Riverbench Winery

I had a great time at Riverbench two evenings in a row. The second night I just went big and joined the wine club because the wines are wonderful and the value is truly AWESOME. If you do the math it’s great. I received a tasting for four gratis and then we opened one of my bottles from my first club shipment. We all had wonderful glasses for a much lower cost than they would cost out at a bar or restaurant. Then we ordered some pizzas from Lucky Penny across the way and we were set for a casual lovely dinner. The folks at the counter were very attentive and their hospitality was spot-​on. That doesn’t always happen in SB so it’s nice to see. I will be coming here often as a member now and enjoying the free tastings with friends and probably ordering a lot of those pizzas over in the future. The whites I tried were amazing and the one red I had (the Mesa) was wonderful with the pizza. A great tasting room. I strongly recommend it. Friendly folks & great value!

For starters the tastings here are overpriced. Especially in light of the fact that the wines were sub par at best. Other wineries in the Funk Zone charge a reasonable $ 12 fee. This place charged $ 20! We thought they must be charging more because their wines were exceptional. The reality was not even close. We’re big Pinot Noir lovers and we tried every Pinot Noir they had and not one managed to impress us at all. Save your money and if you love Pinot Noir we recommend Pali down the street.

If you love a SPARK in your wine Riverbench is the place to visit!!!
The young woman, Eloisa, who helped with our tastes was phenomenal! The seating in the tasting room is inviting with plenty of room for you and a group of friends.
You must take home a bottle of the Blanc De Noirs!

I was very disappointed. I walked in and no one acknowledged or looked at me. I sat down and again no one looked at me or approached me. The customer service at all the other tasting rooms were top notch. If you want to wine taste go to any other business but this one. Very disappointed. I went next door to 5.1 and was greeted with a happy face and smile welcoming me.

The bubbles they have are OUTSTANDING!
The girl who help us was very personable, knowledgeable and friendly. I forget her name but she was blonde and I am pretty sure the manager of the place.
Would recommend to everyone! This place is a must try.

Great little winery centrally located in the funk zone! It’s small with a counter at the bar and a bench-​like couch against one side of the wall where you can sit and relax with a glass of wine. Riverbench offers three kinds of tastings: Chardonnay, sparkling wine and Pinot Noir. We chose the Pinot Noir ($ 20 pp) which we really enjoyed. All of the wines were really excellent and the people who work here are so sweet and great about explaining each type of wine. Also, they sell homemade chocolate covered toffee here which is beyond amazing! They let us sample it which resulted us in buying a bag. Delicious, high-​quality wine and chocolate made this place memorable. Definitely drop by if you’re in the area!

Riverbench is a nice little winery with some very good wines. The interior looks modern and has a bench running along one side where you can sit and relax.
We had the Pinot Noir tasting menu for $ 20, and the wines were consistently very enjoyable. They also offered options for a white wine or sparkling wine tasting menu. Also tried a very ample glass of the 2013 Chardonnay. A fun place to stop by in the afternoon.
They also sell excellent chocolate covered toffee with almonds.

We came right before 6 (the official close time). There were several people in there but the woman working the bar tonight (¹⁄₁₆) was extremely rude and refused to serve us. She made us feel very unwelcome. We’ve been here before and had a nice time, but there are plenty of places in the area and I don’t think we’ll be back again.

Since when does Santa Barbara have great wine?
Cozy and sophisticated, the Riverbench tasting room near downtown SB is the perfect place to kick back and relax. The tasting room offers three flights: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sparkling Wines. My boyfriend and I opted for the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir flights, both great options depending on your palette!
Here were some of our favorites:
2012 Riverbench Clone 115 Pinot Noir: A touch of hyacinth and dried black currant make this the standout in a sea of Pinot Noirs. Szechuan pepper gives you a perfect kick at the end!
2012 Riverbench Chapel View Chardonnay: light and versatile, a perfect chard for a night in with the girls or solo with a movie and some buttery popcorn. Needless to say, we bought two bottles!
As a San Franciscan, I’m spoiled by my close proximity to Napa and Sonoma. But Santa Barbara wine seems to be the new underdog in this state! Now if only they figure out an easier way to waive the tasting fees. Three bottles for one waived fee? Ay caramba!

