Rideau Vineyard

Highly recommended to do the tasting tour if you haven’t.
Norma was our tour guide who was so pleasant, energetic and knowledgeable. She’s got the sweetest, friendliest smile which made the experience much pleasant. I didn’t taste the wine because I’m expecting, but my mom and sister loved the wines especially the syrah!
I’ve been to several wine tours but this one top my list even though I didn’t have any wine :)
I learned so much about wines, wineries, Victorian architecture and preservation of a historical building. My tour was compd because of my pregnancy, they even prepared a special plate for me, as they were so careful to not give me unpasteurized cheese and cold meats. We tried their Sam’s pizza and it was delicious! We also ended up purchasing bottles of their sundried tomatoes as it is so yummy! And of course, we had to have the syrah come home with us.
After a let down from the Hearst castle visit, this was such a huge contrast. The property is breathtakingly beautiful. We were so happy we came to this place. We’ll definitely be spreading the word to our friends, families and co-​workers!
Thanks, Norma! We hope to see you soon again.

Rideau is absolutely lovely. I leaned about the vineyard in or around 2007 and since then it’s been on my list of favorites. The staff is warm, friendly, and knowledgable with just the right sales skill. The grounds are usually open from around 11am until 4pm during weekdays and become busier during weekends (see the website for summer hours). What’s great is that Rideau offers cuisine but will also allow guests to bring their own picnic basket and utilize their lush lawn area for a personal picnic. Inside the home/​wine tasting building lies all the charms of another time period. Velveteen curtains fall alongside windows and chandeliered lamps provide soft lighting in the sitting room. Old French and Southern charm surrounds visitors and all senses are stimulated by visiting the grounds and the building. A definite treat for those who can appreciate elegance without attitude, pomp, or circumstance.

Had a geat time visiting! Wine was great, the grounds are so beautiful. Get a glass of wine and relax in the chairs outside by the big oak trees.
Will be back!

This place came highly recommended and was just a horrendous experience. It was a Saturday afternoon and we had a large group (12 people) so we obviously made a reservation weeks in advance. When we arrived, we found someone working and excitedly told them «we’re here!!» to which they told us to find a table on our own. When we told them we were the large group that had a reservation they said, «That doesn’t guarantee you anything, so go ahead and find a table.» We assumed they were just confused, because there was a large table outside that was set up for a party of 12 and no one was sitting there (so obviously they do set up for large group reservations!?). After asking if that was our table outside, they said no, but told us they could give us our own pourer at the counter. How nice of them (lol). So, we crowded around a 6 foot counter to get our wines and felt like we were in everyone’s way. Halfway through our tasting, a group showed up and got seated at that large table outside! Also I have to mention that these people were not even drinking wine from this winery; they were pouring cans of Miller Lite into their wine glasses. I’m not sure how they got that table or why we had a reservation for nothing? This place was honestly the worst customer service I’ve ever had. On another note, the patio area had these awful plastic curtains to enclose it, which made it feel very stuffy. I’m not sure why you would use them on a sunny, 70 degree day. The rest of the grounds are very pretty and picturesque, but I would never come back because there are literally hundreds of other wineries that have exponentially better service.

This winery was a favorite when we visited over Memorial day weekend. We have been tasting wine for over 25 years and rarely do we like all of the wines offered on the tasting flight, but these were all good. The tasting room was lovely and Niki was a wonderful guide through the tasting. We are over winery tours so we didn’t bother with that but if you want to know more about how wine is made, i understand that their tour is quite good so by all means take the tour. overall we enjoyed the wine, the atmosphere and the attentive staff. we will be visiting again the next time we are in the area.

Went to this vineyard with my boyfriend when we passed through Slovang on a road trip. We did the wine tasting and loved the flavors of the selection they provided. It was around 12 $ for tasting for high quality wine which was very reasonable. The had a salami and cheese plate for 12 $ which had so much food on it that we couldn’t even finish it. The grounds were very well kept with beautiful roses and a great atmosphere. I will definitely be coming back here when I pass through the area again! I even purchased a bottle and they gave me a discount for checking in. The bottle cost 40 $ around but it was very nice tasting and was given to a family as a gift.

Today our family visited Rideau winery and vineyards. The rose bushes were in full bloom and the outside area was great to relax in and drink our carfe. There is a $ 15 carfe of red wine blend, which was well worth the trip! In addition, there are 6 wines on the tasting menu for $ 12 a person, all of which were wonderful!
Niki and Seth were incredibly warm and friendly and created a lovely ambiance within the tasting room. I would come here again in a heart beat and recommend to anyone looking to visit Solvang wineries.

This was my first time in solvang and also my first time ever doing a wine tasting and tour! Me and my date had a great time! We reserved our spot for the tour at 11am on Saturday morning. The day before Easter. It was a big group turnout. Our guide was a little lady with an English accent and she was so sweet and so funny! She made our tour a lot of fun. She was very knowledgeable on the history of the winery. We sampled 5 wines (all great) then got the cheese, meat, and cracker tasting after! I had found this deal on groupon and what a great deal it was! The winery was great. I love the New Orleans theme and vibe of the winery. There was s live jazz Band playing during the time we were there. The music was great and weather was perfect that day. I will definitely be back to visit! This was a great first experience. After the tour is over it’s open for you to stay and relax inside or outside or mingle with others.

