Carhartt Family Wines gets five stars for being the only tasting room in Los Olivos that stays open…read morepast 6:00. It was the first of five tastings we did during our weekend in town, and the wines were, admittedly, the least impressive. They went down easy, though, and we had a pleasant visit. We checked into our hotel on Friday around 5:30 and quickly realized that all the wineries on our list were closed. We asked the receptionist where we might be able to do a tasting, and she said Carhartt was our best bet. It was quite open when we walked in, almost intimidatingly so, the live music loud as we rounded the sidewalk outside the enclosed patio. Jack welcomed us into the tasting room and suggested we do a vibe check on the patio before deciding where to sit. We peeked outside and it seemed fun in a way we weren't looking for, a bit of a party atmosphere with a live band and a lot of people. We took our seats in the quieter tasting room, where we were able to enjoy the music from a distance while we drank some wine. We both did the house tasting, which came with five pours of Carhartt wines: the 2024 Top Branch, the 2022 Sin Nada, the 2022 Sangiovese, the 2022 Rebel Roan, and the 2020 Northerly. Jack also gave us a taste of the 2021 Graciano. They were all nice wines, but we particularly liked the Sin Nada, the Sangiovese, and the Graciano, and took home two bottles of each, getting one $25 tasting fee waived with each purchase of three bottles. Jack was a great host, and he told us all about the wines and winery as we went along. (He pre-empted our first question, saying that yes, they were the same Carhartts as the Carhartt clothing label, but not the same company. I guess just the classic generational wealth to winemaking pipeline.) It was a helpful introduction to both the Carhartt wines and Los Olivos, and Jack was good company. I said Carhartt was the least impressive of the wineries we visited, but it's also worth noting that it had the lowest price point. Carhartt isn't gunning for Robert Parker ratings. The wines are accessible and tasty, and I have a feeling we'll go through our bottles very fast.

If you're anywhere near the Santa Ynez Valley -- especially in Los Olivos -- do yourself a favor…read moreand stop into Carhartt Family Wines! This place has everything you'd hope for in a wine tasting experience: cozy, welcoming atmosphere and everyone is genuinely cheerful from the moment you walk in. Owner-operated by Mike and Brooke, alongside their son, Chase -- they truly are the heart and soul of the winery. The entire staff are warm, attentive, incredibly knowledgeable, and so friendly it feels like you're visiting old friends rather than a tasting room. Even better, they stay open later than many spots in town, making it the perfect place to linger, unwind, and savor the experience just a little longer. Every detail is meticulous, from the beautiful atmosphere in their back patio to the way they guide you through each pour. They take the time to explain the wines without ever making you feel rushed, and their passion shows in every conversation. An experience defined by outstanding service, lovely wines, and a warm, easygoing vibe. And as an added bonus, they're wonderfully dog-friendly -- making it even more welcoming for everyone. Overall, it's hands-down the best place in Los Olivos. It's definitely my go-to whenever I'm in town, and I genuinely look forward to visiting a few times a year. Carhartt Family Wines never disappoints -- it's an experience as wonderful as the wine itself.

We were in Los Olivos this past weekend and visited Stolpman on Saturday for a leisurely afternoon…read moretasting. I booked our spot in advance and would recommend you do the same. The place is casual and not tiny, but it definitely fills up. I don't think they were taking walk-ins while we were there. The tasting room--or tasting patio, I suppose--was really pleasant, a breezy outdoor space in front of a charming brick-red house with a strong Los Olivos aesthetic. My only complaint is that the bathroom was a porta-potty, though it was the nice kind, with running water. We got our own table and a friendly, knowledgeable young server brought us our wines and explained what we were drinking. He was busy, so this was one of the less in-depth tastings we did on this trip, but the experience was easy and enjoyable. There were two tastings on offer, the classic estate flight and the "fresh and esoteric." Since this was our first visit, we both went with the estate, and it was a great introduction to Stolpman's wines. We tried the 2025 Sauvignon Blanc, the 2024 Chenin Blanc, the 2024 La Cuadrilla, the 2023 Sangiovese, and the 2024 Angeli, the label's flagship Syrah. They were all excellent and very well priced--the Cuadrilla goes for $26. It's also a delicious wine with a cool provenance, a red blend made by Stolpman's vineyard workers on a designated block, in what looks to be a successful profit sharing project. The tasting fee was $25, waived with a three-bottle purchase. We snapped up three each of the Sauvignon Blanc and the Sangiovese, which cost $24 and $36 a bottle. Tremendous value for such outstanding wines. I have a feeling we'll go through these quickly, and may be tempted to join the wine club if we do. Either way, though, I hope to go back to Stolpman. I'm definitely curious about that second tasting.

