Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room

Winery · Lower State

Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room

Winery · Lower State

2

137 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

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Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null
Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room by null

Highlights

Sparkling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir tastings offered  

Featured in Eater
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137 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Get directions

riverbench.com

$$

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137 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Get directions

+1 805 324 4100
riverbench.com

$$

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Aug 17, 2025

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@eater

4 Restaurants to Try This Weekend in Los Angeles - Eater LA

"It’s chilly but really gorgeous outside these days, so drive with a crew or take Pacific Surfliner for a wine-tasting trip to Santa Barbara. Once there, Santa Maria winery Riverbench has a tasting room in Downtown Santa Barbara that’s only a two-minute walk from the train station. The tasting room offers plenty of cozy indoor and outdoor seats, with $55 wine flights that might include pinot noir, chardonnay, or sparkling options. Be mindful of the 45-minute table limit, but there are plenty of places to visit for a long lunch or dinner afterwards." - Eater Staff

https://la.eater.com/23541032/la-los-angeles-restaurant-recommendations-eater-editors-2023-1
View Postcard for Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room
@afar

The Best Wine Tasting Rooms in Santa Barbara - AFAR

"Riverbench Winery's tasting room offers flights of chardonnays and pinots, as well as champagne-style sparkling wines like the Cork Jumper blanc de blancs and the blanc de noir." - Georgia Freedman

https://www.afar.com/magazine/a-tasting-room-tour-of-santa-barbara
View Postcard for Riverbench Santa Barbara Tasting Room

Julia Dilday

Google
We hosted a private event at Riverbench. Brad & team could not have been more responsive, engaging & accommodating, both in the planning process and at the tasting itself. When the chilly weather thwarted our original outdoor plan, they were quick to pivot to an indoor tasting. The wines were great, the team was knowledgeable, and it was the perfect, relaxed setting for our event. Several walked away as new members of the wine club.

Sicily Smith

Google
I came in from out of town (Texas) to visit family and was brought here—and I cannot rave enough about the experience! We were lucky enough to have Venessa lead our tasting, and her wine knowledge absolutely blew me away. I learned so much and even discovered a new favorite wine. I highly recommend their summer tasting—it was phenomenal. I ended up going home with a bottle that wasn’t even on the list! (The Late Harvest Riesling is hands-down the best dessert wine I’ve ever tasted.) Out of all the tasting rooms I’ve visited, this one stands out by far. If you can, ask for Venessa—she truly made the experience unforgettable!

Сикано Р.

Google
We tasted 5 still wines and 4 sparkling wines. And a wonderful hostess let us taste an extra sparkling! According to the hostess, this winery is very good at Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, and I feel so too. I liked the Bedrock Chardonnay the most.

Chrissy Dwyer

Google
We hosted a large group tasting here and Brad and team were AMAZING! The wine was fantastic and he was super knowledgeable, hospitable and really made a great impression on the group. I look forward to returning!

Michelle Castro

Google
We had two Chardonnay’s and loved the atmosphere and customer service. Great place for your first glass of the evening.

Valérie Lent

Google
Boutique winery. All the wines are from estate grown grapes, all SIP certified ( sustainable practices). We found both the Pinots and the chardonnays exceptional. They also make sparkling wines, which we did not taste. The tasting room in the funk zone of Santa Barbara had indoor and outdoor sitting.

Tammra Schiller

Google
Friendly staff, cool atmosphere, love the glitter bottles, and the sparkling flight was delicious. Server was the sweetest even making local reccomendations.

B P

Google
Thank you to Regan who gave us the best experience at Riverbench. Had some stunning sparkling which could rival champagne. Regan has great energy and is a natural host - thank you so much for making Santa Barbara memorable!
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Jessie A.

Yelp
Nice little outside area. In a great area with quite a few other tasting opportunities. I believe this is one of the most affordable tasting nearby. The server made sure we didn't sit with empty glasses for very long which is appreciated.
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Nancy D.

