
2

"I welcomed the opening of a 3,500-square-foot Mission Avenue urban winery and tasting room in downtown Oceanside, complete with a 1,700-square-foot back patio and hours Monday–Thursday 4 p.m.–9 p.m. and Friday–Sunday noon–9 p.m. Founders Skip and Maureen Coomber, who began making wine a decade ago after investing in a custom crush facility in Santa Barbara County and whose 2010 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon earned a 95-point rating from Wine Enthusiast, will make some wine on-site while increasing production at their Santa Barbara-area facility. I found that around 16 different wines will be offered for tasting and purchase — from Signature Collection Lake County Pinot Noir to Vintner’s Collection Central Coast Chardonnay and even kegs of rosé — and the winery will fill growlers and other reusable containers; their other label, Skater Girl, is sold nationwide but will not be available in the tasting room. The tasting room will serve charcuterie plates, allow food delivery from nearby eateries including Mission Avenue Bar and Grill, and host live music on weekends, open mic nights, and exclusive events for its membership club, underscoring the Coombers’ stated belief that having fun should be part of the experience of drinking great wine." - Candice Woo