Stopped by here to have some wine and snacks on an organized 12 mile hike. Loved the people we were with and the service, but we got some stink eye from some snooty patrons. Not my problem, it was theirs. I'm hiking, fools! The pinot was fantastic, as was the sauv blanc. The grounds are beautiful and perfectly manicured. My bf and i have driven by this place a million times before on the way to other places and would've ever thought this place existed. Looking forward to hiking this way again! read more

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The Swanner House, also known as Stone Winery, in San Juan Capistrano is the hidden gem of Orange County. With Orange trees! If you live in Orange County and have been wanting to get out of the house in a Safe Social distance area, then I highly recommend going. But make sure you take bags or buckets for FREE ORANGES!! The fields of orange trees are open to the public for free picking. Walk around the fields, with a glass of wine, look at the cute boutique, and for a special time, take a picture with Santa. If your ready for a break after the picking, take the time to enjoy good food and some drinks. read more

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Cute little winery right next to the 5 Freeway but it wasn't too loud. $20.00 tastings which isn't cheap -- but we had the wine trail discount card for 2-1 tastings. They have a lovely garden patio with shady trees to sit under. I liked their Pinot Noir the best. This place is slightly off the beaten path -- so you don't get the crowds you would find in town (which is a good thing). There were orange trees and fallen oranges all over the place so that made a nice dessert. Would definitely come back next time we are in town. read more

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Well the reviews were good. We showed up the workers were having lunch acted like we interrupted him and his girlfriend. Had only six bottle for us to try. We had to ask for crackers he said he might have three left from the morning. He said he doesn't really do much besides wedding no wine knowledge. No knowledge of the history of the building. Charged $20 per person. Not a big selection of taste and you could purchase cheese or anything to chill with anything you liked. The scenery was good. But nothing was really worth drink to stay and chill. They didn't really have options if you like something a little sweet or something lighter. I have been to several Wineries and this was the worst. He just kept saying are other locations offer that.... read more

I remember this was an orange grove back in 1987 and met the Mexican man who harvested the field with his family. Many years later Eric and wife Lisa Waggoner have converted this freeway eyesore in San Juan Capistrano into a wedding and event venue including a restaurant and bar. I stopped by to buy a couple of their Thanksgiving meal package and glad I did. It was the most delicious meal I've had in a long time. As a single man, I don't cook but, now I know where I'll be stopping by. This Sunday the 29th they will be hosting the best South Orange County band, Family Style from 1-4 pm with a picnic meal and dancing by your table because of social distancing. It's OK because it's always Party Time when Family Style plays. read more

Ummmmm.... It's a okay place to have wine. I didn't care for it. Found it through Groupon but better tasting wines is right in town near mission San Juan Capistrano. I wouldn't come here again. Beautiful property. read more

A Stone's Throw Winery - It's okay - Wineries Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

We decided to come wine tasting locally. This place was recommended from a friend so we decided to give it a try. Lisa who was working behind the bar providing wine tasting. She is amazing with a great personality. The white Chardonnay Santa Ynez was excellent. I'll definitely be back. read more

I have a Groupon that expires soon and idk what to do. I drove all the way out with my family to find out it was closed and a memorial was ongoing. Very upsetting. Contacting via phone was a fail as well. read more

Visited on 5/25/2019. The good: the place is charming. It's a little farmhouse along Camino Capistrano. The grounds are beautiful--while we were there, they were setting up for a wedding reception, and I can absolutely understand how it would be a great spot for it. It is very close to the 5 freeway, but not so close or so loud to be distracting. The bad: the wine is average. Of their main tastings (i.e. not the sparkling or the rose), only 2 of 5 were really something I'd consider drinking, and neither were anywhere near worthy of buying a bottle. The ones we liked more than the others were their chardonnay and their meritage. The chardonnay was a lot more clean and crisp than many--not too oaky or buttery. The meritage was just a very nice blend. But on the downside, their sauvignon blanc (made by Giracci, who owns Stone's Throw and Cowboy Canyon) was muddled and unexceptional. In fact, it was almost the opposite of the chardonnay--neither crisp nor clean. Their zinfandel was not of the style I like--spicy/peppery--nor was it fruity/jammy. It was just rather bland and almost watery. Big disappointment for me as I love zin. Their cab was far too tannic/astringent for my taste, and my wife--who loves cab--didn't like it at all. We stuck around with a glass each of the meritage to enjoy the grounds, as we had a lot of time to kill before our next stop. But I can't say that the wine will have us coming back anytime soon, which is a shame because it's such a nice little place. read more

