WINE - 2015 Gewurztraminer = fresh, clear, lychee flavor. Great with Thai. 5/5 - 2015 Sauvignon Blanc Barrel Select = fresh, zesty, green melon. 4/5 - 2015 Reserve Pinot Noir = cherry cola, vanilla, spice finish. 3/5 - 2013 Syrah Clone 174 = meaty, clove, toasted coconut. 3/5 - 2014 Petit Verdot = lingering gentle tannins, dark fruit, slight spice. Pair well with walnut. 4/5 - Proximity = low tannins, variety of fruity flavors, punch-like blend. 3/5 TOUR Free, quick tour but you don't walk through the vines. OVERALL These wines were pretty generic. The real stand out was the Gewurztraminer because it was very unique. read more

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I had a very fun time at the wine tasting at Firestone Vineyard this weekend. We arrived early, and the wine tasting area was all set up. We were a very large group and the staff there was very accommodating towards us. The wine tasting was very informative, we even had a few extra selections added to the list for us to taste. I really have to say I loved their red wines. After the wine tasting, we brought our own food and snacks. Since our group was so big, they let us have our own room off to the side to eat our food. Someone in our group bought a bottle of wine for us to share while we ate. I left there buying my own bottle of white wine, and a sparkly t-shirt from their gift shop. The grounds there are just beautiful. There are outside tables where you can sit and enjoy the lovely view of the vineyards. read more

Firestone Vineyard - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

Really really pretty vineyard. We came here around 2:30 on a Friday and went on a tour at 3. The tour was about 45 minutes and really interesting and informative. They showed us where they crushed the grapes and explained the difference between the various types of barrels. The estate is gorgeous with rows of grapes, lots of trees, and pretty friendly service. I think the tasting was around $12 for 6 pours, 2 or 3 white and the rest were red. It was a big room with a beautiful view outside. I think we kept the glasses as well. read more

We stopped here simply because of its connection to Sideways, doing the whole nerd thing. The grounds are beautiful with rolling hills, and the building is nice and warmly comforting. None of us purchased any wine here, as while we didn't hate any of the wines, none stood out as "oh... we have to get a bottle of this..." Our pourer was very nice and attentive, but we weren't able to see the barrel room due to her being the only one there at the time. Visit for the nostalgia, but feel free to skip if you are into better wines. read more

Cute vineyard. We went here to celebrate my sister's birthday and it was nicer than expected. It is dog friendly (dogs can pretty much roam all of the grounds that you can go to). Also saw lots of families with kids and the kids seemed to have a blast. There's a big grassy area with tic tac toe and cornhole that the kids can run around and play. Patrons are also all pretty friendly. Overall great vibe and delicious wines! They also have plenty of tables (shaded) so you can bring some food and get a bottle or two and have a picnic. read more

A little Napa just a short but beautiful drive from Ventura County. This Is why I love California, particularly Ventura County. We have L.A. and all its excess to the south, we have the small towns in between, and great coastal cities like Ventura and Oxnard. When you want to get out of town without driving a country mile all you have to do is head north, SB, or in my case Santa Ynez Valley. We took a leisurely drive through the back country between Goleta and Lake Cachuma. We ended up at the Firestone Family Vineyard off Zaca station Road. The tasting room was big and the staff was very friendly, no pretentious wine snobs here. We had 7 tastings for $10, plus you get to keep the glass. They also have pretzels with several dipping sauces about the room. Our server was a nice kid named Micah who was a very nice and helpful. It was a little crowded so we had to squeeze in at the several bars along the perimeter, the bar in the back overlooks the valley with a lovely view of the Firestone home. There are tours at 11:15, 1:15, 2:15 and 3:15. The tour was short but sweet- with some insightful information, and a walk through the barrel room. Note: the Winery was sold recently to a local business man, who we are told will retain things as they are at Firestone. Why the family sold I do not know. read more

Firestone Vineyard - In the tasting room! - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

