15 Underrated Vineyards To Visit In California

There's no question that California is known for its vineyards. After all, California produces almost 80% of all the wines in the United States. California wine doesn't just come from Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, even though those are the two most famous regions. There are 154 American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs, in California.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with visiting the top-rated Napa Valley wineries to get to know California wines, but the state has hundreds of underrated wineries and vineyards that are worth exploring — and you can avoid the crows of Napa. To help showcase these lesser-known vineyards, here is a list of 15 vineyards in California you should check out, curated using a combination of my personal experience exploring California's wine regions, online reviews, and recommendations from friends in the industry. The vineyards listed are located throughout California, from Anderson Valley in Northern California to Temecula Valley in Southern California. Keep in mind some of the wineries are small, family-run vineyards so many of the tastings are only available by appointment.

The Hilt Estate's vineyards are in a part of Santa Rita Hills closest to the ocean with strong winds. The harsh conditions mean that the grapevines struggle to grow here but we know that vines need to struggle to produce great wine grapes. The vineyards here can be divided into parcels that have different soil and microclimates, creating wines with different styles, and you can taste the difference in The Hilt's single vineyard wines. 

The winery produces pinot noir, chardonnay, syrah, and also sparkling wines that are all grown on the estate vineyards. Taste them all at The Hilt's beautifully designed tasting room called The Barn. As a bonus, at The Barn guests can actually taste through the lineup from two different wineries: The Hilt and its sister winery, JONATA which specializes more in Rhône varietals. Tastings are available by reservation only, and there are sometimes limited-release wines offered only at the tasting room.  

Run by a husband-and-wife team, Fulldraw is a 100-acre vineyard in the Templeton Gap district in Paso Robles — one of America's best lesser-known wine regions. Templeton Gap is considered one of the wine-growing districts in Paso Robles with the coolest weather.

Owner-winemaker Connor McMahon had worked at a neighboring vineyard before opening Fulldraw, so he has a good understanding of the soil and climate in Templeton Gap. McMahon and his family live on the organic vineyard so they keep a close eye on the vines and how they're growing. Fulldraw Vineyard primarily produces red wines. Many wines are Rhône-style blends as the climate and the limestone soil in this particular vineyard are great for Rhône varieties. Do not miss tasting Fulldraw's GSM (blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre) while you're here. Tastings at the vineyard are available by appointment only and start at $40 per person. 

Ram's Gate Winery is a 28-acre vineyard that sits at the intersection of three AVAs: Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Carneros. Ram's Gate is actually the first winery visitors driving from San Francisco to Sonoma would encounter, making a visit to this vineyard an easy day trip from the city. Within its 28-acre vineyard, Ram's Gate grows cooler-climate grapes like pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and pinot blanc, though it also produces wines sourced from other vineyards. The vineyard also makes the effort to run an environmentally-friendly operation and has been certified as sustainable since 2015.

The tasting room at Ram's Gate Winery offers a lovely view of the vineyard and the hills of Sonoma, and there is a large outdoor seating area that is dog-friendly. Ram's Gate offers different tasting experiences, from a tasting of five wines for $60 per person to a tasting with caviar pairing for $120-180 per person. There's also a five-course wine pairing experience that's offered during lunch hours. 

Toulouse Vineyard is a sustainable vineyard in Anderson Valley, the main wine-growing region of California's Mendocino County. Because of its cooler climate, Anderson Valley is known to be a good region for growing pinot noir, and that's a good part of what Toulouse Vineyards grows along with some riesling. The vineyard commits to a number of sustainable efforts, from using minimal water, having cover crops, and sticking to all-natural fertilizers. In addition to its estate wines, the winery also produces wines with other varieties sourced from different vineyards. 

The vineyard at Toulouse is located at an elevation of 500 feet, and the even-cooler climate at this high elevation not only means it's better for the pinot noir grapes, but the outdoor tasting area at Toulouse also boasts quite a view. Even the drive up from the gate to the tasting room already feels like an escape from the world. 

Alma Rosa is a pretty well-known winery in Santa Ynez Valley, but the area itself is still considered the most underrated wine region in California, although it did gain recognition from the movie "Sideways" which changed the wine world. 

