Ever since Covid, wineries started requiring APPOINTMENTS for tastings, which feels like too much work: wine tasting is for PLEASURE and I'd rather show up, rather than show up ON TIME. So, it was wonderful to just walk into this tasting room and have a nice, calm place to sample a number of thoughtfully selected wines. read more

Zach is a gem. He is knowledgeable, not only about their wines, but about wine in general; different growing regions around the world and how to utilize different grapes for different regions. Zach is 5 stars!!! The tasting room is nice, clean with a cool map of the horticultural region. They share a single bathroom with many other businesses, which is unfortunate. The wine is a bit flat, which is also unfortunate. They do a good light red and white without oak. But this is all my opinion/preference. But Zach is great. read more

As someone who is from the 818 obviously the name of this winery caught my eye (though talking about a different valley) so we saved it down for a possible stop but ended up going for it on the day and was not disappointed! Right on the tail end of the main strip in the funk zone lies the valley project. While they don't have a big seating selection for larger groups or more bells and whistles, I'd say the experience alone levels it up among the rest. 5 Wines for under $30 is such a good deal and the selection was quite good. Whitney was amazing!!! She was sooo accommodating to tailor the flight to our needs. We mentioned how we don't particularly love reds and she said what would be a more comparable red and ended up giving us something that was probably one of the best reds I've had! She was truly a Will Guidara, checking our preferences within each type of wine and doing us one better to make it feel like it was a curation that we wanted than something we had to have because it was pre-fixed. I can't say everyone would get that kind of treatment but I am grateful we did. Also her pacing?? Incredible! Honestly was kinda blown away and I've done a winery trip a few times to weigh the experiences I've had. At the end she recommended places to eat at while we were still in town, all of which I had written down so we love a yelp elite honoree. The place is so cute overall. I'd definitely go back and recommend it to people. Thank you for the unreasonable hospitality Whitney! read more

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Erica was amazing very informative. The wine was great, we purchased 3 bottles. Felt very comfortable in the tasting room

Lydia and Zack were so friendly and accommodating! Zack was also very passionate and knowledgeable about the wines. I only tried some of their delicious whites...I recommend te viogner for a good winter white. read more

The only tasting room in SB where I bought a case to ship home. Their wine impressed me so much. Knowledgeable, friendly, impassioned staff. Reasonable tasting fees (waived with certain purchases). These winemakers know their wine! read more

The Valley Project - Tasting Menu 1/2023 - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The best winery/tasting room in Santa Barbara for us. They are Kunin Wine but they just moved to this location temporarily. The other location isn't open. We came here Sunday around 5:30pm. It's not busy at all. My gosh, their wine is so good! There's outdoor and indoor seatings. They share part of their outdoor area with Pali Wines. Pali wines isn't as good. We did both the Classic white Tasting and Classic Red Tasting for $20 for 5 wines each. We loved all the wines. We bought the Grenache blanc, Viognier, and 2 roses to-go. The male staff was really nice to to let us revisit some wines. Awesome customer service. The restroom is upstairs but need a code. It's shared with other stores. read more

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Stopped in for a mid afternoon wine tasting and were pleasantly guided through tasty whites and reds by Morgan. He provided amazing service and the ambiance of the tasting was aided by their very informative wall mural of the Santa Barbara wine region. Will definitely return in the future! read more

The Valley Project - Partial view of SB wine region mural by the bar - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Wine was good. More on the dry side. The los alamos Riesling was my favorite. Service was good & friendly read more

The Valley Project - 2020 Grenache - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

