Bad experience, if you look like a Hispanic don't go there .... We didn't feel welcome and we where waiting for somebody help us and he looked at us and never came back that's why we left .... but one guy was up in the field cutting grapes or doing some garden He was very kind and so willing to help us but at this point we didn't feel comfortable enough to stay there so we left ... read more

Charming winery, great service, great people and amazing wine - I found this place entirely by accident and totally want to come back and I haven't left yet read more

Really enjoyed this place! It's an intimate setting with indoor and outdoor seating. The staff here are extremely nice. Dogs are also allowed and I saw a few dogs here which was really nice. Really low key but still classy place. We did the tasting and all the wines we tried were delicious. We sat outside and they would come out with the next tastes so we didn't have to go back inside every time. It was a really nice touch and it truly made our experience better. I also liked that they let their wine speak for itself and the staff was not pushy. Another awesome thing is that if you buy a bottle the tastings are free! Overall I definitely recommend! read more

Driving down the wind sweep River Road we happened upon Odonata winery. Odonata ancient Greek for Dragonfly which was part of the original name. This place is churning out some really good wines. The outside has a lot of nice seating options including a few picnic tables and a fire pit. On the side of the winery is a field that kids or dog could run around on and a tether ball for fun. We headed inside to take a look. The tastings on the day- Sparkling Riesling Clean- refreshing and dry. Very nice wine -would pair perfectly with Thai food or something spicy I think. Chardonnay- This was a butter oak bomb. Not my style for a Chardonnay. It was made well and if its up your alley you might enjoy the slightly sweet malolactic fermentation that rounds out this Chardonnay. I will pass on it. Pinot Noir- The pinot was classic St. Lucia Highlands- spice and tobacco up front rounded and fruity through out. Really enjoyed this smooth fruity wine. I purchased one to take home. Grenache- Light on the palate with berry bursts and rounded tannins. I liked it put didn't touch the pinot IMO. Zinfandel- Was easy drinking with black currant and a light spicy and pepper on the palate. I prefer my zin to be a little bolder but this was still very nice. Cabernet- Solid good structure, very drinkable. First sips unleashed earth, leather and cassis with a long round finish. The tannin were soft and rounded but still firm enough that it should age well. Additionally we got to try the Malbec and the Syrah. Malbec- Smooth, berry and subtle on the palate with a full mouth fell. This malbec was really nice I picked up a bottle also. Syrah- This cool weather Syrah was nice but lacked the big jammy inkiness of a typical Syrah. It was interesting drink and I enjoyed it but didn't pull the trigger on this one. I think this will age well and really round out the flavors. The service was exceptionally. The young lady helping us was very knowledgeable, friendly and made the whole experience delightful. Inside the tasting room they have an old pac-man game that the kids liked playing. Their are also a bunch of wooden toys to keep them busy. This is a great down to earth place with a great family feel and warm vibes. Really nice spot will definitely return. read more

See all

My daughter and I visited this charming winery and were blown away by the quality of the wines. George, our wine tasting guru, was outstanding in both presentation and knowledge. We love the wines we bought and will definitely visit and order again. I would highly recommend this lovely place to all wine officionados. read more

Service was stellar, our dog was welcome which I really appreciated! Ambiance was easy going and friendly.

We went to over a dozen wineries in a three days. This was the best of the lot, based on the quality of the wine and the helpfulness of the sommelier read more

Had a great tasting experience here. Bartenders (winetenders?) were friendly and didn't pressure us to buy anything. Ended up buying a the last magnum of petite syrah. It was so tasty! and only $65! Took it for Christmas dinner and the fam loved it too. We love big bold wines. I gravitate toward Napa cabs and this stood up to them. read more

