Like almost everyone else, I bought a Travelzoo voucher for a wine tour, tastings, cheese plate and bottle to go. I think they oversold this special because when i called in for a reservation, they weren't offering the snacks anymore. That's fine, it was still a great price for everything else taking into account that the tastings alone cost $12. We got to the tour a little late and tried to catch up with our group. We heard the tour guide talking about how to cut the tips of the vines and photosynthesis and decided we didn't want to go through all that, so we headed back to the tasting room The tasting room was really nice, very unique and large. There were multiple areas for tasting so you weren't crawling all over each other to get the pourer's attention. We had a great experience here. Our pourer was very friendly and seemed to know a lot about the wine. She let us take our wine outside to explore the grounds. The grounds of the vineyard really nice. There are lots of trees, foliage, and picnic areas scattered around. We also bought a flatbread to eat with our wine (didn't want to drink too much on an empty stomach). The mediterranean flat bread was very good with artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, sausage and feta went very nicely with out tastings. Despite it being February, we sat outside eating our meal and enjoying our wines. It really was quite nice. The one negative about this place is that i think they oversold the Travelzoo vouchers because at one point it got super crowded and super loud inside. read more

Rideau Vineyard - New Orleans style - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Solvang, California

If I could give 10 stars I would! Rideau winery graciously accommodated my mother-In-laws 85th birthday which included all her children, grand children, in-laws and extended family (about 30 people in all). They set us up with picnic benches under majestic oak trees. The environment was peaceful with no pressure to buy a minimum amount of wine (although we purchased at least 15 bottles to drink and to go). While I can't compare to other wineries in the Solvang area, Rideau set the bar extremely high. I strongly recommend Rideau Winery for anyone vacationing or just relaxing in the Solvang area! read more

Steve gave us quite the tour! So informative with just the right amount of humor. Love this place! read more

Enjoyed the time here at Rideau vineyard on a Saturday afternoon! Used the groupon deal for the tour and wine tasting. Our tour guide Norma was excellent with her narration of the history of the vineyard. The five variety of wine offered for the tasting were very unique and tasty. The small snack provided towards the end of the tour was also delicious and very well paired with some red wines. The vineyard itself was a pleasant site and there were a lot of rose flowers at the location! read more

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New favorite winery! The grounds are beautiful, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the wine is great. Steven gave us a really informative tour (which is included with the tasting). We did a few tastings the previous day right in Solvang that weren't great; I really wish we had just come right here instead! The basic tasting is the same price as the ones in Solvang, and you can't beat the atmosphere, gorgeous scenery, and staff! read more

Rideau Vineyard - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Solvang, California

As a black woman, I couldn't WAIT to come visit this winery after I read about the owner being a black woman in a 'Clutch Magazine' article. After informing my bookclub about the winery we decided to all make a trip out of the visit. 16 of us, van rented, packed up and headed to Solvang, CA...JUST FOR THIS WINERY. I paid in ADVANCE for the 16 of us to do a tasting. And it was thee ABSOLUTE RUDEST EXPERIENCE EVER. The lady who served our table, PAULA or PAULETTE (refer to picture) NEVER SMILED. NEVER INTRODUCED HERSELF. NEVER TOLD US WHICH WINE SHE WAS POURING...i mean NOTHING....I then proceeded to buy 3 more bottles and the service never improved. Being BLACK..if I complain I'm damned, if I say nothing I'm pissed with myself. I WILL NEVER EVER IN MY LIFE RETURN TO THIS PLACE. E V E R. I cannot believe black women can't even go to a black owned establishment and get treated right. read more

Came on a Friday afternoon with a Groupon. Easy parking in a small lot past the main entrance, to the left. Toured the grounds and learned a lot from Norma, our informative tour guide, about the history of the vineyard. Our tour included five glasses of wine, a plate of fresh bread, cheese, salami, etc. Definitely recommend this place! read more

Just had a wine tour with Reza, he is a knowledgeable guide, we've learned a lot about wine. 2014 Sangiovese is excellent:) read more

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We were up at Rideau Winery on august 22nd for our 31st anniversary. Nickie and Seth took really good care of us. They are amazing. Michael Willmore read more

