My husband and I spent 2 hours or so enjoying a charcuterie board and wine tasting at Au Bon Climat. Thank you to Gisselle, for the beautiful job with each tasting. Recommended by our close friends, this was a lovely experience. We had reservations about 30 minutes post opening, inside there was one other couple enjoying conversation and tasting with their host. We chose to sit outside on the patio, enjoying the warm weather. Thank you for the lovely experience and bottles of wine. I cannot wait to enjoy our Pinot Noirs! read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - Charcuterie and the 2016 Chardonnay, K. Block - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I'm always looking to try a wine tasting room I've never been to so glad I discovered ABC! They offer 2 tasting options that are $30 for 5. I went with the reserve which is what they are known for and glad I did. I'm not a buttery Chardonnay fan and theirs was terrific. Ended up buying 2 bottles! If you do buy anything over $70 your tasting fee is waves. I received a great blurb on each of the wines and wasn't rushed at all. They also held the wine for me to pick up later so I didn't have to carry them the rest of the day. I definitely want to come back! read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Such amazing wines! Did not have a subpar one! I am a huge Pinot Noir fan and the wines here are some of the best in the area! So do yourself a favor and go! You are welcome. read more

The wine server was very knowledgeable of the wines and the owner's vision. It was a nice time. The wines are very good. Will go back

Wonderful service in a beautiful location in downtown Santa Barbara. We enjoyed all the wines and it was a great location to take visitors who are new to Santa Barbara with historical sites and excellent parking nearby. read more

The service was good from a young gentlemen. The Chardonnay was a little cloudy , decent taste . It's cute and cozy inside. More red choices in wine that white . No bubbly choices. read more

Excellent wines! Stopped in at the tasting room after our visit to Lotusland. My friend had a glass of wine while I did a tasting. I really enjoyed their Pinot noir and Chardonnay the most and bought bottles to take home. read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Au Bon Climat has one of best wine in Santa Barbara, and it is only winery I know to have so many library wines selection. Very impressive. Visiting tasting room is very nice experience. Staff are very kind and welcoming, and the manager has much knowledge but also very friendly and easy to talk. I enjoy very much. read more

Did the wine tasting and tried some delicious Pinot. A very relaxing environment to sip some wine and the service was friendly. read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I've come here multiple times in the past with both parents and friends because we really enjoy their selection of pinots, especially 'a party upstairs'. On 3/1/25 we came (party of 6) for a glass after lunch around 3pm. There was only one other group of 2 people in the whole establishment. As we walked in, before we could even all enter the worker told us "So actually you need a reservation for parties greater than 6 and its an automatic service charge of 20%." So as we stood there, he didn't make it clear whether or not he's serve us and it was overall very awkward. Not as welcoming as our past experiences and we felt like he did not want us to be there. Very disappointed. read more

Incredible tasting!!! Ryan knew SO much and it was an amazing time. We can't wait to return!

The service here was wonderful and the knowledge on the wines was impeccable. I love a good wine but I'm not a connoisseur so I learned so much and even opened up my palate to different wines I have never tried before. Came out with 4 bottles that I have very much enjoyed from the tastings, although would have bought much more than that if I was not getting on the Amtrak and had to carry this all back! May Mr. Clenendon rest in peace for he has created a formidable wine empire! read more

Great place. Delicious Pinot and Chardonnay. Fayz helped us and was extremely friendly and passionate about the wine. A must if visiting Santa Barbara and you enjoy good wine! read more

It was a busy Saturday afternoon when we popped in to check out this tasting room in the Presidio Neighborhood. They specialize in Pinot Noirs. Our favorite of the flight was the Runway Pinot Noir. We also purchased their Chardonnay and the Rose. The Rose is was qui refreshing! Despite being so busy, the staff was friendly and efficient as well as accommodating. When I asked about trying the Rose, they gladly opened a bottle for us. The tasting room was lively and can accommodate a large group. read more