$25.00 per person; no sign that tells you that anywhere! Wine was subpar not impressed and I always use to love them! They were out of anything I liked and I've never paid for wine tasting in my life so no money left for wine or goodie's when we left! I wouldn't pay $25.00 for any glass of wine which is what they said we received total which we didn't! Staff was very nice service very good but not worth the price sorry and I used to love them, no more only liquor stores purchase from now on. read more

We took a tour at Firestone Vineyard this morning before leaving our trip to Solvang. Debbie gave us the tour. She was knowledgeable and answered my 9 year old daughter's questions about winemaking :) They allow kids on the tour. We did a 10.00 tasting of 6 wines and ended up purchasing the reisling and the 2012 cabernet sov. Both were at reasonable prices. The grounds are beautiful and it would be nice to take a picnic there. read more

Firestone Vineyard - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

This was my first stop on my Our own Sort of Sideways Tour and I have to admit this winery has the money to splurge in a nice way...Old Money in this place for sure. Right as you walk in the small landscape area with a few picnic area and the walkway is really tranquil and calm, a place you can have a nice bottle of wine and lunch with family and friends... Once inside the place is full of dark stained wood and a small gift shop and two large counters where to host large groups of wine tasters or small group as well. The place is busy that is for sure, room for everyone... Tried the following wine & my quick take on them: 2009 Sauvignon Blanc - Great Taste 2007 Cabernet Franc - Very Dry 2008 Riesling - Sweet of course, but just right 2005 Late Harvest Riesling - Very Sweet even for me...still nice 2006 Syrah - Enjoyable to take a bottle or two home 2007 Syrah, Clone 174 - OK, was not as good as the Syrah 2006 Ambassador Cabernet - Way too dry for my taste buds. After the wine tasting session took their winery tour, it was quick and to the point from the grapevines to how the whole process is and ended up in a private room once used by the Owners of Firestone, or at least that is what I took from it...Nice little tour for sure to compliment there winery. So if you have a chance or are driving by, take a look for yourself and enjoy a sip or bottle... read more

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Firestone vineyard is one of the best! I will definitely drive all the way out here for more and more. I came for the first time on a wine tour. We got a tour of the whole property and got to see how the wine is processed and made. After that I was hooked I haven't gone in a while so I'm long over due. The membership is great too I would definitely ask someone to explain it to you. It's a great deal if your a wine lover! Unfortunately I had to move my membership to somewhere closer to home. But it's the same membership and I'm always choosing firestone wine. read more

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I hadn't been to the Firestone winery in Santa Ynez for a dozen years or more. Back then they were a mainstay on the Santa Barbara/Santa Ynez wine trail but the quality of the wines began to wane and with the emergence of the boutique winery scene in Los Olivos and the nearby Santa Rita hills, Firestone became associated more with the bridal party limo scene than more serious wine tasting destinations. Fortunately for the Firestone family, they had a back-up plan called the Firestone Walker brewery, and today the family's fortunes lay with one of the best (and best run breweries in the country, but I digress :-). So back to the winery, enter Bill Foley, mega-millionaire financier who scooped up Firestone's Santa Ynez property and added it to his extensive portfolio of wineries which include, Chalk Hill, Kuleto, Merus & Roth up north, and Lincourt and the eponymous Foley Estates down here. And, if that's not enough, at least a dozen other wineries across the world. What that meant for the Firestone property was a serious uptick in the quality of their product . The tasting room itself still has a bit of a "70's" feel with a lot of dark wood and track lighting but the wines themselves have evolved into some of the best Bordeaux varietals produced in the Santa Ynez Valley. Let's start with the Sauv.Blanc. Better than most simply because these guys actually age theirs in barrels for a year or so giving a richer flavor and more full mouthfeel than the typical super-bright and sometimes flinty offerings that abound in the valley and elsewhere. The Chardonnay is a bit bigger and richer than a lot of others in the region but not as over-the-top as you get form Napa/Sonoma. Still, it's a winner with nice balance and good varietal flavor. On the red side the Chairman's Series Merlot is solid but not overly inspiring which is fine because the top of the line-up comes once you hit the Proximity series which shows up in a Cab Based red blend as well as straight Cabernet Sauvignon version. Both are excellent but the straight cab seems just a bit better overall. Classic Cabernet flavors and textures that are few and far between south of the Napa/Sonoma regions and nearly non existent from Paso on down. Another less surprising hit was lone Rhone offering, their reserve Syrah. A very, very nice Syrah with earthy and smoky flavors, it's warm climate Syrah territory over there in the Santa Ynez Valley so it's no surprise these folks nailed it on this one. Bottom line is it's worth your while to hop on over to the Firestone vineyard tasting room, you'll get treated to some of the better Bordeaux varietals being produced on the central cost these days, though you may still have to dodge bridal party's and wine tour vans. Maybe pick a weekday visit :-)' read more