Yelp
We were literally walking to another place when we walked by this cute little courtyard that was a mix of several shops (pizza, wine tasting, social club, shopping) and just decided to stop in! We were a little buzzed by the time we got here, but the gentleman who was our server was really nice and seated us quickly. We were thrilled that they offered a charcuterie board, so we ordered it IMMEDIATELY. he apologized that they couldn't properly plate it because they didn't have a kitchen, but dude! Do not apologize! We got a WHOLE JAR of cornichons! All 6 of us were super excited! Usually you just get like 3-4 pieces, but we were so happy to have a whole block of cheese, all those crackers and the jar of cornichons! Most of the seating is outside with lovely umbrellas to provide shade, but there is also inside seating if that's what you're more into!
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Christopher D.

Yelp
My wife and I went to Riverbench at the recommendation of my boss at work. When we arrived it was quite crowded with people from a wine tour. After it cleared out, we found the atmosphere to be a nice, almost homey space. My wife and I ordered the tasting and a charcuterie box (which is self assembled, as an FYI). We thoroughly enjoyed our wines and ended up buying a bottle, and the charcuterie was basic but hit the spot. Further, the person who helped us through our tasting journey was excellent and had a kind demeanor. All in, highly recommend.
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Tammra S.

Yelp
Friendly staff, cool atmosphere, love the glitter bottles, and the sparkling flight was delicious. Server was the sweetest even making local reccomendations.
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Jon R.

Yelp
Riverbench tasting room is an awesome spot in the Funk Zone. They have a wide selection of wines and tastings. If you're looking for a stop on a Sunday Funday check out Riverbench and I recommend their sparkling wines on a hot Santa Barbara day!
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Tammy J.

Yelp
Came here with my mom to do sweet wine tasting after other wineries ran out. Service was excellent and lady behind bar really knew her wine and was very helpful. We liked the wine so much we bought a couple of bottles to go. Will definitely recommend
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John D.

Yelp
The wine was good but a little high priced for the quality. The indoor space is 3-4 tables and a small bar area. There is an outdoor seating is nice with sun shades for hot days. The service was mostly disappointing with the exception of the nice dark haired girl with a constant big smile. Her personality and the wine quality were the bright spot but the price and other poor attitudes probably would have me explore friendlier, fun choices.
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Patrick A.

Yelp
Enjoyed a relaxing afternoon on the patio. Sampled some different pours, all of them delicious. The reds were my favorite! Staff is very friendly and always makes sure your glass is set. Look forward to visiting again. Cheers.
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Shayla B.

Yelp
I am blown away by my entire experience at Riverbench! They seriously swooned this Bay Area gal with both their delicious wines and outstanding hospitality. I mean, WOW! If there was ever a time to really showcase what the Santa Barbara wine region is all about, THIS was that time. They just completely sold me and I'm all here for it! Riverbench was the last of three tasting rooms that I visited while in Santa Barbara. Thank GAWD that I saved the best for last because I feel like I honestly would have been so disappointed in the end had I not done so. I visited in mid-April, so their indoor tasting room was closed at the time. They have a super comfy and casual patio area in a large shared space amongst a few other tasting rooms and restaurants in the Funk Zone. I didn't have a reservation, but I called from another winery to see if they had space, and they told me to come over. Riverbench is best known for their sparkling, Pinot noir, and Chardonnay; and rightfully so. EVERY wine that I tasted here was amazing. Every. Single. One. It's $25 for a taste of 5 of their wines which can only be waived with the purchase of 6+ bottles. I'll admit, that's pretty steep. BUT... the wine is just so wonderful here that you are guaranteed to be walking away with at least one if not a few bottles. Ended up doing a tasting and the lovely sommeliers seriously hooked me UP. They were literally pouring me all of their goodies! I really felt spoiled. Shoutout to the wonderful crew at Riverbench! Eliza, Mario, Alessandro, and Jordy were ALL incredible! The service was definitely the most impressionable piece of my experience here. But back to the wine; you cannot lose with any of their Pinots or Chardonnay's. I'd like to think that I'm a hard sell when it comes to wine nowadays. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a wino 'til the day I die. And being in the Bay spoils me because I'm between some of the best wine regions in the worldy world to be quite frank. Riverbench'a Pinot Noirs could easily rival that of both the Anderson Valley and the St. Lucia Highlands. Hell, their Chards could compete with several top Napa and Sonoma Valley Chards. The wine is just THAT good. Sooo, can you guess what I left home with? Yep: Both their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Correction: I actually drank an entire bottle of Chardonnay at the Santa Barbara Shellfish Co after I left the tasting room. It never even made it back home. I had to drink it that night. And damn was it good! I'm rambling at this point, but basically... you need to stop here for a tasting to reward yourself with this incredible wine. Make a reservation if you can or call to see if they have any open spots before you get there. And enjoy that scrumptious wine!
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Anne G.

