Speckle Rock Vineyards — Restaurant in Ramona

Such a beautiful location! This was my first time in Highland Valley wine country and I'll have to come back. I was meeting up with a friend who was visiting from out of town and we were looking for a nice, relaxing place with outdoor seating. Speckle Rock fits the bill. It's also one of the only places in the area open on a Thursday, which is how we ended up there.

Being a Thursday afternoon, the place was pretty empty, which I loved. A handsome and sweet dog greeted me as I walked into the tasting room. And as I walked in, I could see a peek of the view of San Pasqual Valley that is the backdrop for their outdoor seating. The gentleman pouring the wine told me that he recommends reservations for the weekends, but walk-ins still do okay. He talked me through some of their wines and made several recommendations for my tasting, all of which were fantastic. I did a tasting of 4 wines (Falalnghina, Rose, Pinot Nior, and Sangiovese Merlot) and every wine I tried was delicious. I ended up purchasing a bottle of the first wine I tried... it is a perfect wine for a summer day.

My friend also enjoyed the wines he tried. He went with two glasses (Petite Sirah and Talynlu). We enjoyed our wine in their beautiful outdoor seating area, which was very comfortable and had plenty of shade. They had some very limited snacks available and some merch. I'll definitely be back. Great location, great...

I learned about this Winery a week from a singer guitarist named Mike at a different venue and wanted to see him perform again since I only heard him play one song before leaving.

On Sunday after visiting a nearby church and enjoying Brunch at Rancho Benardo Inn with good friends, I decided to check out Speckle Rock Vineyards which Mike had informed me about.

This was my first drive through Highland Valley Wineries and got a parking space below the Tasting Room. After asking questions while reading their Wine Tasting Menu, I decided on a glass of Sangiovese which was perfect, especially since I was fortunate to have spent a week in Tuscany, explored the country and stayed with friends on two different trips. If you like Italian varietals, the Sangiovese and white Italian grape wines are grown on Speckled Rock Vineyards and are excellent!!!!!

The views overlooking the San Pasqual Valley were awesome from nice patio tables with umbrellas and comfortable padded lounge seating with extra chairs.

The only thing I didn't like was the musician playing out on the patio upstairs with no seating so we couldn't see him playing his nice music.

Relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends and family but be sure to enjoy a meal before since there is no restaurant on the property.

I'll definitely visit Speckle Rock...

In a region with a booming winery scene, Speckle Rock is a step above the rest. We've been there a number of times now and always enjoy the view, the wine, and the live music. They're very laid-back about reserving tables for any size party if you call in advance, and every table has a beautiful view out over the valley. A new highlight from our visit this past weekend is their Vineyard Tour. Call to check when this is being offered, but it was an absolute blast to get to ride around the property and see all the fascinating hidden gems tucked away around the vines. There's history in those hills I had no idea of, and it was a great time getting to...