One of our favorite wineries in the funk zone area in Santa Barbara. We came here before COVID when they had the tasting indoor and loved the wall design in the back showing the different regions of the SB area. It's also dog friendly so they provided dog owners water bowls. During the pandemic in March 2021 they had outdoor seating available so we got a table furthest away from the other tables just to be safe. It took awhile for someone to help us but eventually one worker did (forgot his name). We each tried the tasting and I really enjoyed the reds here. Not so much a fan of their whites, but we weren't complaining with the very generous pours. The worker was also extremely friendly and educated us on the different regions and grapes of the area, and tried striking conversations on other topics. We felt welcomed and had a great experience. Most importantly, I love how he did not discriminate between my fiance and I - normally my fiance would get heavier pours and I would be stuck with lightest. Thank you for that! He suggested we try out their sister winery Kunnis, which is a short walking distance away. We love the vibe here as its right next to several wineries and customers like to bring their furry friends along. Although we didn't end up with a purchase, we still had a nice experience and would come back here the next time we're in town. read more

All the wines we tasted were incredible and highly recommend the valley project wine flight tasting set. If you go, ask for Morgan he was super personable and friendly, explaining the history and source. 100/10 would recommend and everyone should come if they are in SB! read more

On my 2nd Central Coast 2020 trip I stayed in Santa Barbara for 3 days. In lieu of the history/art-laden museum jaunts that predominate my international trips I planned this trip specifically to determine my wine preferences while also expanding my general wine knowledge. During my research on the Central Coast I found out that Santa Barbara has one of the most popular and prestigious wine regions of CA (think "Sideways") and there are 2 ways to go about wine tasting in SB County: 1) tour the wineries themselves scattered across the valley or 2) urban wine crawl in the tasting rooms of the Funk Zone located in the city itself. I opted for option 2 since I wanted to ease into the wine scene and being a solo traveler didn't want the hassles associated with driving myself to the wineries further away. During my research I found about The Valley Project and its focus to educate the customer on the various subregions of Santa Barbara. A sister business to Kunin, the business model is one-off bottlings of different varieties from distinct vineyards and regions. Bottlings are limited to 200 cases of each. To emphasize the educational aspect of the business there is a chalk wall that highlights the major points of each sub-AVA along with soil samples scattered about the other walls. For $15 you can get a glass or a tasting of 5 wines (2 whites, 3 reds) that ideally focus on most of the regions (there are 6 sub-AVAs of SB). I wish that I took a screenshot of the tasting menu as I forgot the other 2 wines I had. From my recollection/pictures here are 3 of the 5 wines from my tasting. 1. Los Alamos 2019 Riesling (Kick On Ranch) 2. Santa Ynez 2018 Grenache Blanc (Two Wolves) 3. Santa Ynez 2018 Carignane (Camp 4 Vineyard) The reason for the 3-star rating is that while the concept is excellent my experience was a bit lacking. Not sure if covid had anything to do with the fatigue a lot of people are feeling but the service was minimal, only was there to pour my wine and did the bare necessities when explaining the niceties of each bottle and its associated AVA. I really love wine experiences that have a heavy educational component and I felt disappointed by my experience since the tasting room's main focus is "wine education". The wines themselves are decent but at least worth the $15 tasting. I ended up getting the Grenache Blanc for the No1DP because the winery that sourced this is owned *and* maintained by winemaker Alecia Moore, who in another avenue produced hits that have also won Emmys. It would've been my only opportunity to get wine from that winery since all her bottles were immediately sold out. PS: this was my favorite of the tastings. Like everything else I will revisit once covid passes so as to try a more "normal" wine tasting experience. Especially since the concept is something I'm super passionate about I definitely would like to take a proper deep dive here to see what the SB County sub-AVAs are all about. read more

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Cannot say enough about this spot. It is excellent for getting to taste a variety of wines a number of vineyards around Santa Barbara (hence the name, the Valley Project). My girlfriends and I love to do a tasting each visit to SB, but it's also great to just grab a glass of wine and take in the fresh air on their outdoor patio area. The staff here are super friendly and I really appreciate that there's no pretentious "I know my wines" vibe... highly recommend for the newest to the snobbiest of wine folk! read more

This place was ok, the service wasn't really that great and the server didn't really give any explanations about the wines when we ask for a tasting. Its in a nice place in Santa Monica, great for people watching but the wine was ehhh and the service was ahh read more

