Fun fact: this is the second‑oldest winery in San Diego, and you can feel that history the moment you arrive. It has this warm, rustic, family‑owned charm -- the kind of place that feels like you're hanging out in someone's backyard rather than at a commercial winery. The owners were incredibly friendly and made us feel like longtime friends. The wine selection is on the smaller side, but that actually fits the vibe -- simple, honest, very them, and totally down‑to‑earth. I love that you can grab a glass and sit wherever you like. The back patio is beautiful: breezy, shaded, and surrounded by nature. Prices were great too. It was a warm day, and the owner recommended the rosé -- great choice. Light, refreshing, and perfect for the weather. Nothing overly fancy or grand here, and honestly that's what makes it special. A sweet, relaxed Julian spot with heart, history, and genuinely kind people. read more

Menghini Winery - Wineries Near Me - Julian, California

We were directed to have our picnic at the Menghini Winery, the first winery in Julian. It is quite an eclectic place, with a variety of furniture and lamps and vintage decor inside and out. The building itself is fairly plain from the outside, but inside is so interesting and they have a very large grassy area and deck space to enjoy wine and a picnic lunch. We got a bottle of the Cabernet Sauvignon and it was delicious and hit the spot on a hot summer day. We enjoyed the outdoor space and the hospitality of the staff. read more

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i've been to this winery driving up with my partner but also with the Jeep club. I love the chill atmosphere the wine with its eclectic bent. They were so nice to let me exercise Kain in the back of the field to let him run he had been kind of cooped up on a leash with the Jeep club birthday celebration. He needed to run it out a little bit so I threw the ball and he chased it. Very comfortable atmosphere. read more

Just got engaged here!!!! Love this place so much, owners are amazing! What a beautiful day read more

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We stumbled upon this winery while spending a weekend up in Julian and it is a GEM. It will definitely become a staple to all of our Julian visits. We loved spending time with the wonderful owners, Toni and Mike, they were so kind and welcoming and were a HOOT to chat with. We did a tasting inside and then bought a bottle to enjoy on the back porch. I highly recommend the Rosé, it is light and slightly sweet and perfect for warmer days. Also this winery is dog friendly so we will definitely bring our fur baby with us next time. Couldn't recommend Menghini Winery more!! read more

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We've spent two Mother's Day celebrations picnicking at Menghini, enjoying the beautiful scenery, peaceful atmosphere, and local wine. The grounds located behind the tasting room are expansive, and perfect for kids and dogs to run around and explore. You can find a spot to relax on the back porch, large deck, picnic tables, or inside the tasting room itself. As someone with a limited palate for wine, I usually go with their rosé, and my mom always takes home a bottle of cabernet. read more

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Small winery that has occasional family friendly events. For example they have an astronomy night. Their selection of wine is pretty small, but we enjoyed the Julian Gold. read more

Star Fest at Menghini Winery my first time with some friends! We've wanted to come for a couple of years now and finally had the opportunity. The location is not too far from the town of Julian. The turn could be quickly missed if you are not paying attention to your GPS. The last mile before you reach the winery is beautiful but also narrow with some tight turns so pay attention. Also, on my way out in the morning hours I came upon a deer so watch for that too. Menghini Winery opened up their property to the SDAA for the Starfest, an annual event. The winery is open (winery hours) during this event. What a warm and cozy place to get your tasting or a glass of wine. The gals at the register assisting with the pour were very helpful and shared a few laughs. The room offers some indoor seating. Towards the back of the building is the entrance to the patio that offer a few seatings. But, not too far there is a gazebo and grass area with plenty of seating. Some natural shade is provided by the beautiful trees. We were informed that they do receive grapes from other areas, they have grow some of their own and even have some grapes grown in a neighbors property. It's nice when we can work something out together. I took advantage of the tasting for $10. I occasionally drink wine but don't know a lot about wine. It was nice that while drinking one of the gals shared some informative info about wine. She also shared info on the property. I love sweet wine so my favorite was the Julian Gold. Thank You Menghini Winery for holding the Starfest here. It seemed to be a hit! The first night we camped here it was a quiet night, some campers. The 2nd day/night campers/people started showing up. The telescopes spread throughout the designated area was amazing. One of the set ups even had a screen that projected the image seen through the large telescope. Many of the telescopes were stationed to view Saturn. Wow, that is always amazing to see through the scope. I would love to return here during the fall, but anytime for some Julian Gold. Until next time Menghini Winery. read more

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We went to Julian and had an okay time but we found this winery and we will just be going there next time. The owners are so sweet and the winery is a gorgeous and a rustic slice of heaven. Highly recommend! read more

Just came recently and the red wine, I believe the merlot and the other red that they had were terrible! It tasted like vinegar, probably because of improper storage and heat wave. Tasting pours are smaller now too, 4 small tastes for $10. Their wines normally aren't terrible, and the grounds are big and dog friendly. Very big enough for you to spread out. Server was friendly. A good place to hang out and visit! We'll still come back anytime we're camping in Julian. read more

