Carhartt Family Wines — Restaurant in Lompoc

We love wine tasting, so Los Olivos is one of our favorite destinations on the rare occasion we can break away from the kids. It's the perfect setting that is essentially a small town with NOTHING but tasting rooms. But with so many tasting rooms... one has to be fairly selective as you couldn't possibly visit them all.

While we haven't begun to come lose to trying all of them, thus far, Carhartt Family Wines is our #1 favorite!!! They rated top of the line in all categories! They have a great laid back atmosphere which is both beautiful inside, but super comfortable and laid back on their back patio complete with fountains. it's the type of place where you would be happy just staying here for the day if you wanted (though we always want to wonder).

We were attended to by Troy who made us feel RIGHT at home. He was super knowledgable about the wines, fun to be around and not at all pushy. Again, super laid back and really just left like an old friend. He was able to give us advise on places to see and things to do in the area and even led us to our other favorite wines in town! If the rest of the staff is anywhere near as cool as Troy, you'd have to be in great hands here.

But then comes the biggie... the wine. And they KILLED IT! The best wine we've had in Los Olivos thus far. We especially loved the Grenache, though SO many really really great. There was a certain nose to many of them that was just super unique.

So if you're like me and area a bit overwhelmed by the amount of tasting rooms and don't want to waste your time with sub par wine... you shouldn't miss Carhartt...

Walking into the Carhartt cabin is like entering into the fold of a family. Even better, it feels like the family that you've always wanted. The Carhartts themselves hold incredible talent for winemaking--and hospitality--in their DNA. Brooke is a boundless soul of generosity, as she makes time to visit with every table on the patio and ensure that each visitor is having the time of their lives. She goes above and beyond, and has answered our questions on her personal time when they couldn't be answered on-the-spot. Chase has inherited his mother's attentiveness and generosity. His passion for winemaking shows in every sentence he speaks. When I first visited Carhartt in its 'cozier' location way back when in 2010, Chase was the main man pouring wine behind the bar. Since then, business has boomed. It's undeniable that this winery deserves all the accolades it receives, because the family and employees put their utmost into the ranch, the results, and the rewards. And since the employees are key, I can attest that the parade of handsome young men pouring wine these days is the creme de la creme. Every visit offers something different: laughing with Spencer about a box of donuts, lamenting about the midwest with Brett, drooling over food pairings with Jackson, probing into under-the-table wines with Axel, discussing unicorn costumes with Jose...the list goes on and on. They're sure to set you up with a varietal or blend you'll be craving from noon 'til night. So if you're ever wondering what Quello Grande, Fourplay, and Buffalo have in common--then Carhartt holds the answers to...

2025.01.19 - Honestly, the only downside to this place is that the bathroom is a public porta potty across the street - though keeping in mind it really is intended to be a tasting room and not a bar, it makes sense. That said, the place definitely has a locals bar vibe and the wines are very respectable with something for everyone in the offering. There is an indoor bar and a small "living room" area but most of the available seating is in the backyard patio. The last time we were in Los Olivos we dropped in for one last tasting before hitting the road back down to LA and we bumped into Mike - super nice guy with fun stories of crazy times in LA. It impressed us that the owner was there enjoying his product and "hanging out" with his employees and customers. Carhartt seems to take good care of their employees, and if you forget your servers name they are pictured in the menu which I appreciated as a nice personal touch. We had the same server we had years previously when we came to Carhartt for the first time - when employees stick around, its usually a sign of a well-run business that takes care of people. Carhartt will always be a stop...