One of the few games in town for sparkling wine. They allow the flexibility of picking your poison… a flight of red, white, bubbly, or just enjoy a glass!
Located right in the middle of the action. Sleek & modern tasting room. PLUS the staff is friendly and approachable. Sara poured for us & took the time to recommend some gems we had not visited. Sara’s enthusiasm for vine & knowledge of some of the local players really made the day for us.
This place is top 3 must visits in the funk zone.

I walked by and asked if I could eat my salad at the bar, and the bartender was so gracious and invited me in and got me some water, unassuming that I also wanted to taste some wines as well! Super super awesome gesture, and their pinot’s were phenomenal!

I was looking for a nice winery to do a tasting while here in the west coast visiting and Unilocalers once again did not disappoint. It’s a little hard to find this place when navigating in the area for the first time and you gotta find street parking. It’s a cute little room with bar seating and a lounge area. We were the only ones there as it had just opened. I did the Chardonnay tasting for $ 15 and it was wonderful. The rose was my favorite with the estate Chardonnay coming in second. They have a bubbly tasting as well that was $ 20 but since I was the only one doing the tasting I’m going to have to reserve that for next time. Chardonnay is my fave white wine and I must say this place knows what they’re doing !

Let me preference this review by saying, it was a hot day and this place has air conditioning.
Even without the AC the staff was very friendly. Chris took care of our rowdy group of six without any hesitation. Also, the bubbly was good, they had clean restrooms and cute décor.
I recommend adding this place to your list if you are tasting in the Funk Zone.

We stumbled upon this winery by accident after getting lost (looking for another winery) and fell in love. The atmosphere, combined with some of the best Pinot Noir we’ve ever had, made for a perfect afternoon. We will definitely return.

We had the bubbles flight and really liked the champagnes. It was a little pricey for just three glasses, and the waitresses seemed to have inconsistent pours. The waitresses didn’t explain anything about the wines, but the place was also pretty busy.
All in all, we liked the wines and the atmosphere was decent.

The Riverbench Winery tasting room was awesome. It was right in the middle of the urban tasting area in Santa Barbara. We stopped by with a group of about 10 girls during a bachelorette party. The space was great– open, with some couches and space around the bar. There were enough people there that the atmosphere was fun and it felt like a celebration, but not so many that it was crowded or there was an impossible line for the restroom.
Their Bubbly Flight ($ 15) was perfect for our celebration, and our bride-​to-​be had a great time. We tried the Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and Blancs de Blancs Demi Sec– all were great, and the staff was very friendly and helpful.
Without a doubt, I’d go back if I’m in the area again! I would love to try their other flights as well!

Absolutely one of my favorite wineries in Santa Barbara! Friendly staff, totally affordable wines by the bottle, and cool funky tasting room in the Funk Zone. Be sure to do the sparkling wine tasting-​such a treat!
They also sell some amazing, melt in your mouth toffee behind the counter (Koval Confections). You’ll never go back to store bought toffee again!

Great little tasting room in the heart of the Funk Zone. The set up is quite cozy with a long L shaped couch that adds plenty of seating in addition to the bar.
The Pinot flight and Bubbly flight are our personal favorites.
Only downside of Riverbench is it gets really crowded on the weekends, and there never seems to be enough staff. We brought my in-​laws in a few months back, and the service was quite slow because the place was crowded and only 2 employees to serve.
Overall a place worth checking out and a good addition to the Funk Zone.

We came here since I’m a fan of sweet and sparking wines. The time we came it was actually pretty busy considering it was during the summer months. When it gets super busy, the service can be a little slow.
I didn’t care for any of the wines, but this is a great place to stop if you’re into the bubbly. The winery is within walking distance from the beach, which is great since we stayed beachfront.
On certain days they have cupcakes for sale from an outside vendor. What a novel idea! Bubbly and cupcakes?! YUM!

Always excited to review a new place. Riverbench is so new that it doesn’t even have a sign outside. You have to look for it! But some of the best things in life require some effort, right?
The tasting room is a delight. It is very small though so when this place catches on (and it will) you will be better tasting during the week. I expect that on weekends you might have to fight for space.
I am writing this half way through my tasting and so far so good. The wines are $ 20-​$ 32 for the whites and $ 28-​$ 48 for the reds. The Pinot for $ 28 seems like a pretty great deal. If price isn’t so much of a factor buy the Mesa Pinot for $ 48! It is an awesome pinot, much like a great Santa Rita Hills Pinot… but for less money.
Christina is the manager, very nice and a used to be the sommelier at the Bacara.