The 9 best spots in the los angeles area for a wine lover

Southern California offers gorgeous views and countless activities for everyone in the family. A big draw that many people enjoy when in the Los Angeles area is the ample selection of wineries. From specialty wineries to a wine trail, there’s plenty to be sipped while in California. Here is a list of the top 9 best spots in the Los Angeles area for a wine lover.

1. The Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail

The Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail is the perfect all-day experience for the true wine lover. Created in 2007, this unique experience includes the chance to visit 33 different wineries that span from Funk Zone to Summerland. You can follow the trail on foot or take a shuttle or Uber to get to each winery. 

There are also cafes, restaurants, and shopping to enjoy in between each winery visit. Feel free to pick up a map of the wine trail in each winery you visit or check out all of the wineries on the trail on the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail website.

2. Cornell Winery

Image via Flickr by smallkaa

Cornell Winery and Tasting Room, located in Cornell, California, is just a quick 45-minute drive on the 101 from  Central Los Angeles. You can enjoy a five-flight tasting for $15 or share a bottle of carefully curated local wine. You can also enjoy more than 50 pieces of unique art sourced from local artists while you sip your wine in the eccentric Cornell tasting room. Hours of operation are Thursday and Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit their website for a list of events and information on the wines.

3. Carhartt Vineyard

Carhartt Vineyard, a two-hour drive from the heart of Los Angeles in Los Olivos, is one of the hottest places to taste wine in the area. Known as the “word’s smallest tasting room,” you can enjoy wine from the family’s winery in Santa Ynez while conversing with fellow wine lovers. They offer more than 20 different wines to taste and events every week that include live music and food.

4. San Antonio Winery

The San Antonio Winery Tasting Room, located in downtown Los Angeles, gives visitors and locals alike the chance to taste a wide selection of Californian wines in a historic setting. The wines you can enjoy include bold reds, sparkling wines, and whites. Enjoy an Artisan Flight of four wines from their estate vineyards for $15 or pick and choose your tasting selection. This winery also offers a winery tour where you can learn about the San Antonio Winery’s history. Finish your visit at the Maddalena Restaurant located inside the winery for a delicious Italian meal.

5. Angeleno Wine Co.

Angeleno Wine Company, located at 1646 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, offers wine tastings every day of the week by appointment. This wine company sources its selections from local vineyards throughout California that practice sustainable farming, and all wines offered are vegan and naturally produced. You can find a list of the wines offered here.  Angeleno Wine Co. does not serve food but encourages guests to bring their own.

6. Malibu Wines

The beautiful Malibu Wines has a gorgeous tasting room and ample lawn space to picnic and enjoy wine tastings. This winery has several weekly events including Thursday movie nights, karaoke Friday nights, and craft Wednesdays every second Wednesday of the month. 

Plus, Malibu Wines even offers a Malibu Wine Safari adventure complete with a driver and open-air Safari vehicle. The Safari excursion covers 1,000 acres that span across Saddlerock Ranch the Malibu Wine vineyard. Animals you may come across during the safari trip include alpacas, bison, and zebras. 

The winery and beer garden is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

7. Rosenthal Winery

Rosenthal Winery, located in Malibu, has a spacious patio to sip wine just across the street from the beach. This winery serves wine grown right in Malibu and is just a few miles away from central Los Angeles. Rosenthal Winery has live music Friday through Sunday and food trucks on Saturdays and Sundays, making it a great way to spend your weekend in Southern California. Plus, they have a happy hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. where you can save $2 a glass on their Surfrider Wines. 

8. Lorimar Vineyards & Winery

Lorimar Vineyards & Winery, located in beautiful Temecula, offers a gorgeous view of the Santa Ana Mountains and Mount Palomar from its Tuscanesque tasting room. They have several tasting options that cost anywhere from $14 to $25 and offer live music on the weekends year-round. When you get hungry, you can enjoy a gourmet meal from Pairings, the winery’s mobile kitchen. Each meal matches a wine offered at Lorimar to make it perfect for your tasting experience.

9. The Ojai Vineyard

The Ojai Vineyard, located an hour away from Los Angeles in Ojai, is known for its selection of white wines, syrah, and pinot noirs. With more than 300 different bottles to taste, the possibilities are endless at this cozy winery. Ojai Vineyard has events on a weekly basis and Library flights every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The tasting room is open every day from noon to 6 p.m.