Beautiful winery with great service. I was a little surprised that we were tasting wines from "sister" Foley wineries and not necessarily just Firestone. That being said, they were all good! Very worth a visit. read more

So far this winery was our best 2! Nice red wines and we bought couple of them. The guy who served us was nice enough but I guess he is kinda new for doing wine tasting so a bit of lack of knowledge. We still enjoyed it. read more

Nice view of huge vineyard. Pretty tasting room. Good service. And always a shelf full of gourmet chocolate. Great wines, with no stinkers. Best wines on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail comes from the same people who pioneered mass tire production. They're wheely good. read more

Firestone Vineyard - The best way to use Snoop Dogg chocolate? For drizzle. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

One of the best wineries we visited all day! The property is gorgeous, and wines were delicious. $10 for the tasting, which includes the logo glass. Our tasting list (we visited on 12/5/08): 2007 Sauv Blanc Estate, 2006 Chardonnay, 2007 Gewurztraminer, 2005 Estate Syrah, 2005 Cab Sauv, and the 2003 Merlot Reserve. My favorite was the Gewurztraminer -- have a bottle chilling in the fridge as I type. :) Aside from their wine, they also have lots of other tasty goodies ... the Merlot Hazelnut Fudge sauce, for example, is phenomenal!! I was also impressed by their staff. Our wine tasting host was nice -- kinda quiet, but definitely knew her stuff and gave lots of good info on all the wines. Also, right when we came in we were greeted by one of the men at the front counter.. he directed us to the wine tasting bar, and also said that because they pretty slow that morning, we could do a tour of the grounds whenever we wanted (we got there right when the 11:15 tour was scheduled for, but wanted to taste first). We didn't end up taking the tour because of time constraints, but if I went back I definitely would! read more

Outstanding Winery (5 stars) Must be my 4th or 5th visit, maybe more. I keep coming back for the wine. Delicious Cabernet Nice Merlot Delicate rose Robust Malbec Beautiful grounds and nice and friendly service Definitely worth coming back. read more

Firestone Vineyard - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

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When my group arrived we were very off put by the tone of the waitress. We felt like she did not want us to be there even though we had a reservation. Our server, Julian, was good and he was the one bright spot. Their choices for wine by the glass were slim and although the bottle we ordered for the table was delicious, I was disappointed in their selection. The real kicker was the charcuterie board. It cost $17 and came with 7 or 8 pieces of assorted salami and pepperoni. There were 2 different pieces of one cheese and 3 slices of another. It was no where near enough for all 5 of us to really be able to dig in and enjoy cheese and other snacks with our wine. Final Verdict- I will not come back here! read more

I was a little skeptical of this winery at first, but I was pleasantly surprised. It ended up being one of my favorites on the trip and also where we bought the most wine. Our favorites were the 2006 Riesling and the 2007 Gewurztraminer. The tasting room is beautiful. We didn't have time for a tour, but I hear it is good. read more

