We came here for the first time last week on my birthday. The drive way to get up to the winery is a little steep, so be mindful. There are two parking lots that we saw, one closer to the bottom which was gravel but would require a walk up two flights of stairs, or there's a lot closer to the tasting room (paved) but is more limited. We were able to snag a spot up at the top luckily. They have a two sample limit & then you can buy drinks by the bottle or glass. The day we went they were having a 25% off bottle sale. There was only one employee we saw during the entirety of our visit but he was super friendly. We ordered a bottle, the charcuterie platter and a pizza. The charcuterie board is refrigerated and they provide a bag of crackers as well. We went with the veggie pizza & it took maybe 20 minutes to come out and was absolutely delicious. The grounds themselves are absolutely gorgeous. There are 3 covered areas to sit at up top with plenty of seating. Down the first flight of stairs has a fish pond and some beautiful areas to walk around. I'm not sure if that area was where they do weddings as there was also a spot across the way with a dais, but we didn't make it over there. The wine was delicious! We tried two of the whites and the sweet rosé. I'm not normally a rosé fan, but it was my favorite wine I had there. Overall we had a really relaxing time with beautiful views. I highly recommend checking out Sunshine Mountain Vineyard. read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Such a beautiful view that even teenage boys will stop and appreciate it! I found a great deal on Groupon that included four glasses of wine and a charcuterie board, enough for four people. It was the perfect way to sample their wines while enjoying the scenery. We also ordered two pizzas: the Sunshine Cheese Delight and the Sunshine Meat Lover. Both were good and hit the spot. We added a large bag of Stellar Pretzel to share, and for dessert (because I absolutely have a sweet tooth), we tried the Sunshine Double Chocolate Cake and Tiramisu. I prefer sweeter wines and ordered the Rosa and Riesling , both were great and exactly what I was hoping for. A couple things to note: I had read in other reviews that there were servers, but when we visited, we ordered inside, were given a buzzer, and picked up our food ourselves. It was also pretty cold outside, and it took some time for the staff to turn on the warmers. We came on a Sunday and learned that live music starts at 3 PM. My husband and I definitely plan to come back for a date when there's live music playing. We were able to park near the top by the tasting room, which was convenient. There's also seating below near a beautiful waterfall and koi pond , it's a bit of a walk down (and back up). Overall, such a scenic spot with good food, sweet wine options, and a relaxing atmosphere. We'll be back! read more

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The ambiance and music is great! More comfortable outdoor furniture would be awesome and offering some type of chilled beer would be optimal for those who aren't wine drinkers in the party. The Cabernet red franc blend is read more

This is a gorgeous location. If you park at the bottom, just know that there are two flights of stairs youll have to walk. There is limited parking by the tasting room, so wish you luck. Regardless, the place is scenic and comfortable. Attended a retirement party, which allowed the host to bring their own food as long as there was bottles purchased. The band was awesome - talented and engaging. I appreciated the experience and had a wonderful time read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

Beautiful place and wonderful ambience. Tasty wine and delish cheese and fruit board. Service was fast and friendly! I would love to come again. On Saturday's they have live music after 3. We were leaving as they were setting up. Next time I can't wait to hear some tunes! read more

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Beautiful view, plenty of parking, good wine and beautiful grounds!! Live music was great and friendly staff. They have charcuterie boards but they allow you to bring your own food and cake. Great place for a get together! read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

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I came in a group and enjoyed sitting outside. There are decent views. I had the Sauvignon Blanc. I would rate it as a "B." It was decent, but it wasn't something I have to come back for. FYI, there is a 2 sample limit when tasting. The staff seemed a bit rushed. They were busy, so I have to give them that. I probably wouldn't return unless I was going with a group that wanted to go. read more

Amazing views and wine. Great service and dog friendly. I used my Groupon with no problem.

Sunshine mountain is a beautiful hidden gem in San Marcos. They have good wines and great views and ambiance. Fun place to go with friends or on a little date. read more

Such a wonderful day spent here at Sunshine Mountain Vineyard! Not only was the view stunning and the weather perfect, but the ambiance was just amazing. The service was friendly and attentive. We had purchased a groupon several days before and easily redeemed it. The wine was tasty and our charcuterie board was delicious. We ordered the hawaiian pizza to share and it was good, nothing incredible though. The tables with the glass encased for the fire pit were a little odd so we opted to sit at a stone table, but I think we would have preferred a different seating set up. My only suggestion would be to have different seating options. The live music was an unexpected surprise, and the people who all came were super friendly. The vibes were definitely there! Super great opportunities for photos. We found parking easily at 2pm but noticed when we were leaving closer to 5:30 that it was harder for people to find parking. Would highly recommend to any visitor or SD local! read more