Wine, New Orleans, and olive tapenade? When can I move in? My honey and I came here for a tour, wine tasting, and tapas which was a package deal for $ 35 from Groupon, which is a great value for the experience.
When my boyfriend and I got the the vineyard we were about 15 minutes earlier than the tour appointment time, and since we were starving we ordered a salami pizza from the small Bistro they have within the premises. The pizza was not too big, $ 12, but it really hit the spot and was delicious with a thin and flavorful crust.
Once we sat down to wait for the rest of our party, Norma, our tour guide introduced herself. As we would learn through the rest of the tour, Norma is a jovial, kind, and informative Irish woman who has been working for Rideau for eleven years and has a rich understanding of both wines and the history of the vineyard. And because we were early and had to wait for the rest of the party, she gave us a free tasting while we waited, which is always a good sign in my book.
The tour itself moved through the house, a historical building, through the wine making area, and into the yard. I won’t go into too much detail because you should really experience the tour and learn the details at Rideau. But suffice it to say that I learned a lot about wine, the wine making process, and the charming history of Iris Rideau, a lively woman from New Orleans and the owner of the winery. Through each step of the tour, we were given a new wine, each more delicious than the last. The tour ended with us being seated in a cozy room, being fed tapas — salami, cheeses, bread, and the best olive tapenade I have tasted.
At the end of it all, we walked out with a newly purchased bottle of wine, a jar of tapenade, and a newfound appreciation for the winemaking process. I highly recommend it, and I look forward to coming back for more.
Oh, and by the way, on the weekends there is live jazz! What’s better than good wine and live jazz?

A number of months ago I bought a Groupon for Rideau that included a tour, snacks, and a great time at a quality vineyard. I got exactly that :)
Now, I must say that my gal and I didn’t linger in the tasting room, nor did we get to experience the Saturday band much, but the Tour was phenomenal.
Norma was our guide, and she was excellent. Her mastery of the history of Rideau was rivaled only by her knowledge of the wine making process, and the particulars of starting such a business. I learned so much that I had never known before about wine, and particularly the Rideau method.
Plus, their wine is fantastic! My babe and I bought a deliciously satisfying Tempranillo varietal, and we did so at a criminally cheap price! The beauty of the Tour was that we were privy to a special discount on top of the regular discounts they offer visitors. Not to mention, the wine sold here at Rideau is not available anywhere else! It made the wine we tried that much more special.
The location itself is beautiful. Even though 10 years had passed without any use, the owners did a great job restoring the old adobe home. It feels rustic, and is reminiscent of a cozy bed and breakfast.
With ample seating inside and out, a comfortable atmosphere, and wine that is tantalizing, you would be remiss to visit Los Olivos and not pay Rideau Vineyard a visit.

A fun little outing for those in LA looking for a day trip up to Solvang. This small vineyard has a really quaint feeling and a great staff. Shay, our Irish tour guide, was very informative and quite funny.
Definitely go for the groupon/​living social deal that allows for a wine tasting, tour and a $ 20 credit towards a bottle.
The tasting/​tour takes about 2 hours and is pretty nice, except the room you do the tastings in is a bit small for my liking.
Overall they have a nice selection of wine (including one called Mourvedre — not an evil sorceress, no matter what you might think) and a great staff. Highly recommended.
Stay Cheerful ;)

Came here on the recommendation of our driver since we had a few children with our group. Plenty of space for them to run around and had homey feel inside the building.
This was our last stop on our day of wine tasting and our group’s least favorite. Staff was wrapping up for an event and the person doing our pours seemed pretty aggravated even though we were going quickly. She spilled on a few of us and made comments/​glares as if it was our fault.

Have you ever gone to a winery and a party broke out? That’s what happened to us and boy am I glad it did. My wife and two friends decided to go this winery as a fun day trip. We got the coupon from Groupon and set off for the day.
The winery is beautiful, not unlike most wineries. I love wine, but I hate the pretentiousness of it all. My motto is «If I like it, I’ll drink it!» As we arrived, the band was setting up to play. A Blues Band! That’s when I knew I was in for a good time. The tasting area was full so the lady showed us to a table on the patio, near the band. The guy at the next table said we should sit there because the sound was better, without being overwhelming.
Our first round of tastings came out, she poured them at our table. Then the band started to play. A group of women celebrating a wedding jumped up and started dancing. Then an elderly lady, I swear she was 78 – 80, started going around the room, telling people to get up and dance. The lady could move!
I came to what I thought would be another snooty winery. Suddenly, I was transported to Nawlins (New Orleans for you snooty people). The old lady reappeared, this time with a carafe of Chardonnay, and started pouring into our empty glasses. We explained that we were waiting on our next pour, and she said «Then you’d better drink up!», and danced away to her table.
We partied like we were in Nawlins. The remaining pours were generous to say the least. Then we were told, this wine is not on the list, but I thought you’d like it. This happen over and over.
I was told by the server that they always have a Blues band or a Jazz band. I asked her why she left her old job at a winery and came here. Because it’s always fun here! Nuff said!