Attempted to taste wine here. We pulled up and parked, there was a lady gardening outside. She did not acknowledge us. This place is so cute! It's an old house built in 1923 (I read the whole history inside) and has beautiful grounds. We walked into the house - there was an OPEN sign, and the door was wide open. There was music playing inside. There was nobody in there. We stood in there a couple of minutes. I kind of peeked around (not sure if somebody actually lives here so I didn't want to be too nosy) but there was nobody in the kitchen or what looked like a dining room. We decided to leave. Walked back out to the car, the gardening lady looked at me and made eye contact but didn't wave or call out to me or anything...so I don't know. I didn't care enough to interrupt her gardening. It was just really weird. I figure she worked there, but maybe just wasn't in the mood - who knows. We left, she didn't seem to care. Maybe I will try again if i'm in the area sometime. Five stars for the look of this place, minus two for nobody working. read more

I had been to the location in Trabuco Canyon, but this is their new tasting room. It's located in a 90-year old house that's been redecorated, and there is a cool water tower next to the tasting room. There are lots of tables scattered around outside, and after our tasting, we had lunch there and drank a bottle. This is right beside the 5 South, so it is noisy. Sitting next to the nice fountain deadened the sound a bit, but that is a drawback. And the wines? They actually are quite good. Most are made from grapes from Paso or Lodi or near Caneros. The chard at $17 is a screaming deal. It's stainless steel fermented and never sees barrels, so it is clean and minerally with a streak of acidity that is very nice. I bought 2. The Canyon Blend with Cab, Merlot and I forget what else was also very tasty. I bought a bottle of this too. We tasted a Mabec (little oaky for me), a nice Barbera and a southern rhone blend. The tasting cost $15, but was waived cuz I bought 3 bottles? If you are near San Juan Capistrano, definitely worth a stop. read more

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Summary: Highly overpriced ($15/person) tastings for 5 tiny pours. Malbec and Zinfandel are very smooth and tasty but overpriced. Cute, antique decor and friendly, but stingy, staff. Lots of parking. Value matters, Hamilton Oaks. This isn't Napa. Went here for the first time on a Sunday at 2:30pm with my wife and Mom because my Mom had a Living Social two-for-one deal for tasting at Hamilton Oaks. When we first arrived, we were greeted by an old-West styled view of the parking lot and premises. Lots of dirt, desert plants, a rattlesnake warning sign, metal patio tables and chairs, and old wooden buildings that are historic in their own right. We walked into the first one to the left and experience an antique-filled past with oil lamps, real iron-made clothes irons, and a smell of decades gone. Pretty neat. Behind both buildings is a beautiful green lawn with some lines of lights hanging across it. It must be used for events like weddings and social gatherings. I imagine it would be lovely at night. We then made our way inside to the main building and tasting room. Inside, the rustic theme continued. This was an old building and there were articles on the wall and lots of antique items in view to help lock in the early 1900's feeling. When you first enter, there is a desk where a receptionist usually sits, but there was none when we came in. So we walked around and saw the sights while a woman behind the tasting counter engaged a patron that was having a tasting. We weren't greeted or acknowledged, even though were milling around right in front of the bar, until we finally approached the bar itself. Then out came two other women from the kitchen to the left of the tasting bar and we were greeted. We presented our coupon and paid $15 for a third tasting. Each tasting granted five tastes of their dozen or so wines. We made our first picks and they were poured using bottles with the 1oz regulated stoppers. Just a single pour until stopped; nothing more. $3. We took our glasses outside to one of the patio tables to sit and enjoy the overcast afternoon while waiting for my Mom's friends to join us for a tasting, too. The sparkling wine was nice and light, had some sweetness and some fruit to it. The Malbec was super smooth and had a good amount of flavor. Very well crafted. After a few sips, all was gone, so we went back in for our second round. The same pours transpired. 1oz; $3. Done. And we returned back outside. Soon my Mom's friends arrived and we conversed and had a good time while they got their tastes and we periodically went back in to get our remaining rounds. When it was time for my wife and I to try the port, our glasses were taken and two little boot-shaped shot glasses were placed on the bar and the tiniest of pours were given (they didn't match each other, either), and two thimble sized paper cups with chocolate truffle were provided to pair. I brought them outside, showed the rest of my table (all were shocked at how tiny the pours were, definitely less than an ounce), and then we attempted to do a sip, taste, sip combination to observe the pairing, but it was difficult because there was just so little port. And just like that, our tasting was done. The highlights were the Malbec and Zinfandel, which were very smooth and flavorful. The cabs were disappointing, the blends were alright, and the port was un-assessable. I don't know how they can justify $31-$40 a bottle for these wines, and $15 for five very small tastings in this area. My guess is they can't, which is why they are trying to drum up business with Living Social deals. My Mom inquired about the wine club and if they do complimentary tastings for the member plus a guest. It turns out that you have to be married/living together/family to get a complimentary tasting with a member. "You have to live in the same house." I really don't get it. Unfortunately, none of us will be returning. read more