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Love this place to get a quick glass of wine. The staff is always so accommodating. Wish we still lived in the area, the views alone deserve all the stars. 10/10 for sure. read more

All of the red wines we tried were excellent. We sampled the Cuvee, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Syrah, and the Cab Franc. We especially loved the Zinfandel. Parking is limited up top, so be prepared to climb stairs, but the wine and view are worth every step. The music and wine were a wonderful way to end the week. The flatbread pizza looked good, though we didn't try it this trip. We also didn't sample the whites or rose. I hope the owner considers adding wine flights so we could have a healthy taste of all they offer. We are also looking forward to the return of their Cabernet Sauvignon so we can try that. read more

Absolutely love this little vineyard! A hidden secret in San Marcos that transports you to a European style winery. Tons of seating so it never feels too crowded although during the week is best to have little to no wait. Watching the sunset is always stunning as it overlooks the mountains. The wine is excellent and the staff is friendly! We tried the cheese pizza it was okay, but we were there for the wine. :) read more

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Amazing little hill top winery! The winery it self is very nice and clean and well decorated. The staff was an absolute pleasure and knowledgeable about the wines. The only fallback is the seating outside was not comfortable. And in my opinion dogs shouldn't be allowed due to the landmines in the grass were gross. And the dogs Barking back and forth was a-little annoying. Just my opinion. Cheers PS: the pizza is dry and over priced for what it is. read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

Despite coming in a gloomy day, I'm so glad I made a stop before heading back home here. The prices were reasonable, the wine was good, and there is live music! Not to mention they have charcuterie boards, pizza, and plenty of fire pits to keep you warm. Great service, and I can't wait to visit again on a clearer day. read more

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My friend and i had a pleasant afternoon in the Sunshine Mountain Vineyard. We both got a Groupon for 2 glasses of wine and charcuterie board. Super deal, the cheese board was more then enough for 2 people, cheeses were just ok, no aged gouda or brie. More like cubed cheddar and pepper jack cheese mixed with fruits and olives. We also ordered flat breads and pizza which i actually enjoyed much more ! Winery has a nice peaceful setting and ambiance, its mainly all outdoors with heaters and tents. it does get very windy and chilly, because of the location. Red zin and rose were two wines that definitely were the highlights from the rest that we tasted. We will be back again soon to enjoy the views and the wine read more

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The views here are so beautiful!! They also had live music so it made our experience even better. Out of the list of wines they have, you can have two tastings for free and then buy a glass of wine or a bottle. I have to say that the wines are not to die for but we opted to get the dry rose and later on got the Syrah. Dogs are welcome and you can bring your own food so that's a plus! read more

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I understand that some locals might not like the wine because Sunshine mountain winery actually make wine closer to what you'd find in Europe (less sweet than most of US produced wine). I am from France and they are really close to some nice Bordeaux and their syrah is amazing. It's my mom's favorite winery. She'll go every (opened) day when she visits the US. Not only the wine is excellent, service exceptionally friendly, the view is amazing (inland), sunshine mountain winery offers some of the best membership deal: free membership (you only need to purchase 4 bottles every quarter) and two free glasses of wine a day. Highly recommended! read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - a glass of wine on a table - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

This was my first time at this winery. It is tucked in the hills of San Marcos. It has the most beautiful view to enjoy your glass of wine with. I didn't order any food however a group of women next to me ordered a flatbread that looked delicious. I will have to come back and give their food a try. Adrian was my server today and he gave great recommendations on wines relating to what I normally enjoy. I will have to come back soon. read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - Rose - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Have been here a couple times. The views atop this vineyard are impeccable. You see all of San Marcos. It's even better when the sun is starting to set. The pizzas and the charcuterie were tasty and I enjoyed the wine offered there as well. read more

Beautiful views great winery and I sell charcuterie tray reasonably priced what a great relaxing experience highly recommend

Really great customer service. Limited parking but you can walk up lots of stairs if needed. If stairs are tough for you have someone drop you right in front. Great selection of wines for both white and red drinkers. The view was beautiful. read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - Chardonnay - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

Beautiful view, meh food and wine. I wouldn't be surprised if they bought grapes or prepackaged wine from elsewhere and branded as their own. This place is all about the view, and they sure can get away with it. The premade cheese platter came with crackers that were as stale as gym socks, yet a good time was had anyway because alcohol is alcohol and the view on a sunny day is unforgettable. That's what you're paying for. Would go again with my own food. read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - Stalest crackers out there & very mediocre wine - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

