Melville Winery Tasting Lounge

Excellent wine tasting experience. Our server was fantastically knowledgeable about the wine flights and any questions were answered in depth. The atmosphere was cozy and quiet on a weekday.

Great experience and wonderful wines. We went to J Wilkes across the street after here and quickly returned and bought several bottles. Definitely a much more elevated experience in SB and look forward to returning!

Fantastic wine! Great service! Lovely spot, and great people watching! Sandy’s is one of my personal favorites. But honestly you can’t go wrong here. Every single wine is fantastic. Highly recommend! There are a lot of mediocre and terrible wineries in the funk zone, but this is a shining star among them, don’t miss it!

This place has been one of my favors , there wine is always delicious full of flavor and amazing service

Disappointed by Poor Service and Unwarranted Judgment I was looking forward to enjoying a relaxing tasting experience at Melville Winery in Santa Barbara with a group of my girlfriends, but unfortunately, the visit ended on a very disappointing note. After a pleasant start, our host Rachel abruptly approached our table and refused to serve us our final flight. Her reason? She claimed she wasn't "comfortable" and felt we were intoxicated--without any basis or discussion. We were respectful and composed throughout the tasting, and there was absolutely no cause for that kind of judgment or treatment. Being denied the full experience that we planned to paid for, based on someone's subjective perception, was not only embarrassing but completely unprofessional. A couple that sat across from us overheard what had happened and walked up to Rachel while speaking with us and told her that they were leaving and wouldn't be back because they witnessed the way we were profiled and felt it was completely wrong. There are many wonderful wineries in Santa Barbara that offer hospitality without judgment, J. Wilkes being one. We walked over to J. Wilkes following the mistreatment at this establishment and was greeted professionally. The waitress was attentive and knowledgeable of the various wines. Sadly, Melville fell short of that standard. I won't be returning--and I would advise others to consider how they treat their guests before choosing to visit. (Read the numerous reviews) We reached out to the owner Chad Melville, who gave numerous excuses on why his employee treated our group poorly and received not one apology. Actually asked was this our first time at a winery. I guess insinuating we didn't know how to behave. Simply disgusting!

Loved Melville’s and our hostess Valery. She was approachable and very knowledgeable of the winery and history of the area. She was awesome! I particularly enjoyed having a glass of wine (or two!) next to the and in the vineyards! Throw in some cornhole games and you’ve got a wonderful afternoon. Good times. Anna’s Pinot is fantastic.

The beauty of Santa Barbara is that it is wine tasting made easy. Instead of driving to wineries you can try some great options in town from winery specific to co-ops to wine rooms. Then decide what wineries you want to trek to. Melville is a great spot with strong wines. Server was knowledgeable and seemed to gauge to our interest. Add it to your list!

I came back to this place after 5 years and couldn’t recommend more. The wine is superb and the staff really is friendly and knowledgeable. I hope to come back someday, in the meantime I will enjoy my bottle of Estate Shyraz.

We popped into this tasting room quickly as my brother loves this wine, and he has given it to me as a gift before. It's really delicious. We enjoyed it. The people are super friendly . I can't really remember what I liked the most, but I do know that the gal said I'll pour you another glass if you like. She was so sweet. You don't need to make a reservation you can just walk in. They've got beautiful tables. You can go right up to the bar. They do have some food you can order.

Very acidic wine found here. Nothing on the tasting menu fit our palettes and the Chardonnay had a flat flavor. I feel bad leaving a cautionary review because the actual tasting room is cute and the staff were really nice. Unfortunately, they have terrible wine. There was no place to dump wine between tastings so we had to chug stuff we didn't want to finish. There are so many other tasting rooms in the area that deliver on both the aesthetic front and in their high quality wine. I suggest trying anything else on the block.

Came in a wine tasting Pros: - Super cute decor and ambiance inside - Large bar, and then couches and seating along the wall. There were also a few tables outside on the patio area - Staff was super polite and attentive Cons: - Not a huge fan of any of the wines poured. - No dump bucket to be found (though, I didn't ask) Would I come again? Probably not since I didn't like the wines

Nice place to take a break while touring around downtown SB. I didn't love the wines, but the staff is friendly, the music is good, and the cheeseboard is fantastic.

Cool relaxing vibe and helpful staff. Extensive Pino offerings. Stop by when you are in SB.

If come to San Bárbara or are just passing through, spend time tasty the finest wines in the west coast region. Try their Pinots! So good! Also their Chardonnay. Any wine you pick, make sure the ask for the appetizers.