The free tour was great. We learned a lot about the wine making process and and history of the Firestone family. The $15 (upgrade from the $10) tasting was pretty good as well. Wish the server could have been more attentive, but overall it was a good experience. read more

Really good wine. Great atmosphere. Patio area is a nice shaded enclosed area. A couple was looking at it as a wedding venue when I was walking around. Staff is friendly. They have some fun items for sale. read more

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Vineyard #3 Firestone was definitely the most beautiful vineyard I've seen. This wooden behemoth certainly looks like the product of a billion dollar tire empire. There is a beautiful grassy area with picnic tables which we took advantage of and there are even grape vines lining the parking lot, just for effect. It also has gooood wine. You almost can't go wrong. Except for the Merlot. That was pretty awful... One highlight of this vineyard, besides the great picnic tables is the free tour offered 3 or so times a day. It's fun to learn about wine making up close, from vine to barrel to bottle and to learn a bit about the famously rich Firestone family too. Our tour guide wasn't so good with words ("fermentating?") but hey, it was free and still educational. The barrel room is especially interesting/beautiful and is apparently a popular wedding venue. I can definitely see it. They also have an extensive wine menu. The tasting menu features 9 strong wines on its own ($10 + signature glass) and there are about eight additional wines available to supplement it. On the supplemental menu, try the late harvest Riesling for a sweet dessert treat and the cab sauvignon (not the $50 one) which was a great cab that we bought to accompany our outdoor picnic. The tasting room was made of dark wood and had a very large bar with plenty of pourers and plenty of room, even though it was a bit crowded that day. The wine bottles, wine paraphernalia, and Firestone Vineyard merchandise were spread around the room in just the right quantity and arrangement. One sort of odd thing was that the pourers were these distracted twenty-somethings who barely looked old enough to be drinking wine, much less educating me on it. The whole thing felt a little rushed. As soon as they saw our empty glass they poured, gave a couple second spiel, and disappeared. They were nice enough when I could get their attention though. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Firestone Vineyard - Wine making machinery. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

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I decided to go to Firestone winery for three reasons. First - free tours, second - free tasting as a Foley club member, Third - hoping to run into Andrew Firestone from The Bachelor. Well I'm happy to say I got to do three out of three! (The photo of Andrew counts, right?) The tour was pretty interesting. I got to touch an actually cork tree, which is the only thing you get to touch. Our guide kept saying over and over how you can't touch anything. We saw some grapes and learned about the growing process, then went into the barrel room and learned about the fermentation process. We then ended the tour in the tasting room. The wines were okay. I am use to big, bold Napa wines, so the only one that really appealed to me was the Ambassdor Meritage. It was a good thing I got the member price because I definitely would not have paid $60 for it. read more

Firestone Vineyard - Tour highlights - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

We had a blast up here. We're not too far away from Orange County, but the distance is just enough to make you feel like you really got away from your home. We had a chance to walk through the vineyards and taste some of their famous pinot. Brought a couple back for the wine cabinet to save for a friend's night. Really enjoyed the weather and the nighttime ambience the oak barrels and grapes provided. Really a great spot to get away and host a great night of adventure. read more

This place is overall pretty so-so, but has its good points. I liked the outdoor tables for sitting and enjoying your tastes in the sun, and I liked that they had a little grocery area where you can buy cheese and crackers for your own little picnic (though bringing your own would be even better). I didn't like that they were going to charge extra for their cheap-ass glasses -- which we ended up drunkenly "borrowing" anyway. I didn't really like the dark tasting area, and I also didn't end up really liking any of the wines. But if you're just going for the experience of having fun with friends and enjoying a pretty outdoor setting then it's just fine. I wouldn't race back there but I wouldn't tell people not to go. read more

Firestone Vineyard - So I enjoyed the brie more than the wine, but I'm not complaining about the meal overall :-) - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

