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    J. Wilkes Wines

    4.4 (155 reviews)
    ModerateWineries

    J. Wilkes Wines Photos

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    Arev M.

    Beautiful place with amazing service. Located in Santa Barbara and has chances to be busy. But no matter how busy it is the servers will handle everything professionally, they are absolutely very kind, friendly and wonderful people. We enjoyed our wines and spend really good time.

    Flight menu - page 1
    Angela C.

    My girl friend and I wanted to enjoy a wine flight so we stopped by this tasting room. It's located on State St. around the corner from our hotel, and is close to the pier. We both tried the Explorer Flight and we both enjoyed it! My favorite was the Pinot Noir, and my friend enjoyed the Cabernet Sauvignon the best. The girl who served us was very nice and well versed in explaining the wines and where they originated.

    first stop on bachey tour
    Marci A.

    Super cutie winery. the staff is the best part. they were so nice and made great recommendations. we made reservations for our bachelorette group. we got hooked up with a nice table in the shade for people watching. the chocolate pairings are must!!! the chocolate is so damn good. im sad I didnt buy any extra to take home. restroom available for customers. inside bar was super cool and picture worthy. very close walk to the beach and cool restaurants. definitely worth a trip for some vino and chocolate

    Cheese/charcuterie board with crackers, fruits, nuts, olives, peppers, etc.
    Vivek D.

    Came here for some wine tasting with my cousins. We decided to have the wine + chocolate flight. This was perhaps the most unique wine tasting experience as the chocolates were appropriately paired with the respective wines. I think the biggest selling to me is the ambiance. During nicer weather, you can easily enjoy sitting outdoors underneath the heating lamps. You can also enjoy sitting indoors on the sofa. We didn't have an issue reserving the sofa because of the long weekend. Additionally, our server was excellent at his job. He explained to us the appropriate pairings while also showing us the proper method of enjoying the wine while devouring the chocolates. We also added a cheese/charcuterie board (vegetarian version!) alongside some garlic toast to fill our appetites while we enjoyed the wine. For me, the red wines took the cake over the white wines. The charcuterie/cheese board was good, although I wish we received more crackers. For 4 people, the crackers were gone pretty fast. Overall, a wonderful experience and I'd come back in the future

    Menu selection (:
    Trish B.

    Came here to enjoy a bit of wine tasting on a Saturday afternoon! We were allowed to come inside early which was super nice of the staff. Our host was Sophia and what I liked about her is she's super engaging and warm-hearted. Sophia makes the customer feel like you've know her before coming and we were all talking like old friends! The wine selection was nice and I would totally come back if in the area! Yelling: Sophia for Manager! She's amazing! (;

    Momma always said...Life's like a box of chocolates
    Lance L.

    Wine Me, Dine Me, Sixty-Nine (dollar bottle of wine) me?? Not at J. Wilkes!! Sure this place might be in the heart of Santa Barbara, but it doesn't mean that you will have to pay the piper just to experience a great little wine tasting room. Located just a hop, skip and a jump from the Santa Barbara pier, J. Wilkes tasting room has a prime spot on Santa Barbara's main drag, State Street. --------------------------------------------- During a visit to S.B. for the day, after lunch at Finney's CraftHouse (located right next door), we decided to see what J. Wilkes was all about. Being that it was a beautiful day in Santa Barbara, we just had to sit outside and enjoy the view. Normally when visiting a new tasting room, my go to is trying out the wine flight, followed by a glass of my favorite wine tasted, but on this particular day a nice glass of red and some chocolate they offer by the box was just what I needed. The menu is is simple, and offers a few reds, a few whites, a few small bites to nibble on and of course chocolate!! They have a few outdoor tables with heat lamps to keep you warm and of course some indoor seating to get a more personal experience with their wine sommeliers. Staff was great; they were knowledgeable, friendly and most of all, welcoming. We will definitely be back and I recommend you bookmarking this place on your yelp to-dos when visiting beautiful Santa Barbara.

    Tres-chic in the tasting room.
    Mike W.

    $25 for a 5 pour White or Red wine flight and $35 for a 6 pour wine & chocolate pairing. Elegant tasting room with street front patio located half a block from the Santa Barbara Pier. We made reservations, but I think we could have been seated as walk-ins. We sat inside in a cozy nook next to the fireplace on a coupe of very comfy couches. There's also a long wine bar with a couple of beautiful chandeliers hanging overhead (my wife absolutely loved them). We were lucky enough to have Hannah pour for us and we shared a white and red tasting. We thought that the wines were well made, but the reds were a little too light bodied for our taste. My mother-in-law did enjoy a glass of the 2020 Late Harvest Viognier, a sweet dessert wine, and we took home a bottle of the 2018 Lagrein, a red varietal that we had never tried until this tasting. I always state in my winery reviews that wine tasting is subjective, but service is not. Hannah was a wonderful hostess, and we enjoyed our visit. We might stop in again to try the wine & chocolate pairing or perhaps after some new releases are available. They also sell cheese and charcuterie boards, as well as several paninis and truffles, but we didn't have a chance to try any snacks on this visit. I would definitely recommend visiting J Wilkes Wines for a nice experience when you're in the area.

    Exterior entrance
    Richie D.

