Odonata Winery

We were lucky enough to find the only winery open on a Tuesday while driving down the PCH with our pups, and what a find it was! Claire, one of the owners, gave us the warmest welcome and even invited our two leashed dogs to join us. Their property is pure magic—a serene slice of heaven in the Salinas Valley. The wine tastings were fantastic, and the pours were generous. Dennis, Claire’s husband, joined us a few times to pour and share fascinating details about their home and vineyard. Their passion for what they do shines through in every part of the experience. If we lived closer, we’d absolutely be regulars. Thank you, Claire and Dennis, for sharing your story, your gorgeous property, and your incredible wine! With gratitude, David & Josh Chappell & Siouxsie Sioux

We were introduced to their wine by a friend and truly enjoy all of their wines. We moved to the east coast and still have wine sent to us. Very friendly & knowledgeable. Can’t wait to visit them and take home some wine when we move back to California next summer. 🍷 ❤️

We started here as part of a three winery tour on a Saturday. We were the only people there early in the day, and we had a long visit with the winemaker. The setting is perfection! We loved the wines. We would definitely recommend, and we will definitely return.

Our Corvette Club came here for wine tasting experience today. We were greeted by a very friendly staff and really enjoyed the wine tasting experience. I highly recommend giving them a try. They are a great family owned winery just starting out that needs some love. Your sparkling Wine is absolute best. Cheers

Good vibes, good music, good wine, big crowd. But only one bathroom, long line to use it. Specialy when you're selling wine, you're going to use the bathroom more. They need to fine a solution when you have a big crowd.

Excellent wines, great service, beautiful scenery, great parking options!

This is a hidden gem! The wines were very good and the setting Iow key - just the way it used to be! Napa and Sonoma are more like Disneyland now - tasting here is much less ‘crazy’ and is done in a more relaxed manner.

Spent a pleasant afternoon outside with a wine tasting. Employee Julia did a terrific job matching wines to our preferred tastes. Very enjoyable wines, nice views and terrific people.

We dropped in around Saturday around 1:10pm. There was some outside tables taken but they have spacious outdoors. Some tables have umbrellas for covering. Didn't see seatings for indoor. They have both bold and lighter flavored wines here like Rustique. More fruitier side. They are known for their sparkling wines here. But their chardonnay was the stand out. Oakey, buttery, and very flavorful. We waived 1 tasting fee with 2 bottles purchase. You can also bring outside food here. They sell some cheese and snacks in a fridge inside the tasting room.

You can't ask for a better day than a day at Odonata! Weekend, after work, girls day - it's the best spot. Tons of wine to choose from and an amazing view of the mountains. Also, love that it's not too far down river road so it's super fast and easy to get to with plenty of parking.

Great wines, incredible venue, awesome music at yesterday's event. Nice work Odonata team!

This place is a cute little find! Off the beaten path. Ask for Julia! She is quite knowledgeable and has excellent customer service. She also made sure I was good before I left. I'll ask for her next time I come here.

Stop in for wonderful wines, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and a nice little spot to relax and taste their well-made and diverse collection.

Some of the best wine I've ever had, and the people make this place even better!! This winery is amazing!

Hands down one of the best wine tasting experiences I've ever had! ( and I've had a few) really nice setting, not too posh or stuffy but wonderfully comfortable on a sunny winters afternoon. Odonata is a bit, but not too far off the beaten path but well worth the excursion. The line up of wines is excellent and the wines aren't confined to a particular regional style. There are several excellent sparkling options ( ask about the sparkling Grenache rose') and a A great selection of reds from Pinot Noir to Sangiovese ( with a lot in between) But don't let the eclectic line up fool you. Each of these are well crafted and most sourced from the diverse variety or grapes available right there in the Santa Lucia Highlands region. The staff (Julia for us) were excellent and always kept us tasting. (They were also willing to give our group a few extra tastes upon request of some stuff that wasn't on the main tasting menu :-). But beyond any of what I've reported thus far was the 20+ minutes we had talking directly to the winemaker Denis. Now, of course, there's no guarantee that can happen every time, but he's such a great guy and down-to-earth person, if he's there spend a few minutes talking with him, you'll be so glad you did. Definitely make Odonata a stop next time you're anywhere near the Santa Lucia Highlands region.