Yelp
A silver lining of COVID is all the new outdoor spaces and this one is awesome! Riverbench now has an outdoor patio, along with the other surrounding businesses, so there is a great party vibe while still feeling like you are able to social distance. We went in a Saturday and had the champagne flight. All the tastes were delicious. Top that off with great service and you too can have a fun relaxing time! There was also live music which was such a treat!!
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Alma S.

Yelp
Awful service! Our first visit was on NYE, the service was slow despite not being busy, rude and just plain awful. They brought out our charcuterie board and all the items were in plastic packaging. The server told us that we would have to unwrap and assemble ourselves, in a condescending tone. We paid too much for this! We decided to give this place another try and stopped by again today but the guy behind the counter completely ignored us when we approached the counter and never looked up. We realized there's no seats inside so we ask if we can sit outside after we order. Without looking at us the guy says no but you can stand at the bar if you really wanted to. At this point I'm over it and tell my partner we should go elsewhere. So we do! We went next door and had great service while sitting outside enjoying the a beautiful Santa Barbara day. This is when we realized that Riverbench does in fact accommodate outside seating but for whatever reason not us. (I Can take a few guesses as to why...) *Outside seating was not full.* Awful experience, sour employees, never going back!
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Songyi W.

Yelp
My fav Santa Barbara tasting room/winery so far! They specialize in Chardonnay and Pinot noir and have great tasting wine at a very reasonable price. Would highly recommend the Reserve Chardonnay and the Mesa Pinot. I joined the wine club this summer and they offer free tastings for 2 ppl at both the SB tasting room and the vineyard in Santa Maria, which is a beautiful place to visit if you don't mind driving north for another 40 min!
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Shaeda M.

Yelp
So glad they're open and fixed the outside to have tastings. Love this location since it's in the funk zone area. Makes it more fun to people watch, drink and munch. Been a member for a couple years and it's so worth it. Great wines to satisfy every taste. So glad my daughter is in UCSB, now I have an excuse to go wine tasting more regularly and I love this place and even the Santa Maria location. Attentive and professional service. Though wish there was a couple more munchie items available for purchase so we could have stayed longer and drank more with a bit more substantial food as we started early at noon on empty stomachs.
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Dick H.

Yelp
My friends and I went to Riverbench on a very rainy Friday night. We had just been to another place prior and waited a half an hour just for a glass of water. When we got to Riverbench, Heather and Brad had food and bottles of wine in front of us within five minutes. We love their service and the wine is fantastic. For anyone visiting to the Funk Zone, this tasting room is a must go to.
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Priya K.

Yelp
A great wine tasting experience is one where you get to taste some amazing wines and have a great server who knows what they are pouring and explains everything as you taste. If that's what you want, come taste at Riverbench tasting patio in the funk zone and ask for Eliza! She is the best!! Her tasting notes were spot on! We love Pinot noir, Chardonnay and sparkling and that's exactly what they offer! Tasting fee is $25 per flight and you can choose upto 5 from what they have open and trust me, they have a lot of choices. We loved everything we tasted esp the sparkling rose, reserve Chardonnay and one palm Pinot noir and became members. Cheers!
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Mickey A.

Yelp
With the release of their Rose of Pinot Noir, definitely a must-taste tasting room in the Santa Barbara Funk Zone. Fun and knowledgeable staff, and delicious flights of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sparkling Wines. It was an extra special treat to have bottles of their Sparkling Wines at our holiday dinners. Located on Yanonali Street, gently nestled amongst Shopkeepers, Area 5.1, Cutler's Distillery, and Figueroa Mountain Brewery.
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Eric S.