The Valley Project - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This spot is tucked away in the cutest little artsy nook. We were in need of a last-minute bottle of wine for our host on Thanksgiving. So happy we found this spot. Loved the exclusivity of this vineyard and couldn't have been happier with the choice. I was guided to a Cab from the gentlemen behind the bar. Excellent recommendation! The wine was a hit. Next time we are in Santa Barbara we will make it a point to stop here and enjoy what they have to offer. The ambiance is bright and open. Highly recommend! read more

The Valley Project - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Awesome vibes in The Funk Zone. When I visited Santa Barbara 14 years ago, I don't think this district even existed. The Valley Project was the perfect choice into the foray of exploring Santa Barbara county wines. read more

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5 stars for MICKY!!! Oh and also the same for The Valley Project! I always frequented Pali and I love their reds, but never dropped in to here until recently. I am so glad I did because the tasting room is so incredibly well-decorated (with high ceilings, amazing decor) and the wines are tasty. We did the white and red flight and although I'm not a huge fan of whites, they were pretty good. The reds were delicious and I am happy to know that they are small batch wines which makes it even more personal as a local! As another small winery in the funk zone, this place stands its own and then some. The servers are so knowledgable, patient, and so very friendly. Micky's personality is the best and he makes sure you have a great time, so go on for a visit. Overall a great time and I will be back! - Jess H. read more

This may be my favorite wine in funk zone. Have been here 3x in 3 separate years and have left Santa barbara with this winery on my mind front and center as top contender for favorite of visit each time. This last visit had to join wine club as they do not distribute outside of tasting room. They are affiliated with Kunin winery and vineyards which has quality wine, but not as good as valley project. Reason for this is that the valley project sources grapes from varieties of regions in Santa Barbara County which all have their own micro climates that are great for growing specific wines. Their cab franc as well as cab Sav were delicious and their petite sirah may have been my overall favorite. Chard and Pinot from Santa Maria valley were excellent as well. Knowledge of staff member pouring at bar was superb as he is in graduate school at ucsb for winemaking essentially, thus the knowledge he could share about how pH affects taste or abv, amongst other tidbits was very much appreciated. I look forward to receiving first shipment from this exceptional, high class but yet underrated winery. read more

This woman blamed me for breaking her own glass wow! This is the worst experience I ever had in a wine tasting! After being seated in the same spot for at least half an hour she told me I was in her way! we are celebrating our wedding weekend! We thought it was a great place to start our wine tasting but guess what this how you treat your clientele? I will never come back and definitely let everyone knows how sad it is to be here ... if you want a great experience I will try another place to be treated better. read more

The Valley Project - A sad frustrating woman - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

- Chardonnay = very butter, olive oil. Not tannic, very smooth, coats mouth. Slight green veggie notes like fried veggies with olive oil. 4.5/5 - Syrah = Velvety, chewy. 4/5 - Rose = coats mouth, non-offensive, thick, chewy, juicy like melon. 4/5 - Cab = mild tannins that's slight dry out mouth. Desert sage. Non-chemical. Better than I thought. Earthy plumb. 4/5 - Zin = Bold cherry, light oak, good with duck. 4/5 - Merlot = vanilla, very thirst quenching, like the prettiest daughter out of a bunch of uglies. 5/5 OVERALL All tasted like a thick, filling, meal. To make these bottle worth purchasing at $50-60 bottle of wine it would need slightly more aging, 2-3 years at least. read more

We don't really have much to compare the Valley Project to, as it was the only tasting room we had a chance to visit while in the SB funk zone, and we are by no means wine connoisseurs. But we did enjoy all of their featured wines, which ranged from a Sauvignon blanc, to a Chardonnay, and then a rose..and finally closed out with two red wines. The overall vibe was very relaxed and not at all pretentious. Our server was super chill and knowledgeable. Also really liked their decor, from the cool wall mural to the high ceilings and large windows, letting the gorgeous Santa Barbara light spill in and wash the interior in that hazy, early-fall glow. The cost came out to $15 a person, but they will waive the cost if you make a purchase. We will definitely be back the next time we are in town. read more

