14 Must-Try San Diego Wineries (Who Needs Napa?!)
With all the excitement surrounding craft breweries in San Diego, and our more famous vine-growing neighbors to the North and South, San Diego wineries rarely receive much recognition.
But we promise that when you can’t hop a flight to Napa or cross the border to Valle de Guadalupe, our local wineries will treat you just fine!
According to the San Diego County Vintners Association, there are 150+ active wineries in San Diego County, and there is chatter about our region being set to be the next wine hotspot.
In fact, San Diego was the first wine hotspot! Our hills were the first area in California where grapevines were grown when the Spanish Franciscan Missionaries settled California’s first mission. The mission planted the first grapes in 1788 and, over time, was known for producing quality wines (take that, Napa!).
So instead of (or in addition to!) planning that next Sonoma weekend, make plans to visit some of our great San Diego wineries!
Here are 14 San Diego wineries pouring glass after glass of attention-grabbing wines.
Gianni Buonomo Vintners
Led by Keith Rolle, whose passion for wine pushed him to leave the corporate life twenty years ago, this Ocean Beach winery produces only 2,000 cases of wine each year.
Using grapes from Washington state and the Sierra Foothills, Gianni Buonomo is well-loved for its Sangiovese and Barbera and is the only winemaker in San Diego creating two rarer varietals—Charbono and Balufränkisch.
Open five days a week, be sure to stop by their tasting room to sample a flight, join their happy hour, or attend a blending of their vintage.
Carruth Cellars
A native of San Diego, Adam Carruth started making wines in his backyard in Sonoma County, combining concepts learned from beer brewing along with his formal viticulture education.
This backyard passion has grown into Carruth Cellars and now has locations in Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Liberty Station, Little Italy, and Oceanside.
Using grapes only from Northern California’s premier wine regions, they specialize in reds and blends, most of which are Bordeaux, but their Sauvignon Blanc is a local favorite.
With their “Pay It Forward” program, they donate a portion of proceeds from select bottles to non-profits such as The Global Mosaic Project and Lois Merril Foundation.
Negociant
Located in the heart of North Park’s Boulevard District, this winery was founded by third-generation Italian winemaker Joe Rinaldi and wine scholar Zane Mumford.
Taking after its namesake, which means a wine merchant who sources the perfect grapes and unfinished wines from small vineyards, all wines are sourced from smaller growers in Central Coast, Baja, and Washington State vineyards.
The wines are then crafted in their custom crush facilities, creating an impressive variety of boutique, small-batch, artisan wines. You won’t find Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir; they specialize in bigger, bolder, uncommon reds—think Sangiovese, Grenache, and Red Cuvee.
Stop in for their latest blend, Concupiscent, a sultry blend of Sangiovese and Nebbiolo.
Pali Wine Company
Dedicated to producing small batches of artisanal Pinot Noir, Pali began in 2005 when entrepreneurs Tim Perr and Scott Knight combined their passions to start a winery dedicated to their favorite varietal.
Located in the heart of Little Italy, they offer $15 flights consisting of five different wines and weekly live music. Their tasting room also showcases their second label, Tower 15, which focuses on premium Bordeaux and Rhone Blends.
Since their founding, Pali has grown from 1,500 cases a year to 20,000, but they still focus on making terroir-driven wines at reasonable prices and exceptional quality.
Milagro Winery
Located 50 minutes east of San Diego, Milagro Winery boasts a working estate-grown winery, organic farm and orchard, tasting room, scenic vistas, and leisure activities such as bocce ball.
Trained in Bordeaux and considered the pre-eminent winemaker in Mexico, Hugo d’Acosta oversees all aspects of production. Be sure to try their 2013 Estate Grown Bellorosso—it won the Gold medal at the Orange County wine and commerce event.
Stop in on Saturday or Sunday to try a designated flight or customize your own at $2 a pour. Bring a picnic basket or grab some eats from their food truck and enjoy the live music on their outdoor patio.
Europa Village Winery & Resort
You don’t need to ‘hop the pond’ to escape to the timeless luxury of Europe’s wineries—you can find what you’re looking for right here in your own backyard!
Europa Village Winery & Resort has more than thirty acres of prime Temecula Wine Country property planted with popular European-style varietal grapes, bringing forth premium wines in the classic traditions of France, Spain, and Italy.
The resort boasts multiple winery “destinations”—Bolero, a vibrant Spanish adventure; C’est La Vie, the first phase of their amorous French affair; and Vienza, which will transport you to old-world Italy!