There's a tasting room in downtown Solvang, but for the full vineyard experience, head to the Ranch House & Vineyard which is located in the Santa Rita Hills sub-AVA. Sta. Rita Hills is closer to the Pacific Ocean and gets a significant influence from the coast, from the fog to the ocean breeze. 

Alma Rosa offers a few different ways to experience the vineyard, all of which require advance reservation. In addition to a guided tasting paired with a cheese plate (which costs $75 per person), there's also a vineyard tour and two guided hikes through the vineyards. The tour and hikes also concluded with a wine tasting at the Ranch House. 

Wine drinkers have probably heard of Lodi, even if they have not visited. Lodi is actually California's largest wine region, yet it doesn't get the crowds that Napa and Sonoma do. Lodi produces 20% of all California wine grapes — about 600,000 tons annually. Many major wineries actually either grow or purchase grapes from Lodi for their wine production. Lodi is located about 90 miles east of San Francisco, so it's actually quite accessible for visitors. 

Block 21 Winery launched in 2021, but the owners, Evonne and Matt Shinn, both come from families who have been farming in Lodi for six generations. The families have farmed grapes but they were mostly sold to other wineries until now. Named after the block where the families have farmed for years, Block 21 Winery grows and produces a variety of grapes, from viognier to zinfandel to cabernet sauvignon. The tasting room is open on Saturday and Sunday and they often have live music, though you can call for an appointment outside of those hours. 

This vineyard and winery in Buellton is a great one to visit if you have kids in tow but still want to do some wine tasting. For one thing, Vega Vineyard is more than just a winery — it also offers a full-service, farm-to-table menu for lunch and dinner with dishes like deviled eggs topped with blue crab or lamb chops drizzled with a balsamic glaze. As this is also a farm, you can visit and feed the farm animals, which is always a hit with the kids. 

The winemaker at Vega Vineyard & Farm has quite the resume as he had previously founded Palmina Wines and Brewer-Clifton before moving on to Vega Vineyard. Vega Vineyard focuses on Italian wines, producing nebbiolo, Super Tuscan blend, barbera, and more. You can do a wine tasting or just opt for a glass of wine along with lunch or dinner. There is also a historic adobe house and a casita that guests can stay overnight at. 

Benovia Winery in Sonoma actually has three estate vineyards which all have different soil and microclimates. The winery's tasting room is located in its Martaella Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, an AVA that is known for cool climate varietals, especially pinot noir. Because Benovia has two other vineyards, the winery also offers cabernet sauvignon, sparkling wines, zinfandel, and other wines, although pinot noir and chardonnay remain its main focus. 

The tasting room is open daily but reservations must be booked in advance. Tastings are $45 per person and the fee is waived with the purchase of three bottles. You can also book a vineyard or winery tour. Alternatively, you can enjoy a picnic right next to the vines by booking a picnic table. Bring your own lunch and enjoy the picturesque vineyard, with the Mayacama mountain range in the backdrop (a purchase of one bottle of wine per two guests is required). 

Although in the past (perhaps even still now) Temecula Valley's most well-known wine is the sweet almond sparking wine from Wilson Creek Winery, which isn't for everyone. If you're looking for something else, the area has quite a few other wineries worth exploring. In fact, this underrated wine region is a lot like Tuscany. One of the wineries worth checking out is Palumbo, a family-owned winery with 13 acres of vineyard. 

Nicholas Palumbo and his family primarily grow red wine grapes on the vineyard, although Palumbo also offers some white wines, made with grapes grown on neighboring vineyards. The winery specializes in full-bodied red wines. 

The winery has an intimate tasting room set next to the vineyard. Palumbo offers standard tastings for $20 per person but if you want to get up close and personal with the vines, book a tour which is available by appointment only. The tour costs $75 per person and also includes a tasting.

A family-owned winery in Santa Maria Valley, Presqu'ile Winery is certified as sustainable. The vineyard mainly produces cool-climate pinot noir and chardonnay, though it also grows sauvignon blanc, gamay, and other varietals. Owner Matt Murphy and winemaker Dieter Cronje have a mission to make the best pinot noir and their search for the perfect land brought them to this 200 acres of property in Santa Maria Valley that is now Presqu'ile Winery.

The tasting room at Presqu'ile is perched on a hill with views of the vineyard and it's certainly worth a visit. Get a wine tasting for $45 per person or pair the wine flight with a mezze picnic, made with locally source ingredients, for $70 per person. Reservations are required and the tasting room is dog-friendly. 