Today the family and I stopped in at Odonata. A winery in Salinas? Who'd a thunk it, right? We arrived at 11, just as Odonata was opening. There was a sign out front sitting on a barrel that said, "Call Eric for wine." However, Eric was already at the tasting room so no need to call. We sat ourselves down at a shaded area in front of the tasting room. Eric then brought the Mrs. and I a glass of sparkling Grenache Rose'. Then he showed up with some other wines and the tasting list. He said he wasn't going to necessarily follow the list and just listen to us and what we like and go from there. Such a great way to taste wine if you ask me. As time went on, more people showed up. Eric listened to every one of them and seemed to tailor each tasting to each group or individual. A little over two hours later, we walked out with 5 bottles and one of the best wine tasting experiences we have ever had.

We started here as part of a three winery tour on a Saturday. We were the only people there early in the day, and we had a long visit with the winemaker. The setting is perfection! We loved the wines. We would definitely recommend, and we will definitely return.

I had my bridal shower here and it was so perfect! Danielle did such an amazing job her crew helped us set up and were so personable. I would highly recommend having a party here!

What a gem of a place. Outdoor seating. Great wines. Had a nice time tasting with my mom! George was also friendly and nice.

Service was stellar, our dog was welcome which I really appreciated! Ambiance was easy going and friendly.

Ambiance was exactly what I needed and Daniella led us through a perfectly described tasting.

Great place to set and taste wine. Loved the Pinot. The tasting area was all outside. Looks like they have a lot of different types to try. We had 4, 2 were Pinot and was was sparkling it was dry

Natalie and Denis were great hosts! I especially liked their Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine, the Black Darter, and both their Syrahs!

Booked a wine tour and they took us here, let's just say that we dumb 5 out of 6 wines given to us.

About time I wrote a review.... We hit Odonta just on a fluke on our way from Monterey to Paso Robles and am so glad we did. Eric was the ultimate host. He explained everything in a way we could appreciate.... I loved loved the Sparkling Rose of Sangiovese. The surroundings were wonderful... comfortable couches. A perfect outdoor area for tasting. There is also an indoor tasting that some of the other wine tasters utilized.... We had gone to many other wineries and this was our favorite.

Loved this tasting! Dennis, the owner/winemaker, poured our wine. He shared the processes of how each wine was made and their individual characteristics. Every wine was good. Excited to find another delicious local vineyard.

Dog friendly and people friendly. Stopped by towards the end of a busy Thanksgiving eve evening. Junior was the only host working, but you wouldn't have known from the efficiency of his service. Very dog friendly patio, nice fire pit and wonderful views. Great wine and friendly, clean, atmosphere. A nice little cozy nook in the Salinas Valley. Such a treasure that we'll definitely be back to visit!

We came here hoping to try their sparkling Riesling, but they were out. We decided to stay and tried their sparkling Albariño, which was pretty good. The outdoor seating area is pretty small, but looks nice. Service was on the slow side - once the server dropped off our bottle, he didn't return so we had to go inside to pay.

I dont know what else to say but HOLY S***. As we were driving along the road, I commented that it seemed like we were a bit in the middle of no where, and not sure what to expect, but a little nervous since there didnt seem to be any other vineyards in the area. We were in for the ultimate surprise however.... our experience at Odanta was truly a one of a kind, unforgettable memory. We did a private tour with Denis the winemaker who gave us the history of the property, himself, how he ended up here (amazing story btw), and what his vision is. Oh, and the wines themselves were second to none, had to buy some on the spot pretty much. We are already talking about going back the next time we are in Carmel. For all those reading, Odonata is a MUST or you are missing out.