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This place is tucked away in the hills of Julian. It has a rustic atmosphere and quite ambience. The woman working there had her sweet pup there and she was so cute and well behaved! It was fairly cold that day but they had plenty of heaters inside. We were told there was a lovely outdoor patio with a nice view but I was too cold for that. We did a tasting and decided to go with a glass of the Sauvignon Blanc. I'm usually not a huge fan of this type of wine as I like Chardonnay's but I loved this Sauvignon Blanc! We ended up ordering a glass of this and then left with a bottle. This place is definitely not over the top or expensive in anyway. Just a lovely place to sip on some good wine and relax. read more

Menghini Winery - Indoor area - Wineries Near Me - Julian, California

I love Julian and its surroundings, however, I purchased a bottle of Menghini 2023 Chardonnay and I have to say, and it pains to write this, it tasted like turpentine, sorta like rotted bark. There was no trace of actual grapes being used to make it. In a word, yuck. read more

When the four of us walked into the winery for a "tasting", it was just the hostess and us. She introduced herself as the owner and spent time talking about the history of the winery, the wines, and her husband. A very intimate tasting and a very nice visit! read more

I came Julian as part of my camping trip at William Heise Park. I saw a sign for Menghini Winery and decided to follow it. The lady who poured me the wine was the owner. She's a lovely lady. She gave me details on every wine I tried from when the grapes were picked to the time kept in the barrel. We also chat about how she got started in the winery and her involvement with the town's 4th of July festival. I would go back the winery just to chat with her. read more

Beautiful rustic winery with really good Zinfandel. Toni was really wonderful and showed us some of the beauties of the winery and encouraged us to come anytime we like just to sit and relax. Really chill old world ambiance not uppity like Volcan winery. read more

Manghini is one of the best stops in Julian CA. We showed up with zero expectations and were blown away with the delicious wine, amazing hospitality, and beautiful surroundings. We will definitely be going back. Staff is extremely friendly and helpful with a homie feel. read more

A very nice and pleasant environment for wine testing. The owner was present and chatted with us. The whole time. Made us feel very welcome. Give us a little tour of the grounds which was very interesting. We'll go again read more

Super nice people and delicious wine. The views are great and there are so many things to see on the property. If you're ever down this way definitely stop by for some wine tasting or buy a bottle! read more

Very friendly people and the Chardonnay is EXCELLENT! Very cute and cozy spot and the property is beautiful

A must try, lovely ambiance, great customer service and their dessert wine is the best we have ever had is called Julian's Gold. I so wished they would ship. But go and enjoy as Julian is also the cutest little town. read more

Menghini Winery - Our friends enjoying the wine tasting - Wineries Near Me - Julian, California

Very good wine and the visit is most satisfying so take the time to head over to the winery from Julian, it's worth it

I'm not an oenophile. But, I like good wine, at reasonable prices, and great rustic settings. This had both! All glasses were $10, very reasonable. Bottles were $30. Good seating inside and nice places for couples outside on the "former loading dock". If you're looking for pretentious and formal, don't come here. read more

We were in the mood for some wine + RnR and were told by some locals to be sure to pop into Menghini Winery for some afternoon sips! They were dog-friendly and super welcoming. It was $8 per person for 5 {generous} samples and before we knew it, we had been there for 2 hours talking with the winemaker, sitting on their breezy patio, and just soaking in the lovely day! We enjoyed all of their wines but loved the Chardonnay so you better believe that we went home with a bottle of that! It is not only a winery, but also an amazing event space! They host most of the main events around town and also host weddings, etc. If you're in the mood to explore and have some wine while you're at it, I highly suggest popping into Menghini! Their neighbors are an apple orchard and another winery so there is lots to do on their street. read more

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I love this winery! The wine is tasty and not overpriced. The employees/owners may be a little sassy at times but they can be, because it's their place, so they can do whatever they want. They have a beautiful backyard area where you can bring kids and while they run around you can drink their delicious Sauvignon blanc. The indoor space is lovely and quaint. I went recently and they were sadly out of Sauvignon Blanc but their delicious sangria made up for it. I would go more often if gas prices were cheaper. read more

We have stopped at this winery twice and enjoyed ourselves both time. The owners are fantastic, fun to talk to, and very pleasant. The wines are reasonable and good and the winery itself is fun and there is a lot of outdoor seating. We look forward to our next visit. Cheers! read more

Adorable little spot tucked away between apple orchards in Julian. It's a gorgeous little spot, and an awesome way to spend the afternoon tasting, and chatting with family friends. I loved the experience. Pros: Quaint, vintage-vibes, and scenic Awesome price Family owned and run 28 year old cat Dog friendly Tons of outdoor seating Cons: Small pours Wine is not outstanding read more

Menghini Winery - View from the back porch - Wineries Near Me - Julian, California

We loved our visit to the Menghini Winery! Definitely a highlight of our time here in Julian. Amazing wines, all varieties they had to taste when we went (merlot that was rich and smooth, beautifully dry and drinkable rose, a very smooth and light Cabernet Savinon, and a surprisingly lightly sweet and dry desert wine) were all memorable and dangerously drinkable :) the owners are also as agreeable as their wines, and we enjoyed our time enjoying the tastings in the beauty winery grounds while chatting with them. Get off the Main Street madness of Julian and check them out! You will be glad you did :) read more

