ventura county wine trail

Thanks to the visitor center staff I was able to visit the wineries for the day I missed and then went on their tour the next day. Loved being chauffeured and able to enjoy more wine. Lunch was included and the restaurant handled my allergies wonderfully with other options.

Lots of privately owned wineries from Malibu to Ojai. Most open on weekends only. Every one of them are passionate about the wines they make, AND the wines are good too.

We're so lucky in Ventura County to have such a terrific wine trail in our own backyard. My husband & I have so enjoyed an afternoon of local tasting. The people running the tasting rooms are extremely friendly & knowledgeable. We always split our tastings. Not only does this make it more affordable, but we don't drink as much, so can visit more places. I've noticed sometimes that the "pours" can be quite skimpy when you share, as I think it might irk them a little that we're not buying two. Not so much at Herzog, which is less expensive & some of the tastiest wines around. And they have a nice self guided tour you can take. Rancho Ventavo, a restored Victorian house in Oxnard is wonderful too. Cantara Cellars was very skimpy on the pours, however, the couple next to us, who each got their OWN glass got twice as much poured than we did. Magnavino is also on this trail. It looks like an industrial office on the outside but the tasting room is very cozy (& I don't mean small) & inviting. A little further up the road, on the way to Ojai, is Old Creek Vineyards. It's a very pleasant place to just stroll around. Their wine is tasty & most of the time their pours are good. I did notice one time however that while my husband & I split & got a very small pour, the two younger gals next to us got VERY generous pours. I guess it depends on who is pouring. (need I say more?) But all in all it's usually a wonderful experience & my favorite & most relaxing way to spend a weekend afternoon. Then we always end up at Eric Ericsson's on the pier for lunch/dinner. Can't wait till next time.

We took this tour with some friends while we were in Ventura Beach for a shopping package at a hotel on the beach near downtown Ventura Beach. After doing two big long days of Holiday shopping at the Camarillo Outlets, Santa Barbara, and the cute historic downtown Ventura Beach, we were ready for some pure fun. We took this wine tour and were very impressed with the regions wines. We have become fans of the Central Coast wine regions, between Paso Robles and Malibu, and have re-created the entire trip from the movie "Sideways" and we are always on the lookout for new experiences in the Central Coast. This wine tour showcased some bio-dynamic wines, sustainably harvested wines and totally organic wines that were both amazing to taste and eco-conscious.

The tour was great!!We visited several tasting rooms, met the wine makers and enjoyed shopping at the farmers markets!We will be back! Thanks Ventura Visitors Center!