Eric was a great host, and this place has some unique wines. We ended up getting the.... oh, I'm not going to tell you because I just deceded to order a case to give for Christmas. Go try for yourself, and have a great time listening to Eric tell the wines' stories. BYO snacks, they don't serve any food.

Odonata Wines South", is the first winery (of the many) that you will encounter driving South along River Road from HWY 68, south of Salinas. After you pass sign for Monterey Zoo, look left for the huge dragonfly logo. ( ODONATA is the species name for Dragonfly! ) The Odonata Wines dragonfly is of Celtic design, very distinct. We were greeted by Tasting Room Manager Nolan Cutler, a very pleasant man, stout in appearance, yet eloquent about wines. His informal assistant today was Murphy The Dog, a very tame canine who will tempt you into a game of fetch. Mr. Cutler informed us that the original flagship ODONATA WINES is still operating in Santa Cruz, Callifornia at 2343 Mission Street. Odonata operates several rural vineyard locations that supply the tasty grapes fermented at both winery locations. Onodata South: All services are available here - membership, tasting, purchases, shipping, tour. My daughter was interested in the white wines, and Mr. Cutler gladly provided pours to sample. She selected a bottle of 2017 RIVER SKIMMER Santa Clara Valley 100% Viognier. $25 with her credit card, smooth sale! River Road, to be honest, is a narrow two-lane, twisty, with local farm vehicles. Local Wine Tour services can get you there & back. Odonata is First winery south of HWY 68, not very far.

The first winery that you'll encounter on the River Road wine trail heading South from Monterey or Salinas is definitely worth a stop. All the wines were interesting and they're offered in a user-friendly beaker to pour yourself. You can get through a tasting here much faster than at other places, if you're so inclined, and also for a bit cheaper. Their Pinot Noir was the standout. I don't usually get bottles after tastings, but this one was definitely worth it. They also had an interesting sparkling Riesling (!) and some other wines from not just Monterey but the Santa Cruz mountains as well. They were pretty flexible too about which wines you could select for your tasting and more than willing to make suggestions. The staff were excellent and thoroughly knowledgeable about not just the wines but the winemaking process. At the time we visited, outside food was welcome alongside the tasting. The lack of pretentiousness in every aspect was refreshing. We'll be back.

We came here on a Monday morning around 11:30am and we were one of two couples here so great for social distancing. In general, there's plenty of outdoor seating, both in the sun & shade & I could see this place being a great place to hang out on an evening or weekend. We loved tasting the wines (definitely some unique flavors) and we ended up buying the Rosé of Grenache to take home. Service was amazing, with the option of tasting more wines in addition to the flight options & we were given recommendations on where else to visit on our trip nearby. Will definitely be visiting again if we're in the area!

Nice views, decent wines, customer service needs work, requested one glass of wine and one tasting, waited for over 30 minutes before deciding that we would be closing our tab (noting that we were only able to taste ONE wine) Even though other tables were being served, the server failed to even look our way.

Loved the winery. The team is super friendly and knowledgeable about wine making. They have a great selection of dry wines. We enjoyed the Pinot the best and brought a bottle back home. Looking forward to visiting again!

Charming winery, great service, great people and amazing wine - I found this place entirely by accident and totally want to come back and I haven't left yet

We started early and this was our first stop. We were greeted by Nolan and Jr. very friendly and very laid back. We also met the owner who was also super nice. Although I didn't care for the Pinot Noir, I loved the chard and the sparkling white. We bought several bottles and shared one of them outdoors and enjoyed the view. It seems that many tours come here as it really got busy. I loved the vibe here and the wines are good

Came for a retirement party and ended up having an exceptional wine experience. The venue is great for gatherings, weddings, parties etc. Would be great for any kind of adult event that requires some good space. The wine tasting was a real treat. I ended up purchasing a couple of bottles of the petit sirah, delicious! I like that the wine is made from sustainably grown varietal grapes sourced locally from independent growers. Also I love their logo, it is on their wine glasses, so pretty. I enjoyed talking to Denis Hoey. Denis is also the winemaker and hellofaniceguy!