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We stopped by while walking around downtown Santa Barbara. This little tasting room is located in historical El Paseo plaza. All waitresses were in cute vintage costumes which was fun to look at. Place was quite empty for a Saturday afternoon, in fact I'v never seen downtown Santa Barbara this quiet. I think COVID has taken a toll on all of us. We chose reserved tasting cause they usually taste better in my opinion. Although I am never a fan of wines especially reds. We liked our wines and it was a nice warm afternoon. Wine tasting is always a very enjoyable activity anywhere! read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

A cute tasting room in the heart of Santa Barbara, Au Bon Climat offers a good variety of wines at various price points. The "reserve" tasting is $20 and the "classic" tasting is $15 for five pours. The reserve is focused on reds and the classic is a mix of reds and whites. We arrived toward the end of the day after doing an earlier tasting in Santa Ynez, so there was only one other couple there tasting. The woman helping us wore a mask the whole time and kept us a close watch on when both our glasses were empty to come by and bring us the next pour. Tasting is now done outdoors, with tables set up in front of the tasting room and just to the side. We opted for a table to the side to be a bit further from the street noise. The more expensive (~$50) wines were definitely the ones that I liked the most, with the Isabelle being quite good. Already being the member of two outstanding wine clubs my bar for purchasing wine is quite high, so while I did not buy any bottles here, I did enjoy the experience! read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place came as a recommendation from a few others. We love love Pinot Noirs and they had a beautiful selection. We didn't join the club but we did buy a couple bottles and enjoyed both of their flights. Their Chardonnay was enjoyable (I'm not typically a fan of Chards) and their Gewurtztraminer was delicious, we purchased two bottles of it! Kyle was knowledgeable and explained the wines thoroughly. We look forward to enjoying our wines back in Vegas! read more

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Are you into Pinot Noir? This is the wine tasting for you while in Santa Barbara. I tried this amazing Pinot Noir from Sanford Winery that I would have never discovered unless I came to Au Bon Climat on my trip to SB. Also, the location is conveniently located within the Presidio neighborhood and all it takes is a stroll through the beautiful Mediterranean architecture of El Paseo Plaza to get to six or so other wine tasting locations if you prefer a different type of wine or just want to do a bit of wine hopping. read more

We were in Santa Barbara for the day so we stopped in for a tasting. Au Bon is located in a plaza with several other wine tasting rooms. Our group got the Reserve Flight for $20, which included a Chardonnay and several Pinot Noirs. Our favorite was the 2016 Isabelle Pinot Noir. If you order at least $60 worth of merchandise, the tasting is free. This tasting room has a large community table, a bar area, sitting stools against the window, and a sofa. It is a nice intimate setting where you can converse with friends. There were also dogs there so it is a dog friendly place. read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Au Bon Climat is well known for their more reserved style of winemaking. It's not very common to find this style here in California, but they definitely do it incredibly well. If you're looking for something more fruit-forward, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. At the time of writing, they have two flights to choose from: the classic flight, and the reserve flight. I'd suggest the classic flight if you want to try a variety of styles, and the reserve flight if you came to Santa Barbara for Pinot Noir. I had the reserve flight. Several of the wines completely blew me away. The Chardonnay in particular was absolutely amazing. I'd say they definitely live up to their name. I highly suggest coming to visit this winery if you get the chance, but I'd also suggest doing a bit of homework before coming here so you can fully appreciate it. You get the tasting fee waived with a $60 purchase. I opted not to buy anything as I was traveling and could only carry so many wine bottles. You can find Au Bon Climat almost anywhere. read more

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Friendly, informative, and passionate staff with an outstanding selection of wines. I did both tasting menus and every pour was a delight.