Enjoyed the outdoor area & Sat afternoon live music. Mediocre wines. Ridiculous by glass price- $15 5-oz. pour vs $34 bottle, so 5 glasses/bottle X $15= $75/bottle equivalent-122% more than bottle cost! When I gave the gift of feedback & shared that I've never seen such a high markup in 50 years of travel to 77 countries, the response was "It always costs more by the glass". Duh, but usually 10-15% more, NOT 122% more. Sad, as we wanted to try a number of different glasses & instead had to settle with a bottle of a varietal only one of us wanted. read more

I googled best vineyards in santa barbara and Rideau came up. Not really being a wine person, I wasn't too picky on the vineyard we went to. We went on a Saturday afternoon and there were a good amount of people but we didn't have issues trying a tasting. There are two tastings you can try and we got the reserve which cost $16. The building and the surrounding areas are pretty cute. Attached to the main house is a covered area where all of the tables were taken. There are a few chairs and tables outside but not enough for a large group. From the tastings my favorites were the Voignier and the Syrah. I wish we were told a little more about the vineyard when we did our tasting instead of just having the wines poured for us. read more

Rideau is doing a great job of getting back to business for the members and other customers during an extremely challenging time. Some things are temporarily a little different as required by the county and state. Overall, I had a good time visiting and was so grateful to be out in public again. The 2019 Rose is fantastic for the weather, and the Syrah is always amazing. Stay Safe. read more

Talk about poor service without a smile. There must have been at least a million and one wineries within the Santa Ynez Valley. We stayed in the quaint city of Solvang with a population of 5,442 and were directed to Los Olivos where we happened to stumble upon the one winery with two of the rudest human beings in the county, lucky us. I've never been wine tasting in Solvang so with anticipation and enthusiasm we pulled up to the first winery that we saw..Rude-au. Correction....Rideau Vineyards. As we drove in, the grounds were deserted. We followed the signs into the tasting room where an old man tended a family of five. We made eye contact so he walked over, pointed out the flight list with only five varieties per list and walked away. He came back, rushed us on our selection, and demanded the $10 payment to get started. He poured the first wine, just a smidgen, enough to see some color and left again. Standing there feeling neglected, we read the description, tasted and smelled what we can with so little wine, a young lady walked over to our table. We thought, "Splendid" somebody present to enlighten us, but to our dismay, her job was just to pour. She followed a script (Name, description, pour). Our attempts to start a conversation were to no avail. The iron curtain was drawn. Her role was to get us in and out as quickly as possible. Another couple approached our table and attempted to reach for the olive oil, but they were barked away by our hostess. Down FiFi...Down! For crying out loud they only wanted to wet their week old bread that might not have been suitable for human consumption. Rudeness was obviously the leitmotif of this winery. We did, however, enjoyed their sweet wine -Riesling- and purchased a bottle of it. Unfortunately, their rudeness left a bitter taste our mouths. If you like a slap in the face with every purchase and a free shoe imprint autograph on your ass on the way out than this is the place for you. Call me old fashioned, but as for me, a simple "thank you" would have left me as happy as a homosexual in a dildo factor. My negative review for Rideau Vineyard was not without comparisons between my other wine tasting experiences within the Santa Ynez Valley. Please see my review for Blackjack Ranch. read more

We got a lot of tips from the locals to check this place out. There was 14 of us that showed up to this place around 230pm without a reservation. The place maybe had three people in the tasting room and we were turned away by this old white lady. Maybe we were turned away because we were all Asian. I even asked the lady if we can make a reservation, and without hesitation she said NO! Other near by wineries were willing to work with us because Friday was their slow day, but not this place. If you go wine tasting on a Saturday make sure you make reservations. This place is snotty read more