Love this place! The wine is delicious and the service is awesome! Marc is knowledgeable and super friendly!

This place is one of the most adorable places I've been to. I wasn't quite sure what to expect since it was my first wine tasting. The moment I walked in, I was immediately impressed. There was an adorable garden that was beautiful and well shaded. There was plenty of seating. The wine tasting is $30 for two or half that with the groupon. You get 5 different wines to taste. My favorites were the Chardonnay. It was made in some kind of completely metallic barrel (if you can't tell, I'm not a wine expert, but I still lived the taste) and the sparkling wine :). Next time I'm home with my mom, we will be sure to do it again and maybe even make a picnic out of it! read more

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Came back to orange county to visit my friends for the first time in months and they brought me here to do some winetasting. I started with the wind flight that included a mix of red and white wines. The flight included five tastings that were all very delicious. After ordering the flight, we ordered a bottle of the Malbec. Atmosphere is great and the weather was gorgeous for a nice afternoon of wine tasting. There was live music playing and also a birthday party was being hosted at the venue. This little vineyard is right off the freeway and conveniently located with lots of parking. read more

Cute little spot, close to the freeway but doesn't feel like it! Wine was pretty good and the pours for the tasting were extremely generous. Chill environment. read more

Very nice people. We stopped in with 20 people and Mark was fantastic and accommodating. Good wine. Relaxing environment. We had a great time. read more

I attended an event at Stones Throw last weekend (10/30/2021). It was amazing! So much fun! There was plenty of parking. A beautiful huge open air tent and draping was setup for the event. They had food trucks, artist booths and a fantastic band. The staff was great and so helpful, explaining what was available and directing attendees. Especially staff member Marc Guerra, he explained the grounds layout, the event auction and was very helpful all around. I also got to meet the owner, he was informative and very down to earth. This is a great venue for all types of events. Check them out! read more

A Stone's Throw Winery - Open air tent and draping - Wineries Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

My date and I had nothing less than the very best experience at this establishment! The service and hospitality was top notch to say the least. I had no idea this hidden gem was practically in our back yard! The historic property is beautifully restored and well kept and the staff was so friendly! Massive shout out to Marc, our server, who was so gracious and accommodating! Keep up the great work, guys! You're doing a fantastic job and we will be back very soon! read more

A Stone's Throw Winery - Wineries Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Excellent Pinot Noir. Bring a light lunch to enjoy with your wine in the charming garden. No crowds!

Wonderful date night with my hubby! Loved our wine and food. Great country artist played and entertained the crowd! We really enjoyed the entire venue! read more

A review for the cafe: I had a lunch to go and the simple pork sandwich was amazing. The pork was perfectly moist with crispy edges and the seasoning and bread was great. They even added some yummy details to the little side cup of olives. The venue is very nice, is a cross road for various cycling routes, which is what I was doing when I stopped by, no problems. read more

A Stone's Throw Winery - Pork sammy to go with local Docent brew to wash it down. Yum! - Wineries Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

What a fun 1st visit! Always travelling on the freeway, we never knew this cozy tasting room was here. With our $15 tasting fee, we received 7 GENEROUS pours (2 whites and 5 reds). Very warm-and-friendly, unrushed service (5+ stars). Great little local get-away and fun find! read more