Cute wine tasting room right on the main street in Santa Barbara and pretty close to the water too. For $20 you get to try 5 different wines. They also have some light bites you can order as well. I love Pinot noir so I was excited to try Melville's. However, I personally felt like their pinots were a little too light bodied for me. I only really liked the block m Pinot noir. Their Chardonnay is really good though when I don't usually like whites/Chardonnay. Much crisper and not as buttery. Service was good and the lady helping us was open to answering questions and explaining more about the wine.

The Funk Zone is truly the place to be on these beautiful Santa Barbara weekends, and even better when sitting outside and enjoying the wine tasting flight at Melville Winery. Both the indoor and outdoor spaces are now open for tastings, and as busy as they both were, we were happy to have made reservations to taste. Our host and server Vince was very helpful in getting our tasting started, and his knowledge of the wines and vineyards was much appreciated. Enjoyed their Estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, and our favorites the Donna's Syrah and Anna's Block Pinot Noir. Also had a chance to taste and purchase their newly released Rose of Pinot Noir . . . excellent! And it's all about location, location, location. Their tasting room is right across the street from the Hotel Indigo and Santo Mezcal, the Moxi Museum of Exploration, and next door to McConnell's Ice Cream and Goat Tree. p.s. wear your sunblock.

Very good, very popular wine tasting room. My party of 10 was happily accommodated by the friendly staff, though shortly after the place was packed. They happily served us bottles at the bottle price which we shared - not every tasting room does this. The wine was better than any other place we went to in the Funk Zone - my (non-wine geek) friends loved the Chardonnay (much lighter than usual), and the Grenache Rose. I liked the high end Pinot Noirs included in the 5 wine tasting menu quite a bit. With such a big party, I would go so far as to describe this as a good deal, since polishing off a couple of bottles is not very expensive per person. Two thumbs up!

This tasting gets my award for being the most Modern and sleek. It was more trendy and posh feeling then some of the others I went to during this trip, which mostly were mire rustic, Tuscan, or "offbeat." The wines were good as well. We did the 5 wine tasting for $15. And enjoyed them. I would definitely come back here while exploring the waterfront area about 1.5 blocks from the pier.

Matt B. and I spent a long weekend visiting family in Santa Barbara last month, and we kind of turned it into a mini wine getaway by absconding to tastings when our baby went down for his afternoon naps. Matt had scouted out Melville Winery in advance of our trip--he'd seen the wines come up on various restaurant menus in L.A. and noticed there was a tasting room in the Funk Zone--and we called ahead and drove over as soon as the kid hit the crib. The space was attractive, with high ceilings, white walls, and a ton of natural light. The decor was clean and modern but still California winery cozy, with comfortable sofas and scenic photographs adorning the walls. The vibe was lively on a Sunday afternoon, but the set-up was nice and spread out so it never felt particularly busy. Service was excellent. A woman named Eryn, whose job title I couldn't really guess at, did everything--poured our wines, brought our snacks, and processed our order. She was knowledgeable and friendly. We also left a sweater and called to ask about it then picked it up the next day. They had it and kept it ready for us, no problem. We got two tasting flights and a cheese platter with chorizo to munch on with our wine. The wines were across-the-board delicious. That day's flight included the 2019 Blanc de Blancs, the 2019 Estate Chardonnay, the 2019 Estate Pinot Noir, the 2015 Emery's Pinot Noir, and the 2018 Estate Syrah, plus a bonus pour of our choosing (we went for one each of the two pinots). The cheese platter was also fantastic: white cheddar, manchego, and Humboldt Fog served with fig jam, dried fruit, and fresh bread. The flavorful chorizo was well worth the extra few bucks. We had such a pleasant experience that we joined the wine club at the end of our visit, getting our tasting fees waived and 20% off our purchases. We went home with a Blanc de Blancs, a Chardonnay, and two of the Estate Pinots, and I think we've already drank all but one of the pinots. Matt has also since attended a fancy work function at Spago in L.A. and noticed the wine they were pouring was from Melville. We're big fans of this winery and are excited for our first club selections, which we hope to pick up next time we're in Santa Barbara (they also ship). The wines are fantastic, the price point reasonable, and now we have a place to take friends and drink for free whenever we're in town.

Wine Tasting at the cutest place! We walked in and they were super busy! Glad that we were able to get a table during their rush hour. We ended up trying their wine tastings (5 wine tastings for $20) and omg it was worth every penny! They give you a decent amount of wine to taste. I know that a different winery on state street they hardly gave us any wine to taste, but Melville you can actually enjoy their wine! My favorite was their citrus chardonnay. I actually decided to come here because I saw another person leaving a review about how much they love their citrus chardonnay and I can totally see why! I also knew that their tastings would include Syrah because my boyfriend loves Syrah. Overall, would totally come back and recommend others to try this place! They also have food that you can order, but I was already full from lunch so I opted out. Side note: there's plenty of parking near this place. You just need to be okay walking around. We found a parking lot that was free for I think 2 hours.