It's amazing how my bad experience plays like a scripted repeat of other bad experiences. The atmosphere is quaint. It's an old adobe ranch: a restored landmark with creaking wood floors, period decor, and antique rugs. it's cozy, and the landscaping and creeping vines add character. The wines are okay (as best I could tell from the stingy servings), if rather overpriced. I might almost have left with a bottle, "might almost" being the operative phrase. The service: imperious and haughty if you don't look like you belong. Upon arrival, the old woman pourer was busy brownosing a tipsy older man in a golf shirt with a trophy wife. They were buying cases willy-nilly, and the guy was acting the fool pretending to drink from a spittoon and taking pictures. Of course, the pourer found these exercises endlessly charming. Money, or the appearance of it, is a funny thing. My friend and I? We just got scowls, and a staccato demand for money up front. Ken and Barbie were clearly better company, and the pourer's disappointment at removing herself from them was evident. Even when serving us, her heart was back with the Joneses: during our first pour, she cut herself off *in the middle of the scripted, monotone wine shpeel* to scuttle back like a lapdog, and fetch "a little something extra" from the back for the other people. "The one I was just telling you about" she simpered, referring perhaps to a wine they were discussing before my friend and I interrupted their cozy triad. In retrosepct, asking to revisit the "lagniappe" cuvée was probably a mistake. After somehow getting her attention, she huffed over, and responded to my request by yanking the aerator off the bottle, slopping out the remainder into my glass, and slamming the bottle back down on the counter, all without a single word. She then scurried back to her favorite couple, leaving my friend and me speechless, exchanging glances, and waiting for the Punk'd crew to emerge from behind the wall. I could think of a million reasons for the dismissive treatment, although I'm sure being young, Hispanic, and not evidently flashing wealth played no part. Oh, and the Mardi Gras beads you're supposed to get as a souvenir, as part of the Louisiana theme? We found out about them, *after* we left, from the pouring dude at a winery down the road. NO BEADS FOR YOU. Never going back. read more

After a solid tasting at Buttonwood, we decided to drop by this Louisiana inspired winery. The grounds were well-maintained but the interior of the building felt like a worn-down golf/country club with old people abound and they looked at us youngish-looking Asians with a sort of amusement. So while we hovered by a tasting bar, no one bothered to greet us. No acknowledgment. Nothing. Hello? Thirsty people here. And we're those Asians that tip. That weekend we found out that they were serving southern fried chicken for lunch, so we jumped at the chance to salvage our visit. At $15 a pop we were served a cafeteria tray of 2 small pieces of chicken, rolls, and a cup of beans. I came back for more (thinking there's no way they'd sell this little for that much) and the girl said, "no seconds." I came that close flipping over the f-ing fried chicken table. My friend and I sat down debating if we should try their wine when we saw the table next to us with heaping servings of fried chicken on their plates. We left faster than you can say, "Strangle an old dude for his chicken leg." read more

I'm not sure what's up with the three and half star rating for Rideau, but I find the wines - and the property - to be wonderful. I've tasted here twice, once on a guided tour, and the second time with my parents and boyfriend just the other day. You taste in a wonderful old home with New Orleans flair, and the home is located on an expansion grassy, tree-lined knoll. The wines are outstanding (but also a bit pricey...perhaps this is the gripe that people have with the winery), and I have had great experiences with the staff during both of my visits. Rideau specializes in Rhone varietals and they make a truly standout Viognier. In addition to my love affair with the Viognier, I also really enjoyed the Tempranillo. We also tried the two wines "on tap" that they offer in a jug (similar to a growler to you beer aficionados). While it is an absolutely brilliant business model, I thought that the white worked well in this format, but I did not enjoyed the red wine on tap. Highly recommended! read more

