Nestled among the golden Sta. Rita Hills near California’s central coastline, an hour north of Santa Barbara, lies the town of Lompoc. There you’ll discover the Lompoc Wine Ghetto with over 20 wineries and small intimate tasting rooms.
The Lompoc Wine Ghetto is a distinctive collection of over 20 local small-batch urban wineries and tasting rooms all located within a non-traditional industrial setting in Lompoc, California. The Lompoc Wine Ghetto is the largest concentration of small-production tasting rooms in Santa Barbara County.
Lompoc Wine Ghetto
The backdrop for the Lompoc Wine Ghetto is gritty and industrial. Don’t be fooled by its outside appearance. What really matters is what’s inside. Inside you will find artisan winemakers creating award-winning wines and warmly sharing their craft.
Most winemakers in the Ghetto run lean, small production volumes that produce exceptional wines. Many winemakers have won prestigious awards and score 91+ or higher ratings from critics. The intimacy of the small tasting rooms often offer an opportunity to meet the winemaker. Most wineries are open Friday through Sunday, but some are open Thursday and Monday, as well.
The drive to Lompoc, off the 101 via Hwy 246, winds through the rolling Sta. Rita Hills offering stunning views of green vineyards and white fenced horse ranches.
Arriving in Lompoc you get the sense you’ve stepped back in time with dated architecture and an agricultural vibe. However, the unremarkable facade contradicts the energy and creativity found within the actual tasting experiences inside the warehouses.
The Wine Ghetto started in the ’90s when Rick Longoria, searching for a low-cost option, opened Longoria Winery in a warehouse in Lompoc.
Since then, the Wine Ghetto has allowed small new artisan winemakers to pursue their craft without the expense of building a winery or extravagant tasting room. This offers wine enthusiasts a large collection of family-owned boutique wineries in one location.
Sta. Rita Hills AVA
Located near the Sta. Rita Hills AVA (Chick Here to Learn About AVAs), the Wine Ghetto allows both upcoming and seasoned veteran winemakers access to superb grapes. The appellation is unique due to the east-west orientation of the mountains allowing cool ocean breezes to flow through the vineyards at night.
The warm days and ocean cooled nights of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA produces world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. The diverse terroir also produces exceptional Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and other grape varieties.
List of Lompoc Wine Ghetto Wineries and Tasting Rooms
Click on each Winery for more Detail. Call to verify hours.
Ampelos Cellars
312 N. 9th St.
(805) 736-9957
Arcadian Winery
1515 E. Chestnut Ave
Artisan Uprising
1505 E. Chestnut Ave.
(805) 208-7206
AVE Winery
300 N. 12th St. Ste 1E
(805) 430-5685
Bratcher Winery
1515 E. Chestnut Ave.
(805) 737-3900
Dark Water Winery
1591 E. Chestnut Ave.
De Su Propria Cosecha
1501 E. Chestnut Ct.
(805) 345-9355
Fiddlehead Cellars
1597 E. Chestnut Ave.
(805) 742-0204
Flying Goat Cellars
1520 E. Chestnut Ct.
(805) 736-9032
Holus Bolus / Black Sheep
1500 E. Chestnut Ct.
(805) 637-1005
JCR Vineyard
1500 E. Chestnut Ct., Unit D
(805) 316-1502
LaMontagne Winery
1509 E. Chestnut Ave.
(805) 291-6643
Lutum Wines
300 N. 12th St. Ste 1C
(805) 345-6544
Millennial Wines
1501 E. Chestnut Ct, Ste B
(805) 757-1351
Montemar Wines
1501 E. Chestnut Ct.
(805) 735-5000
Moretti Wines &
Taste of Sta. Rita Hills
1595 E. Chestnut Ave.
(805) 735-4400
Pali Wine Co. &
Tower 15 Winery
1501 E. Chestnut Ct.
(805) 735-2354
Palmina Wines
1520 E. Chestnut Ct.
(805) 735-2030
Piedrasassi / Sandi
1501 E. Chestnut Ave.
(805) 736-6784
Stolpman Vineyards
1700 Industrial Way
(805) 736-5000
Sweetzer Cellars
308 N. 9th St., Ste C
(805) 588-2291
Located Next Door in the Santa Rita Hills Wine Center
Kessler-Haak Wines
300 N. 12th St, Ste 1F
(805) 743-4107
Kitá Wines
300 N. 12th St., Ste 1A
(805) 819-1372
Transcendence
300 N. 12th St. Ste 1G
(805) 455-9589
Tyler Winery
300 N. 12th St, Ste 4A
(805) 741-7281
Zotovich
300 N. 12th St, Ste 1D
(805) 736-1600
Located Nearby
Brewer-Clifton
329 N. F St.
(805) 735-9184
Longoria Wines
415 E. Chestnut Ave.
(805) 736-9700
Wine Factory (Custom Crush Facility)
Core Winery
321 N. D St.
(805) 714-5057
Turiya Wines
321 N. D Street
(805) 478-7016