Good service and even better Pinot Noir. If in Santa Barbara this place is a must try. Me and my wife will definitely be back

Amanda and Mars were excellent. 10 out of 10 would come back. Tried an olive tapenade trio, which was good, but the service was superb. Amanda had great jokes and kept us entertained. Both employees gave great descriptions of the wines in the tasting and understood the product and their audience. Great service and a cute location.

Lovely tasting room located in the newly renovated lower State St area, just feet away from Stearns Wharf in one direction and The Funk Zone, in the other. It has a sleek modern interior with bar seating and small group table options. They're also dog friendly! I would recommend eating before or after your visit and trying the $15 flight. I primarily drink Cab Sav and was a little sad to see they did not carry any, however, the Pinot Noirs were just as pleasant as a Cab would've been, for me. My favorite of the flight was the 2016 Estate Pinot Noir, hands down, though all tastes were delicious. Individual glasses were a little pricey, in comparison to the rest of the Funk Zone, ranging $14-24 a glass. The staff were kind and attentive, moving a little slowly with a large crowd but very knowledgeable on their wine selection. There's a single restroom in the back and tons of parking around the area, though not right out front or back of the tasting room. It's a beautiful environment with high quality wines and I would definitely come back for a glass of the 2016 Pinot or to try their future blends.

Amanda was incredible!! She is so sweet and knowledgeable about everything. This was a great atmosphere and the service was great! Definitely recommend. We did the flight and got a last sip of our favorite one. All it great here!

Obviously, Melville's Santa Barbara "tasting lounge" isn't as pretty as the tasting room at their winery on the way to Lompoc, but this is much more convenient - particularly with a city parking structure behind the tasting room with 90 minutes of free parking. One of the larger producers of pinot noir in the Santa Rita Hills, emphasis of the tasting was correctly on pinot. I've enjoyed their pinot through the years (really closer to decades now) and still do. The top-of-the-line Rancho Nuevo 2020 pinot is worth the $80 price. Don't underestimate their syrah which was a surprise. About half of the current release was available to taste but this might not be true. Bombarded with too many customers, I didn't want to ask the capable server about other bottles. $25 fee for a five-wine flight that is refunded with a three-bottle purchase.

A great tasting room, they have a very cute intimate setting. Menu is simple and to the point. Friendly staff. If your in town for wine tasting, be sure to put this one on your list.

When we first dropped in, there was one line customer at the bar. After we came in, the place filled quickly. The tasting room is beautifully decorated and quite comfortable. It's located on State Street and quite convenient to near by restaurants. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. We liked the Estate Syrah best.

My husband and I came to Santa Barbara for a day trip and checked out Melville per a recommendation from our friends. The Pinot Noirs and heavier reds (like Syrahs) seem to be their strong suit. We paid $20 for a tasting flight of 5 wines. Our favorite was the Indigene Pinot Noir, which was harvested and made on their estate from only one clone of grapes. The stems were all also removed from the grapes and it was inoculated by native yeast (versus commercial). The taste was beautiful and clean. Had some bright notes of fruit (think blood Orange and red berries) with a finish of spice (like cardamom). All the wines were exceptionally pleasant to drink. Everyone was socially distanced and the servers were approachable and very knowledgeable. The decor is also very modern and minimalist. Would definitely come back again.

Came here as part of the Urban Wine Trail and on a recommendation from another tasting room in the area. Service was very prompt and I felt like we received the best description and discussion of the wines here compared to the other tasting rooms we visited on this trip. Like a lot of tasting rooms in the area, they lead with their pinots, and all three we tasted in the flight were excellent. That said, our favorite here was the Syrah. They pour the Chardonnay last, and explain why, but I still would have preferred having that pour first. Also ordered the cheese board with salami and it was the perfect pairing with their wines. The space itself was very light, bright, and comfortable to sit and enjoy the wines. They were also e trembly dog friendly, which is always a bonus!

So modern and classy with nice crisp wines and tasty charcuterie. Right on state street, would definitely stop in again!

Maia and Mattea were the absolute best.. it was my first time here. they greeted me and made me feel so welcomed. had a class of bubbly Blanc De Blancs and it was very tasty... smooth. thank you for the great experience ladies.

Cute tasting room right in the heart of downtown. Was taking a walk during my visit and stopped inside to check it out. The staff was nice and I really enjoyed their sparking white wine!

