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These Wineries Enjoy Vistas as Impressive as Their Wines

I love the wine, but did you see that view?

Much attention is given to the quality of California wine, and rightly so, but many wineries also boast an attractive ambiance worth bragging about. So if you enjoy a bit of atmosphere with your pinot or chardonnay, then check out Frommer’s list of the 10 best California wineries with a view. We pulled out a few of our favorites for sipping and sightlines:

Napa Valley

What: Domaine Carneros
Where: Napa, Calif.
Details: A French-style estate with a wide deck showing off the Carneros appellation, Domaine Carneros ranks among California’s best sparkling-wine houses—in part because it’s owned by Taittinger, a celebrated French Champagne producer. Table service (a rarity at California wineries) on the terrace allows you to order not only bubbly flights or bottles, but cheese plates, caviar, a selection of European-style pastries and smoked salmon. What better way to take in the view?
More Info:  800-716-2788; www.domainecarneros.com

Santa Ynez Valley

What: Melville Winery & Vineyards
Where: Lompoc, Calif.
Details: Melville’s tasting room is on the ground floor of a Mediterranean-style villa, in the Santa Rita Hills appellation about 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara. This area falls within the larger Santa Ynez Valley, which was immortalized in the movie Sideways. Complete with French doors that lead out onto an expansive patio, the villa also has an area where you can enjoy your picnic lunch—paired with a glass of small-lot estate-grown Pinot Noir, of course. Clones of Pinot Noir grapes (Melville’s specialty) are marked by signs in the vineyard just a few steps from the patio.
More Info: 805-735-7030; www.melvillewinery.com

Los Angeles

What: Malibu Wines
Where: Malibu, Calif.
Details: Malibu is a shy sister to California’s famed Napa and Sonoma wine regions, but this up-and-coming wine-growing area is actually more accessible to the big city. Just off Mulholland Highway, and near Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu Wines is 25 miles north of Santa Monica at the crest of the Santa Monica Mountains. On the 65-acre property are old barn structures, camels, wildflowers and heart-stopping views of the countryside, which is something most visitors to Los Angeles rarely see. Ten varietals are planted by the winery, and they can all be sipped in the on-site tasting room.
More Info: 818-865-0605; www.malibuwines.com

Get the full list here.

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