Livermore Valley is an under-the-radar wine region that actually has significant historical importance in California winegrowing. The region sits just east of the San Francisco Bay Area and it's actually one of California's oldest wine regions. Most of the chardonnay vines in California can be traced to Livermore Valley and specifically to Wente Vineyards. 

C.H. Wente learned winemaking from Charles Krug in Napa Valley and later started his own winery and vineyard in Livermore Valley in 1883. Then in 1908, Wente planted the very first chardonnay vines in California. Now, the Wente family's fifth generation is still working at various aspects of the vineyard, from winegrowing to marketing.

Of course, the chardonnays are Wente's bestsellers but the winery also produces full-bodied red wines from the estate vineyard. The tasting rooms is open every day and tastings start at $40 per person (walk-ins are welcome), though you can always opt for a cave tour and barrel tasting instead. 

Napa Valley may be the most famous wine region in California full of grandiose wineries and vineyards, but there are also many small, boutique vineyards that are off the beaten path. One such place is James Cole Winery. The vineyard at James Cole Winery is only 11 acres, so production is limited, although it does source other varietals from other small vineyards in California. The estate vineyard is mainly planted with cabernet sauvignon and malbec and the winery focuses on high-end cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux blends — full-bodied, balanced, and meant to be aged. Alongside the red wines, the winery offers crisp, stainless steel-fermented chardonnay and rosé. 

Tastings are available seven days a week but by reservation only. There are a few different tasting experiences starting at $60 per person, and the fee can be waived with wine purchase or enrollment in the wine club.  

Bokisch Vineyards is located in Clement Hills in Lodi and specializes in Spanish varietals. The winery is run by a husband and wife team Markus and Liz Bokisch, who imported vines from Spain in 1998 and began making wines in 2000. These days they also produce French-style wines, but Spanish wines like tempranillo are still the main focus of the winery. Markus and Liz Bokisch have also planted three Catalan varietals in the vineyard and plan to make the winery's first cava in 2025.  

The tasting room at Bokisch Vineyards is perched on top of its Terra Alta Vineyard with panoramic views of the vines. What is great about visiting an under-the-radar wine country like Lodi is how affordable things still are. Wine tastings at Bokisch start at $15 per person and the tasting fee is waived with bottle purchase. Wine and cheese pairings are also offered at $25 per person. 

This small, boutique winery is located at the edge of the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail in Santa Barbara's wine country. The winery grows pinot noir, syrah, and chardonnay within its 78-acre vineyard. Norman Beko, who started the winery in 1988, is a self-taught winemaker who has done well learning to make great wines from mentors at other wineries. In addition to the single varietal wines and blends, Cottonwood Canyon also offers a dessert wine made from syrah grapes. 

Cottonwood Canyon Winery was the first winery in Santa Barbara County to build wine caves to barrel age its wines, but the wine cave also makes for a fun tour for visitors, as well as a great event venue. The tasting fee at Cottonwood Canyon costs $29 per person and includes six tastes of wine while there's also a cave tour followed by a wine tasting for $45 per person. The tasting room is open from Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards & Winery is located in the famous Alexander Valley AVA in Sonoma County, known for its cabernet sauvignon. The winery is run by a husband-and-wife team who grew up in the valley. Justin Miller's dad purchased the ranch in 1963. It started as a working ranch but the Miller family planted their first cabernet sauvignon vineyard in 1969. Justin's wife, Karin Warnelius Miller, also grew up in her family's vineyard. Now, the couple are still deeply connected to the land, growing and producing elegant cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay wines. 

As a family-owned operation, the Millers are hands-on in every step of the process, including holding tastings for visitors. To visit the winery, guests must request an appointment. Garden Creek Ranch's wines are limited in production and are only sold at the winery and to the club members during a twice-a-year sale. 

The list was selected based on the writer's personal experiences visiting wineries in California, online reviews and forums, as well as personal recommendations from friends in the industry. As this is a list of underrated vineyards, the writer has chosen vineyards located in lesser-known wine regions of California like Lodi and Livermore Valley, as well as smaller, boutique vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Valley. They are all vineyards that do a great job growing sustainable wine grapes that showcase the characteristics of the region and are worth visiting and tasting.