I couldn't be happier leaving a wine club membership than this one! Been a member for a couple years and found that the wine started to lack luster. Still enjoyed the convenience pod the location but then Mike Meluskey decide to reach out to us as the GM and turned us off from this winery forever. We used to visit and bring our friends and clients in but now will make sure everyone gets a better taste of Santa Barbara with people that care. Hope Mike finds an industry that has nothing to do with service and respect after cursing at me and writing rude emails. read more

Great tasting room in Santa Barbara. I was just passing through SB on the way to Solvang and stopped here because I had heard so much about their wines. Parking is a bit of a headache in this area, but it's worth it. We made a reservation but didn't really need one on a weekday afternoon as it wasn't too busy. We sat outside as it was a nice day and they have a nice patio in the front. Our host was very welcoming, attentive, and knowledgeable. We had both the tasting flights side by side. These wines are on the restrained and finesse side ("Burgundian"), which may not be for everyone but we liked most of them. The prices on these bottles are also very reasonable, most are around $30-$40 and the most expensive on the list was $60. The Classic tasting is only $20 and you only have to spend $60 on bottles to cover a tasting. With great service and great wine with great prices, we'll definitely be back here in the future. read more

Juliana had the best wine descriptions ever ! I love having an expert's opinion about the wine versus a regurgitation of what's written on the menu. We always love it at ABC, but today was extra special read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - wine glasses on a table - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We cannot say enough about Cheyenne! Very accommodating! Very knowledgeable! Made us feel comfortable throughout our wine tasting experience read more

This place doesn't even deserve half of one star. There was a lady who I am assuming was the manager or supervisor at the moment who seemed very upset that one of the employees helped out my group because we didn't have a reservation and tried to make it seem like we weren't important enough at that moment and like we were an inconvenience. So we didn't even sit down and went to a better much more vibey friendlier place which so happens to be across the street. Please do not go here. The vibe and atmosphere is not worth it! read more

Decided to duck in and have a last minute tasting here before I left Santa Barbara, and I am so glad that I did. I've been meaning to try their wines for sometime, and I was so pleased. I really liked almost every wine on their reserve flight. My favorite was the 2018 Kick on the Ranch Pinot Noir and surprisingly, the 2018 Hildegarde was surprisingly good considering I'm not as into whites. My least favorite was probably the 2015 Barham Mendelsohn Pinot Noir. The service was also super friendly and helpful. The tasting room itself is really cute, and it reminds me a bit of a library. Maybe sophisticated is a better word than cute as a descriptor. They have tables inside and outside. I sat on the couch inside the tasting room. If you purchase $60 of wine, your tasting is complementary. It's really hard not to want to buy wine once you've done a tasting. There is street parking nearby, or you can park in one of the public lots and walk a short distance. read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - Tasting menu - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

There is indoor and outdoor seating as of June 2021. Only one person was working, which meant slow service as she navigated between multiple groups wine tasting. There were several choices with different price points. My friend and I selected different tastings to allow us to taste the greatest variety of wine. We found most of the tastes high in alcohol without complexity. Overall, not a memorable tasting. It was Sunday and street parking was therefore free. read more

Great wine, fun atmosphere and wonderful service. Elizabeth was a gem! Would definitely recommend a visit on your next trip to Santa Barbara. read more

Super cute tasting room downtown! The staff is amazing and super knowledgeable. The wines are great and the ambience is very inviting. Plus they have great live music sometimes. Highly recommend. read more

This place was a treat while in downtown Santa Barbara because my wife loves Pinot noirs which this place specializes in. We tried the tasting flight which is well priced at 15$ or 20$ and then bought a bottle to go. We recommend this place to all Pinot fans as we will also be coming back in the future read more

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Au Bon Climat is Jim Clendenen's winery in Santa Barbara County. He has a beautiful tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara, just two blocks south of the courthouse. It has a library feel with mission tile floors and floor to ceiling shelves of wine. There is a tasting bar, a communal high top and a sofa. Clendenen's wines cover a broad spectrum. He has many Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs that are a classic fit for this region, but he also does unusual grapes like a dry Gewürztraminer, Tocai Friulano, and Aligote, just to name a few. Clendenen's pourers and staff are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about his wines. They care about what they are pouring. Bonus: they are friendly and kind too. Wine is subjective, and I didn't love everything that I tasted, but I certainly liked it and left with a few bottles (including several that I have not yet tried). The bottles vary from $18 to well over $100, but he has some older vintages as well. There is a lot of parking in the area - public lots and street parking. Because there is a lot of office business in this area, free street parking abounds on Sunday. I would recommend Au Bon Climat's tasting room to anyone who is passionate about wine. It is a great choice! read more