Melville Wine Tasting Room on their 1st day of Physical openings Sharing great wines enjoying wonderful Conversations. I've been missing this interaction with my Family, Friends, and Neighbors. Thanks so much to Becky, Natalie, and the entire Melville Family for making us feel safe and comfortable. What a great Day

Always love trying the new tasting rooms in Santa Barbara. Now that a few of the first generation tasting rooms have run their course we now have the second generation starting to pop up. Seems that the second generation is more refined, a little fancier. Melville is centrally located in the new area of State Street. In the mix with Finney's, the posh California Hotel and the Ritz Carlton crowd will love them. That said, I really enjoyed it! Kayla served us and was delightful. We had a Chardonnay, four Pinots (extra pour) and a Sarah. With a 2-for-1 picked up at another local winery it was a fantastic tasting. They charge $15. Their wine club offers three different levels each giving more perks and bigger discounts. The middle level is 1.5 bottles per month and you get 20% off, you can bring three friends with you for complimentary tastings and you attend all the pick up parties. The top level is a much bigger commitment but I think they babysit your kids, wax your car and do free house sitting when you are on vacation. Better that you read the fine print.

Rosé all Day! Amanda's not only so much fun but she's very knowledgeable and accommodating. As locals we love coming here. Great wine, great location and all smiles. Can't wait to be back.

White or red wine flight of 3 tastes for $10. Not a bad deal. Had the white and enjoyed each one. But of course, delicious wine depends on the person's palette. The lady working was informative and friendly. Even brought my puppy a bowl of water.

Nice place to taste new wines or purchase a bottle. My friends and I went here on a whim and loved it. Try the cheese platter! Ps: dogs are allowed.

We were visiting with 2 kids on a lazy pre-Thanksgiving Wednesday. Not a lot of other customers, but I enjoyed the wine (pinots were on point) and we ordered a cheese plate, which was delicious. Servers were friendly and kind. Would say this place counts as kid-friendly.

Melville is great! All the wineries in town were chatting up a storm about a new tasting room opening in the funk zone and they did not steer me wrong. This location is a tasting room and they have a larger vineyard up north in the wine ghetto. The decor of this place is GORGEOUS. I am in love with every piece they have as it's classy but very inviting. There are a few bar seats and then couch seating so I wouldn't say great for large groups. This is located on the hustle and bustle of state street which is attractive and right next door to the new third location of McConnells! Their wines are very tasty and I love me some reds so the flight was perfect for me (1 white and 4 reds). The pinos that they have are delicious and apparently great paired with curry chocolate (they have it avail for purchase on menu). Overall thoroughly impressed and will be back, they also allow dogs which is a plus! - Jess H.

Great place to come wine tasting! Small area that could hold up to 50 people. Comfortable seating area as well as bar seating. We were greeted by Mimi. Next Kurt started taking us through the wines. Lovely Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, a Chardonnay, and we finished with wonderdul Sparkling wines. A must try while you are in the Funk Zone. Will be back again.

Convenient spot walking distance from the pier. We weren't planning to wine taste but were attracted by the five tastings for $20. As mentioned by other reviewers the Pinots clearly stand out. We sat outside and were comfortable during the day with a large umbrella giving shade. We took our time and did not feel rushed by the staff. They even let us enjoy our ice cream from next door at the table!

Couple nights in Santa Barbara made even more memorable with an afternoon spent at Melville. This place came with a a pretty stellar recommendation but the wine snob in me was ready to turn my nose up at a California Pinot Noir and heavy grandma style Chardonnay. I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Not only was the wine delicious and approachable, Nichole made made the experience that much better with a friendly and knowledgeable attitude. The tasting room is on Beautiful state street, with a nice ocean breeze. This place should not be missed.

Welcome to the Funk Zone Melville! It's nice to have their well-known wine closer to Santa Barbara from their vineyard up in Lompoc. Melville is known for its production of fabulous Pinot Noirs which grow in the prime location blessed with the rolling hills and ocean mist. Though I must mention their Chardonnays and Syrahs are uniquely tasteful too. I came in to this new tasting room and received 6 wines (3 of which are Pinots) for $15. The Block M Pinot was all of our favorites--of course with the highest tag of $60 a bottle. If you join the club, there's other perks and discounts to their bottles and pours. Lindsy and Becky (both who have lived in my home city of Chicago) were extremely welcoming and knowledgeable. They keep the beautiful up-scale tasting room down-to-earth. I look forward to what wines they come out with in the future.