Yelp
Girl friends and I made an unplanned stop at Riverbench and were blown away by the amazing time we had during our tasting, especially their sparkling brut rosé, I had to write a review for our pourer Jordie, who took very good care of us and was extremely passionate and knowledgeable about their products. She took the time to explain in detail each wine we chose for our flights. We also had 3 small dogs with us and she came out with dog treats to make sure they weren't forgotten. Also, the chocolate truffles were to die for. Needless to say we had an amazing time and left with a couple bottles of their fantastic wines and sparkling rosé. Definitely coming back the next time we're in Santa Barbara!
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Lydia C.

Yelp
We went here simply because they had sparkling - and I was happy to see they had an entire flight! First, there was only one other group in here - Tuesday during the day - so we had very personalized service. The tasting room is roomy, with a nice long bar and separate seating areas. The woman pouring was very informative, walking me through my sparkling and telling me what to look for. It was interesting to see how different they were, and knowing why, other than just seeing how much I liked them. My husband had a red flight, and we enjoyed most of those. (I got to have a sip of them, also.) This was a great start to our wine tasting in SB.
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Kristella P.

Yelp
Go here if you like sparkling wine! This is one of the only sparkling wine tasting rooms in Santa Barbara :). They have a wide array of options, I recommend doing the tasting so you can try five wines of choice. The outside area is really nice too. The wines weren't the best I ever had but still a really great spot
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Sarah C.

Yelp
Great patio, wines weren't my style but staff were very kind. Nice to have reservations for a larger group, not sure if the wine and cheese box combo was worth the price though.
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Ravi S.

Yelp
First and foremost this is a tasting room located in Santa Barbara's infamous "the Funk Zone." This isn't to be confused with Riverbench winery which is located in Santa Maria. The best part of the fun zone is it allows a really great urban winery trek. There are so many restaurants, bars and restaurants within walking distance that you can stroll into multiple random tasting rooms and try enjoy some amazing wine you wouldn't normally experience. They offer 3 flights: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bubbly. We had the bubbly and it was really good. The interior is really open and filled with light. It was never too crowded and the staff was friendly.
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Steve K.

Yelp
Well, since covid you have to sit outside, which isn't too bad. You sit in their back lot which is good - you're not by a busy/loud street and it's quite nice back there. We loved most all of the wines and our server was informative and very nice! We definitely enjoyed this place. I had visited their vineyards some years back and remembered liking their wines. Apparently I was and still am, correct! We didn't have reservations which worked out this afternoon. If you are in the area bopping around tasting rooms, definitely try this place.
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Danielle S.

Yelp
Super cute place to start your afternoon of wine tasting. Great prices and excellent service conveniently located. Mario was the best, so knowledgeable and personable!
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Cindy K.

Yelp
My all time favorite winery! The wines and the service are great !!! Love being a member here and may I suggest the glitter bottles as excellent gifts !!! My personal faves are the Brut Rosé and the Chardonnay Estate. They have the best whites which are a hard find in the area.
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Bauback T.

Yelp
What an amazing first time experience!! The wine expert knew every little detail about the wines and even helped my wife (a non wine drinker) find wines that she actually loved!
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Hila P.

Yelp
We loved this place and loved the wine! Thank you Vanessa for the delightful service and allowing us to stay a few moments after closing to sip and socialize! We loved the selection of Pinots here and left with a bottle of the Clone 115!! So yummy! A must visit for any Pinot lover!
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Paul W.

Yelp
Stopped by Riverbench for a tasting on a Monday evening. There were only a couple other people in the nice outdoor parklet. The person serving the wine was wonderful! Very knowledgeable, friendly, and served some delicious wines! We tried sparkling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. She also gave some great recommendations for food and other wineries to stop by. I highly recommend checking out Riverbench, especially if you enjoy sparkling wines!
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Matt P.