My friend and I went up to Sunshine Mountain Vinyard to spend the afternoon a couple weeks ago. It's a lovely spot with some beautiful rose gardens and a view. We went on a Saturday that was a bit gray and chilly. We sat around a fire pit which was comfortable and gave us a great deal of heat. The wine is good, but probably not my favorite. They have mostly reds, which I enjoy. Since we wanted to try a few, we started with a white and a rose. Unfortunately, they weren't quite chilled enough. Reds were decent. I found one that I enjoyed and had two glasses. They serve pizzas, which seem like they had been frozen, and some meat and cheese platters. The food is not exciting, but it is nice that they have food. Probably, a food truck would be better. When we were there, there was a cover artist singing and playing music, which made for a relaxing time. I do wish the staff seemed more invested and excited about the wine. However, they were very nice about giving us tastes so that we could decide what we wanted to drink. All in all, I probably wouldn't choose this vinyard, as it is quite far, but if I were local, it would be a nice place to go and relax. I liked that it was dog and family friendly. read more

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One of the hidden gems in north county San Diego. Must visit when you are in the area and the views are unbeatable and they always have great music! read more

I'm pleased to leave a positive review for sunshine mountain winery. I found this place on Groupon and decided to purchase a charcuterie plate for two and two glasses of wine. As you can see from the photo the plate was really nicely put together and the pour for the wine was very generous. Adrian was really friendly and we settled ourselves into the patio which has a lovely view. They have live music every day from 3 to 6 although we were there earlier I would come back and do a sunset tasting here. They do not allow any outside food or beverages but you can order pizza and other food items. Highly recommended we will be going back taking some gas I'm out of town overall a really awesome experience and so close to our house. And give it a try him read more

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Kid friendly. The views are beautiful of San Marcos. I love that there's live music on the weekend and the wine is great. I have gone here twice on Groupon purchases and continue to come for the amazing experience. read more

First time here, the people that work there are so friendly and welcoming. The wines are very good as is the food. CAUTION: NEVER leave your table alone we had a half of a glass yet to drink - we walked over to buy a book there was a signing. I came back to our table 5 people were sitting there they said oops sorry! They didn't offer to replace our wine. read more

Amazing views and atmosphere Love music and the wine is good! Also tried the pizza and it's very good. Loves the experience. read more

Food is horrible and very expensive. Pizza tastes like it was frozen from Costco and like cardboard. It to mention you have to serve yourself for everything. Wine is decent but just like the food, very expensive for what it is. Very is nice though. read more

Amazing service, views, and ambience! Staff also were friendly. There was live music and such a fun vibe

Cute, casual and worth a try. How can you not support a local winery? We tried a few of the free tastings then decided on a bottle and ordered a pizza, both fine but it really was about the view and the location for us. Would make a nice small wedding venue. read more

We went to the winery early Friday. It was cool, but the tabletop fireplaces kept the chill away. We had the bacon jam flatbread that went so well with the glasses of wine. read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - What's left of the bacon jam flatbread. Spoiler alert ‼ This was gone too - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

So glad I came to check this place out!! Great ambiance and a wonderful way to spend the afternoon! We came by on Sunday around 2 pm and there were several private parties taking up much of the patio space, but snagged a bench looking out at the vineyard and hills. For wine, we got a couple glasses of Cabernet. The live music for the afternoon was 2 gentlemen on guitar with one of them singing but I don't remember their names; we so enjoyed them though!! Great voice and pleasant music. I'd say the wine was decent but the real reason to return would be for the views and live music. read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - Views from the patio - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Wine was fabulous! We had charcuterie and just relaxed. Live music was also great! Definitely a place to go back to!

Love it here! Been twice and will return. The view is amazing. Staff setup a whole section for the group

I would give the venue 4 stars but service, food and wine 3.5 stars. This is a small place with a great view. But since it was raining they seated us inside around the barrel tables. Wine was ok. We a ordered veggie and a pepperoni/sausage pizzas, and chicken tenders. We also purchased a family charcuterie platter which you grab yourself from the refrigerator. The pizzas were delicious! We enjoyed the white wines the best. Service was ok. read more

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What a delightful experience we had at Sunshine Mountain Vineyard. The vineyard is located in the San Marcos hills of North County San Diego along Buena Creek Rd. A large white barn holds the tasting room. Market lights are strung across the patio. Fire pits are spread out across the outdoor space and there is plenty of seating to enjoy! There's even a little grassy area. I enjoyed the 2017 Cuvée and my friend had a glass of their Cabernet Sauvignon. Delicious! We also purchased a cheese platter to share. What a hidden gem. Can't wait to go back. read more

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Great Service Thank You Maria... The wine is delicious. I've been a member for 3 years read more

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard - Free glass for members - Wineries Near Me - San Marcos, California

Love this place! We went there with a Groupon for cheese plate and 2 glasses of wine. The wine was really good and they had a nice and heavy pour! Parking in the upper lot is limited so be prepared to hike up a million stairs from the lower lot (or have your driver drop you off up top and make them climb lol). Beautiful views. We purchased 2 additional glasses of wine and they were all delicious. Also got a pepperoni pizza which was great too. read more