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Had a wonderful time tasting some of Au Bon Climat's wine. The Burgundian style of production on some of their Chardonnays shined brightly. The winery still sources grapes through various points of the Central Valley and even one bottle had grapes from Oregon's Willamette Valley. The people were extremely pleasant and helpful. They even offer to offset a tasting fee with every $60 spent. Hint: take them up on the offer. read more

It's ok. Not so impressed their wines except Chardonnay. Staffs are nice and very friendly for our dogs. read more

Au Bon Climat Winery - Dog friendly and staffs are very nice. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I can't believe we've lived in Santa Barbara for more than 3 years and just finally tried ABC. I guess I've always thought the Paseo tasting rooms were fancy and intimidating and got used to frequenting our favorites in the Funk Zone, but I'm so glad we finally stopped and joined the wine club because they are quickly becoming a favorite. The wines are all interesting and quality but also affordable. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. They rotate the tasting menus frequently so there is always something new (we've been three times in a month and always took something new home). Definitely a must-try in Santa Barbara. read more

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This review is more then a review!! Today without knowing I lost my wallet on the street I was contacted by Nichole an employee at this wine tasting room! As a business owner I often have large sums of cash in my wallet and today was one of those days. I was floored to find out she had found my wallet on the street and wanted to return it to me! Wow!!!! That kind of character and integrity is so rare now a day!! I just feel blessed and wanted to express my gratitude. I will be tasting to Au Bon Climat every chance I get!! Thank you Nichole!!! read more

What a great tasting experience! The wines are excellent, staff is professional and knowledgeable, tasting room is quaint and inviting. We tasted several Pinot Noirs and really loved the Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot and took a couple of bottles home to enjoy. They are located downtown in El Paseo. Easy walk from Funk Zone or train station! We will be back for sure! read more

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So many people recommended this winery and we were very excited to give their wines a try. We shared the Reserve Flight since it was Pinot Noir heavy (and we love our Pinots) and really enjoyed every one we tasted. The main reason for only giving three starts was due to overall tasting experience. First impressions are always so important and we were a bit turned off when we entered the tasting room and were greeted somewhat coldly by the person inside who immediately asked if we had a reservation. Normally I would think much of it as I'm sure most places offer and encourage making tasting reservations ahead of time but we were from out of town and were walking around when we decided to pop in and was taken a little off guard when the first thing we hear was, "do you have a reservation." Almost like we weren't welcome since we didn't have a reservation and only people with reservations get the opportunity to taste these wines. There was also nobody else there! Throughout our tasting, only one other person was present doing a tasting as well...it didn't seem like an early Monday afternoon was a highly trafficked reservation time frame? So maybe if we were greeted in a more welcoming way this would have lead to us having a better tasting experience. We're also not beginners when it comes to wine and this was the only wine club we didn't end up joining that day...we joined 3 others. Overall their wines were great, they just need to improve a little on the customer experience. read more

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What an incredible first wine tasting experience! Dean was fantastic and very knowledgeable about the wines he was serving us. He also knew some fun facts about the Santa Barbara area which was quite fun. The cheese pairings were divine and went with the wine very nicely. The tasting room itself is very nice and well decorated. Overall a very great service and I would recommend! read more

We spent a pleasant afternoon here, sipping the reserve tasting. Their wines are mostly delicious - there was one pinot noir I didn't like, but mostly they were good. Our server was quite courteous and knowledgeable. We ended up buying 6 bottles of wine, but they wouldn't credit us the $20 tasting fee (this is why I docked them a star), even though every other winery does this. Au bon Climat is set in a white washed Mediterranean style building, so nice tasting environment. read more