Yelp
Fantastic wine tasting experience with great patio vibes!! We came here before our dinner over at The Lark and had a wonderful time tasting some exceptional wine. We were helped by Jordy (sp?) who provided us with an exceptional wine tasting experience and was super nice and fun to talk to. We posted up on their patio and first tasted a few of their bubbles. We both LOVE champagne/sparkling and since we each got our own tasting we got to try a good variety...our favorite was probably the 2017 Blanc de Blancs! We then moved on to try their Pinot Noirs and seriously every one we tried was phenomenal!! I went with the 2018 Estate, 2017 One Palm, and 2017 Pommard. On their menu it was explained the tasting notes go from a little lighter down to something a little more darker/bold in flavor so it was really fun to see and taste the difference as we worked our way down the list. We already had their wine club form filled out by the time we tried our first Pinot!! Everything we tasted up to that point was phenomenal and then you through in the excellent experience Jordy provided us and it was a no-brainer this was a winery we wanted to be part of and enjoy for years to come! This was also a special experience for us as we recently got engaged so being we visited one of the only places in Santa Barbara Wine Country to taste a bubble flight made our celebration even more perfect!! And speaking of celebrations, they also sell their sparkling wine in these glittered out sparkling bottles which would be a perfect gift for someone or something fun for the holidays. They have bottles already glittered-out in certain colors or if you request a color and give them a little less time, they can customize the glitter color for you. Such a cool add-on to offer!! Overall this was one of our favorite wine tasting experiences and we cannot wait to come back!!
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Adam E.

Yelp
Riverbench is just one of those places that I HAVE to stop at when I am visiting Santa Barbara with family/friends. The atmosphere and friendly staff are the perfect combination to suit your needs. I usually stick by the Pinot tasting as it is the right amount of wine to have while you're here. My only pain point is that I wished that they poured a little more into my glasses and that there was more seating inside the establishment. While $20 may be a little steep for 6 glasses, it is nice when you're not from the area and are looking to show off Santa Barbara wine to family/friends. If you plan on visiting just be prepared to drive around to find parking as the street is usually filled to the brim.
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Candace B.

Yelp
Five stars for the wine! their Pinot noir's are spectacular. I just didn't love this place. Small tables with uncomfortable stools. Only two options for food are a cracker/salami/nut box or chocolate truffles. I'm thinking the wine pores are 1.5 ounces and you get five of them for $25. Just doesn't seem like a great value in comparison to other places with a better atmosphere and food choices. Server was very knowledgeable about the wine and the wines themselves were amazing.

Chris P.

Yelp
So stingy on the pours. Wine was good. Service was meh. Definitely has a heir of pretentious ness. Not my style. And for $25 which either buys you one glass or 5 tiny tastings it is not worth the money. After the review the service got better and we got a bonus pour. Again the wine is super delicious.
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Kevin W.

Yelp
Riverbench Winery is one of the many wine bars in Santa Barbara. They are a very popular place so expect a crowd. Very limited seating and the bar is always packed. Service is pretty attentive during busy afternoon times. They just pour and move on. Pinot tasting was $20 for 6 glasses. You can get better service and cheaper tastings around the area.
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Molly W.

Yelp
If you like Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, that's all they do at Riverbench and they do it well. They also have a nice variety of sparkling wine. The staff there are all great but we particularly enjoy Brad and his sense of humor. The wines are amazing and are continually the ones we reach for at home. They also host special events often. This is our favorite tasting room in the Funk Zone!
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Eric G.

Yelp
Had a great Mother's Day here with my mom and extended family. Wouldn't have been the same without the excellent service we received. I've always seen Riverbench as a quality winemaker. Both their Funk Zone tasting room and their Santa Maria winery are beautiful, clean, and modern. This location features ample seating along with a small selection of food offerings, perfect for complementing a glass of wine or bubbly. There were nine of us in my group yesterday, and the venue was quite busy on the Sunday with only two employees behind the counter. We were sitting on the outer couch area and I'd say that our group as a whole was veering toward "high maintenance" - as much as I don't want to admit. The woman assisting us, Alma, was outstanding, and didn't skip a beat in ensuring that all were satisfied. There were times that I felt like my group was a bunch of cats in need of being herded, but Alma did not bat an eye. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and really made us all feel welcomed. Major kudos to her! Thanks again, Riverbench - I'll be back soon.
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Kym R.

