We had such a good time here for movie night! Bob was a delight. We knew we wanted a bottle to…read moreshare between the two of us for the movie, and after asking us a few questions, he picked the perfect one. We were sold immediately! We watched Under the Tuscan Sun and it gave us all the feels. We will definitely be back to do a proper tasting and check out the estate and cafe once it's fully open. Pro-Tip: They have a pizza vendor on site, but they ran out by the time we got there at 6:00 PM. Definitely get there earlier and order sooner rather than later!

Wonderful low key Sunday afternoon here. Sampled the flight and enjoyed many of the wines…read more I'd say this is a great place for a more mature audience vs the vibe at other local wineries with bachelorette parties and/or lots of young kids running around. There are options for small bites here or bring your own. New cafe coming soon and lots of summer events. Learned a ton from chatting with the owner Lynn. They certainly pour their entire heart and soul into this property and the wines. The folks here aren't employees, they are family. It feels intimate and real which is so refreshing.

What a nice find for us! A short drive from San Diego Wild Animal Park led us here after we visited…read morethe park. We were greeted by their friendly servers who sat us out on their patio. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the view. From the patio you can see the big balloon at the Wild Animal Park floating up and down. We decided to have a glass of red. Our friendly servers were so helpful, offering us tastes of their wines to help us decide which one we would get. Tough choices because they were all very good! A very nice vibe here. They are only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Oh, what a find... Little boutique vineyard, tucked in in the outskirts of San Diego, with world…read moreclass Wines. Award winning winemaking - a variety of vines and techniques, resulting to a divine experience of flavors and smells. I had the privilege of visiting with local friends (yes, those in the know) and I am enchanted. We were greeted with grace and enthusiasm, seated at a high table with a unique vista of the vines, and welcomed while resting our eyes in the views and blue skies surrounding the winery. If you are a wine connoisseur and not know this vineyard... your great loss. I'll be back!

I just got back from an afternoon at the Forgotten Barrel Winery. What an amazing time we had. No…read moreonly so they have a wide choice of wines to choose from, by the glass and by the bottle, but the prices are reasonable. They also offer tasting menus, so you get healthy pours of different wines to try. They also offer some premade food for sale, charcuteries, hummus, crackers, cheeses. Plus there's a food truck that sells amazing burgers starting at 3. While we were there, there was live music being played in the Central courtyard. Guests could sit on their provided seating under a large shaded tree and some had their small dogs with them on leash. Because we were a medium size group and had made a reservation, we were placed in a separate room with plenty of inside and outside covered seating. The winemaker even gave us a tour of the facilities. Showing is the process from the grapes, to the hopper and ending with the barrels where they age. It's definitely worth driving out to visit this beautiful winery in Escondido.

A friend was having a gathering here recently and invited us to join. I have been hearing about…read moreForgotten Barrel for a few years now, but I assumed it was pretty far out there in Escondido. I was wrong. It's not far off the 15 freeway in a small unassuming neighborhood. If you didn't know it was there you would never discover it. We arrived and took the last spot in the front parking lot. There is another parking lot, it seems like there's plenty of parking around. We found our party in a courtyard next to the tasting room. There was plenty of seating and tables for everyone, and it was sectioned off from the rest (if you need a private area). We went in the tasting room and tasted several wines before deciding. The staff were friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about their wines. After we got our wine, we decided to walk the property. It's a very quaint, unique piece of property with old buildings and new ones made to look old (bathrooms). You can walk through the vineyards and there are various areas where you could have parties. There is a barn, which is beautifully decorated and lit inside. It would be perfect for a wedding reception or any other type of party. There are several areas where you could put multiple groups of people or use the whole facility for a giant party. When we were there, there was live music. The band was really good and we enjoyed sitting under the umbrellas and trees while listening. There was also a pizza food truck whilst we were there. I ordered a pepperoni pizza and they delivered it to where we were sitting. I shared it and we all enjoyed a slice. I can't believe I didn't know this existed here before, but I'm so glad to have discovered it. I will definitely come back and bring friends. It's just the perfect little spot to spend some time. Maybe listen to some music, eat some food and drink some wine.

During the pandemic, I was really lucky to find this black woman owned wine and beer tasting room…read morein North Inland...surprisingly downtown Escondido. I've been a repeat customer since then. It's an immaculate chic spot to sip & unwind...sip & conversate...sip & dance. I especially love the wine tastings and dj nights. I always have a fun time! So be ready to enjoy yourself!! Just sip & be merry!!! There is a great variety of choices so let your palate decide. For the port wine lovers out there, this is the place to come to. Cassandra, the owner, has a nice collection. Importantly, the service is absolutely fantastic. And, I don't want to forget the yummy charcuterie board that's available to satisfy your food appetite. FYI - Follow on social media to find out about events and promotions.

I came here with some friends, and they had a free tasting event featuring some wines from Northern…read moreCalifornia. The staff was super friendly and sweet. The wines were quite good. I loved the vibe, the art and the wine, so I'll be back.