As part of our Central Coast winery trip, my husband and I stopped here based on good reviews and hearsay. I was glad we did! The ambiance is very warm and inviting, and the wine is good and cheap. They offer tasty snacks to pair with your wine tasting. This place seems a lot more commercialized than a lot of the other wineries in this area, but that didn't stop me from enjoying myself! Mostly I loved the cheapness, and their dry riesling! read more

Firestone Vineyard - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

My husband and I visited here few years ago and we were back as it was a part of our wine tasting tour with the Cloud Climbers. We had an option to do reserved selection (available only from the estate) and their regular selection - and took advantage of both between the two of us. I was very impressed by their 2011 Gewurztraminer - got a bottle of this to take home! It's a good summer wine, nice and crisp, not too sweet, very refreshing wine. I'm looking forward it enjoying it very soon! The ambiance of this winery is very nice. They have a small picnic place out on the front green (could get a little busy since foot traffic from the parking to the tasting room goes right through it). I was told by a staff there that old rustic doors in the tasting room were actually salvaged from an old English church that was scheduled to be demolished so it's the real deal! Metal work on the doors are absolutely beautiful. They have a little history room and the winery does conduct tour at scheduled times. I didn't do the tour this time but I remember the tour to be informative from my last visit. read more

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We love this vineyard, but what drove me to write this review was your employee Tommy. He was exceptional and we felt like VIPs having him. Love the wines and the service! Thank you! read more

Great setting with two large wine tasting bars. This is an awesome stop for large groups tasting in Los Olivos. I decided not to taste, but my wife really enjoyed the Ambassador wines. They are being discontinued, so she was able to get 2 bottles for $90, which was about a $30 savings. Aside from the pricey reserve and library wines, they have some great affordable bottles of red and white. This winery is no longer owned by the Firestone Family and is instead owned by Foley. read more

Firestone Vineyard - One of the 2 tasting bars - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

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We love Firestone, its a romantic feel and we never leave empty handed! Being members we usually do our tasting in the back room which is nice because you can sit and have some snacks while relaxing and tasting wine :) We love visiting so much that we even got engaged here, great scenery :) read more

Firestone Vineyard - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Los Olivos, California

We stopped to do a wine tasting on our way up the coast. When we arrived the tasting room was busy and they were under-staffed. They were apologetic and comped my tasting because we had to wait. I thought that was great on their part. The wines were great and we ended up buying a bottle of their cab. read more

I came here on Labor Day, Sept 1 2014 with my mom. My overall experience was amazing! This place has a nice and quite big wine tasting room -- looks like a bar with gift store. Not to mention, there a side of the wine tasting room that's over-looking the vineyards. BEAUTIFUL & STUNNING. There's an area outside where customers can sit down & even have a little picnic. Favorite wine was the limited version of Merlot (hence the $40 retail value/bottle) and Riesling! Our bartender/server was Dawn. She was very nice an kind eventhough she was so busy with other customers. She then privately took us to the wine vaults and took a bunch of pictures. I would definitely come back!!! Perhaps bringing a group of girlfriends next time and go on the wine tour that they offer! read more

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This is a great winery and must visit on your wine tour, I completely fell in love with their Malbec it was completely delicious. Angela the wine attendant was great very knowledgeable about her brand. We walked away with a bottle to enjoy for later and we'll be going back soon. Thank you, see you soon..... read more

Wine Tasting- ***** 5 stars - very good, especially the Reisling and the Pinot Hard sell on the Wine Membership - ***3 stars - I appreciate the offer. I just don't appreciate getting it 3 times Server with the Long blond hair at the back bar at around 3pm on March 11th with the extremely snooty and pissy attitude * 1 star. If you are going to have a bad day, don't take it out on your customers. We were there for my birthday party and you put a sour note on everyone's day Photo at the Cellar **** 5 stars - Nice touch and great to see the operations in the back! read more

We just had a great tasting experience at Firestone. Kelly was our server and was terrific! Wines are very good and they have a wide selection of varietals. Beautiful location! read more

Great experience and will go back. Nice place to be for drinks and just hanging out with friends.