Yelp
Wine good but service is terrible and i would never bring friends here due to the aloof staff and unfriendly people. Smile already.... we are trying to have fun!!!!
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Brittany A.

Yelp
Had a great time tasting for my moms birthday. The location was COVID-safe and my mom had a great time on her birthday! Eliza was fantastic--friendly and knowledgeable! The sparkling wines are really something special :)
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Tricia S.

Yelp
We love bubbly, so we stopped in to Riverbench. Wow! The sparkling wines (they have 4 of them!) are all delicious. It's unusual to have so many sparkling at one winery that are actually made by the winery. Method Champenoise too! We had great service from Brad. An amiable, professional, funny and very knowledgeable certified sommelier. We took some bubbles home! But not Brad. Sorry Brad.
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Tony A.

Yelp
Wine tasting at Riverbench tasting room today in the Santa Barbara Funk Zone. Eliza, our pourer, was friendly and knowledgeable about all their great wines. I especially love their Pinots . If you want a great tasting experience, come here.
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Jennie K.

Yelp
Really enjoyable vibes here at Riverbench. The employees are very friendly and are willing to strike up a conversation with you. I ended up going with the bubbly taster, which was very fun and light for a sunday afternoon. Glasses were spotless, which is something I really do take into consideration, because dirty glasses at a winery = no bueno. It was such a fun experience. What made it more fun was the fact that my friends and I ran into a celeb here. Really cool. But that's besides the point. I would definitely recommend anyone stopping by here if they want to come grab a drink at the funk zone!
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Susan Z.

Yelp
Everyone here was friendly and helpful! We tried the sparking and tour flights, and portions were on the smaller slide but both were delicious.
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Elizabeth M.

Yelp
The Riverbench Tasting Room in Santa Barbara was the perfect place to throw a small party. The whole team there was easy to work with, extremely kind, and very professional (that is not always a combination that you can find at a venue this size!) The Riverbench wines were a huge hit with our guests, especially the Pinot Noirs. I was happily converted to drinking Chardonnay (not generally a wine I tend to drink). The Riverbench selections were delicious. Thank you to Vanessa and Jordi for helping to make our party a huge success.
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Douglas M.

Yelp
Always excited to review a new place. Riverbench is so new that it doesn't even have a sign outside. You have to look for it! But some of the best things in life require some effort, right? The tasting room is a delight. It is very small though so when this place catches on (and it will) you will be better tasting during the week. I expect that on weekends you might have to fight for space. I am writing this half way through my tasting and so far so good. The wines are $20-$32 for the whites and $28-$48 for the reds. The Pinot for $28 seems like a pretty great deal. If price isn't so much of a factor buy the Mesa Pinot for $48! It is an awesome pinot, much like a great Santa Rita Hills Pinot... but for less money. Christina is the manager, very nice and a used to be the sommelier at the Bacara.
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Rachel R.

Yelp
Read carefully - Unfortunately, I won't be returning. This tasting room has a nice patio and the wine selection is tasty. However, it's in a courtyard of several other patios... meaning there's other options close by. This wasn't my main issue. My issue was the price structure and quality of experience relative to the price. A 45 minute tasting was $25/person for 5 tasting portions or one single glass. This felt steep but the reviews were strong so we went with it. Their specialty is sparkling wine but only one of the sparkling wines we tasted were still sparkling... meaning the other 4 bottles had been open for some time. One by one we each ordered a glass after our tasting was complete. The menu only listed prices by the bottle- this price was about $48 for this particular wine so we assumed a glass was somewhere between $12-16... forgetting the tasting charge was $25/person for a tasting OR A GLASS OF WINE. We also hadn't realized we were all ordering the same wine. Now, usually when this happens, a good server would suggest ordering a bottle instead. Our server did not. In the end, when the bill came, we were appalled that our 3 glasses of sparkling rose cost a whopping $75 ($25 each!). We felt tricked... while all of the information was in front of us, the way it was displayed on the menu was misleading and confusing in hindsight and I would have appreciated more guidance from our server. (let's also not forget the flat sparkling wines...) Instead of suggesting a bottle that would have cost us about half of what we paid, we received less wine for twice the cost. So if you come here, either stick with the tasting or order a bottle. The cost by the glass is absolutely insulting.
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Kell S.