Amazing variety of yummy wines and Eric was great with our tastings and pairings. Definitely worth the visit.

Bad experience, if you look like a Hispanic don't go there .... We didn't feel welcome and we where waiting for somebody help us and he looked at us and never came back that's why we left .... but one guy was up in the field cutting grapes or doing some garden He was very kind and so willing to help us but at this point we didn't feel comfortable enough to stay there so we left ...

Really enjoyed this place! It's an intimate setting with indoor and outdoor seating. The staff here are extremely nice. Dogs are also allowed and I saw a few dogs here which was really nice. Really low key but still classy place. We did the tasting and all the wines we tried were delicious. We sat outside and they would come out with the next tastes so we didn't have to go back inside every time. It was a really nice touch and it truly made our experience better. I also liked that they let their wine speak for itself and the staff was not pushy. Another awesome thing is that if you buy a bottle the tastings are free! Overall I definitely recommend!

My daughter and I visited this charming winery and were blown away by the quality of the wines. George, our wine tasting guru, was outstanding in both presentation and knowledge. We love the wines we bought and will definitely visit and order again. I would highly recommend this lovely place to all wine officionados.

Driving down the wind sweep River Road we happened upon Odonata winery. Odonata ancient Greek for Dragonfly which was part of the original name. This place is churning out some really good wines. The outside has a lot of nice seating options including a few picnic tables and a fire pit. On the side of the winery is a field that kids or dog could run around on and a tether ball for fun. We headed inside to take a look. The tastings on the day- Sparkling Riesling Clean- refreshing and dry. Very nice wine -would pair perfectly with Thai food or something spicy I think. Chardonnay- This was a butter oak bomb. Not my style for a Chardonnay. It was made well and if its up your alley you might enjoy the slightly sweet malolactic fermentation that rounds out this Chardonnay. I will pass on it. Pinot Noir- The pinot was classic St. Lucia Highlands- spice and tobacco up front rounded and fruity through out. Really enjoyed this smooth fruity wine. I purchased one to take home. Grenache- Light on the palate with berry bursts and rounded tannins. I liked it put didn't touch the pinot IMO. Zinfandel- Was easy drinking with black currant and a light spicy and pepper on the palate. I prefer my zin to be a little bolder but this was still very nice. Cabernet- Solid good structure, very drinkable. First sips unleashed earth, leather and cassis with a long round finish. The tannin were soft and rounded but still firm enough that it should age well. Additionally we got to try the Malbec and the Syrah. Malbec- Smooth, berry and subtle on the palate with a full mouth fell. This malbec was really nice I picked up a bottle also. Syrah- This cool weather Syrah was nice but lacked the big jammy inkiness of a typical Syrah. It was interesting drink and I enjoyed it but didn't pull the trigger on this one. I think this will age well and really round out the flavors. The service was exceptionally. The young lady helping us was very knowledgeable, friendly and made the whole experience delightful. Inside the tasting room they have an old pac-man game that the kids liked playing. Their are also a bunch of wooden toys to keep them busy. This is a great down to earth place with a great family feel and warm vibes. Really nice spot will definitely return.

We went to over a dozen wineries in a three days. This was the best of the lot, based on the quality of the wine and the helpfulness of the sommelier

Had a great tasting experience here. Bartenders (winetenders?) were friendly and didn't pressure us to buy anything. Ended up buying a the last magnum of petite syrah. It was so tasty! and only $65! Took it for Christmas dinner and the fam loved it too. We love big bold wines. I gravitate toward Napa cabs and this stood up to them.

Fun tasting room. Highly recommended. Lots of varietals to try and all quite good. Everyone there was top notch and super hospitable. Took us on a tour of the winery and had us try some Sangiovese juice they had just pressed. Hot tip: try them all. The reds are tasty but so are the sparkler and the non-oak, non-mal chard!

This is a review long overdue... Road trip with my sister, this was our last stop before heading back to the Valley. We just had a great time! Awesome people, good wine, amazing set up! Cannot wait to go back!