Fantastic selection of wines with a nice variety on the tasting menu…read more Staff was knowledgeable - highlighting not just flavor palettes, but also some of the uniqueness behind the grapes and the vineyards that produced the flavors. Perfect setting for a sunny day with a bright, relaxing patio; comfortable seating; and a central location.

This is some of the best wines in the central coast we've had! Both the whites and reds are…read morefantastic and taste exactly like they should. We immediately signed up for the wine club. This will definitely be on our rotation while in Santa Ynez. This family owned estate vineyard is 5 stars. On this weekend trip, we had been to three or four other wineries and some of them were absolutely horrible. You will not be disappointed at Saarloos and Sons.

We will never return to this place whenever friends come to visit from outside we try to take them…read moreto wine tasting, years ago we came to this place and we liked it but this time the experience was not good at all: The place was empty so there were no reason for this attitude the ladies working here seemed like they didn't want to be bothered. They didn't even give any kind of welcome No explanation at all of the wines We had to walk up back to the bar for each glass and each tasting, They didn't even have water at others tastings they always offer water as part of the experience, Hate this to happen when we're entertaining friends that travel from so far.

We had a nice tasting at Refugio, they have nice seating areas both indoors and outdoors. We chose…read moreto sit outside, it was a tad cool but we appreciated the provided sarape blankets. We tasted a nice variety of wines and appreciated learning all about them and the winery.

Our last stop of our wine tasting day, and it was a wonderful last stop to have. Such a cozy spot…read morethat gives off a homey vibe, we got seated at these super comfortable couches. Together with a glass of wine? Perfect. Really enjoyed the wines. Tasting was $30/5 wines. Worth it. Staff were super friendly and more than willing to share all their wine knowledge. They also have outdoor seating. It does get HOT here, so weather would have to be right for it. They also allow doggos. Saw so many dog just chilling. Made reservations since we were a larger party - thankful we did. Since it's smaller, they were able to reserve a couple large couches for us to share. Definitely recommend making them. Can't wait to return here!

The name, logo, and look of the bottles alone are enough to draw you in -- Dreamcote just has that…read morecool‑girl wine brand energy. We first discovered their wines at a local coffee shop back home in San Diego, so when we realized they were based in Los Olivos, we knew we had to stop on our trip. The tasting room is stylish, warm, and inviting. It has that modern, researched, intentional look I gravitate toward in wine brands. I also love that they source their grapes locally and offer light, refreshing chillable reds and natural wines. Their chillable Pinot Noir was such a pleasant surprise -- I don't usually like traditional Pinot, but this one was vibrant, fresh, and so easy to drink. I had a great conversation with the server about the wines I enjoy, how the wine industry is shifting, and the growing appeal of refreshing, bright, natural‑leaning wines. You can really feel their passion for what they do -- it comes through in the wine, the service, and the whole experience. My partner, my pup Enzo, and I had an amazing time stopping in for a glass. Such a fun, thoughtful, dog‑friendly spot in Los Olivos. Would absolutely return.

I've been to Los Olivos countless times so I'm glad to always try and branch out to try new tasting…read morerooms that I haven't gone to before! This was recommended by a co-worker and I thought the wines were great. Especially the Blanc-au-Blanc! Great person working there work explained the vineyards to us. Was lovely to sit outside!

Tasting fee: $25/guest or free for existing and new wine club members. Reserve tasting fee:…read more$50/guest or $25 for existing and new wine club members. For the more curious wine consumer, they offer a behind the scenes look into the 'where, why and how' of their winery program. You can book a private seated tasting amongst the barrels and get a better understanding of their winemaking philosophies. We had our first visit to Story of Soil earlier this year. This place was recommended to us by Gary Burke, owner of Costa de Oro Winery in Santa Maria, and uncle to Jessica Gasca (Story of Soil's owner/winemaker). He mentioned that she likes "experimental, natural style" wines, which didn't sound like our palate, but we thought we'd pop in and give it a try anyway. Oh wow, are we glad we did! The tasting room is quaint/comfortable, and there's a nice outdoor seating area. Brendon poured for us and was friendly and extremely knowledgeable about what we were tasting and the whole operation. Their wines are not 100% natural, but they like the "low intervention" approach. I would describe the wines generally as dry, crisp, and on the lighter body side. They're not your typical big, oaky, California wines, but much more elegant. We tasted and purchased a '23 Sauvignon Blanc, a '22 Grenache, a '21 Syrah, and a '21 GSM. Unfortunately, we didn't get to meet Jessica on our visit, but we'll be heading back for a return visit soon, so maybe we'll get to see and chat with her this time. I'll be able to provide an update shortly.