The Valley Project - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I had come to Valley Project several times since working in a tasting room down the street but had one visit back in July that left me very impressed with the wine and customer service. Jason was my server that day and after joining the wine club, we have enjoyed every visit to their tasting room and look forward to Jason's hospitality every time. The wine is great and atmosphere is lovely, Jason goes above and beyond to provide us with excellent service every time we visit. read more

Read please- No idea how good/bad this is. Waited a few minutes and no one came to help us. So we went next door. read more

The Valley Project - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great service. I love the outdoor area and wine section. I came during the day but will come back another time to experience the evening scene. read more

When I came to town my fellow CA, Stephanie W, suggested we meet here for a drink - and it was a perfect choice. I love the vaulted ceilings and the natural light streaming in. There are cute window seats, bar stools, and some tables and rickety chairs. It reminded me a lot of artsy cafés back home in Glasgow which made me feel right at home. The chalk mural of the valley is lovely to look at too. Stephanie was already setting up with a tasting, which seems like the best deal and a great way to try everything The Valley Project offers. They also have a wine club. Mick talked us through some of their offerings and what they have coming in soon, too. I wanted to pace myself so I got a glass of the Chardonnay, which I enjoyed. I also had a taste of their Sangiovese which is a nice light red, perfect for Spring. Lovely spot and very good wines, if you're looking for some local wines this is a great place to start. read more

Exceptional wines, exceptional ambiance, exceptional service. After wine hopping through the funk zone, I can say that this is the best winery. Have a seat and do a tasting - you will not be disappointed! read more

I came here with my mom wine tasting is $15 a person and you get a nice verity of wine. Lovely ambiance with male art on the main wall. Duncan the awesome wine connoisseur was very friendly, informed us of different wines and spoke to us on a personal levers awesome guy! Thank you so much for awesome wine and even better conversation. Would def recommend! read more

The Valley Project - Wine tasting with mom! - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Visited The Valley Project on my quest to find a wine club membership. We were there towards the end of a Saturday night so we were the last few people in there and it was pretty quiet. The tasting room associates were so knowledgeable and we had a great conversation. It has archeology/geography themed decor and a giant illustrated chalk wall which was cute. No outdoor seating and the space is pretty small, not as ideal for larger groups. Great wine but I wasn't totally sold on the membership since the perks weren't as great as other wine clubs. read more

Our server was great and we loved his recommendations, unfortunately the heavier older lady with the blonde hair , had an unwelcoming attitude ( and quite rude to be honest)she made my mom , husband and I really uncomfortable as a result we cut our visit short. Which was A shame because I wanted to buy a bottle of the Grenache for the table. We won't be returning or recommending this tasting room to anyone because of that one employee. I would recommend finding more employees that like their job, and working with people because it was abundantly clear that she was neither. read more

Our time in Santa Barbara was limited, so I had to narrow my choices down to pick one winery in the funk zone to try. I am so happy I picked the Valley Project. The map above the bar illustrates in great detail where certain wines in the region are grown. The bartender and the owner explained how the transverse flow works and makes for better wine. They also had an informative, illustrated chart explaining why different grape varietals thrive in different areas, down to the temperature, soil, even humidity. I don't go wine tasting to feel like I'm in a classroom, but I have to say that I really enjoyed learning so much about wine! I left feeling so informed. I enjoyed each of the wines I sampled, and even ended up purchasing a bottle to bring home. Can't wait to go back! read more

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One of the more interesting aspects of this tasting room was the enormous map on the wall. It was kind of like a chalkboard with all the different appellations and other interesting facts. They had wine from each different area, and we were told how the weather in each spot affects the taste of the wine. The woman pouring for us was very friendly and informative, and they had a great soundtrack going on while we were tasting. OK - to get to the rest room you need to go outside, climb the stairs, and then find the bathroom, but that was a minor inconvenience. read more

