Nice wines and service! Also a very friendly winery cat. A fun place to stop during our trip. read more

Odonata Wines - Bar tasting area - Wineries Near Me - Salinas, California

*MUST VISIT* Afternoon well spent with a generous varieties of wines offered. My boyfriend and I got 1 flight because he has to drive and all of the wines were ABSOLUTELY TOP NOTCH! Our server, Daniella, was so so friendly and made the whole experience 2 times better!! If you're in the area and are still choosing between the wineries, this is a no-brainer for sure read more

Odonata Wines - Entrance - Wineries Near Me - Salinas, California

Although the staff was very friendly and the service was excellent, the wine was "meh". From our first taste, which was a sparkling wine that was corked, to the last, the appearance, aroma, taste, and finish were off. I can appreciate that the wine maker tried to be creative and playful with some blends, but for me it just didn't work. I have said in other reviews that wine is subjective and is a unique individual experience. So with that in mind, the wine didn't work for our group, but it does for others. I wish them success going forward. read more

Julia is awesome! Very friendly, so incredibly knowledgeable! What a fabulous tasting experience today.

My wife and I enjoyed a relaxed tasting here. Their wines are nice and the atmosphere was friendly and chill.

they have a great atmosphere, are family friendly, and the women who pour are amazing

stopped at Odonata on our way home on Tuesday. We hadn't been there in several years but won't let that much time pass before going back. The young lady that waited on us was fantastic. she was very friendly and full of information about the wine. read more

Consistently one of the best wines and winemakers in the Santa Cruz Coastal region. While i am enamored by the playful and deep complexities of Odonata's reds ... there is not a bad bottle in the barn! read more

Positives: The wine tasting experience with Eric was fantastic. We visited the winery as part of a tour. The outdoor seating area was wonderful and we tasted many great wines. We made a purchase and were given a nice discount. We had a nice afternoon. Negatives: Our wine shipment was not as expected. All of our other purchases were delivered days after our trip except Odonata. Customer service does not exist for them. You cannot speak to a live person and only get voicemail. They absolutely do not return calls....ever! We finally emailed them and got a response days later. Their excuse was that they are too busy. After 2 weeks of trying to resolve the wine shipment, we finally got our wine. Whew. Never again! read more

This place is such a hidden gem. On our way to go to Hahn we realized we were low on gas and had to turn around and wanted to stop by Talbot but found out they longer had a tasting room at that location. So here we are just driving back and there we see this winery. We had some snacks with us and sat down and this amazing guy named Eric came to pour some wine for us. Man, this guy has the best personality and is a real asset to the place. We enjoyed all the wines and definitely didn't leave empty handed. If your in the area this is a must stop! Their Chardonnay was so good and I don't even like Chardonnay usually if that tells you anything. read more

Odonata is one of those rare gems. In a world of big, flashy wineries, Odonata stands out as a place to come to relax, chat, and enjoy some great wine. My wife and I stopped here driving through the area, and we were pleasantly surprised. The host was so friendly and easy to chat with, and he did a great job of making us feel welcome and provided fun conversation. We really enjoyed the wine and the casual atmosphere. It's a small tasting room that feels quaint and lends itself well to actually tasting wine. read more

So I was here a couple years ago on a whirlwind self-guided urban wine trail tour, and a couple years ago, remembered it having mostly fairly mediocre wines, but I couldn't recall for sure, and in any case, right now they're giving people free tastes with a yelp checkin, so that would have been silly to pass up. And I'm glad I did show up, because as it turns out, at least right now, they have some absolutely excellent wines. Out of all the wines we tried, the *only* one I actively didn't enjoy was their sparkling Riesling, but my sister said she loved it, so that just comes down to taste. Their still dry Riesling, on the other hand, I felt compared pretty nicely against the dry Rieslings we tasted in upstate NY last year, which is like the capital of US dry Rieslings - it was excellent. They also had a marvelous, incredibly flavorful pinot noir I loved (raspberry, cherry, smoke, and a long raisiny finish), and a *very* black-peppery grenache, exactly the way I like them. We tried at least 6 wines (I forget if it was 6 or 7), pours were fairly generous, and everything we tried was pretty good, with a couple being truly outstanding, so even if it hadn't been free (thanks, yelp!), it would have been a great value. And they were super friendly. Actually, amusingly, *really* super friendly - when she asked if we wanted to revisit anything, and I told her I loved the pinot but I couldn't justify buying a bottle of it right now (we have seriously too much wine at home already!), she poured me another pour of it anyway just to be nice. Not complaining! It was still excellent, obviously. Totally recommended. :) read more

Came here for a glass of sparkling Riesling. It's a beautiful store next to a lovey coffee shop that also serves cat and cloud coffee. Would come back! read more

Odonata Wines - a glass of wine and a bottle of wine - Wineries Near Me - Salinas, California

So this was our third stop on January Passport weekend, but we weren't stopping for passport. We were stopping because we are actual members of this winery. Right away Dennis waves to us, comes out from behind the table and shakes hands with the men and hugs us ladies. He sets us up right away with a glass and some wine. Now this is what I call hospitality. Dennis has a way of making you feel like family. So after drinking all his delicious wine, we pick up our wine from our wine club membership and off we go. Although, we could just hang out here all day long. read more

Beautiful tasting room with exceptional wines. I've been a member for more years than I can remember and was thrilled when Denis finally opened up his own place. My husband loves to see the art on the walls. It's in a nice strip mall with easy parking. read more

Good wines, nice server. It was very slow when were were there, but we'll stop by next time we're in town.

