Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards Tasting Room — Attraction in Solvang

What if a sip of wine could immediately free you from your surroundings? When the taste of Alma Rosa's Vin Gris hit my tongue, I was transported to the landscape of the Santa Rita hills. The Pinot Noir vintages produced in this region of cool ocean breezes and undulating hillsides have evolved a characteristic flavor that is inherently unique. The offerings at Alma Rosa accomplish exactly what the founder, vintner pioneer Richard Sanford, set out to do: embody the terroir of this AVA. The meaning and intent of Alma Rosa rings clear and true. As our hostess, Rebekah, told us: the expressions of each varietal were an embodiment of the soul of the wine. She guided us through a custom-designed flight that included everything from sparkling Blanc de Blancs to honey-hued rose to estate-grown reds. It was a lesson in restraint, as every new bottle promised a different connection with the earth in its balance of textures and tastes. Solvang has no shortage of stylishly decorated enclaves with bright, extroverted artwork and unrivaled natural light. Alma Rosa is no exception in its mix of modern floor-to-ceiling glass and traditional wooden tables. Beyond appearances, Alma Rosa goes one step further by carrying the vibe of new and old in its wines. Sanford's lauded finesse is present, as is the delicate touch of the current female winemaker. The aligned end vision will leave you wide awake--while dreaming of possibilities...

Wine was surprising(in a great way). Challenging if you want it to be but so accessible at the same time. Very true to the grapes, pinots were smoky not ripe but keep the garnet fruit in play, sparkling was crisp with small bubbles and great finish without being simple, rosés were dry and decent minerality while still preserving the fruit and mouthfeel.

All around great experience. Crystal was helpful and knowledgeable having grown up in the industry with her father. She knows the region so well.

They have something for everyone. Brut rose, grenache rose, north slope pinot 2020 barrel select pinot, and radian pinot were the standouts.

Also they have snacks and theres a cheese shop next door that you can grab pairing from and they will even help you pair them if you ask reslly nicely ;).

Best way to try it all is to do one of each tasting.

For a valley already steeped in pinot exellence alma rose is a standout with the convenience of a property and a downtown tasting room that hasnt quite figured out that it could be charging way more so get...

Alma Rosa shares a courtyard with three other wineries. The specialty here is Pinot Noir...the tasting we had included three, the other wines being a couple of white wines (including a Chardonnay) and finishing with a Syrah. Normally there are five wines in the tasting if I'm correct but the wine server offered us an off list Pinot that was already open. It is subjective of course, but we found the Chardonnay completely forgettable and were not impressed with the Pinot Noirs.

The atmosphere is open: there is plenty of seating both outside and inside. The service is hit and miss...we had an earlier experience where we were going to have a tasting and left before it began owing to poor service from the young lady. A negative is the music tends to be usually played a little loud.

Alma Rosa has a good reputation, that said we weren't impressed with their wines. And their prices are notably higher than other wineries. Again,...