This quaint winery is situated in the 1920s historical farm house. Grab a chair, and sit under one of their beautiful oak trees, or take a stroll through the orchards. All their wines are locally produced. Their Zin is pure perfection. They don't sell food, but they allow you to bring your own picnic basket as long as you're purchasing wine. They Have a fun little event on the last Sunday of the month that includes live music and food for purchase. They are located right across from the pumpkin/Christmas tree lots read more

A Stone's Throw Winery - This quaint winery is situated in the 1920s historical farm house. Grab a stroll food, but they allow you to bring your own picnic basket. - Wineries Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

We went to A Stone's Throw after a morning with Adam's Falconry. The wine tasting location is gorgeous and the historic house is elegant. Stacy poured for us and was incredibly gracious with her time, her pouring, and her spirit. We spent 2 hours delighted in hearing about all the wines,the vineyard, and their histories. We left with an incredible bottle of Cab. This was the perfect afternoon! Stacy is an absolute treasury and delight! Such a perfect afternoon treat! You will be so glad you went! Thank you!!!! read more

Do not book this for a wedding or any event that requires their "security guards" to be present. They were the rudest group of wannabe cops I have ever had the misfortune of being around. All they did was try to intimidate guests who were there trying to enjoy a wedding. The security staff acted like they were secret service agents guarding the president. They talked into their sleeves and held their ear-pieces as they stared down the guests and wedding party. They did invasive security checks all night, barging into the barn that is designated for the bridal party whenever they pleased. They were rude to all types, from the young bridesmaids to the elderly family members. Their bathroom monitoring and wannabe detective-like behavior quickly became the topic of the night. The "us versus them" mentality started as soon as things started to get rolling.The "Venue Manager" gave a threatening pre-ceremony speech to everyone in the bridal party about how they will shut the bar down if any outside booze was found. One of the security employees gave the groom the impression that the rules related to outside alcohol were just things they had to tell us and that they would not be enforced. That same gentlemen later walked in the bridal parties barn after a few guests walked out, confiscated a bottle of alcohol he believed the guests were drinking and held it until the end of the night...just one example of professional adults, doctors, veterans, law enforcement personnel, grown men and women of all types, being treated like disobedient children. Another group of people that deserve mention was the waiting-staff. I walked into the bridal parties barn area to find the waiting staff sitting down on the couches, eating plates of the reception dinner food near all of our personal belongings. If this barn area was not meant to be the bridal parties private area then I guess I'm mistaken. However, I'm pretty sure I could find a couple places on the property that would be more appropriate places for staff to take their lunch break. Also, I heard multiple guests commenting on how rude and abrasive the female waitresses were to them. Their poor attitudes were also a topic of many discussions. I understand there are specific reasons for this venues rules but the people they hired to enforce them were extremely unprofessional and rude. read more

The place looks cute on the website. The parking, well, you have to see it to belive it. Don't take a nice car! The selection of wines is good, but the prices are high. We tried the Chard for $25, which was very overpriced for what it was. Sonoma Cutrer for $20 is far superior to this Chard. The area in front where the live music was being played is cute, but had so few tables and chairs that people had to stand or sit on the ground. There is enough room there for at least a dozen more tables with room to spare. This place has so much potential but lacks a lot. read more

Kyril is the coolest somalia around, not to mention knowledgeable about cigars! This is a big plus for me. My wife and I are locals and we've been coming to A Stone's Throw for a while and we always are received so well by Kyril. Always great conversation and superb wine. I've been referring all my pals here. read more

We visited this property as a potential wedding venue. We loved the space, and totally fell in love with the idea of getting married there. The coordinator that we met with was wonderful; however, she (or her company?) totally dropped the ball. We were promised a proposal by Tuesday. When Tuesday rolled around, nothing. When I reached out, we were told they were swamped and that they would have it to me by Wednesday. On Wednesday, still nothing. When o reached out (again), I received another response indicating that there had been a miscommunication- they thought they'd sent it and she'd have it to me asap. Since receiving the "will have it to you asap" promise, I still have no proposal. So disappointed in the serious lack of professionalism, follow through, and dependability. read more

This place is super cute! Beautiful property and ambiance and I thought the meritage was good!! It's a rustic old fashion vibe, which is what Makes this place so charming. Yes you park in the dirt but it's an Orange grove... so what do you expect?? I mean how orange county can someone be??? lol personally we will be back, loved it! read more