I can't believe I haven't written a review for Odonata yet! I became a wine club member here several years ago, when Dennis was still giving tastings just once a month at a table next to Santa Cruz Mountain wines. From the very first sip I had, I knew these wines were special, and they've only gotten better. His single varietal wines provide a clarity in flavour that results in something that just tastes...beautiful. I am so happy to see the winemaker finding success because it is so well deserved. The new space is great and allows for even more people to get to experience the best that Santa Cruz wine has to offer. I dare you to taste and the walk away without buying a bottle. I bet you can't. read more

Nice place to go. Had an amazing time with a group of 4 friends visiting town for the weekend. The staff was nice and was great with conversation around the business, it's wines, and with recommending other places to go. Best of all they have a bakery in the same building. read more

Odonata Wines - a glass of white wine - Wineries Near Me - Salinas, California

Hands down, the best wine in Santa Cruz. The vintiner knows what he is doing. He is creative, smart, thoughtful, and personable and all of these qualities come out in the wine. It is well worth the visit. You will leave with many bottles of wine to share with your family and friends. Superb. read more

The wine is fantastic. Probably best and most original wine coming out of the Santa Cruz area. The tasting room is spacious and they always have great art on the wall. Dennis is always a gracious host and loves to talk wine. This is a true gem. Don't pass it up. read more

My wife and I have been wine club members for several years now and we are amazed that each shipment we receive is better then the last. Dennis is awesome!! He puts on quite an event for his members. Love everything Odonata does!! Bring back Rory's Ale!!! read more

Most new wineries will fail in the first 5 years. This one will be here for the long haul!! This is one of my FAVORITE Santa Cruz wineries. This is a very talented young winemaker, he has come up with a winning formula: Very well made & clean wine. This winemaker has a great palette and plan for the wine! I am very impressed with the wine and their eagerness to share their secret! It IS worth finding this place !!!!!!! read more

We had a beautiful experience at our friends Birthday Party. We had inside and outdoor seating, wine tasting, a selection of wines and beer free to the party. We also had a setup of appetizers and of course pie and cake from our host. It was a super venue for a group of forty people. I had the sparkling rosé wine, which was average. On a bigger note, our server provided a choice of four beers! We all had a great time and some people purchased bottles as well. I will keep this in mind as something we may consider in the future. We did not order pizza from next door as many have noted in their reviews. We had our own food, on a day Odonata is normally closed. A great time was had by all. read more

I had the pleasure of meeting Denis, owner, winemaker, and founder of Odonata Wines of Santa Cruz. He is passionate about his wines and so willing to talk about his process. The wine is outstanding. The Chardonnay has such an individual flavor it can stand alone with any dinner. It's a compliment to a meal instead of being "just the wine"....The Durif is unforgettable. Please lets help keep this young winemaker in Santa Cruz. read more

I highly recommend the 2011 Syrah Dessert Wine. It is delicious and one of a kind. I have never been to the winery itself, but was introduced to their wine at another local bay area wine bar. I wanted to order a few bottles as a Christmas gift and Denis was great with helping me to place my order. Everything arrived on time and intact and the gift was very much appreciated. read more

Stopped in on a whim on our way home to SF. Denis was up front and very engaging, telling us some background about himself and his wines. Out of the 7 or so we tasted, we really liked 4, loved 2, and weren't too crazy about 1. The Grenache was too good to pass up, so we joined the wine club in order to get a bottle. For a smallish wine maker, we were impressed by the tastiness of the varietals. Tastings are only $5, so you might as well stop in for a sip or two! read more

We had a great time here on a Tuesday evening eating Companion's pizza and trying Odonata's flight. Will definitely return! The woman with short blonde hair was nice and knowledgable. read more

I came in this afternoon for wine tasting. It is a super cute place. We were welcomed right away! The woman serving us was incredibly friendly and helpful. She taught us a lot about the wine and where each of them came from, etc. The Grenache was my favorite. She also gave really great details about the wine club without trying to sell it to us. I will definitely be going back! If I hadn't had to walk afterwards I would have bought a few bottles. Also, the wine club sounds like a great deal. read more