ARound this region, you'll find mostly whites and pinot noirs... but I saw a review for a Syrah and I decided to come here just to try it. I'm glad I did! Upon arrival there, you will notice that there are interesting pieces of artwork displayed around the property. Apparently, there was an art show in the same week. I loved that the tasting room was also in the barrel room. Makes for good backdrops for pictures! For $10 tasting fee, you get to taste 5-6 wines. I can't remember all the names of his wines, but the first one was named the River Skimmer. It's a fruitful, crisp white wine, perfect for a hot sunny day. Best of all, it only cost $20! The 2nd pouring was a sparkling rose. How often do you see that?! By now, I'm impressed with Dennis and his passion and adventure for wine. I'm not a huge fan of sparkling stuff, but this was a nice one. Not too sweet or dry. The next few tastings were red wines (FINALLY! what i came here for) - Pinot Noir, malbec, Petite Syrah and Syrah. My favorite out of all these was the petite Syrah. The Syrah (Durif (sp??)) was a a nice bold red. It was hard to decide on which to get of the two! But I decided on the petitie syrah, which was a little lighter so it would pair better with lighter meals. Overall, great service, great atmosphere, terrible reception tho... Would definitely bring friends back here! read more

See all

Fun tasting room. Highly recommended. Lots of varietals to try and all quite good. Everyone there was top notch and super hospitable. Took us on a tour of the winery and had us try some Sangiovese juice they had just pressed. Hot tip: try them all. The reds are tasty but so are the sparkler and the non-oak, non-mal chard! read more

See all

This is a review long overdue... Road trip with my sister, this was our last stop before heading back to the Valley. We just had a great time! Awesome people, good wine, amazing set up! Cannot wait to go back! read more

OK, when you think "Santa Clara Valley," you usually think about San Jose, Stanford, or Silicon Valley giants like Google, Apple, HP, or Facebook. But there are also great vineyards scattered about the southern fringes of Santa Clara, in pockets like the Morgan Hill foothills and the Lexington Reservoir outside Saratoga and Los Gatos, where great grapes are to be found. The folks at Odonata know this. And they embrace the potential of Santa Clara AVA wine-making with a youthful, male passion that is - frankly - infectious. Odonata is basically a 3-man operation, headed by a former UC-Santa Cruz student who apprenticed to local winemakers and eventually expanded out into Monterey County's River Road wine country, within spitting distance of the famed Santa Lucia Highlands. These 3 places - the Santa Clara Valley, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the Salinas Valley/Santa Lucia Highlands - are the primary sources for the remarkable wines made here, usually less than 8,000 cases annually. A nominal $10 tasting fee waived with bottle purchase gets you a selection of anywhere from 6 to 9 wines, ranging widely from dry and sparkling Riesling (yes, you read that right) to deep and dark red wines like Peitie Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon (from a vineyard adjacent to Ridge's Monte Bello estate), Mourvedre, Malbec, Grenache, and Sangiovese (no Durif on our visit, but maybe next time ...). About 2/3 of the current releases come from the Machado Creek Vineyard, near Morgan Hill, which Odonata tends and picks each season, but other standouts wines are sourced from great vineyards like Besson (old-vine reds near Gilroy also favored by Bonny Doon and Birichino) and in the Santa Lucia Highlands (source for their Rieslings). There are Santa Cruz Mountains Pinots, too, and that outstanding Douglass Crest Cabernet from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Tastings happen inside the barrel room, a shed-like space with indoor bar and outdoor patio near to the lower end of the Salinas Valley, about 20 minutes by car from Monterey and Seaside. They are open for no-reservation tastings each weekend from noon to around 5pm, and the locals know and appreciate how good these wines really are. What's cool about Odonata is how youthful and vibrant the the place feels - the winemaker and his assistants are in their 20s and 30s and really love what they do, which is to make wine but also to live their lives with a sense of enthusiasm, be it surfing the waves, recalling their Mexican-American roots, or just savoring the flavors of a sparkling Sangiovese (yes, you also read that right), a kick-a## Machado Creek Grenache, or a brooding Santa Cruz Mountains Cab. I'd be hard pressed to leave here without 4 bottles minimum, more red than white, but definitely a dry Riesling and perhaps a rosé or sparkler as well. Petite Sirah is the flagship here, a great dark berry and ripe tannic rendition at around 15% alcohol, aged in a combination of French, American, and Hungarian oak. But don't leave out the others here, including the Besson vineyard Syrah, which brims with smoked bacon and peppercorn spice, a really nice wine to pair with grilled meat and vegetables like pimenton-spiced eggplant, shishito peppers, or chanterelle mushrooms. Lots of wineries have well-trained, professional pourers who will captivate you with their wines and wit. At Odonata, the people wear their passion on their sleeves and they know the wines from grape to glass. Hard to be unhappy about that! Make the trek to River Road and sample what Monterey County winemakers like Odonata, Wrath, and Ventana have to offer. It's not Napa, or the Dry Creek, or the Anderson Valley. More cauliflower, spinach, and strawberries grow here than wine, but the wines, they are satisfying, honest, and special, and that makes the trip here well worth your while. read more