I would pass on this place. We stopped by for a tasting but the wines were too stemmy and the pours…read morewere minuscule. I would recommend Dragonette around the corner - much friendlier and generous pours!

A great winery in the Santa Maria area! The new tasting room and deck are perfect any time of year…read morefor a little wine tasting. We came with our pup, and Google Maps took us up Tepusquet from the 166. Don't do it. Just don't. I love a good adventure, but this didn't make any sense for being any faster or more efficient. It's windy, narrow, and steep. Poor June was car sick from the drive. While the drive had some great views, we were anxious to get to Cambria. Upon arrival we noticed that the tasting room was uphill from the vineyards, providing a great view. I will say that the tasting room was cut into a little crevice so the views from the deck are limited. However, there is a beautiful private tasting area on a hill (when you turn into the winery parking lot) that would be a fantastic spot for good views. The wine was nice, plenty of variety. And I appreciated the unique guidance of wines from the staff. By providing your preferred wines and notes they will create a personal tasting menu. We also opted for the charcuterie for 2 which was perfect. Plenty of bites to accompany our tasting. Because wine is so unique it's always difficult to review, so I prefer to focus on the experience as a whole, and Cambria nailed it. We would definitely return and hang out by their fireplace. Until next time!

We had a nice experience at Cambria Winery. When we arrived we were greeted by a friendly staff…read moremember. It was a cold and rainy day so we took a table by the fireplace and enjoyed our wine tasting. Our host was attentive and allowed us to take our time while we tasted. We left with several bottles of wine. If you are in the Santa Maria Valley area and you want to experience some delicious wines then you need to stop by Cambria Winery.

We had an hour to kill between scheduled wine tastings and decided to squeeze in a visit to Liquid…read moreFarm. We'd had one of the pinots at a fancy restaurant a few years back and knew the place had a good reputation. We also appreciated the easy walk-in situation on a Saturday afternoon. The tasting room was casual and charming, part "mercantile," selling wine, of course, and sundry gift items and home goods. There was plentiful seating, some of it at the bar and some of it in what felt like a large living room, homily decorated with lots of art on the walls. It was pretty busy while we were there, but not in the least bit crowded. We sat at the bar, which was run by an enormous former football player (if I eavesdropped correctly) and a woman from New Zealand on the verge of retirement. I'd watch that movie. We were helped by the woman, who was friendly and knowledgeable, a great guide to the house wines. The flight started with the 2025 Rosé of Mourvédre, then went to Liquid Farm's Chardonnays and Pinots. There was the 2024 White Hill Chardonnay, the 2024 Golden Slope Chardonnay, the 2023 "SBC" Pinot Noir, the 2023 Fiddlestix Pinot Noir, and the 2023 Four Pinot Noir. The wines were fantastic across the board. The tasting fee was $40, on the steep side, probably because the space invites casual drinking. It was easily waived, with one flight waived per two bottles purchased. The wines were all between $30 and $94, so this was easy math. The kind of easy math that had us leaving Los Olivos with a trunk--and back seat--full of wine. We picked up a White Hill Chardonnay, an "SBC" Pinot, and two of the Fiddlestix, a prime haul that we look forward to drinking. We had a lovely time at Liquid Farm and would recommend it to anyone wine tasting in Los Olivos.

Can't go wrong with a tasting at Liquid Farm. Chardonnays and Pinots are all delicious and Anthony…read moreis a great host!

My friends and I came up from Temecula, CA and stopped by Dragonette Cellars Tasting Room, and…read morewe're so glad we did. David's hospitality and service were absolutely amazing. He took the time to walk us through the history of the area and offered thoughtful recommendations for other places to visit while we were in town, which we truly appreciated. The wine was very good, and we left happy with a few bottles to take home. A great experience all around, we'll definitely be back!

Let me just start by saying, that anything you order at Dragonette, you will really enjoy…read more Dragonette is one of my favorite wines. Their tasting room always has great deals, the service I receive is always excellent and the recommendations and knowledge of the wine is always welcomed. This is one of my spots when in town.

Epiphany Cellars and The Bubble Shack are under the Fess Parker umbrella. We whiled away a lovely…read moreafternoon in their welcoming, comfortable and relaxing outdoor area. (Knowing that back home in North Carolina temps were below freezing made the experience that much sweeter). I did the sparkling wine tasting, which was very enjoyable. The Blanc de Blanc was my favorite but they were all good.

Loving the seating/lounge area. Such a chill place to sit and have a glass of wine or a tasting. I…read morechose the 25th Anniversary Wine Flight sticking to the red wines. Our server was very nice and did not rush us through the tastings. She let us enjoy the afternoon and the incredible weather. The wines were very good. I recommend a visit to Epiphany!