Love this place!!! Every time we go the service is great wines are delicious and ambience is amazing!! For the wine tasting "flights" they always explain which wine are you tasting. Really knowledgeable, always fun to learn something new. read more

We wondered in randomly, looking for another wine tasting option in the funk zone. Every wine we tasted was really excellent. There was nothing that we didn't care for. The winery focuses on single district wines, ranging from all over the wine growing regions north of SB. read more

The Valley Project - Cool hand drawn mural. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

What an awesome find! A great tasting at The Valley Project in the heart of the Funk Zone. Tim was a Very knowledgeable and fun server. Awesome wine, great local info. He (and the wine) Made our night!! read more

The big chalk map on the wall will bring you in, but the friendly staff and good wine will make you stay. AVA is unique in that they offer wines from all of the growing regions in Santa Barbara. These guys are super knowledgable about everything from local soil types that influence the wine to climates to aging - you name it. I feel like I learned so much about wine while I was there! If you're local you can buy wines on tap and then come back with your bottle and get it refilled at a discount! I highly recommend the rose! My friend and I each did a $10 tasting and ended up buying 2 bottles so we got one tasting free. He also poured us a couple other wines not on the list which was really cool. Overall, this place has great service and a really cool vibe. If you're looking to learn about wine, this is a great place to check out as well. read more

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As locals who have been to the large majority of SB tasting rooms, this is our go-to spot. Everyone working there is as kind as could be and extremely personable. The wine is phenomenal and has been a quarantine staple. Our favorite is the Grenache Blanc, but everything there is tasty. Can't wait until we can get back to our weekly visits. read more

Made a stop here on a wine and dine bachelorette party. We didn't make a reservation, but the place was pretty vacant when we got there (around 11am). We got a table inside and did a tasting. Service was great - he was always ready to pour us our next taste and answer any questions we had. The vibe is totally fun. He even offered us some prepackages breadsticks. It's not as charmingly rustic as some other locations on the wine trail; it's much more modern/contemporary, but definitely still great. It's bright and vibrant. I'd definitely go back the next time I go wine tasting in SB. It's nice to switch it up as most of the places I've went for wine tastings in the area were definitely more on the older and rustic side! read more

The Valley Project - Taste 5 wines for $12. Loved the more modern decor. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I'm late posting this review - I took my husband here a few weeks ago while we were on our annual Santa Barbara trip. He's a huge Au Bon Climat fan, but I had read about Kunin and The Valley Project and thought it would appeal to his inner (and outer) wine nerd. As soon as we walked in and saw the gorgeous drawn map of the SB wine region, I knew I'd made the right choice. David was an amazing ambassador for the excellent wines, and I almost worried we enjoyed talking to him so much that it just made the wine taste better. Now that we've had a few of the many bottles we bought, I can say unreservedly that the wines are terrific. We might need to make a special trip just to pick up some more Pop Star. My husband works in the wine industry, so he really loved talking with David since he was so knowledgeable and passionate - but he was equally as helpful and welcoming to other guests who were wine newbies. This location was also a lot less crowded than their tasting room and the addition of the Valley Project wines makes this tasting room worth seeking out. We usually go home on our annual trip with a couple of cases, and now we'll know to leave room in our budget (and car) for a case from here each time. read more

Matt was amazing and extremely knowledgeable and well spoken. Prior to going here, I was visiting other wineries in SB and none compared to the experience and customer service I received here. read more

My initial impression of the wine room was a great one, greeted right away with smiling faces and was very impressed with the beautiful mural behind the counter. Had an awesome experience during our tasting. Mick and Mel were a delight to be around and were a wealth of information. The wine was fantastic! Loved the intricate aerators they had for sale, left with a rabbit. Will definitely be visiting again the next time we are in town. read more