I'm a beverage geek at heart. Some of my best food and food/travel moments have been when there is…read morea huge educational component to a tasting. However it wasn't until 2020 that I fully embraced my passion in wine - while I have wine tasted in a few places around the world, Paso Robles in particular stressed the importance of education in the wine tasting experience. Many of the tasting room staff and sommeliers have at least a wine certification (usually WSET or CMS) and proudly boast it. So I figured if I'm going to spend quite a bit of time and money on wine, I might as well be an educated consumer in the process. Since I don't work in the industry (I'm actually in healthcare) and I don't want to work in the restaurant biz as a sommelier the Court of Master Sommeliers cert route was a no-go. Plus the CMS route emphasizes self-study and I prefer classroom learning. For a hobbyist who may in the future want to dabble in the industry on the side, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust was the way to go. Being based in SD Wine Smarties with Lindsay was the most practical choice. She offers three levels of the WSET plus the diploma - first level being just a 1-day class followed by the test followed by the 2 and 3 being 4 and 8 1x/weekly classes, respectively, with an in-person as well as an online option. She offers her classes in San Diego as well as Temecula. Having dabbled in wine and tasted wine in parts of CA/Mexico/parts of Europe for at least 5 years my knowledge alone was enough to skip L1 plus for the cost of the class (~$300) I would rather spend on wine club allocations. So I decided to start at L2. If you are not sponsored by your employer the cost is around ~$700 for L2 and ~$1300 for L3 and if you are taking the online portion you'll also have to purchase your wines separately. While you could also skip L2 and go straight to L3 in theory many people have advised to at least take L2 to get used to the WSET testing style and to also get used to the "systematic approach to tasting", which is essential if you want to pass the L3 tasting portion of the exam (L2 is only a 50-question multiple choice exam). Plus Lindsay does have a discount for L3 students who have taken her previously for L2. Lindsay was an awesome instructor who has such passion for wine and has a lot of experience gaining that knowledge from all over the world. She does have a propensity to go slightly off topic to talk about her travels but as a fellow traveler myself I actually enjoyed those anecdotes. But in the end I highly recommend to study off the WSET course material - after all it is the WSET that tests you at the end of the day. Even while handling a full time job and other activities I studied on an average a few hours a week. There was a miscommunication at the end regarding my exam date that I had specifically mentioned a month before in an email starting the class. While the original date wasn't honored she did work with me to schedule an alternate date to take the exam. Turns out that I did pretty well - got a 94% on the L2, which qualifies as a "Pass with Distinction". The best part about taking Lindsay's WSET classes? Getting introduced to wines that I have never heard of or tasted before. I thought I knew a little more about wine than the average consumer but this was before I had ever known about a carménère or tasted a meursault. Because of this class I consider those wines some of my most favorite wines along with the usual Paso or Valle suspects. For this specifically I am super grateful. Looking forward to taking the L3 with Lindsay in 2022 and will update this review as such to detail the L3 experience.

I've studied with Lindsay and taken many of her classes over the last year or two, including WSET 2…read moreand 3. No matter where you are on your journey to learn about wine, Lindsay always makes you feel great about your level of understanding. Lindsay is so encouraging, and her classes are so enjoyable, that you almost don't realize that you've also learned a ton! She has the highest level of certification available (Master of Wine), and within that certification, received the Bollinger Medal, which is awarded to one person each year for excellence in tasting and outstanding achievement! Lindsay is incredibly gifted at understanding wine, and sharing that knowledge. I'm so glad she is in San Diego.

Such an amazing spot! The wine was incredible, the food was delicious, and the staff was absolutely…read morewonderful. Everyone was so friendly and dog friendly making the whole experience even better. As a dog mom I love a place that accepts my dog but it is even better when they actively make it a point to be so nice to the dog who is my fur child. I also LOVE how cute and welcoming this place is. It has the perfect relaxed, chill beach vibes that make you want to sit back, enjoy a glass of wine, and stay awhile. One of my favorite things is that they support zero-waste and have such a strong ocean-friendly focus. Especially here in San Diego, where protecting our ocean and marine life is so important, I really appreciate seeing a small business make sustainability part of what they do. It makes an already amazing place even better!

