but you need to make a reservation. Next time we'll make sure to get a spot over there. We loved their 2017 Sauvignon Blanc and got the case with us. If you like dessert wine, their Tawny Port is also so good. Thank you for amazing day Kalyra and thank you Heidi for your generous service and help on making our decision in regards to buying the case! read more

Kalyra Winery - Scenery - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

Visited this place on Friday afternoon. They're remodeling so they are currently relocated- about a 15 minute drive from the winery. Small tasting room but there is a sitting area outside. Kind of a bummer since we wanted to check out the actual winery but they should reopen in June if conditions are good. Overall the service was good. Staff was attentive and knowledgeable. We used the 50% off 2 tastings so that was a great deal! We did the dessert wine flight and the wines were pretty good and sweet. read more

Kalyra Winery - Wine tasting - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

Kalyra is an all right place to check out if you are in the area. We did enjoy the wines, and had a great visit. I had been here a decade ago but since then they've remodeled the inside after their roof blew off a couple years back. It doesn't look like what you saw in the movie Sideways (no, that's not why I am deducting stars here). Since places do the covid-reservation thing, which I hate, we made reservations here. Sat out on their deck, enjoyed the view and the 3 wines. You don't get much info here - you are given the 3 wines in glasses in this neat holder. Enjoy at your own pace. The tasting fee is cheaper than other places, but you only get the 3 wines. We liked them all. We didn't get much info from our server but this has always been a low-key place to visit. Even a decade ago they weren't super-duper friendly. But, it's all right. We did like their wines and had a nice time. I just want to set this up for you when you visit. If you want to add a smaller place to your list and would like a place to taste that gives fewer wines to try (which could be a good thing if you are tasting all day) - then sure, add Kalyra to the list. read more

Bad communication & service, under construction very muddy and bathrooms smelled like sewage

Kalyra Wines are as Unique as its name! This was our first excursion to California Wine Country, and my wife and I considering ourselves being somewhat of wine connoisseurs, not snobs mind you, we're lucky to live within a moderate drive to an area that offers so many vineyards, varietals and makes it so relatively easy to go wine tasting - making two-day outings incredibly enjoyable by either doing dinings, picnics, wine tastings, tours or just outright relaxing. Wine is, as most dining, a subjective experience and varies to one's own palate and preference and even mood. Rather than try to compare one winery, vineyard, grape or wine to another, I have developed a scoring method that will give both the occasional novice wine taster or the most sophisticated connoisseur a bearing which to select each establishment by, based on our single, or sometimes multiple visits to each location. Our guidelines are: 1) beauty of location and its scenery (score: 3 ); 2) the establishment's appearance and ambience (score: 4 ); 3) the owner/operators' attention to their customers and hospitality (score: 4 ); 4) activities, events and/or meals/munchies/entertainment (score: 2 ); 5) wine selection, quality, taste and varieties (score: 4 ); and 6) heavily weighted on our taste (score: 4 ); as well as 7) value, consistency and price of the product (score: 4 ). None of the aforementioned are in any particular order of value. The scale being 1 the worst, 5 the best and recommend as regular patrons. Kalyra Winery on this outing is one of our favorites - and we plan on returning... as an Aussie import, it's extraordinary. It sores an impressive a 3.8 for us¬¬¬¬! We will continue to frequent Kalyra. They have the homey friendliness and customer accommodation, no small thanks to a well-trained and knowledgeable staff and very good wines! Some of our favorites include: the 2017 Vin Gris of Pino Noir; the Rare Tawny; and the 2014 Cashmere! Check it out. read more

Back in 2003 Kalyra was a sleepy little winery in a sleepy little wine industry in the Santa Ynez valley. Nobody realized that there would be an Atomic Blast in the valley that would change things for years to come! The blast is of course the Movie "Sideways" based on the book by Rex Pickett and that would make Kalyra ground zero! Nine years ago wine tastings were free more often that not. Crowds were light and when you did taste, etiquette would dictate that you would walk out with a bottle or two of wine. You see back in the old days the purpose of tasting was to try it before you bought it! Crazy concept, huh? Kalyra was a little tasting room on one end of their current building and made a modest amount of wine. Mike Brown was the winemaker as he is now but back then he also made the wines for Buttonwood. Mike has always had an affection for dessert wines and that could still be considered his forte! Along came the producers of Sideways and decided to focus their movie heavily on Kalyra, it is where the Sandra Oh character worked. The movie designed and remodeled their building for them. You could say that when you taste at Kalyra you are in the middle of a movie set. Ask the people who work there to tell you the story. If you can talk to the owners, Mike and Cathy Brown, they tell it the best! Nobody had any idea how much the movie would impact the Santa Ynez wine industry. After the movie Merlot sales plunged and bottle prices fell, on the flip side Pinot Noir sales skyrocketed and prices went up. I met Rex Pickett once and he says the movie gave merlot a bad rap--I agree. Where there were a few people in a tasting room, now a Saturday afternoon will often have hoards of wine tasters! Bachelorette parties come in droves! Tasting rooms now charge for their tastings. My wife and I have had a long standing relationship with Kalyra! We have always loved the place. When you are a member you are a "wine thief" a play on words that stems from a device used to draw wine out of the barrel for checking its progress. I always tell people that being a Kalyra member is the biggest no-brainer a person can make! Free tastings for you and your friends! Awesome parties! Special events! Wine discounts! This past weekend we enjoyed the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Free for members, with bowls of chili and clam chowder... cookies too! They had some awesome mulled wine for sale by the cup. What a great way to spend a Saturday evening! read more