Yelp
Great little winery centrally located in the funk zone! It's small with a counter at the bar and a bench-like couch against one side of the wall where you can sit and relax with a glass of wine. Riverbench offers three kinds of tastings: Chardonnay, sparkling wine and Pinot Noir. We chose the Pinot Noir ($20 pp) which we really enjoyed. All of the wines were really excellent and the people who work here are so sweet and great about explaining each type of wine. Also, they sell homemade chocolate covered toffee here which is beyond amazing! They let us sample it which resulted us in buying a bag. Delicious, high-quality wine and chocolate made this place memorable. Definitely drop by if you're in the area!
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Ryan J.

Yelp
Swung by here to kill some time and it was a good little find. The decor is nice and comfortable and welcoming. The girls working behind the counter were nice and well versed in their wine. This pouring room/estate winery are known for their pinot noirs and sparkling wine (of note i'm not a fan of whites - so i can't speak to those). The wine here was good, you could tell based on the color, notes and taste that this winery does it right with the pinot noirs. After a sampling of three we then got a glass of their sparkling and it was excellent. Their prices are a bit higher but you are also getting what i would assess as a better wine when compared to some of the other wineries in the area. The tasting fee was $15 and bottles will run you anywhere from about $32-45, but again, we only targeted the pinot noirs and sparkling, both of which were excellent. I've been to a lot of pouring rooms in this area and while fun the wines tend to be slightly below average. It is a breath of fresh air with this winery and the product and quality they have. I will most certainly be coming back and would recommend going with a tasting and then purchase a bottle and cozy on up. Great experience and great wine!
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Stephanie V.

Yelp
I came by Riverbench based on the recommendation of another tasting room. I was excited to hear that the winery was producing sparkling wine. I had yet to find another winery in Santa Barbara with sparkling wines, so it was particularly exciting. There are three sparkling wines on the tasting menu, but if you ask nicely they'll probably also let you try the sparkling rose. It was my favorite. Located around the tasting room you'll find bottles that have been glittered. Any bottle can get glitter added. You just have to ask the servers to add glitter. I was told it mostly is purchased for weddings and showers. There is seating at the tasting bar and a few tables lining the far wall. The space is inviting and also dog friendly. There was an American bulldog snoozing away on the couch when I arrived.
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Hannah L.

Yelp
Come in once a week. Love it as a local. Highly suggest joining the wine club and getting to know Vanessa, Jordie, Marvin and Brad! It's the best spot to come have some wine, relax and be right in the middle of the funk zone. Close at 6 so day-drink!!!
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Vee B.

Yelp
Wine wasn't good plus over priced. They don't allow you to buy a bottle of wine and enjoy it there due to "covid" which I found interesting because the place next door allowed you to do so. I also felt discriminated, my spouse and I noticed we were the only Latinos (which we didn't care) but we noticed they didn't give us the same service as others there. As soon as we arrived and got seated they offered a water bottle which we said said to and they never took it to us, so later I asked for water they said yes and again never took it while others got seated and were handed water right away. In addition they would come our next tasting the the explanation of the wine was rushed while other customers got a full explanation plus small talk. Wouldn't recommend.
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Jen B.

Yelp
This was my first stop after pulling in to SB because it was Halloween and they had come up with a special gourmet candy pairing and I thought it was the right thing to do in wine country on halloween. I'm glad I did, as it was pretty neat. They people here are personable. I did enjoy some pinot the most and wasn't blown away by any one wine, but I didn't hate anything either - always a plus. I hope when they do a special tasting like this one you'll stop in, as they did a good job with that!
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Ian M.

Yelp
Not quite as nice as going to the estate, but also not as long of a drive. This tasting room is nice, but often very crowded. The wines are the same Riverbench wines that you've come to love over the years. Every time I've been here, it's unfortunately been very crowded, but the staff has always done their best to accommodate all of those people in the small space. The service here is really top notch. Although I'm much more a fan of tasting at the estate (on Foxen Canyon Rd), the tasting room in the Funk Zone is a good substitute if you just want to walk around.