Some of the best wine in the region and amazing service at the tasting room. A resounding focus on excellent product

Some of the greatest Pinot Noirs from this region that you'll ever taste. Right now, they have the back of the building set up outdoors for the tastings and they're following all Covid protocols. A place you simply must stop in for tastings if you're in the Solvang area. read more

Ken Brown Wines - a sample of wine from ken brown wines - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

This region wouldn't be on the map without Ken Brown. Also credited with his delivery of excellent Syrah wines, a wine tour here wouldn't be complete without a visit. Ken Brown Winery offers some of the most astounding examples this region in California produces. The artistry and craft are delivered with precision and without the ridiculous fanfare, unlike other California regions. The list consists of mostly Pinot Noir here, but don't pass up Ken's Syrahs. Syrahs are underappreciated and there are fine examples here ready to drink now and/or saved for later. read more

Formerly located in an industrial center, the new digs are more what would be expected at a non-estate tasting room. Oddly, I kind of liked having a tasting while standing next to a computer printer in their old offices where the atmosphere won't sway emotions that impacts wine judgment. I started enjoying Ken Brown's winemaking skills since his days at Byron. He's still at it and has done this so long, one might consider that he has accumulated TWO lifetimes of wine experience. The $75 Radian pinot noir is so exceptional, I could drink the entire bottle by myself without food. Here's the conundrum (and not the declining namesake wine). Is a Yelp rating based on the tasting room environment or the wine? In my system, the wine is the emphasis. Just like a great looking restaurant with average food would never get a high score but an average décor eatery with great food could get a high rating, Ken Brown Wines gets a top score for making top wine. The $25 tasting fee for at least 6 samples is waived with $50 purchase. Most and the best wines offered are pinot noirs. read more

Second time at Ken Brown and we had to pull the trigger and join. John guided us through delicious Pinots but unexpectedly I loved the Chardonnay. So happy to have spent time with John and we are looking forward to the future shipments. read more

My husband tasted the Pinot Noir at the Santa Barbara Vintner's Festival and we had to get a membership. The gentlemen working the festival and the tasting room were knowledgeable and friendly. read more

The hubby and I shared a tasting here. We've driven past Ken Brown Wines dozens of times but for some reason haven't stopped in until this past weekend. Ken Brown Wines are wines for real wine drinkers. They are interesting a delicious. The price point is a little higher than I usually like to spend, but we splurged on a couple bottles because they were so good. The ladies working the counter were informative and very friendly. read more

Exceptional wines. Some of the best in the valley, if not all of California. Nothing exotic or notable about the locale or building, but who cares? I'm not here to get drunk, I'm here to taste and evaluate wine, and if it's great, purchase some. Which I did. read more

Yesterday we opened a 2004 Ken Brown Pinot Noir Santa Barbara (Sta Rita Hills AVA). We bought a case of it in 2006. About $35 per bottle. We drank two bottles between 06 and 08. They were ok. We had ten bottles left before we just opened the one yesterday. It was spectacular and even more complex. A true representation of what a Pinot can be. Ken has a variety of Pinots and they're all very good, especially with time. We made a pear and walnut salad with arugula along with a grilled pork tenderloin with cremini mushrooms to go with the wine. The wine, ruby red with black cherry and citrus notes had me thinking of 4th of July sky rockets. You can find Ken Brown wines locally at Bay Cities Italian in S.M. and at certain specialty wine stores. We have visited his place up north several times. Here's a 2013 note about Ken Brown's illustrious career: http://www.princeofpinot.com/article/1430/ read more

Ken Brown has the best Pinots in the area - I'll even say the state! We've been coming here for many years ... far enough back when they were in an office type setting! This Yelp is for John! Due to the pandemic, we haven't been able to visit the winery to pick up our club wines. We tried late last year and struck out - lucky for us, the staff has been wonderful and has kept our wines for us. A few days ago, we received an email from Ken Brown Wines, asking us if we would like to take advantage of a special shipping special. I called and set it up - I don't like shipping wines, because the delivery company requires a signature and due to our busy life, we can't sit at home waiting. In the past, we ran into many nightmares, where our shipment was returned to the main office and we had to drive over an hour each way to pick it up. Not very convenient, plus they don't think about storing it in a hot warehouse. Also, wines are damages from excess heat and sitting in the back of a truck isn't good for the wine either. As usual, we weren't home when the Fed Ex driver came by the first evening. John reached out to me and asked if he could do anything to help. What great service! We received the shipment the next day and that evening, I opened the boxes to find some outstanding Pinots and Syrahs - mostly Pinots though! We're looking forward to enjoying these wonderful wines with friends or opening a bottle for a relaxing evening with the two of us! If you haven't been to Ken Brown Winery, I highly recommend it! Seriously great wines are reasonable prices and wonderful people. And if you like it, join the club - they send the same wines you taste at the winery. read more

Great winery on Hwy 246. Specializes in limited production Pinot Noir but also makes a good Chardonnay and Syrah. The tasting room is well appointed and they even have cork floors. The staff is very knowledgeable and ready to help educate on wine and the area. This is a don't miss destination point while in Buellton. read more

Ken Brown Wines - Double Magnum! - Wineries Near Me - Buellton, California

Ken Brown wines are exquisite and very nicely done. We visited this small tasting room on our last day and I decided the wines were so good that I needed to become a member. I have since gotten my sister to sign up as a member. We both have really enjoyed our last shipment of wines. This place is a must on your next trip to Buellton, CA. Cheers!!! read more