Absolutely cute little wine bar in La Jolla. Especially after a long work week, a nice glass of…read morewine to end the day. Great staff and excellent service and very dog-friendly.

My wife and I are complete novices when it comes in wine. We know what we like, but we have not…read moreexplored much beyond the occasional bottle here and there. I contacted Betty to arrange a special wine tasting lunch for my wife's birthday. We included a couple that similarly are wine novices. Our goal was a nice visit to Temecula wine country and a beginner's level experience. We want someone to educate us and not talk down to us. Betty and her husband delivered! We had a fantastic experience under her guidance and learn some basics of wine tasting and pairing. Betty was genuine with her knowledge sharing and we never felt talked down to. The facility for the event was a very nice local Vinyard and we even got to meet the owner. It was picturesque and comfortable. We came away with a few bottles of wine and a desire to learn more with future events. Thanks, Betty!

We had such a great time at this wine tasting! The selection was fantastic--each pour was…read morethoughtfully chosen and perfectly complemented by the charcuterie board. The meats and cheeses were fresh, flavorful, and paired beautifully with the wines. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and Betty was beyond amazing and informative. It felt like a fun, elevated experience without being pretentious. Definitely booking her for other events!

If you love sandwiches like I love sandwiches, you've got to try Smallgoods!…read more Located in La Jolla, there's plenty of street parking in the surrounding neighborhoods. Overall, a really walkable area! Walking in, it's clear that their sandwiches are a crowd favorite from all the awards on the walls. Dubbed as "La Jolla's Most Popular," I went with their California Turkey & Cheese. It features a long list of things: California Swiss + SoCal Turkey + Granny Smith Apple + Cucumber + Micro & Mixed Greens + Local Mustard + Smoked Padron Jam + Mayo. I absolutely adore when sandwiches have a splash of fruit or jam in them. It's so underrated! I brought it to the water to enjoy and it made for the perfect beach sandwich. Light, flavorful, and filling- I was the envy of every seagull with this beaut haha. I will be returning to try their long menu of what sounds like incredible combos all around!

We came across Smallgoods by accident. I wanted to pick up a gift certificate as a gift, a couple…read moredoors down from the cheese shop, but due to bookings, their lobby is not always open. Since we were parked we decided to check out the cheese shop, the owner kindly came running out to warn us about the strict ticketing for parking in the 15 minute parking spot we were parked in right out front. We've visited this cheese shop several times now and enjoyed the specialty sandwiches they make. Our favorite, the SG Cheese Melt - made with a cheese mix, specially mustard, jam, red onion and thinly sliced apples, this is our favorite sandwich. I love a good ham and cheese, you must order it with the Nugget ham, so don't forget to add the ham! We also tried the California Wagyu bresaola, a cold sandwich, but can be made hot if you like. It was also very good, but we just keep coming back to the SG hot melt! Key things to know! - Limited parking! There is only street parking and a 15 min only spot directly in front of the shop. So it may be difficult to park on the weekends. - They are not open on Sundays or Mondays. - If you're looking for a sandwich their kitchen doesn't make sandwiches until after 11 am, the staff making the sandwiches are not there yet and they may run out of ingredients to make certain sandwiches. So don't expect to try to get one near closing time at 5 pm. A complete bummer since we tried a couple times and failed to pick up a sandwich. I love a good, easy to eat, not overwhelming sandwich, so this place makes my list of fav sandwiches! Owner is super friendly. The sandwiches are specialty and absolute delish! We don't live in the area and it's definitely worth the drive (if you can get a sandwich)! If you're in the area, definitely worth the stop in as they also offer drinks and premade and made to order cheese plates if you're heading to beach! 2026: 36

Went for a birthday celebration. Teri was so knowledgeable and helpful and we had a great time not…read morejust making a pasta dish and desert but chatting and enjoying the experience! Food was great and our group learned a lot about things we thought we were doing correctly for so long (knife skills, tips, tricks). I would highly recommend those with very basic cooking skills or even people that cook quite a bit to get *at least* one class with Teri. I will likely be back for another in the near future!

Teri not only helped us prepare an amazing meal but was wonderful company. We learned so many new…read morethings and my daughter is feeling more comfortable in the kitchen. Perfect afternoon together.

