carr winery - the santa ynez warehouse

The Santa Ynez region has no shortage of vineyards and tasting rooms, and one of the better ones I have experienced was the Carr tasting room. A great atmosphere, music, shuffleboard, and of course wine. The Pinot Noir's are much bigger and bolder than what you're typically used to. And the Cab Franc is even better.You have lots of options in Santa Ynez, but you probably won't find a better place to visit than Carr.

We visited Carr Winery in Santa Ynez just yesterday. We had never been there or tasted their wines. I'm sorry I didn't get the name of the woman working behind the counter but she was a veritable fountain of wine knowledge. I learned a lot just listening to her.We enjoyed the wines too. I was take by the Cab Franc and bought a bottle of it, which I look forward to enjoying in the future.

After a less than stellar experience at a vineyard not too far away (see my reviews), we wanted to "ghostbust" the memory and Carr was the chosen destination. Driving up we weren't sure what to expect-it's not at the actual vineyard, so will it be nice? Oh, it was perfect. A giant warehouse space, nice and cool (temperature-wise) and expertly lit, at first we weren't sure if it was what we were looking for, but Nicole behind the bar made us feel welcome immediately.There were a few other tastings going on, but the environment was relaxed and friendly. I attribute it to Nicole. She was friendly and attentive. Extremely knowledgeable about the area and the Carr wines. PLUS!!! Every single wine was fantastic. Every single one. The walls were adorned with amazing photos and art (local, I am sure), and the entire place had a welcoming vibe, but also felt somewhat exclusive and hip. In a good way.We loved it so much in fact, we planned to go to the winery in Santa Barbara the next day, but they had a private party. weeeeep! I have already made a list of all the wines I intend to buy in my next case. Cannot wait!