Espinosa Vineyards was a fantastic way to spend our afternoon after a busy day at the San Diego…read moreSafari Park. Between great service, plenty of parking, and delicious wine, I would happily stop by again! We also enjoyed a thoughtfully-crafted charcuterie board.

4 out of 5 for the location - the space while smaller than other wineries nearby, is beautifully…read morelandscaped and has nearly a dozen different small seating areas. You're welcome to bring your own food, and on Sundays they offer paella. 3 out of 5 for the service - the friendliness and warmth of the interaction seems to vary per customer. Tasting - 5 varieties; starts with their Albarino, then Rosado, followed by Garnacha, Vin Rouge (Bordeaux blend), and ends with their Tinto (Riga blerd). They'll give you a pour at the counter and you return for the next glass whenever you're ready. Overall a nice place to spend a short while with great company.

Awesome activities and wine! Went with a squad of 15 friends. They had massive tables that easily…read moreaccommodated all of us. The guys enjoyed playing corn hole while we drank, chatted, and took pictures. Clean bathrooms and great views. Service was okay. Was fortunate to go with members and really enjoyed their white wine.

I've come here a couple times with my family, and it had always been a pleasant experience up to…read morethe most recent one. Views here are breathtaking, and the wine is wonderful as ever. I got here at 7:15 pm with the intention of leaving at 8:00 pm as I understand that's their closing time. Server told us they closed at 8pm, but patrons could stay up to 8:30pm. She stated she doesn't understand why "sunset is advertised online" when they are closed during summer sunset time. She seemed a bit annoyed at us, which I understood as closing time was happening soon. We left before other patrons did, prior to 8:30pm. I had no issue with that, my issue was with the way she spoke to my partner. As we were closing out she said we could not get a new glass, but could get topped off. My boyfriend asked if she could top off his glass, and she said something along the lines of "look at you using a new vocab word, you were paying attention to what I said". I'm not one who gets offended easily, but that comment came across as patronizing to me. Perhaps that wasn't her intention, but it was how it was perceived. Such a shame. I'd love to continue coming back, I just hope future interactions are more welcoming.

What a cute little winery! The outdoor space is spacious, dog-friendly, and absolutely beautiful…read morewith the castle backdrop. As for the wine, the flights were limited to just a choice of all-white or all-red. I got the red flight and was hoping for some bolder flavors, but perhaps they are better known for their whites? The ladies I was with said they really enjoyed the white wines!

We stopped by Belle Marie Winery an hour before close on a Tuesday. Located right off of Champagne…read moreBlvd. (I kid you not) in Escondido, this is one of many wineries in the area. We easily found parking in their complimentary lot. Ambiance (4.5/5): This is one of the things that make wineries great... the scenic views. While they have a tasting room inside, your best option is to sit outside on the small yet charming patio. The best part is that you'll enjoy the mountains in the background as you sip on your vino. Service (4.5/5): We ordered a bottle of wine about 10 minutes before close. One of the owners was nice enough to allow us to stay outside on the patio way past closing time. He said we could stay as long as we wanted. That's the type of service you rarely see at drinking holes these days. Food (N/A): They had various snacks to purchase and you can also add chocolates with wine flights but we were on a liquid diet. Drinks (4/5): If you're interested in doing a wine tasting, they have both a red and white option. The prices are affordable (especially by California standards) for both flights and if you'd like to purchase bottles of wine for enjoying there or to take home. I did the red flight. They serve it to you on a cutting board of sorts with a piece of paper giving you a short description of each wine. From there, we had a bottle of sauvignon blanc. I didn't take any wine home, but you can get a discount if you buy in bulk. One last thing that made Belle Marie an awesome winery is that it was one of the few open on a Tuesday in the area. A lot of them are open on the weekends only or Wednesday-Sunday or Thursday-Sunday. Belle Marie delivered on the only day we could stop by. For that, I'm grateful!

Amazing family-run winery with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We did the 5-wine tasting and loved…read moreevery pour. The wines were delicious, thoughtfully selected, and very reasonably priced. The house golden retriever was an added bonus and made the experience even more memorable. Great service, great wine, and a relaxed vibe that makes you want to stay awhile. We'll definitely be back!

This is a wonderful winery in the Highland Valley wine area. My husband and I discovered them a…read morecouple of years ago by accident while looking for a different winery (there are 9 wineries in the Highland Valley wine Region). It's a very laidback, super relaxing winery that is in definite contrast to a few of the bigger more boisterous places in the area. Ron and Kelly are warm and welcoming, and very knowledgeable about wine. Their property has lots of tables and chairs outside with a decent amount of shade, which for me is a must, because my Irish skin cannot tolerate the San Diego sun. They are also very dog friendly, and usually have their own dog, Jade, acting a "greeter" when you arrive. How is the wine? Very well-thought out. I've never had less than an excellent glass of their wine every time we visit. My husband and I never leave without at least one bottle every time we visit. They are definitely worth the long and windy drive to find them.