If you check in with Unilocal you get $ 10 off your $ 12 wine tasting. Thats $ 2!!!
Also this winery was the most generous with their wines. I think we sampled at least 10 wines. They also have a picnic area so you can come and have some food before your reservation. Definitely the most loud and entertaining winery we went to this weekend.

Enjoyed the experience! Favorite was the Lagniape. Highly recommend purchasing. Spacious facility. Attentive pourers. Looking forward to returning in the near future.

A large, popular place for families. Wines were mostly blends. Staff was friendly but so inundated with families that they can’t really give you a good sense of the wine. ³⁄₅ on the corporate wine feel. Plenty of room for the kids and animals.

Loved this winery!
My family and I were taking a trip to Solvang/​Santa Barbara area and going to several of the wineries along the way!
When we got to this one, there was a beautiful «backyard» grassy area with tables, chairs and a BAND PLAYING LIVE MUSIC!!! All of the guests were picnicking with either the food they bought there or brought themselves and drinking wine while listening to the great old school jazzy blues. It was a little cold but the ambiance was so much fun!
We took a walk around the vineyards and although it was out of season and everything was pretty dry, it was still nice to see.
The actual building where you get your wine and food seems like an antique looking home. Super authentic and cozy.
The food (we got a few of the pizzas and a cheese/​bread/​nuts plate) was very tasty. I would definitely come back here! Loved it!

Came here because we had bought a groupon.
We got a tour for four, a tasting of wines, a small selection of tapas and credit toward a wine purchase. Our tour guide was sweet and funny. He was very knowledgable, and cracked jokes that were funny because they were kind of bad. The duration of the tour was a little long, especially at the end when you are standing in the fermentation room people resorted to leaning against walls and even sitting on the floor.
Overall it is a cute and clean place. They are generous with the wine portions when tasting. The tapas were bread slices, olive spread, cranberries, almonds, cheese & salami. We were definitely expecting a little something more, but it was still a nice addition to the tasting.
After the tour and tasting, you can enjoy your time out on the vineyard. we decided to walk around and take some pictures along the grapes. got to do it for the gram (;

I got a deal for a tour here through Groupon and I was not disappointed. We got a tour, a tasting of wines and cheese, and credit toward a wine purchase. The duration of the tour was perfect, and it was great learning about the history of how Iris Rideau started this winery, and learning about different methods for storing wine. The cheese tasting was my favorite :) It included cheese, salami, olive tapenade, nuts, cranberries, and sliced baguette pieces.
There’s something for everyone here. For me, red wine is too strong, so I am glad that had some whites and roses included on the tour. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here and the atmosphere is very relaxed and welcoming

The tour offers a unique, highly recommended wine tasting experience.
You start off in the front room with a small group.
Where you from?
Apple Valley?
Oh cool, I’ve driven through there
…as quickly as possible.
Where you from?
Hesperia.
I’m sorry?
Hesperia.
No, I heard you. I’m just sorry.
and so on…
We meet energetic, informative, eye-​contactful Norma.
She’s like an Irish Carol Brady.
A Carroll O’ Brady, if you will.
Don’t be late– she’ll call you out.
Cool, we’re all here.
Let’s have a tasting of wine.
Delicious.
Now let’s go outside.
Let’s hear some interesting stuff.
Let’s wonder if we wore the right shoes for this.
Let’s go in the room with the barrels.
My God, those crosswinds are banging the door.
It’s like the Walking Dead barn scene.
Hey, Carol! I found Sophia!
Or maybe it’s the latecomers trying to join the tour.
What, Norma, oh yes, I was listening.
Handcrafted oak Barrels cost THAT much? Interesting.
God, my feet hurt.
Ooh, yes, more wine please.
Let’s go in the room with the tanks and machines.
Grinding, de-​seeding machines…
Crap, I hope we’re not unwittingly starring in Hostel 3.
Let’s shift from right foot to left foot.
That didn’t work. They still hurt.
And I’m out of feet.
What, Norma, oh yes, I was listening.
Beauty products and exfoliants from the stems? Cool.
I could use that de-​stemming machine at my house.
More wine? Sure.
Mmmm, this one’s good.
May I have another to soak my feet?
No, I’m totally kidding.
They won’t fit. Unless you have a bowl… no…
Let’s leave this room.
Hopefully we are going to where they keep the chairs.
Nope, we’re outside again.
Walking on hard, loose gravel now.
Is this a survivor immunity challenge?
What, Norma, oh yes, I was listening.
Something about the wine having legs.
Tired, wobbly legs.
More wine? Yes, please.
A walk to the front? Great idea.
Can I call a Über?
Let’s go in the house.
CHAIRS! CHAIRS! CHAIRS!
Crap, everyone is looking at me.
I guess I shouldn’t be kissing the chairs.
Ooh, cool, food.
Bread, salami, nuts, cranberries, olive paste.
A little more wine? Thanks.
That was fun, informative, different.
The only thing better would be if it was a segway tour.