Coming up the long drive did not disappoint when we found ourselves parking in front of a house covered in blooming roses! We went inside, not yet knowing anything except that the house looked old, to check in for our meeting with the owner Iris Rideau. We noted several private and semi-private tasting rooms inside, a broad public tasting room and well-equipped kitchen, Outside we were surrounded on every side by expansive lawns, picnic tables, butterflies, gardens and plenty of shade. The old home that had been built in the1800s - and had maintained its original adobe with redwood reinforcements and the exterior had been painted in a legal pad yellow to be the perfect backdrop to the hundreds of blooms of pink, yellow, white and red roses. Rideau is a charming Creole woman, originally hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and leaving none of her roots behind. Before getting sidetracked by her love of Creole cooking she told us more about her home. She purchased the land and former Inn in 1995, and opened the doors in 1997 after all of the restorations were complete. She planted the vineyard, all Rhone varietals, in 1998. At the time she had Syrah on the hillside, about 22.5 acres, and lived above property. Rideau planned to buy the land only to flip the property, however, she quickly decided it was too beautiful to be a single family home - but the county would only allow a tasting room. She decided that she wanted to have a Creole kitchen, and the county said no to that idea too as she was living in an agricultural zone. She got tired of hearing no. Eventually she hired a land use consultant. She presented the county with plans for a museum/tasting room - due to the historical value of the home - and got her long-awaited approval! She then put in new drapes and carpet to create a real showcase. Winemaker Rick Longoria was at Gainey at this time and looking to leave. He knew Rideau's consultant, and she knew Rick's cuvée and loved it. She asked him to make her wine. That was the start, and now they see 2000 visitors per month. Amanda Baird is the current assistant winemaker and Paul Wilkins is consulting winemaker. All of their wine is sold via retail, from the tasting room and 2000-member club. Rideau also has four big events on the property a year, for members, and every one is Creole themed. Thinking of becoming a member just for that. She is one of the most enchanting winery owners I have ever met. Tasting Rideau 2010 Reserve Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley Used 25% new wood and 75% neutral. They always hold the Chardonnay in bottle for 18 months, as they do their reds. Butter, peach cobbler nose, followed by kiwi and a zingy acidity. 2011 Estate Viognier Rideau's signature wine; she drinks it "every night." It's 100% stainless steel. Sweet apricots, honey, kiwi, concrete, acid balance with sweetness and acidity. Very good. 2011 Tempranillo (Lodi grapes this time, will go to Paso next time) Rideau said she was the first to make it in the valley. She wanted to make the label a copy of a piece of New Orleans art she owned. She searched and found the artist. Paid him $200 and two cases of wine - and the artist gave her the rights to the label. Rideau flew him up for a party. Floral, blue fruit, not very tannic, spice. 2009 Caren's Cuvée 97% Malbec and 3% Petit Syrah (Caren is Iris' godchild) Great fruit nose: blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate, nice firm tannins. My fave so far. 2004 Petite Syrah (tasted side by side with 2010, Paso grapes) Deep garnet, sugared plums, milk chocolate, dark chocolate covered cherries, great mouthfeel, alcohol 15.1. 2010 Petite Syrah (Local grapes) Deep purple, smoke, palate drying, dark fruit, alcohol 15.4. NV Port and dessert: Made with Portuguese wines, 19% alcohol. Blackberry and chocolate covered raisins, nice alcohol balanced with fruit. read more

WTF? Bad reality tv episode. Was this a winery, a mortuary, or something else? For starters, as we walked up there was a girl passed out by herself on the extensive lawns. (more about this below) While we parked she moaned occasionally, and a guy pushing a short metal gurney carrying Wine In a Box clattered back and forth. Garden ornaments aside, the exterior grounds welcome like Forest Lawn: designated bus parking and a big creepy house to send you off from. The creepy house had creepy dark interior corridors, cramped & creepy private rooms filled with creepy murmuring dour faces who ... weren't enjoying their wine? Uh oh. Looking at each other trying not to crack up - this was winery number 4 - we continued following the signs to the tasting room, but not before startling a rude woman into blurting, 'What are you doing here?' 'Body viewing', I quipped. Fortunately I was met with a blank stare. That would have been awkward. Once in the tasting room we paid premium for 1/2 ounce pours of mediocre wine, while watching, aghast, as pourers were blatantly snide to eager newbies, a young couple who were obviously embarrassed into leaving a tip but smart enough not to buy any bottles. Right on waiters, not enough commission in these here parts? Nurturing new business not on the plan for the week? But here's what took the cake. I mean, what was with the model chick still passed out on the lawn? Some customers eventually went out to check on her. When the good Samaritans returned to the busy tasting room to say she seemed okay, the manager, instead of thanking them, started yelling at them - in front of other customers! 'Hey everyone, these guys are jerks! fortunately the winery now considers itself absolved of liability for any alcohol induced mischief drunk girl might get into later tonight.' Then the manager proceeded to try and kick out the would-be Good Samaritans -- before they were done with their tasting flights. Big mistake. One gal wasn't having it, profanities were exchanged, and I say Rideau, Good Riddance. Two stars for the kind of entertainment I'm embarrassed to admit enjoying after a few; and for the house which really was rather wonderful architecturally, in a New Orleans 'Interview with a Vampire' sort of way. RECOMMENDED: Gainey for the Chardonnay, Kalyra for the dessert wines & Sunstone for general ambiance & Jon the classical guitarist's seductive eyebrows. Absolute winners. And just in case anyone still cares, drunk girl got into a chauffeured car with hot girl and sped off into the moon scented night. Good luck ladies. read more