See all

Odonata is a big barrel room full of fun! I do not recall seeing a tasting room that had such engaged tasters, or such outgoing pourers, as at Odonata. Partially this is because the pourers are actually wine-making assistants to the head winemaker, Denis H., and they know the wines from the grape to glass as if they were their own children. The wines on the current lineup are huge crowd pleasers, using a lot of lusciously ripe, Santa Clara County fruit that produces wines in the 15% alcohol range for their big sellers, like Petite Sirah, Grenache, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Malbec. The SLH Riesling we tried was really aromatic and rich and definitely an easy drinking white, but we also loved the fruit and herbal notes in the bigger reds. The tasting fee per person is minimal ($10) and waived with a bottle purchase. You got the feeling here that they wanted people to love their wines and weren't shy about opening new bottles when needed to show off their latest vintages. Experience clearly does matter in winemaking. Witness places like Joseph Swan or Ridge that have made great wine for decades, or spots like Tablas Creek that have extensive (and expensive) ties to French winemakers. Odonata lacks these elite connections, but they do have experience in Santa Cruz Mountain winemaking and are forging their own path quite well in their new location on River Road. They also have access to some very good, if overlooked, vineyards. No estate wines yet but this will likely be the case in the future. Until then, definitely look for their Machado Creek vineyard wines, and their wines from Besson vineyard and Santa Cruz Mountain vineyards. Open Fridays and weekends only, so plan your trip accordingly, with perhaps a stop at Wrath, Hahn, or Puma Road after. Note that by "engaged tasters" I don't mean drunken college students. I didn't see any of them here on the Saturday afternoon we visited. It's too far away from Santa Cruz for that, I think. I did see a hobby winemaker and his partner, a family with their child in a cute skeleton Halloween costume (they were outside on the patio enjoying a pink wine), and plenty of couples in the late 20, 30,40, and 50 range. read more

Nice views, decent wines, customer service needs work, requested one glass of wine and one tasting, waited for over 30 minutes before deciding that we would be closing our tab (noting that we were only able to taste ONE wine) Even though other tables were being served, the server failed to even look our way. read more

Great little tasting room inside their barrel room. Was once Marilyn Remark Winery but last week Odonata opened. They also have a tasting room in Santa Cruz but I haven't been there. The TR in Salinas is very nice and low-key serving wonderful wines (even some bubbly). My favorite was their Syrah; I loved loved loved it. They are open only on weekends and are considering doing a pizza night on Tuesdays once a month (fingers crossed). Thank you Odonata, you are a very nice addition to River Road!! read more

Wow, A nice step up from Marylin Remark. Similar Rhone wines & more except much better. It is nice to catch an unexpected surprise once in a while. The wines are very clean & strong, good varietal characteristics. This young wine maker has it nailed. read more

Hands down best wine in the Salinas area. My wife and I went late one Sunday afternoon and had an enjoyable tasting session with Denis (winemaker/owner). I bought an '09 Sangiovese and '11 Petite Syrah. Both exceptional wines (a rarity given our usual form in late afternoon boozy purchases in wine regions). Only disappointment was that I didn't join the wine club on the spot; thankfully an easily addressed mistake! read more

Nice location, great wine! The wine tasting area is rustic and cozy and the 'winetender' was friendly. My husband who rarely drinks ended up buying 2 bottles just for himself. The wine makers did a great job with their product and it's evident in the taste of their wines. So glad we made a stop here. read more

Solid winery off the beaten path. Place is staffed by a few guys who I think were all friends who decided to open a winery. Or something like that. Anyways, good wine and worth the stop read more

Excellent wine, fantastic staff that explained each selection and even suggested wineries to try along our route. Such a fun time here with the guys, will certainly be back for more! Thanks! read more