We wandered in after reading a yelp review and we were greeted by a woman dancing by herself behind the counter! She ended up being the most friendly, carefree, informative, delightful woman! Jet told us about the background of the winery, let us sip wine at our own speed and made the entire experience so pleasant! I am now a member and love the wine club! I don't have a favorite because they are all so delicious! This winery has such a family feel and is so welcoming to everyone! This makes me drive from Oakland to Santa Cruz so worth it! read more

The place was somewhat run of the mill wine tasting room. The wine on the other hand was unique and tasty. As I enjoyed a flight (bought a cruzon daily deal) I heard many great things about the owner. The woman pouring was extremelly knowledgable and insighful about the area and other winerys. I am not sure I would go back but if I was notified of upcoming events especially in the Swift Street area, I probably would revisit. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed the tasting with owner and winemaker Dennis. All the wines we tasted were good and price points are excellent. Worth a stop. Nice tasting room located along HWY1 in Santa Cruz. read more

Very good wines especially given how reasonable the prices. They have a lovely sparkling wine on their secondary label. We joined the wine club so we get a nice discount on the wines. Pizza night: Tuesday evenings only. We've enjoyed ordering gourmet pizza at Companion Bakery nextdoor and sharing a bottle of Odonata wine. The pizza makers bring it over to you when it's ready. So you can just sit and enjoy your wine in the recently redone sipping/eating area. They've also started Sunday brunch in conjunction with Companion Bakery but we haven't tried it. Will do a follow up after we have. read more

Great wines. Cool tasting room. Could use a *bit* more generous pour given what you're paying...

Honestly my group was incredibly impressed by this winery and the woman tht severed us. I'm pretty sure her name was Riki and she was so so helpful and very knowledgeable on all the wines. I will never go to another wine bar an I love the Beyoncé in the background while I'm sipping my Malbec. Cheers read more

I tried the wines at my high school reunion and was very impressed. I ordered some wine on line, had it delivered by UPS and loved it. I will now join the wine club and I want to go to the tasting room when I'm down from the City. read more

Full disclosure: we are members. But "we" are a grad student and a special ed teacher, so we haven't much money, and we haven't much clout, and despite having tasted much of the wine the Santa Cruz Mountains have to offer, we haven't the disposable income to be members of very many wineries. So when I tell you that Denis (and Claire, who despite having her own career, is certainly an essential part of the business) makes some extraordinary vino, I mean that there are only a handful of winemakers in this area whose work will delight your palate so thoroughly, and whose personalities will make you glad you took the time time to stop by, and the folks at Odonata are at the top of that list. Stop by on the first Saturday of any month, or a wine passport weekend, or during the Vintners' Festival, and if you're really lucky, you catch not only Denis, Claire and their dog Molly (and several fine vintages), but you'll meet some of the extended family, try a vertical flight or two, and learn a bit more about how a few varietals of unassuming purple berries can, given a year or two of careful encouragement, become something entirely and amazingly delectable. read more

I just had blue bottle coffee next door at companion bakeshop and am now ready to indulge in some tasting. All their wine is great but I am in love with their Petite Syrah. So much flavor! Some of the greatest regional wines of Santa Cruz. The tasting room is super cozy and their pour volume is right on. read more

In our opinion, Denis is one of the best of the latest crop of young winemakers on the Central Coast. We've been enjoying his wines since he purchased Marilyn Remark Winery in 2014. Back then, his wines were decent and workmanlike, especially his Cabernet Sauvignon. However, ever since he gained more control over his fruit his quality has improved by leaps and bounds. His wines are notable (to us) for their balance, purity of fruit, nuance and expression of place, which is something we usually have difficulty discerning. Right now we have his '15 Malbec Silvaspoons, '14 Petite Sirah Machado Creek and '12 Cabernet Sauvignon Douglass Crest in our cellar, but all his wines are consistently good. We prefer the River Road tasting room; Denis and his staff are not unlike some other SLH winemakers in that you are made to feel at home by a real farm family. It's another endearing quality that makes you want to return. read more

In the wine world, this is known as a discovery. I learned of, sampled and purchased four wine varietals yesterday and can't wait to return for more. (If there is any left, that is...) Denis and his adorable wife Claire provide a tasting on the first Saturday of each month and reside in the same dwelling as Bonny Doon winery, and Santa Cruz Mountain Winery. The Chardonnay was so unique and eclectic,and yet it was exactly as chardonnay is supposed to be. A real gem. It only got better as we sipped, swirled and spit the three others offered. As other fellow Yelpers attest, Denis' passion for his craft is evident and infectious. You simply must try these wines. I can't wait to tell my friends! read more

Great place! and getting even greater with a new tasting room at 2343 Mission St., next to Companion Bakery. The Grand Opening is May 5&6, and then after that they'll be open every weekend and Tuesday evenings 4:30-7:00, when it's also pizza night at the Bakery next door. Hang out on the patio for pizza and wine! Can't wait! read more