If you check in with Yelp you get $10 off your $12 wine tasting. Thats $2!!!!!!!!! Also this winery was the most generous with their wines. I think we sampled at least 10 wines. They also have a picnic area so you can come and have some food before your reservation. Definitely the most loud and entertaining winery we went to this weekend. read more

This was my worst wine tasting experience ever. The winery itself looks perfectly pleasant. The tasting at $12 for the basic one is the most expensive tasting I've done with not many wines...exactly 1 shot pours of 5 wines. So $12 7.5 oz of wine. They have the jigger pour stops which I find incredibly tacky! The wines were disappointing though...I think this winery is a miss. The worst though was the young woman tending the counter. She was so unenthusiastic and unfriendly, working with the public is not for her. She didn't even say hello...had no friendly words, barely any descriptions of the wine. Such bad customer service really ruins the wine tasting experience. read more

Love the vibe here. The wine is good, but what I love most is you can only purchase wine bottles here. Can't buy in any retail stores. Feels exclusive and that they take their time and try to perfect the wine. The 2014 Sangiovese surprised me. Love that wine. read more

This place is one of my favorite to visit in the Solvang area. I became a member of their wine club over this weekend because I enjoyed a lot of their wines. My favorites are Tempranillo, Bon Temp White, and the Riesling (one of the best I've had from SoCal). read more

Rideau Vineyard - Tasting Room - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Solvang, California

This may be the prettiest spot in the valley, but it doesn't have much more to recommend. Lovely garden with ancient oak trees, spanish moss hanging. Memroial day weekend bike ride with a group of a dozen others. When we arrived a lady came running out freaked that we didn't make a resevation, but the half hour we were there, only a few other small parties showed up. We got a similar reaction at another winery that day, but most were cool and happy to see us. The wines were not to my taste. A bit too much residual sugar in most of the whites. Reds were not very distinuished. Better wine elsewhere. There is some food to be had here, a few deli items. Stop by and take some pictures, rest in the shade of the oaks, then move along. That's my advice. read more

Highly recommended to do the tasting tour if you haven't. Norma was our tour guide and wine connoisseur. She was so pleasant, energetic and knowledgeable. She's got the sweetest, friendliest smile which made the experience much pleasant. I didn't taste the wine because I'm expecting, but my mom and sister loved the wines especially the syrah! I've been to several wine tours but this one top my list even though I didn't have any wine :) I learned so much about wines, wineries, Victorian architecture and preservation of a historical building. My tour was compd because of my pregnancy, they even prepared a special plate for me, as they were so careful to not give me unpasteurized cheese and cold meats. We tried their Sam's pizza and it was delicious! We also ended up purchasing bottles of their sundried tomatoes as it is so yummy! And of course, we had to have the syrah come home with us. After a let down from the Hearst castle visit, this was such a huge contrast. The property is breathtakingly beautiful. We were so happy we came to this place. We'll definitely be spreading the word to our friends, families and co-workers! Thanks, Norma! We hope to see you soon again. read more

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First let me start off by saying this was my first wine tasting, so I definitely do not know my wines that well. This review is more about the experience. Our whole party used Groupon vouchers for 35$ per couple and received i think 20$ credit for wine purchases. We came 5-10 minutes late due to traffic, and are grateful and lucky that we did not get kicked out of wine tour session. We had Norma as our guide, and she was very charming and a delight to listen to. During the tour Norma showed us where the wine was stored, crushed, and even let us try the grapes off the vines! Also, randomly we tried figs on the fig tree at the vineyard lol. Afterwards we went inside to learn tips on wine tasting, where we got small snack plates, the artichoke dip was especially good. After that they allow you to stay at the vineyard and get more wine and snacks. Possibly because our whole group has never done wine tasting before, but we were the only ones that purchased wine, not just because of the vouchers but also we enjoyed almost everything we tasted. In a party of 5 we got 4 bottles, and shared one at the vineyard along with some of their small flat bread pizzas, the mushroom one paired so well with the white wine. This was a great experience for our first time wine tasting. read more

The grounds are fantastic, which is why I gave two stars. This is a great place to bring your dog and to have a picnic lunch with a bottle under the shady trees or out in the sun. However, the wine was ultra-expensive -- $12 for their regular tasting or $15 for the premier -- for Solvang area that is ridiculous. If this were Napa, I would get it, but it's not. The pours were ridiculously small. They did say we could share, which was nice, but then gave small pours even for one person. Further, the wines were just blah. The riesling was the only thing I might consider purchasing -- but only in relation to the other wines which had no character whatsoever. I would not go here again except to enjoy the grounds and bring my dogs. read more

