Hey LA, Let’s Go Wine Tasting!

Summer Somewhere

3822 Cross Creek Rd, Malibu, CA 90265 

Open: Wednesday – Friday 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Saturday – Sunday 11:30 am – 7:00 pm

Summer Somewhere is the blend of the passions of owners Billy and Stacey Dims. Billy had been working in wine when he met Stacey who opened a bespoke resort wear showroom, Summer Somewhere. Upon their engagement, Stacey asked Billy to make her a rosé wine for their wedding. Today Summer Somewhere sources organic, biodynamic, and sustainably farmed fruit from vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley to produce Provence style rosé, as well as Gruner Veltliner and Burgundian, Rhône and Bordeaux varietal wines.

Where: The tasting room is located inside the Fred Segal boutique at the Malibu Country Mart. This is off the Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu Canyon Road.

Vibe: From the freshness of the wines to the elegant packaging, Summer Somewhere embodies a relaxed beach chic vibe. Grab a seat outside where you can people watch or sit inside and admire the beautiful housewares on display. Top it off with friendly and knowledgeable staff offering welcoming hospitality.

Wines to Try: Summer Somewhere offers several flight options, including a white/rosé flight, a mix of everything, and a reserve flight. Wine by the glass or bottle is also available. If you like fresh, elegant wines, you will not be disappointed. Wine flights range from $34-$42, with a reserve tasting at $80.

Tips: Reservations are optional. Summer Somewhere offers light bits for purchase, or you can order food from a local restaurant. My suggestion is to order oysters and lobster rolls from Broad Street Oyster and pair them with the Gruner Veltliner and Chardonnay.

Rosenthal Malibu Wines

18741 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265 

Open: Wednesday – Friday 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Saturday 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Sunday 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm

George Rosenthal, the entrepreneur who founded the real estate company Raleigh Enterprises and owns the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood, purchased his 250-acre Malibu retreat in 1987. He carefully researched the property to plant the correct varieties and planted 28 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Viognier, and Chardonnay. Estate wines produce the Rosenthal wines, and the “G” collection wines blend a combination of Rosenthal Estate-grown grapes with grapes purchased from other regions in California. The Surfrider label uses grapes from around California and a portion of the proceeds from each bottle of Surfrider sold goes to support organizations that help preserve the beauty of our oceans and waterways and the safety of its wildlife.

Where: The Rosenthal Malibu Wines tasting room is located on Pacific Coast Highway, across from the ocean.

Vibe: This beachside tasting room offers a casual, relaxed atmosphere. There is an indoor wine bar offering flights. But the draw is the outdoor tables where you can enjoy the fresh ocean air while sipping wine and listening to live music.

Wines to Try: Whether you want a wine flight, a glass of wine, or a bottle, Rosenthal offers it all. For wine flights, which cost $30, you can choose a white wine flight, a red wine flight, or a mixed flight. For a taste of Malibu, be sure to try the estate wines, including Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tips: Reservations are required for outdoor tables, especially on weekends and large groups are welcome (you can book online for up to 30 guests). Check the website for the live music and events schedule. You are welcome to bring your own food or order delivery from a local restaurant to enjoy as you relax and sip your wines. On Saturdays, a different food truck is onsite every week.  

SANTA MONICA

AJA Vineyards

1417 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Open: Wednesday – Thursday 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Friday – Saturday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Sunday 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

AJA Vineyards is a family project for the Greenbaums. Named after the three children of Todd and Heather, AJA is an acronym for Alec, Jack, and Amanda. The family property is in Malibu with 2.2 acres of vines planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and a mix of Bordeaux varieties. Daughter Amanda Rubin (née Greenbaum) went to culinary school and studied viticulture before returning home to take the family hobby into a commercial business in 2019. A family business, the vineyard blocks and wines are all named after a family member. In addition to the estate vineyard, AJA sources from vineyards in the Central Coast including Paso Robles, Edna Valley, and Sana Ynez.

Where: AJA Vineyard’s tasting room is on 2nd Street in Santa Monica. Only a few blocks from the beach, the tasting room is located next to a Pilates studio and surrounded by restaurants. AJA Vineyards is Santa Monica’s first-ever winery tasting room.

