Gianni Buonomo

My Ocean Beach locals, the Anfuso’s, hooked me up on this place. Fantastic wine and very personable and knowledgeable staff. By far the best winery in Ocean Beach!

This is type of place that OB needed, a winery right in the heart of downtown OB. While it seems like craft breweries are the current trend, I definitely prefer wine so it is nice to have a place to go.
First and foremost, the wine is excellent and they have a nice mix so you should be able to find a type of wine you enjoy, no matter your preference. It is definitely worth it to first select the tasting option so you can try many of the different kinds of wine they have available before you select your favorite.
The atmosphere is amazing as well. It is very welcoming, smart and engaging, with a fabulous antique counter and a lot of wine casks doing double duty as storage and decoration. Overall the place has a great trendy, urban feel. Moreover, the place itself is technically a ‘winery’ and not just a wine bar, as they manufacturing the wine on-​site (for a few select days per year), which definitely adds to its charm.
Keith, the owner and winemaker, is very knowledgeable about wines and he is also very friendly and will not hesitate to answer any questions you may have about the wine-​making process or just talk to you about wine in general.

A fantastic addition to Ocean beach! Gianni Buonomo adds much needed diversity to the «bar scene» on Newport. Great wines, great ambiance and a very reasonably priced no obligation wine club, what’s not to love?

Amazing wines from Washington state.
Their Cabernet Sauvignon/​Petit Verdot, Mourvèdre/​Syrah, Sangiovese/​Petit Verdot and Blaufrankish are very well made by Keith Rolle.

Gianni Buonomo is truly a gem, and it hasn’t even gotten started yet!
As previous reviewers have noted, the grand opening isn’t until February 2016. Keith Rolle, winemaker and managing partner, is on site every day tending to his wines, and the wine bar is open for tastings Wednesday through Sunday.
The grapes come from the Yakima Valley up in Washington state, and are made into wine here in San Diego. Keith really believes that the grapes coming from this area are superior, and isn’t willing to cut corners when it comes to making excellent wines. I’ve had the good fortune to get to know Keith, and in our chatting, like a mad wine scientist, he’s taken his over-​sized pipette to various 2014 vintages for us to sample («Here’s the Barbera. Now taste what happens when we add a splash of Syrah!»). Fantastic.
But you don’t have to sweet-​talk your way into a barrel; the bottled wines are also wonderful. They all have different characteristics, some of them really quite funky, all of them quite drinkable. Marc, the man behind the wine bar, is a warm and welcoming Frenchman, has harvested grapes in Champagne back in the day, and knows more than a thing or two when it comes to vin. There’s French radio playing over the speakers, and you can smell the wine fermenting in the barrels. What a way to spend an evening.

I ran across the Gianni Buonomo Winery on Newport Ave. when I was at the OB Christmas Parade this past Saturday. My friends and I went inside and had an impromptu wine tasting once the parade was over. The winery is gorgeous and super inviting. It’s so brand new that the grand opening isn’t happening until February. All wines will be made and stored on the premises! So it’s a real urban winery and not a wine bar.
Owner and wine maker Keith was super personable and his wines are AMAZING!!! I’m not even much of a red wine drinker, but every one I tasted was better than the one before. My favorite was the San Giovese. Just perfect and not too heavy. I bought two bottles to take to a holiday party this week. Don’t miss this place! It’s a part of the new look and feel of downtown OB and it will be trending very soon!!!

Wanted my 1,000^th Unilocal review to be of someplace special, and that special place is Gianni Buonomo — one of San Diego’s newest and best urban wineries. The grapes all come from renowned vineyards in Yakima Valley, Washington, but are made here in San Diego by Point Loma winemaker Keith Rolle. He earned his degree in Enology and Viticulture in Walla Walla WA, and apprenticed at the distinguished Long Shadows Vintners in WA, but fortunately for us, has returned to San Diego.
The wines are really outstanding — the 2012 wines which are currently being released were aged in French oak barrels for 18 months, and then bottle-​aged another 8 months, and are wonderful. The Sangiovese, Avennio (a blend of Mouvedre and Syrah), and Maestrale (a blend of Petit Verdoh and Cab Sauv) are all amazing, but my favorite is the Blaufrankisch. A little tricky to pronounce, but it’s just blau (like cow); Frank + quiche. And worth the effort. It is great on its own or wonderful w/​food, especially Italian.
The winery’s store-​front will be open soon in Point Loma, but meanwhile, you can join the Fedora Wine Club for free by completing a membership application and buying a case of their 2012 wine — you get a 20% discount on this purchase and on all subsequent full case purchases, plus 10% discount on single bottle purchases. You also get advance notice of new releases, winemaker dinners, events, and invitations to take part in the wine-​making process. We have had the chance on several occasions (crush, blending, bottling, blending trials — tasting various versions of the blends) and it is fascinating.
Such an exciting addition to the Point Loma wine, craft beer, and culinary scene. Check it out!