I visited the winery after hearing about at Rancho Capistrano Winery. I went without any expectations. It's a very charming place, secluded, but very close to the freeway. You would never know it was there. I was very impressed with their wines! They are pricey, but I bought 2 bottles. My biggest complaint is that with the high price for tasting ($15 a person), they should waive the tasting fee entirely. Most wineries do. My 2 bottles of wines, and 2 tastings came to $93.72. Quite high. That would keep me from returning to this charming place. read more

I have read articles about Hamilton Oaks and their tasting room for some time and decided to experience their tasting room. I was there on a Sunday and the place was crowded. While the two people working there were extremely nice, the wine tastes were quickly poured and they dashed about serving people. They shared no information about the wines except that the wines being poured are from Lodi and none of the Hamilton Oaks wines were available. The Lodi wines were extremely disappointing, even the Zinfandel which grows well in Lodi. read more

What a charming place and excellent experience. Marc who was working there was such a knowledgeable person about the wines and made the experience even more special than any previous wine tasting experience I had even in Sonoma valley. I recommend this place to everyone in Orange County looking for a great local experience. read more

Pretty spot,not super busy on a Sunday early afternoon. Live music was pleasant and the Meritage was quite tasty.

I came here with my fiancé late last year to have some engagement photos taken. The photographer had recommended this location. It was quiet, secluded and no hassle. At 1st was not thrilled about the location because I was not prepared what my theme will be but I went for it. I allow the photographer do her thing and instruct me and my fiancé what needs to be done. We had our dogs which the location was really nice and mellow for my dogs. It was dusty but dusty is what gives this location its charm plus it a winery. The photo came out very rustic, sweet and charming. It definitely gave me the innocent looks I was going for. Overall, I was surprise I actually like the photos a lot consideration the location looks somewhat western...another words not so me. But it doesn't matter because this location really gave me a look that looks very sweet and charming. Another great thing I really love about this location is the train tracks. It's a location to take a photo at but beware of incoming trains. If you are near one step away about 10-15 steps and make sure you have your photographer capture you near it. It's really cool. My photographer snapped a few photos of us and it was memorable moment every time we look at it. Btw: After the photo shoot I recommend to have some wine and sit on the patio and if you are luck the winery might serve you some free snacks. read more

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Cute little place. Seems like it's a residential house that has the back yard converted into a tasting area. The outdoor patio was cute and shaded, so it's perfect for a little picnic. Definitely pack picnic items and enjoy being outdoors for a bit. To be honest, I was just there to hang out with friends more than for the wine. read more

i loveeeeeeee this place!!! i love being able to do wine tastings...buy a bottle...and bring a picnic and enjoy the grounds. We stop at trader joes grab some snacks...get here and grab a bottle of wine and sit outside and have fun! read more

This is the worst wine I've ever tasted! $20 for a tasting of bland wine. Don't waste your time or money. The atmosphere and service is great. But, the wine had no character. Two tastings $40 for nothing. I'm not a hard person to please. I've tasted lots of wine, but I can't understand why they think it's worth asking that high of a price to taste that God awful wine. read more

Came here with some friends who had a groupon type deal for wine tasting. The young lady was very knowledgeable about al the wines and she gave us a lof of details about every wine, it was really nice. I liked the Port we bought a bottle for home too, and the Malbec most, but all the wine are good. I understand that they have weddings here and different parties, including for kids, since they property is big and has pretty much you need. The house is empty and doesn't even have a kitchen since they are not allowed to remodel it, that's why they don't offer food, except some crackers. I understand that you can have pizza delivered though. The whole place looks newly acquired and it fells like they had to get it but they are not quite sure what to do with it, so they do this wine tasting but there isn't much going on right now. read more

A Stone's Throw Winery - Hamilton Oaks - Wineries Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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Me & my cousin did category B for the wine tasting (all red wines) and the first one was really good, but then they progressively worsened down the line. The atmosphere was wonderful, the wine was alright--stick to the Malbec!! It is a great place to visit if you want a nice afternoon & can't travel to a far winery. The workers are very friendly. But on Sunday they had a saxophonist playing smooth jazz and it sort of ruined the quiet atmosphere we were enjoying. If you're looking for events/music on top of your wine tasting, it's a good place to start. Also, bring a small picnic & enjoy the lovely patio. The atmosphere definitely won the four stars. read more