Here's the deal. Your mother probably always told you that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, right? Well, come here so you can tell your mother you learned your lesson. Pulling up, I wasn't really expecting a whole heck of a lot. I mean, it just didn't look like much. And then, I went inside and tried the wine. Boy did I feel badly for messing up that life lesson. Anyway, if you're in this area because of Sideways, and your love of Pinot Noir you won't be disappointed. Bonus - it's not too far from the Hitching Post so you can double down on your Pinot Noir love. read more

Simply amazing Pinot Noirs! Ken Brown was there to say hello to us and walked us through his line up. Can't wait to return! read more

This is an OK tasting room, a bit dull though modern in a not pretty area. Rather expensive pour for OK wines. Amber is reasonably engaging. read more

Ken Brown Winetasting in Buellton is a must visit every wine tasting trip up to Santa Ynez, Santa Maria area. The Pinot Noir's are exceptional there. They really stand out. So is the Hospitality by John Bailey, the personable and informed tasting room manager! Exceptional wines I tried this time included the 2014 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. I had to ask for a second taste it was so good. Also loved the 2024 La Encanta Vineyard Pinot Noir. The 2015 Sanford & Benedict Pinot was my favorite along with a 2013,Radian Vineyard Pinot that John pulled out of hiding. The 2014 has huge potential but is still a little young to drink. Also liked the 2015 Zotovich Vineyard Pinot, thev2013,Watch Hill Syrah was really flavorful, and the 2015 Rita's Crown was really smooth and tasty. One of the finest few wineries now with many of the few best Pinot Noir wines I have tasted. read more

I enjoyed their wines. I enjoyed the company. There is plenty of parking and some parking on the side street. Great pace to stop!

If you like Pinot, a stop to visit Ken is a must. It won't be scenic, it won't be trendy, it will just be all about the pinot. If you're lucky, Ken might be there and if he is, you'll learn something new and fall in love with the Santa Rita Hills. The wine here isn't cheap but well worth the money spent as they just keep getting better with time. If you are passing through and want to break away from the fray (and drink red, sometimes there is a rose here but rarely) pop on in! read more

Great Syrah. Pinot is outstanding - even for those who typically don't like Pinots. Will come back again and again. read more

I have never had a Ken Brown wine that was not great. Everyone I know loves the wine and of course Ken is a legend who lives up to all the stories. Ken is in the tasting room often so hopefully you are lucky enough to taste with him. I love Santa Barbara wine country because you can still taste with the legends. More than once I have had a dinner party just with all of Ken's pinots. I also drink them whenever I feel like it as they are very affordable given that nothing was spared in their making and they are from the top vineyards around. I just had the 2011 La Encantada last night and had to yelp about it. The tasting room is nice and comfortable with great parking right at the gateway to the Sta Rita Hills - a great first stop on the way into Pinotland read more

We went into Ken Brown tasting this afternoon (9/28/19) the two women that were hosting the tasting were less than thrilled that we arrived just before the 4:30 closing. If they no longer wanted to host us they should have turned us away. I would not recommend this winery as the staff was not very welcoming. read more

Love Ken and Deb! His knowledge and experience surpass all others in this area and his pinots are proof! Plus, they're such genuinely nice people. read more

The smallest pours imaginable, stale wine, tasting staff that offered no information on the wine production method, and a tasting room that still smells like latex paint and office carpet. We were shocked at how little we were poured, perhaps 1/2 an ounce or less. In addition to that, we visited on a Saturday and the wines tasted and smelled like they had been open since Wednesday. Our first visit to Ken Brown wines shortly after they opened a year or so ago was not memorable but we thought we'd try it a second time. This visit was very memorable for the wrong reasons. I would recommend people try other tasting rooms that are trying harder to offer their customer an educational and uplifting experience. This place is dull and ruined our otherwise wonderful day. read more

Great tasting wines especially if you love Pinots like I do. All of the tastings were very good. Lori was very friendly and informative. Would highly recommend these amazing wines. I ended up joining the wine club because all of them were delicious. read more

My Pinot Noir loving son-in-law was not impressed by the Ken Brown Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir that I had purchased a few years ago. Then, someone told me that the harder to get Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir was significantly better. After tasting and buying it, I brought a bottle over for one of the family birthday parties and my son-in-law liked it very much. This tasting room in Buellton was opened only a couple of years ago. Finally a place that you can taste all of the different Ken Brown wines even if the location on Highway 246 is not great. The 2012 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir for $42 was very good as usual. Some more pricier Pinot Noir wines were also very good but over my price limit. The $15 tasting fee was waived with the purchase of two bottles. Very good service. read more

Phenomenal wines, wine pourer was awesome, bought several bottles, some for a special occasion.

A bit of mixed bag in my opinion, but probably worth a visit given the quality of the wines and Ken Brown's reputation. The wines were very good, with a nice mix of Chardonnays and Pinots from Santa Rita and Santa Marie that illustrated differences in climate and terrroir. In addition, the staff in the tasting room were very knowledgeable, well informed and clearly interested in wine which greatly enhanced the experience. The downside for me, price $15 for a flight with pretty short pours seems a bit steep and the location. There's not much wine country vibe happening with generic building on a corner lot in the middle of Buellton. read more