Vesper Vineyards
Husband and wife team Chris Broomell and Alysha Stehly opened Vesper Vineyards with the goal of proving that San Diego could be included among the great wine regions of California.
Combining Alysha’s educational background and Chris’s practical experience, their extensive wine knowledge landed them on the SF Chronicle’s 2014 list of winemakers to watch.
With no established winemaking style in San Diego, they are working to create their own world of wine.
Each wine at this Escondido winery is sourced from a single vineyard, organically farmed, and naturally fermented. Stop by the tasting room from Friday to Sunday to sample five wines for $10.
Witch Creek Winery
Located two blocks from the beach, this Carlsbad urban winery was the first coastal urban winery in San Diego County.
Focusing on unique single-varietal red wines and blends, all their red wines are made on-site at their Carlsbad facility. Their grapes are sourced from various locations throughout California and in Valle De Guadalupe in Baja, Mexico.
Recognized as San Diego’s “Best Winery” by the San Diego A-list in 2016, Witch Creek produces 24 to 26 different wines each year, averaging just 100 to 125 cases of each.
Orfila Vineyards & Winery
This 70-acre estate, owned by an Argentine ambassador, has been the largest producer of San Diego wines since 1994. The wines are made using Rhone, Italian, Burgundy, and Bordeaux varietals from the estate and specially selected vineyards in Sonoma, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties.
The recipient of more than 1,300 medals in major national and international competitions, Orfila is the place to go in August when they host their annual Grape Stomp, which features live jazz, a farm-to-table dinner, and the chance to get your feet dirty—literally.
Stop by their tasting rooms in Escondido and Julian for live music, food trucks, and, of course, wine.
Koi Zen Cellars
Koi Zen is a craft winery in Carmel Mountain Ranch specializing in full-bodied reds, red blends, and crisp stainless whites.
Their award-winning wines are made with grapes from Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Lodi, Sonoma, and Napa. They bring the grapes to their location and make the wine there, producing small batches of each varietal.
Visit their tranquil tasting room with a Koi Pond to enjoy a flight of wine or a bottle with friends or just uncork, sip back, and relax with a good book and a glass of wine.
The winery often has live music performances to enjoy on the weekends and is a unique venue for business or personal events.
Charlie & Echo
This urban winery in San Diego produces natural, craft wine from local vineyards.
Its mission is to produce wines exemplifying San Diego’s terroir, cuisine, culture, and lifestyle. The winery and tasting room offers unique organic wines made from local grapes.
With every bottle or can you buy, a portion of the sale is used to obtain even more carbon offsets, so every purchase you make of Charlie & Echo has a positive impact on our climate.
San Pasqual Winery
San Pasqual Winery is a small, family-owned winery located in La Mesa.
Although the namesake dates to the 1970s when it was located in the San Pasqual Valley, the winery was later reinvented as San Diego’s first urban winery, earning it a spot on Sunset Magazine’s list of “Hot 100 West Coast Trends.”
The winery is now located in the industrial area of La Mesa, with offsite tasting rooms nearby in the Village of La Mesa and downtown San Diego at Seaport Village.
With annual production ranging from three to four thousand cases, most of their wine is sold directly from the winery and tasting room locations, allowing a more personal connection with those who enjoy their wines.
Castelli & Pizarro Family Winery
Just thirty-six miles from downtown San Diego, tucked away in the scenic, rolling hills of Highland Valley Ramona, the Castelli Family Vineyards harvest the highest quality grapes to craft wines of precise flavors steeped in tradition.
The winery property is gorgeous, and they welcome visits and regularly throw fun events.
Bernardo Winery
Bernardo Winery is a family winery that produces wines from locally sourced grapes that suit the San Diego Terroir, such as Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Viognier, Chardonnay, and Sangiovese.
The century-old building that once was the tractor barn has been updated into a modern winemaking facility located on the North side of the property.
Take a stroll through the historic antique winemaking facility of yesteryear, located in the winery courtyard. There, you can see the old ways of winemaking, using large-scale redwood barrels built over 130 years ago.
Bernardo is a local institution that has something for all visitors to enjoy—go for brunch, lunch, dinner, shopping, the tasting room, or one of the many events they throw throughout the year.
See you there!
There you have it! Make your plans to visit these must-try San Diego wineries—you’ll be glad you did!
See you there!