I have to say that I try to look for the good in all of the things reviewed, but after our experience at Rideau I won't be back. I'll be honest, their wine wasn't bad. It was pretty tasty, and the grounds were picturesque. The staff seemed to be comprised of robots. There was a dark haired, middle aged woman who made it seem like she'd rather be anywhere else than at the winery. She poured, and literally nothing more. No description or background on the wines. I really wanted to leave as soon as possible. I was skeptical about the reviews below, but they ring true. The worst service of the 13 wineries we visited by far. Their wine didn't make up the difference. read more

Such a beautiful place! I could see myself getting married here and having my wedding reception here - something I never thought of but this place just made me feel that way! I am so glad I purchased the $35 travelzoo voucher for tour, tasting, and complimentary wine bottle for two - it was such a deal! Shay, our tour guide, was a pleasure! He definitely knows wine - with all the things I learned during our tour and wine tasting, I appreciate wine more and I feel I have more knowledge about wine. My favorite wine was Viognier - we decided to buy a bottle. I was so happy I took my bf here because now he enjoys wine after a long time trying to convince him to wine taste with me. We look forward to enjoying our wine bottles soon. I would love to come here again if I'm ever in the Solvang area. read more

Tried this Winery from Travel-zoo, the price was right for 2 people $35 2 flights of 6 plus cheese platter snack. Arrived early so went to the tasting room and sampled before our tour. The young man who poured for us was very accommodating, gave us the history and information about the grapes, sugar and alcohol content of the wines. He was so knowledgeable I asked if it was his family who owned the winery. On to the tour. While waiting there were two guides that day, Norma & Reza. If you can get on Norma's tour do it. While waiting we got a 'boring vibe' from Reza so we decided to ask if we could be put on Norma's tour. She seemed so much more personable and lively. The Luck Of The Irish was with us that day because as it goes, we were already on Norma's tour and Norma is from Ireland. She is so charming, and knows 100% history of the grounds and the winery and is very friendly, lively and just fun. Request her for your tour, you won't be sorry. The only disappointing part of the tour was, that we didn't go into the actual processing portion of the winery, only walked around the outside of it while hearing the history of it. The final tasting, was a lot of fun. Norma was very informative, lively and an all around good time was had by all in our group. They told us we also lucked out with Norma as her tours were the only tours receiving the cheese plate with our tasting, as the winery is now phasing that part out, and that the other group had paid the same price as us and didn't get the cheese plate. The cheese plate offered 4 different styles of cheese, several almonds, a few dried cranberries two multi grain crackers and three slices of baguette. It was helpful to taste the wines with the cheese pairings so we wrote on our comment cards that we really enjoyed having that with our wine tasting and encouraged them to continue to offer, even at a nominal fee to those who may want it. We received one free retail $36 bottle of wine which we are aging as suggested and will try it next month on valentines day. Would definitely return here next time with a picnic lunch and stay after our tour . Quality wines, great experience, pretty grounds. It was a winner. read more

We stopped for a wine tasting a few weeks ago and had a wonderful time, so came back for a second visit! The wines were excellent, and we really enjoyed the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. We sat outside with our dogs and enjoyed the sunshine. Highly recommend stopping in! read more

By far the best winery we've been to in the area. It's not only about the wines, but the grounds, servers, and story behind the winery also plays a part in the five stars for Rideau. 1. Recommendations from local Wine Stewards whose restaurants don't even sell Rideau is a good sign. I am not a fan of wineries that are plastered all over the free brochures and other paraphernalia that is scattered about the city. Rideau was not in any of the flyers/magazines that I read. 2. The grounds are just beautiful. Picnic benches, vineyard paths, wine tours, beautiful cottage. Very very very well kept and groomed. 3. The servers are very knowledgeable. As they pour, they explain in full about each wine. They explain where they are from, the history of the grape or wine, the naming of the wine, the differences between vintages of the same grape, etc. Very very wordy with each pour. You can't get that from many other wineries. 4. The history of the Rideau name and on why the wines are named Iris and how the original house was restored to create their tasting rooms. All this adds to the personality of this vineyard. They explain which grapes are where on the property and why the Fleur-de-Lis is on a lot of their designs. So much information is such a small window of time really makes you feel like a part of the winery. Sounds cheesy but given a few tastings, it really makes you feel good. 5. Free beads! And you don't have to show anything to get them! 6. Barrel tastings. Love to taste the progression of wine. Wine taps are awesome! I'm sure bad experiences will ruin ratings for any establishment but smart Yelpers will parse through the silly reviews and see that this place is a great spot to taste wine. I strictly go here to taste the Syrah and Viognier but their other blends are really good as well. In fact, this is one of the first places I had tried a really great Viognier but that was a long time ago already. Please try it at least. Even if the wine doesn't appeal to your tastes, the experience should be worth the short trip. read more