    On this rainy winter day in Santa Barbara, we decided to venture out with another couple to a local winery where none of us had been, J Wilkes. Since it is located right near the wharf and the Funk Zone, it is often slammed busy with tourists. Today was the perfect day to visit--though it was still a full house when we had finished up. We felt bad because there was an inevitable small leak in the ceiling since our beach town isn't normally use to so much precipitation. I attempted to make a Tock reservation but they were "booked." I took them up on the option to join the waitlist. Upon arrival, there were thankful plenty of seats available for us four. Staff was friendly and accommodating to every group that entered. The inside was pleasantly decorated for such a small space. Two of us went with the Explorer flight ($25) and two the Platinum flights ($35 each). Our favorites were the Rosé (semi-dry with nice tropical fruit) and the Zinfandel (we were surprised it was from Paso because it wasn't a fruit or fig bomb). The wines they were pouring could use a bit more time given that they were predominantly 2019-2021 vintages. The staff did mention that the bottles could be laid down for five or so years. Otherwise the remainder of the wines were mediocre for our palates. We found the prices on the steeper side for the quality--yet everyone has their own opinions. All in all, I'd give a 3.5 stars.

    Arlene M.

    I have been a member of other wine clubs in the Santa Barbara area , but the J. Wilkes Wine club on State Street is by far the best!! Not only is the wine exceptional in taste but so is the service! Mickey and Angeline are very knowledgeable about the wines and J Wilkes brand, the J. Wilkes tasting room is beautiful elegant and relaxing! I suggest you try it at least once and you will not be disappointed!

    Brittany W.

    Stopped by this winery as it was recommended to us. The staff is so friendly, the vibe is cool, they have a beautiful tasting room and Wren, who took care of us was exceptional. She was super knowledgeable, personable and just down right sweet. We actually stayed longer due to her good vibes and I joined their wine club!! Highly recommend stopping by! PS try their olive oil! I bought 2 bottles too!

    Wine tasting and charcuterie board

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    11 months ago

    Wren helped us out and she was amazing and funny! Great experience overall, we will definitely be back!

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - J. Wilkes Wines

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    Pali Wine

    Pali Wine

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    I've been wanting to stop in and try Pali Wine for quite some time. We found ourselves in Santa…read moreBarbara on New Year's Eve and we decided to stop in for a glass of bubbly. Taylor and Joe were both so helpful and let us try anything we would like. We bought a beautiful bottle of Pinot Noir from 2021. I follow a girl that is married to the owners daughter and it's been so fun to see the journey of this wine company up until now. They have got a nice selection of natural and regular wines. Some lovely bubbly wines. The entire experience was excellent from start to finish. Don't miss Pali!

    My partner and I recently visited this wine tasting establishment and while the venue itself is…read morebeautiful and the live music created a great atmosphere, our overall experience was unfortunately very disappointing due to poor service and presentation. We had a series of issues from the start. Our assigned waiter was completely inattentive; he ignored our table, failed to check on us, and never brought the cheese board we ordered. We eventually had to flag down another member of the staff just to get any service at all. Even after we caught his attention, our server seemed aware of us but made no effort to approach or assist. Additionally, the wait time for our wine flights was excessively long. When the cheese board finally arrived, I was shocked to find that all three cheeses were served still inside their original plastic wrappers--not even sliced. To make matters worse, we were provided with plastic knives to cut the cheese ourselves, which was incredibly difficult and frustrating. I have never encountered a cheese board served this way at any establishment. I really wanted to enjoy this visit, and I want to give credit to the other waitresses who were working that day--they were great and were the only saving grace of the experience. However, the lack of basic service and the bizarre presentation of the food made this a trip I wouldn't recommend

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    Margerum Wine

    Margerum Wine

    4.3
    (242 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    This really is the perfect place for both wine AND food…read more So far we've been in a couple times sitting in the bar area and also out on their comfy patio space. Our servers Alex and Kayla were exceptional at both suggesting some delicious lunch items, and also giving a rundown on their different wine tastings. They gave us some helpful information on the assorted varietals and vintages as well. We went in specifically for their M5 and Riviera Rose, but discovered their extensive selection of other varietals and vintages. Came away with some new favorites: Sauvignon Blanc, Trois Blondes (a delicious white blend), Viognier, Mourvedre, and Estate Syrah. Perfect that they open at noon for lunch. We paired our wines with their Santa Barbara Smokehouse Salmon, Smoked Duck and Arugula Salad, Chicken Pesto Sandwich, and Sausage Mushroom & Carmelized Onion Pizza. Still so much on their menu to enjoy.

    I'm giving this place 3 stars because of the efforts of one server to keep things afloat outside…read more When we arrived, another large party had just left outside and she immediately cleaned one of their tables so we could sit. It was chilly so she tried to light the heat lamp at my request but both that one and the replacement did not work. The replacement actually had the propane disconnected so I assume someone knew that tank needed to be changed out but didn't do it. The other tables from the large party were full of wine glasses and a half eaten pizza. Those sat there for over an hour, and we watched several groups of people come but leave without being seated because no server was available yo seat them and the only open table hadn't been cleared. When it was finally cleared, one guest at a near by table commented that the pizza shouldn't go to waste. The girl who cleared the table initially carried it inside but came right back out with it and served it to that guest whose kid ate it. I'm all for not wasting food and if the guest had gotten up and grabbed the pizza himself, that would be one thing... but to serve old food that had been sitting out for a long time to a guest is a no no for a business. We otherwise enjoyed most of the wines in our tasting flight. Would've given 5 stars if service had been more timely, tables cleared and old food not served up.

    Photos
    Glass of Mourvèdre on a Thursday. Perfect.
    Glass of Mourvèdre on a Thursday. Perfect.
    Deliciously comfortable tasting room and Staff.
    Deliciously comfortable tasting room and Staff.
    Thank you Chef David for the perfect pairing.

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    Thank you Chef David for the perfect pairing.

    J. Wilkes Wines - wineries - Updated July 2026

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