Five Great Places to Drink Wine in Ojai
From established wineries to a backyard wine bar tucked behind a picnic store, there are plenty of watering holes in Ojai. Whether you’re looking to buy wines to take home, want to indulge in tasting flights or simply enjoy a bottle over a meal, there are many options to satisfy your inner oenophile. Here are five great places to drink wine in Ojai.
THE OJAI VINEYARD
This tasting room is housed in a colonial-style building off Ojai Avenue that was once a firehouse. The huge room features a large wall of wine at the back that fittingly sets the scene for there are more than 300 wines available to sample or buy here. A typical tasting flight at the Ojai Vineyard showcases five wines and my personal favorite is their elegantly aged Syrah. But their very moreish Rosé, crisp Sauvignon Blanc or delicate Pinot Noir are also not to be scoffed at. The highly knowledgeable staff are always on hand to help and there are tables both inside and out where you can sit and enjoy a glass, flight or bottle.
BOCCALI’S
Nestled on a corner at the edge of Ojai’s East End just as you leave town, Boccali’s is a full service Italian inspired restaurant that offers wines from its family-owned vineyard. The family produces 100% estate wines, made from fruit grown on their Boccali Ranch in the Upper Ojai Valley, with vintages including the aptly called Shangri-La Grenache Blanc, Pink Moment Rosé Syrah and the Topa Topa Syrah. Boccali’s is open for outdoor wine tastings on Saturdays and Sundays from 12-5pm only and the tasting fee for a flight of seven wines is $10. The Boccali family also owns a second pizza and pasta restaurant in nearby Oak View.
TIPPLE & RAMBLE
Although Tipple & Ramble is first and foremost a picnic and patio shop that sells quintessential Ojai goods like blankets, retro games, coolers and gourmet snacks, from Thursday to Sunday its adjoining garden morphs into a delicious wine bar. The place feels a bit like a friend’s backyard, with a relaxed vibe that makes it easy to while away a whole afternoon, drinking wine and nibbling on cheese and charcuterie boards or seasonal salads. Order your tipple of choice from the bar, which has been built into a vintage trailer, hang out at one of the patio tables or lie back in a hammock and enjoy the Pink Moment.
TOPA MOUNTAIN WINERY
Topa Mountain Winery is both a family and dog friendly venue, with outdoor games and al fresco seating. Due to Covid restrictions, reservations are required and bookings for each week open up the Monday prior to that week. The extensive selection of wines covers everything you could possibly lust for, including sparkling and dessert wines, and the wines are hand-crafted from the Ojai Valley and Central Coast. The wines are available by the glass and bottle, while the wine tasting flight of four wines costs $18 plus tax. Bring your family, a picnic and enjoy.
OJAI BEVERAGE COMPANY
With more than a thousand wines and nearly as many beers as well as a shiny selection of top-shelf spirits on offer, the Ojai Beverage Company is Ojai’s go-to destination for all things booze. The accompanying restaurant’s menu, put together by chef Jerret Gilden, is designed for pairing with beer and wine and features things like Baja-style fish tacos and tri-tip panini as well as salads, sandwiches, burgers and flatbreads. The wine list includes 13 varieties, ranging from a bright and vivid Veuve du Vernay sparkling Rosé to an elegant Solis Malbec from France and a wine sampler of any four wines is a reasonable $14.