Vibe: AJA Vineyards tasting room has a youthful city chic feel. It is an unpretentious space that feels more like an urban gathering place for friends. A long tasting bar sits in the middle of the space, with white banquettes and high-top tables. A flat-screen television is on the wall for those occasions when an important sporting event is on.

Wines to Try: AJA offers a selection of wine flights, but every tasting starts with a “Somm bomb”. This shot glass filled with a white wine blend is a light, refreshing palate cleanser that you can shoot or sip. All the wines are delicious and worth trying but don’t miss Ed’s Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, the FIVE Red Wine, a co-fermentation of the five Bordeaux varieties, or the Pamela’s Vineyard Syrah, all great expressions of the Malibu Coast AVA. AJA offers four different flights (Classic, Reds, Whites & Pinks, and Estate) that include five wines and range from $30-$45.

Tips: The AJA Vineyards tasting room is dog and child-friendly. Bags of chips and popcorn are available for purchase and food can be ordered from North Italia Restaurant across the street. Stop in for a glass of wine, or a flight, before or after a movie or dinner.

BRENTWOOD

Tensley Wines

11677 San Vicente Blvd, Ste 116, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Open: Wednesday – Saturday 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Sunday 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Tensley Wines was launched in 1998 by Joey Tensley. Tensley started as a “cellar rat” for Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara County and then worked as the assistant winemaker at Babcock. He then became the Assistant Winemaker at Beckman in 1998. It was at Beckman that Joey developed his love for Rhone varieties. When he launched his label the same year, his focus would be on Rhone varieties sourced from Santa Barbara County.

Where: The original tasting room is in the Santa Ynez Valley, but the second Tensley Tasting Room is in the heart of Brentwood in West LA. It is surrounded by restaurants and retail shops on the ground floor of Brentwood Gardens, a small shopping mall on San Vicente Blvd.

Vibe: A minimalist space, the Tensley tasting room is a meeting place for wine and art with furniture that can be moved to accommodate different size groups. The white walls are adorned with colorful pieces by American painter and independent curator Lawrence Gipe, as well as art from Artist C.B. Hewes, a second-generation bartender.

What to Try: The same Tensley wine selection is available in the Santa Ynez and Brentwood tasting rooms. Wine flights cost $25 and include four wines during the week and five wines on weekends. The wine flights change with some regularity, but there will always be Syrah to taste. After all, that is Joey Tensley’s primary grape and the reason some have come to call him the “God of Syrah.”

Tips: The tasting room is almost hidden in plain sight. Self-parking and valet parking are available under the building. And if you are looking for a space for a meeting, event, or celebration, check out Tensley in Brentwood.

DOWNTOWN LA

Angeleno Wine Company

1646 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Open: Friday 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Saturday 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

Honoring the wine tradition of Los Angeles, Angeleno Wine Company was the first winery to open in Downtown Los Angeles since prohibition times. Founded in 2015 by friends Jasper Dickson and Amy Luftig, their focus is on unusual grape varieties from local Los Angeles County vineyards. A primary vineyard source is the Alonso Family Vineyard in Agua Dulce, where Grenache, Tempranillo, Graciano, Godello, Tannat, Syrah, Albariño, and many more varieties are planted. Angeleno makes its wine onsite where their tasting room is located. The wines are made in small batches using native fermentation. The grapes are stomped by foot, and each bottle is hand-corked.

Where: Angeleno Wine Company is located on Spring Street near the Los Angeles River in Downtown LA. Located north of Chinatown, the tasting room, located in a 1925 building made from brick recycled from L.A.’s first City Hall, sits steps away from the site of L.A.’s first vineyards.

Vibe: Angeleno Wine Company is an urban winery, and the warehouse-like space has cool, hipster vibes. Set among the wine tanks are long picnic tables for wine tasting. The setting is casual, but the staff is well-informed, friendly, and engaging.  

What to Try: Angeleno Wine Co offers a solid flight of wines for $20. From a Graciano rosé, Albariño, and a co-fermented skin-contact Moscato/Albariño to Syrah, Tannat, Alicante Bouschet, and more, you cannot go wrong with any wine you taste at Angeleno Wine Co.  

Tips: Angeleno Wine Co. has a parking lot. If you purchase two bottles of wine, the tasting fee for one will be waived. If you join the wine club, two tasting fees will be waived.