OK, when you think "Santa Clara Valley," you usually think about San Jose, Stanford, or Silicon Valley giants like Google, Apple, HP, or Facebook. But there are also great vineyards scattered about the southern fringes of Santa Clara, in pockets like the Morgan Hill foothills and the Lexington Reservoir outside Saratoga and Los Gatos, where great grapes are to be found. The folks at Odonata know this. And they embrace the potential of Santa Clara AVA wine-making with a youthful, male passion that is - frankly - infectious. Odonata is basically a 3-man operation, headed by a former UC-Santa Cruz student who apprenticed to local winemakers and eventually expanded out into Monterey County's River Road wine country, within spitting distance of the famed Santa Lucia Highlands. These 3 places - the Santa Clara Valley, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the Salinas Valley/Santa Lucia Highlands - are the primary sources for the remarkable wines made here, usually less than 8,000 cases annually. A nominal $10 tasting fee waived with bottle purchase gets you a selection of anywhere from 6 to 9 wines, ranging widely from dry and sparkling Riesling (yes, you read that right) to deep and dark red wines like Peitie Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon (from a vineyard adjacent to Ridge's Monte Bello estate), Mourvedre, Malbec, Grenache, and Sangiovese (no Durif on our visit, but maybe next time ...). About 2/3 of the current releases come from the Machado Creek Vineyard, near Morgan Hill, which Odonata tends and picks each season, but other standouts wines are sourced from great vineyards like Besson (old-vine reds near Gilroy also favored by Bonny Doon and Birichino) and in the Santa Lucia Highlands (source for their Rieslings). There are Santa Cruz Mountains Pinots, too, and that outstanding Douglass Crest Cabernet from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Tastings happen inside the barrel room, a shed-like space with indoor bar and outdoor patio near to the lower end of the Salinas Valley, about 20 minutes by car from Monterey and Seaside. They are open for no-reservation tastings each weekend from noon to around 5pm, and the locals know and appreciate how good these wines really are. What's cool about Odonata is how youthful and vibrant the the place feels - the winemaker and his assistants are in their 20s and 30s and really love what they do, which is to make wine but also to live their lives with a sense of enthusiasm, be it surfing the waves, recalling their Mexican-American roots, or just savoring the flavors of a sparkling Sangiovese (yes, you also read that right), a kick-a## Machado Creek Grenache, or a brooding Santa Cruz Mountains Cab. I'd be hard pressed to leave here without 4 bottles minimum, more red than white, but definitely a dry Riesling and perhaps a rosé or sparkler as well. Petite Sirah is the flagship here, a great dark berry and ripe tannic rendition at around 15% alcohol, aged in a combination of French, American, and Hungarian oak. But don't leave out the others here, including the Besson vineyard Syrah, which brims with smoked bacon and peppercorn spice, a really nice wine to pair with grilled meat and vegetables like pimenton-spiced eggplant, shishito peppers, or chanterelle mushrooms. Lots of wineries have well-trained, professional pourers who will captivate you with their wines and wit. At Odonata, the people wear their passion on their sleeves and they know the wines from grape to glass. Hard to be unhappy about that! Make the trek to River Road and sample what Monterey County winemakers like Odonata, Wrath, and Ventana have to offer. It's not Napa, or the Dry Creek, or the Anderson Valley. More cauliflower, spinach, and strawberries grow here than wine, but the wines, they are satisfying, honest, and special, and that makes the trip here well worth your while.