I love love Melville wines so when I heard they opened a new tasting room Downtown SB I was so excited!! The tasting room is so open with big open windows and the layout makes this place very inviting. Melville has some of the best Pinot Noir ever, with the Block M being one of my all time favorite wines! I came here with my sister during her birthday and we had an amazing experience. We sat on one of the couches and not at the bar so we could just talk to one another to catch up. We decided to do a tasting since she had never been to Melville before. The tasting menu includes all reds expect their chardonnay. As we went through each of the wines we enjoyed each of them. My sister ended up loving the Block M as much as I do! We also got a cheese plate to have during our tasting which was super yummy. Overall I had a great experience here and I can't wait to come back here again to have some of the incredible Block M!

This is a beautiful new tasting room in Santa Barbara on the edge of the Funk Zone. Very classy and a great spot to people watch as it has large glass windows and it right on State Street. Pours were reasonable, so you actually got to taste the wine and the caliber of the wine is excellent. I recommend you stop by and see for yourself!

The gal who helped us was delightful! She was young but she was so bright about her palate for wine. She was a petite brunette with pretty jewelry... that's all I remember! The wine was the best we've had in a while. Smoothest & most crisp, citrus Chardonnay ever! 2019 Pinot and 2019 Syrah were AMAZING! We skipped on the food but later regretted it as we were leaving passing by those who ordered the plates. Thank you, Melville!

Second time we went to this winery because of the great location and beautiful scenery. However, despite having a reservation, took 10 minutes to be seated. Then sat with no assistance for another 20 minutes. Flagged down a waiter who explained that our server went to lunch. He rudely said he'd come back after he waited on another table. No thanks. We left and won't be back. Went back across the street to Babcock Winery where they could not be nicer and fabulous wine too!

I love the wines, but if you go with friends, don't expect an environment that is conducive to conversation. The tasting room is all hard surfaces and the combined voices of the other patrons is so loud you have to shout to be heard, and that was when the room is only half full. They really need to add a suspended acoustic ceiling. The HVAC vents are already suspended from the hard ceiling so the addition of the suspended ceiling is relatively straight forward.

Tried a flight of wine while out and about. Nicole was very helpful and knowledgeable. We didn't try the food but it looked delicious.

I was so so excited to have this winery rooting in DTSB! Saves me the drive for an hour back and forth to Lumpoc. The interior deco was so bright, cute and modern. The girls are cool in pouring heavy:) thanks for spoiling my bad habits and keep it flowing

Had an amazing experience from the minute we walked in to the moment we were walking out. The sommelier was great, he was personable and well educated in the wines he had us taste. We were hesitant at first to go to this winery after having such a negative experience from another small local winery around the block but after taking a leap of faith and walking into Melville we were happy to also go home with a purchase of some wine bottles. Btw the charcuterie was also great!

This was a happy surprise while we were wondering the area. It looked interesting so we stepped inside. They have a cool place with interesting decor. We pulled up a few seats at the bar and did a tasting. We enjoyed most of the wines. We even purchased a bottle. Wish I could remember which one but we have already consumed it so I cannot even check. Our server was good. She was attentive and helpful. We will come back on our next trip to the area.

Great wine and great space. They are super friendly and know they're stuff. I just picked up a few bottles, and the gal assisting me was pleasant and COVID safe.

Bad experience. There are so many nicer and better wine places nearby. Do not stop here. Two open tables in the front with nobody there for over an hour but they are "reserved". I only know that they were open for an hour with nobody there because I was in like for ice cream next door. I used to be a member of Melville and I am glad I cancelled my membership today as a result. The rude girl in the front didn't even ask if I was a wine member.!

Terrible winery. Staff are indifferent. The wine for the price is horrific. Overpriced and not good. We also purchased a flat bread, expensive, for burnt pizza, not even a flatbread. Staff didn't even acknowledge when we mentioned the food being over cooked. Would highly NOT recommend.

These are great wines at fair prices. I have always loved about Melville that all their wines are estate--meaning they plant and harvest the grapes and then make and bottle the wine. Unlike so many other winemakers, especially in and around Solvang, everything Melville does is totally homespun. Their vineyard is beautiful and so peaceful. It is also somewhat unique, especially these days, in that it hasn't been taken over by trendy gimmicks. It's just a beautiful patch of land with an adorable building and room for picnics. These wines are also routinely rated 95 points and higher.

We had so much fun at Melville Winery thanks to server Mars and other wait staff. The wines were fun and the bites, we had tapenade, were tasty. I look forward to our next visit there.

We decided to go in despite bad reviews, but we shouldn't have. Refused to give us a full flight without white wine or rose. We ended up paying in full and leaving without finishing the first taste because the service was so bad.