Presqu'ile Winery

Absolutely love this spot--it's hands-down our favorite place to visit in the valley! The wines are truly exceptional and speak for themselves, but let's talk about Chef Julie for a second--she's a culinary genius! Do yourself a favor and never skip the food option. Pair that with the stunning views outside, and you'll find it impossible to leave. The staff here are the kindest, most attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable people--they make you feel so welcome! If you get a chance, don't miss the Gamay and Aligote--they're absolute gems.

As someone always in search of the next adventure, I discovered one of my top five life experiences right here in Santa Maria at Presqu'ile Winery. And what better way to explore its spacious and enchanting grounds than on horseback? From the moment you arrive, the winery captivates you. The winding road through the vineyard leads to a stunning, modern building. We were warmly welcomed, fitted with helmets, and guided down the property to meet our horses. Now, let me preface this by saying I have an unreasonable fear of horses. But that didn't faze our guide, who expertly introduced us to our horses and offered helpful riding tips. These horses, gentle and calm, seemed to truly enjoy their role as guides to the winery grounds. Their "day job" is training new riders--mostly kids. My horse, Kicks, was a 30-year-old snuggler who immediately put me at ease. When I stopped petting him, he nudged my hand, asking for more affection. As we set off, Kicks patiently followed my commands, guiding me through the experience. Understanding my anxiety, our guide's mother, Sue, walked alongside us the whole time, helping me overcome a lifelong fear. As we rode, we marveled at the rolling fields, mountains in the distance, and sightings of the coast just a few miles away. The rows of grapevines awaiting harvest gave us a glimpse of the future wine that would soon be tasted. After our ride, we were greeted with a crisp sparkling rose--a perfect way to end the adventure and begin our wine tasting experience with a curated food pairing. We returned to the winery, soaking in the views, and settled by the fireplace to sip wine and enjoy good conversation. Our server, a Santa Maria native, was incredibly knowledgeable about their wines, which included chardonnays, pinot noirs, and syrah. She explained the wine-making process in detail and presented a spread of delightful bites to pair with each wine--from a fresh salad with hand-picked fruits and vegetables grown on the property to handmade hummus and a whipped goat and feta spread. The food and wine pairings were an experience in themselves. Our visit concluded with a tour through the winery's temperature-controlled cave, which stretches 60 feet underground, lined with barrels filled with aging wine. The tour ended on the terrace, where the breathtaking views once again left us in awe. From start to finish, the entire experience was extraordinary. If this winery wasn't on your bucket list before, it certainly should be now.

Staff were great - attentive and helpful. This is definitely worth a visit or a stop in the area. Definitely try out their picnic lunch - divine with the wines.

I am profoundly disappointment with the wine-tasting experience my friends and I had at Presqu'ile Vineyard on July 21st. We planned our stop at Presqu'ile as part of a road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles, eager to enjoy the renowned wine, scenery, and food of the Santa Maria Valley. Based on my research, I chose Presqu'ile despite the high price, expecting an exceptional experience. Unfortunately, our visit fell far short of expectations. Our reservation was at 3:15 PM, the last available slot of the day. Despite arriving on time, we were told to wait as the venue was not ready. The host who greeted us was noticeably disgruntled and unwelcoming. He hastily poured us a glass of wine, which we later discovered was the first on our tasting list, without any introduction or explanation. We were then left to wander without guidance. While waiting, we decided to walk down to the amphitheater to enjoy the beautifully maintained grass. However, within minutes, the host approached us hurriedly, insisting we move to our now-ready table. When we inquired about the grass maintenance, he dismissively replied, "There's a groundskeeper that certainly gets paid more than us to look after it," while looking us up and down in a judgmental manner. For context, we were dressed appropriately in a nice skirt with a crochet top, linen pants with a linen resort top, and a long dress with a denim jacket. Later, we learned from other guests that the manager had instructed the host to remove us from the grass immediately, resulting in a flurry of activity to do so. Our table, though pleasantly secluded, did little to salvage the experience. Our waiter, Mark or Marco, was inattentive and uninformative. He left the decanter with the various tastings on the table without pouring or explaining any of the wines. When we asked about food pairings, he bluntly stated that the food wasn't prepared with the wine in mind and could not answer basic questions about the vineyard's irrigation system. His response to an inquiry about irrigation was, "Harvesting of the grapes takes place in the fall," which was nonsensical. The only positive aspect of our visit was the food, which was exceptional despite not being paired with the wines. The meatballs, potatoes, side salad, and lentil hummus were delicious, and we commend the chef and kitchen staff for their excellent work. In summary, the host and waiter significantly marred our tasting experience. It is unacceptable to pay a total of $270.03 for three people for such a disappointing experience. I regret tipping, given the poor service we received.

The chef creating the mezze picnic and specials at this place was so impressive on top of amazing views of the valley and hills, gorgeous architecture and fantastic rose, syrahs and pinots. We ordered the special gallette made from locally sourced ingredients and the mezze picnic and the ingredients the chef put together was hard to decribe but so satisfying and delicious. Must go, but also reservation is important it gets busy. Side note they allow leashed dogs. Beautiful grounds.

We came for the Friday live-music happy hour with young children and had a very enjoyable experience. I found it to be extremely kid friendly, or at least welcoming. In the parking lot, we passed a departing staff member and I confirmed I could bring children (a lot of wineries don't permit children), and he said of course and pointed out the grassy areas as well as recommended the seasonal chocolate chip cookies (which were REALLY good albeit $5/pop). When we got inside a staff member was very friendly in explaining how the happy hour works (outside of happy hour it's by reservation only but Friday evenings first-come, first-serve for seating). She was very nice and friendly when I asked if it was okay I brought food for my kids (normally they don't allow outside food but can be flexible for kids// I expected this and had just brought them each a discrete snack box with their dinners). View was gorgeous at 6 pm. We enjoyed the live music... and actually wished she had played more. We tried the Chardonnay and Syrah as the website specified they specialized in those as well as Pinot. We also enjoyed the seasonal flat bread. Most groups seemed to go for a bottle of wine. This attests mostly to the kid-friendly nature of the event but there were a couple other groups with small children, diverted by coloring etc and mine enjoyed walking around the flowers and looking for bugs. Overall, everyone was very nice and everything was delicious and the atmosphere was very chill and relaxing for a Friday evening. I would definitely go back for the Friday evening happy hour.

Talk about a culinary delight. I knew that we would be in for a treat, but I was utterly blown away by the presentation of the spread. All Mediterranean inspired cuisine prepared by their chef Julie Simon. They are referred to as mezze picnic lunches; and they are heaven. The wine is good here, not my favorites of all the tastings, but the overall experience and presentation must not be avoided on your next trip to the valley.

The service here was excellent. If you like full bodied cabs like Caymus or Austin Hope, you likely will not enjoy this wine. We did not. The only person in our group who liked it, doesn't prefer the wines listed above. I wish I had known before we spent so much on the tasting. We wasted so much time. The food was delicious! That was the highlight. If I returned, I would order the food and the Sauvignon Blanc only. The wine is not paired at all with the food. The view is excellent.