Odonata is a big barrel room full of fun! I do not recall seeing a tasting room that had such engaged tasters, or such outgoing pourers, as at Odonata. Partially this is because the pourers are actually wine-making assistants to the head winemaker, Denis H., and they know the wines from the grape to glass as if they were their own children. The wines on the current lineup are huge crowd pleasers, using a lot of lusciously ripe, Santa Clara County fruit that produces wines in the 15% alcohol range for their big sellers, like Petite Sirah, Grenache, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Malbec. The SLH Riesling we tried was really aromatic and rich and definitely an easy drinking white, but we also loved the fruit and herbal notes in the bigger reds. The tasting fee per person is minimal ($10) and waived with a bottle purchase. You got the feeling here that they wanted people to love their wines and weren't shy about opening new bottles when needed to show off their latest vintages. Experience clearly does matter in winemaking. Witness places like Joseph Swan or Ridge that have made great wine for decades, or spots like Tablas Creek that have extensive (and expensive) ties to French winemakers. Odonata lacks these elite connections, but they do have experience in Santa Cruz Mountain winemaking and are forging their own path quite well in their new location on River Road. They also have access to some very good, if overlooked, vineyards. No estate wines yet but this will likely be the case in the future. Until then, definitely look for their Machado Creek vineyard wines, and their wines from Besson vineyard and Santa Cruz Mountain vineyards. Open Fridays and weekends only, so plan your trip accordingly, with perhaps a stop at Wrath, Hahn, or Puma Road after. Note that by "engaged tasters" I don't mean drunken college students. I didn't see any of them here on the Saturday afternoon we visited. It's too far away from Santa Cruz for that, I think. I did see a hobby winemaker and his partner, a family with their child in a cute skeleton Halloween costume (they were outside on the patio enjoying a pink wine), and plenty of couples in the late 20, 30,40, and 50 range.

ARound this region, you'll find mostly whites and pinot noirs... but I saw a review for a Syrah and I decided to come here just to try it. I'm glad I did! Upon arrival there, you will notice that there are interesting pieces of artwork displayed around the property. Apparently, there was an art show in the same week. I loved that the tasting room was also in the barrel room. Makes for good backdrops for pictures! For $10 tasting fee, you get to taste 5-6 wines. I can't remember all the names of his wines, but the first one was named the River Skimmer. It's a fruitful, crisp white wine, perfect for a hot sunny day. Best of all, it only cost $20! The 2nd pouring was a sparkling rose. How often do you see that?! By now, I'm impressed with Dennis and his passion and adventure for wine. I'm not a huge fan of sparkling stuff, but this was a nice one. Not too sweet or dry. The next few tastings were red wines (FINALLY! what i came here for) - Pinot Noir, malbec, Petite Syrah and Syrah. My favorite out of all these was the petite Syrah. The Syrah (Durif (sp??)) was a a nice bold red. It was hard to decide on which to get of the two! But I decided on the petitie syrah, which was a little lighter so it would pair better with lighter meals. Overall, great service, great atmosphere, terrible reception tho... Would definitely bring friends back here!

We saw an open sign on our way south. We planned to stay for a quick tasting and stayed for two hours. We had snacks in our car and were encouraged to bring the to the table and enjoy with our wine. BTW: our friends joined the wine club and we bought two cases of wine!

Solid winery off the beaten path. Place is staffed by a few guys who I think were all friends who decided to open a winery. Or something like that. Anyways, good wine and worth the stop

This winery has stepped up their game big time. Starting from the Santa Cruz area, now it is a presence on River Road. Quality wines, from Sparking Wines, Chardonnay to rich bolder red varietals. The favorites of the day were the Syrah and the Cabernet. The vineyards they get their fruit range from Santa Lucia Highlands, to the Santa Cruz Mountains, so it provides a variety of appellations to taste. The winemaker, Dennis wants to make sure you enjoy your experience, and is a great host in the tasting room! The added fire pit in the patio area is really nice. Enjoy this find, and meet some great people. Cheers!

Excellent wine, fantastic staff that explained each selection and even suggested wineries to try along our route. Such a fun time here with the guys, will certainly be back for more! Thanks!

First time visiting this winery. Service was great. I recommend it to anyone that visits the river wine trail. Great place to spend an afternoon.

What a great venue. Easy location, beautiful atmosphere and amazing wine! We will be back for sure

The first time we went wine tasting here we decided to join their wine club. All they wines taste incredible and they have a great outdoor area . The staff is very attentive ,friendly and full of knowledge about the wines .I love that this winery is dog friendly and outside food is welcomed .