Very cute winery off of Julian. They are open 7 days a week from 11 to 4. The wine tasting flight costs 3 pours for $5.00. It will be free if you buy a bottle. Mike and his wife and one other person work at the winery. Nice view but ok wines. read more

As most of you know, Menghini winery a long standing business here in Julian. They've clearly made a name for themselves. We decided to do some wine tasting since we were here anyway so, when we walked in, we ran right into one of the wine makers as we entered, and our hostess for tasting was most pleasant and polite. I gave this review a 4star because of that. She explained in detail how each of the wines tasted and what kind of food they paired best with. I wasn't impressed with the wine, but if for anything else the people here were worth the time and money. Help this winery remain a valued home town gem. Thank you, Menghini for helping to make our visit enjoyable. read more

We came to Julian for a day trip and we're looking for wine in the area to do tastings! Menghini is tucked in the back corner behind volcan apple orchard. We tried the Syrah and the Zinfandel and both were good. We both ended up having a glass of the Syrah while sitting out at the well socially distanced tables behind their small tasting room. We would definitely come back, it's a nice secluded spot with some nice views while you can relax. read more

Excellent tasting with Michelle and Maggie Mae. Service, recommendations, and ambiance were all incredible. There is a nice variety of wines, all were lovely and flavorful without being sweet. Top notch all around. We particularly enjoyed the rose even though we don't generally like rose! The Zinfandel and Chardonnay were also a close second. We will definitely be back. read more

Such an intimate winery with amazing service!! Especially Maggie Mae who was the cutest little greeter! I 100% recommend going!!

Every weekend my girl and I look for new wineries to enjoy. We came across this cute little winery. The parking lot was tiny and there were a lot of vintage tractors all around. Walking inside, you are greeted with a couple tables and a counter. The lady at the counter was super nice. We got a tasting. We grabbed our glasses and went out back. The venue was super nice and quiet. This place is a must if you are looking for a new place to relax. read more

LOVE Menghini and those who work here. We always make a point to pop in anytime we're in the area and I've even made trips to julian just to come here and enjoy how beautiful it is. The wine is wonderful and the location is breath taking. I love that I can bring my dog and let him roam. It's quaint and very relaxing. I will continue to bring my business as well as bringing friends and family to the winery. Thanks for being awesome hosts. read more

We accidentally fell upon Julian while searching for places to vacation on Airbnb. Julian is known to be Dog friendly and that was the main reason for booking in Julian. We then noticed Menghini Winery and stopped by for a tasting asking if we could bring the dog into the tasting room. Not only were we well received we were invited back to a huge grass area perfect for the dog to run around, off her leash. There was no need for a tasting we purchased one bottle of Rose and Zinfandel. Opening the Rose and spending 2 hours sitting under the shade, the wine, and playing with the dog. The following day we returned doing the same thing, should you find yourself in Julian with your dog this is a MUST do event. It's the only thing you can do with your dog in Julin. The owner Mike Menghini and Tony, I did not get his last name, are extremely welcoming and we truly enjoyed our experience and the wine. This made our trip to Julian the most memorable. read more

Have visited this winery every year since e StarFest. It is nice they open up the property to this event, but I am sure they make money from wine and merchandise sales. The winery needs a lot of TLC, clean the place up, the bathroom was filthy and what does it take to trim plants, everything is overgrown. Years ago when we first started going I tried the Julian Gold wine it was wonderful, then downhill from there. To me it just looks like the family does not care about this place. read more

Such a quaint, small winery that was a fantastic place to end a great day exploring the Julian area! My mom and I both decided to do the tasting, which was 3 tastes for $5. Our server let us know that at times they have more for tasting, but they currently only have the three wines available. One cool part about this winery that I loved is that if you end up purchasing a bottle, that $5 tasting will go towards the bottle purchase. I do not remember exactly what all the three tastings were, but there was a white, red, and a dessert wine. My favorite by far was the dessert wine, which was the Julian Gold (muscat canelli). It was perfectly sweet, and had a great fruit flavor that I absolutely loved! It was very relaxed here, tons of open space to walk around and grab a place to sit. Once they are fully open and you are able to stomp grapes, I definitely plan on coming back to get the whole experience. read more

My husband and I had such a great visit at Menghini Winery. From the drive in to the winery, to the service we received once we entered, to the tasting flight...it was all so much more than we expected! Opening a bottle of the Chardonnay now, and we will never forget our day at this old time Julian winery gem. Thank you, Menghini staff (and neighbor John). You made my birthday trip! * HIGHLY recommend this winery as a stop to your next Julian trip. read more

Came by today during a day trip to Julian. We split a bottle of the Julian Gold and ended up buying a 2nd one to take home! It is delicious and we will probably be ordering more! We were one of only two groups there (the other one I think was the owners and some friends). It is a small and quaint location and will definitely make our list for our next trip up read more

Love, love, love this winery. Drive past Vulcan mountain winery and to Menghini winery for amazing wine. Toni and Mike are the owners and are great people. This place is a MUST visit! The wine is amazingly excellent! read more

Menghini Winery - Wineries Near Me - Julian, California