Amazing drive and instructor! Amazing thank you so much for your knowledge and party viberead more

This was truly an amazing experience from start to finish! From the booking process to the actual…read morebus experience and, of course, the wine tasting, everything was exceptional. Knowing that our company event was in such great hands gave us tremendous peace of mind. A BIG shout-out to Toby and his team for going above and beyond to make us feel welcomed, attended to, and truly special even though they also had other guests. We sincerely appreciate Rockin' Wine Tours and look forward to another fantastic trip in the future. Your team should be incredibly proud of the experience you provide. Great job, and thank you for making our event so memorable!

They have a pretty interesting selection of whiskeys, and the owner was very helpful in picking out…read moresomething fun. Unfortunately, I discovered that the bottle I picked had a bad cork after I got home. Dicks made it right and in a very hassle-free way! I was able to return the bottle and exchange it for something else. The only reason for 4/5 instead of 5/5 is that their prices aren't the best. The prices are not crazy bad, like some other places in the area, but they aren't really competitive either.

You can't do better for service and knowledge than Dick's Liquor! I hope they will always be here…read more The help is stellar - Nathan and Tommy are a delight to work with and they were more than happy to navigate a difficult delivery - at the Holidays no less! Thank you!

Three of us celebrated my sister's birthday and we had a blast. I appreciated the bus being…read moredecorated for her and our driver was so sweet and patient. We couldn't handle 18 tastings a piece but we enjoyed ourselves at each of the three wineries. I would have loved to enjoy the bus more but because the wineries were so close together, it was almost impossible.

Steve was great at coordinating our wine tasting day for a party of 16. He chose three wineries and…read morethey were great selections. The only part I would do next time for such a large group is request longer than 4 1/2 hours booking because it was really hard to get all of our tastings done at each winery. Louie was an excellent driver and made sure he checked us in, seated us and told us how much time we had left. He was a safe driver and dealt with our music and singing on the way back to our rental.

Quality food with attentive and helpful services…read more The wait staff took care of us, a party of 14 people, without feeling the pressure of ordering extra. A nice group lunch! Will come back with family for dinner.

A longtime favorite for the downstairs wine store and tasting program, and for business lunches and…read moredinners. Warm, comfortable atmosphere. A variety of starters and entrées to choose from. On our most recent visit, with another couple, we had a few hiccups with the service. The wine and bussing service were excellent. But we had to flag down the waiter to bring a missing salad after a lengthy delay. We started with an escargot appetizer ($18) with tarragon and basil compound butter, which didn't match the traditional garlic butter recipe in most restaurants. The snails weren't terrific, either. The Strawberry Caprese was a hit, and it was also $18. For entrées, the pan-seared scallops ($43) were the favorite. Followed by the chicken with seasonal vegetables ($36), then the duck (two ways, $39), confit and roasted, with the roasted being a bit dry, and a decent Madeira sauce. A couple at the next table praised the peppercorn steak, an 8-ounce ribeye, for $48.

My friends and I had the best time ever on a private excursion with Baja Winery Tours, everything…read morewas incredibly professional from start to finish. The pricing was super reasonable for the amount of travel time and top-tier service we received, and we felt completely safe the entire time in Baja. The wineries were beautiful, the food was amazing, and the whole day was seamless thanks to our driver Daniel -- if you book, definitely request him! I 1000% recommend Baja Winery Tours we're already planning our next one!

To the owner who wrote me back in regards to my review I did read the website and check my sources…read morebefore reserving to go on your tour. On your website it indicates, 6 PERSON MINIMUM! Tour runs after we get a total of 6 signups. However what I was referring to was the email I received which stated " You're reservation for Public Taste of Baja Tour on Saturday, July 1, 2023 for 2 tickets has been cancelled. If you have any questions feel free to call 619-535-9994 or email bookings@bajawinerytours.com." Before assuming your customers are not reading the information on your business site, make sure you take the time to ask questions to understand exactly what they are referring to. The condescending annotation in your reply is another reason why I would never go on this tour. Edit: you could have said what you updated your message with in the beginning rather than making it seem as if your customers did not read the information that was given on your site. All explanations would have been cleared up then, however you wanted to come and try to reiterate the message as if their was a lack of clarity.