This winery has stepped up their game big time. Starting from the Santa Cruz area, now it is a presence on River Road. Quality wines, from Sparking Wines, Chardonnay to rich bolder red varietals. The favorites of the day were the Syrah and the Cabernet. The vineyards they get their fruit range from Santa Lucia Highlands, to the Santa Cruz Mountains, so it provides a variety of appellations to taste. The winemaker, Dennis wants to make sure you enjoy your experience, and is a great host in the tasting room! The added fire pit in the patio area is really nice. Enjoy this find, and meet some great people. Cheers! read more

We saw an open sign on our way south. We planned to stay for a quick tasting and stayed for two hours. We had snacks in our car and were encouraged to bring the to the table and enjoy with our wine. BTW: our friends joined the wine club and we bought two cases of wine! read more

The first time we went wine tasting here we decided to join their wine club. All they wines taste incredible and they have a great outdoor area . The staff is very attentive ,friendly and full of knowledge about the wines .I love that this winery is dog friendly and outside food is welcomed . read more

First time visiting this winery. Service was great. I recommend it to anyone that visits the river wine trail. Great place to spend an afternoon. read more

Free wine tasting for two? Yes please! Wine was delicious, especially the Sangiovese! Fun tasting room. Only downside was the fire pit and chairs were in the sun. A little shade would go a long way here. read more

What a great venue. Easy location, beautiful atmosphere and amazing wine! We will be back for sure

Did a tasting outside due to COVID. Place was busy. Wine was okay, wine glasses are nice with etched dragonfly. They had some interesting blends, all wines are made to drink now. Didn't purchase any wines read more

The best way to explain this is a great tasting room inside the barrel room, with a great selection of wine to choose from. The clean tasting wine, fruit forward flavors, and the best that the Salinas/Central Coast hospitality could have in a winery. Very friendly staff, customers and met some new friends too. This is why we joined the Odonata Family. Thank you. read more

This is pretty much the best wine I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. I am a bit of a novice when it comes to wine and the process behind it. The head winemaker Dennis H made me feel comfortable with the wine, and I really felt he was there to assist me with the enjoyment and understanding the wine. He was so knowledgeable without being overbearing or snooty. This was a great experience, Great WINE, Great People, we need more people with this amount of passion in business. Thank You Odonata! read more

Absolutely LOVE Dennis. Quality wines, quality service, great atmosphere. They've done a lot of landscaping recently and it is becoming quite a quaint spot to sit and enjoy the valley. Thank you! read more

Stopped here on the way home from paso after a random suggestion. Glad we did. The guys in the tasting room were great. The wines were lovely and reasonably priced. We walked away with three bottles each. Pinot, petit sirah, and cab were my favs but all were tasty. read more

What a great place, very relaxed and very good wines. Saw a barrel labeled 2012 Montebello, very curious now. The Syrah was very rich and lush. read more

This tasting was both fun and had a good variety. The stand outs for me was the 2014 pinot noir and the Sangiovese. This up and coming label sources from both santa cruz hills and Santa Lucia highlands. Love the relaxed barn vibe of the room, has outside seating too. Highly recommend coming here if you are near River Road. read more

We were treated to a wide array of varietals for our tasting. The wine stewards offered great explanations and a pride in their product. The atmosphere was a unique combination of professionalism and tranquillity. We had a wonderful time here! read more

I met the winemaker (Dennis, a very nice fellow) and was able to hear a good bit of information and opinion - most of which I have forgotten. Enjoyed my visit and would definitely recommend him! read more

Great wine, and great service. The servers were very knowledgeable and provided us with great recommendations for other wineries to try in the area. read more

Awesome wines! JR was a great host with exceptional insight on what wines to taste! A must try!

Showed up at 5:10 and invited in still for tasting, unlike at neighboring Pessagno where I was turned away a 4:52 which I don't get but apparently business must be good there if customers get turned away before closing. At any rate, welcoming reception here, and good wine. Coming back here for sure - thank you! read more

Found this winery and stopped by, Junior was awesome and the wines absolutely delicious! Highly recommended to stop by.

Last stop of the day along the River Road Trail in Monterey Wine Country. Friendly service and some good wines. Bought a bottle from which proceeds go towards Alzheimers research. read more