This place puzzles me... Such mixed reviews! Some people just love it and others seem to hate it. I am more in the "love it" camp. What is not to love? The grounds are simply beautiful, I can't think of a better place to have a picnic. The location is awesome, there are little horses accross the street, that alone is good for half a star. Oh and the wines, while not the best, do seem to be better than average. Much better than many. We have been there four or five times, mostly with wine club members. Each time the people serving us have been pleasant and helpful. Don't be turned off by the fact that some people were having a bad day and gave them less than three stars, I am pretty sure that you will love it like I do. (and the horses, you can go in and pet them until 3pm) read more

This is my favorite winery, hands down. This is more than your typical "stand here, make idle chit chat while you guzzle down a buncha different wines" experience. You sit, you hang out on the huge patios and lawns and gardens. You go back for a coupla' extra glasses of that fantastic Nebbiolo or Tempranillo, have some chocolate and cheese with your wine. Taste the bread and mustard. Explore the house. Hell, take a nap on the back verandah, wineglass in hand. I could spend the whole day here just sipping wines, noshing, and feeling lovely and decadent. Oh and? The wines are superb. Really amazingly good. My favorites are the Nebbiolo for the reds, and the Riesling for the whites. It would be a perfect destination with even mediocre wine. The staff is knowledgable, sweet, and hooked me up with a cask tasting of their not-quite-ready Tempranillo. But add to that the wine is phenomenal truly makes coming here one of my favorite summer rituals. I pick up a bottle here and there when I go summer wine tasting. But the bulk of my budget is reserved for this place. I LOVE this vineyard! read more

We went to Rideau yesterday afternoon and had a great time. The place was beautiful with tables both inside and outside in park like grounds next to the vineyards. The staff was very knowledgeable and we were helped by a fantastic woman named Carla. The wine was all good but we liked some better than others. Highly recommend!! read more

It is sad this is one of my favorite places, yet the staff are so horribly rude. There is a red headed lady that was so ugly toward me for no reason. We asked for assistance because we had a question about a wine. She interrupted me before I could even ask and said, "I have a group of 30 people, you have to find someone else to help." Then proceeded to stand there with no one in line from the group. There was another lady who was there who rolled her eyes when we asked for a taste of a particular wine we were there to buy. I was astounded by the arrogance and rudeness of the employees here and, although they make a great product, the way they treat people as objects far exceeds my desire to ever buy wine here again. read more

Great winery and awesome tour. Very informative and enjoyable. The tour lasts about 1.5 hours and the tasting about.5 hour. Pizza and tappas available read more

Rideau Vineyard - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Solvang, California

Wine Stop #6 Revitalized from lunch, we headed to Rideau. A great property with lots of character. Problem for us was - the wines were lacking. Granted we had hit a lot of our favorites already ... but still. read more

I joined the wine club, had problems from the very beginning. many calls later still could not solve the problem. no one would call us back. So we canceled the win club. Guess what? they charged us 45.00 to cancel. Good wine---BAD PR. be careful to join club. read more

Here goes my first non- restaurant review :) While visiting So. Cal, I really wanted to go wine tasting and my sister found Rideau Vineyard online. It was on our way to Solvang so we figured, why not try it. It's a cute vineyard, in between other vineyards. If you really wanted to go wine tasting, you could walk from vineyard to vineyard. The price is $12.00 for 6 of Rideau's wines plus a 7th "wine on tap". Their tasting room was decorated for the holidays and was done tastefully. The wines were delicious. I really enjoyed their Reisling, and my mom purchased a bottle to take back with us. The staff was friendly and took great care of us. Lovely experience and tasty wines :) read more