After a failed attempt at spending a morning wandering through shops and whatnot in the town of Santa Ynez, we wanted some wine. Yes, there are wineries far closer to the town than this one, however, it was early and nothing was open - thanks to yelp we discovered that Firestone opened approximately 30 minutes before anyone else. Thank goodness! Off we went. The wine was better than expected, admittedly because I'm not a fan of most of their offerings in the grocery store. There was one specialty cab that had a high price point, and well, it was 100% worth that price. It may have been the best of that varietal I've ever had. And that's saying a lot because I drink more wine than Jesus' friends. It's kind of out there in the middle of no where, but if you're looking to have an early start to your wine drinking day, or just want to say you were at the vineyard once owned by the guy from the Bachelor, it's not a bad trip. read more

This is my favorite winery in Los Olivos! They are one of the largest wineries in the area, and have the most to offer and really great service. The wine tasting costs $10, which typically includes about 6 tastings, and they let you keep the logo Riedel wine glass. The Good: - Firestone has a lot of bar space for wine tastings - Free winery tour - Oyster crackers for clearing your palate - Pretzel sticks & dips like cabernet chocolate, double barrel ale mustard, cabernet balsamic vinegar, etc. (I get hungry easily, so this is definitely a plus!) - Great wine servers! They are friendly, helpful and very informative. Our last server was Dante, and he was very receptive to what we liked and didn't like. So, he recommended other wines and let us sample wines that weren't on the typical tasting menu. We definitely got more than the standard number of tastings. ^^ - They never make you feel like a wine noob. - Nice mellow wines. They have something for everyone. Let them know what kind of wine you like, and they might let you taste something that isn't on the tasting menu. - Beautiful vineyard & scenery. The not-so-good: - Can get busy and crowded. - Sometimes you're having a good time in the tasting room that you miss the winery tour. - Last winery tour is at 3:45pm. They used to let you bring your wine glass to Curtis (their old sister winery down the road) for free wine tasting there. But that stopped around September 2007. You can ask still and see if they let you. Cheers!! read more

Last year I came by this winery and had a pretty good time. The price for a tasting was $10 and that included the glass. The guy helping us was super friendly and knowledgeable too. So we were eager to go back again...we did so a couple of weeks ago. And the whole experience was just not the same. Place was way crowded, the price no longer covered the free glass and the wines weren't as good. Oh and the person helping us was not very engaging or friendly. So this place has been downgraded on my winery scale...I'll definitely not make it a priority on my future wine tasting adventures up in Los Olivos. read more

Raised up on a hill, Firestone is a nice, scenic change from most other tasting rooms in Santa Ynez. The tasting room has big windows, the courtyard looks perfect for a small wedding, heck, even the parking lot has a great view! In the Tasting Room... $10 for White AND Red Tasting $15 for Reds Only +$2 if you want to keep the glass. The tasting room has a great layout, almost circular but with lots of shorter bar sections, good for 4-6 people each, so you can feel separate from other groups but also part of them (does that make sense?!). Much more comfortable than big long straight bars. The employees can jump in and around to pour the next taste, although it looks like they each have their own assigned section. Our gal was super friendly and very talkative and helpful, which made for an easy, relaxed tasting. read more

I went here two years ago with a bunch of friends. Firestone Vineyards offers free tours of their facility, where the tour guide explains and shows you the process of wine making. It is only $10 for the wine tasting, and you get to keep the wine glass! You get to taste over 10 types of different wines. The vineyards are amazing and breathtaking to look at. It is definitely a breath of fresh air. Do bring a camera to take pictures! :) There is a sister vineyard of Firestone's just down the street. I forgot what it is called, but when you're there you can ask. You can bring the Firestone wine glass you got over to that sister location, and get tastings without paying additional fees. read more