Local Wally's Guide to San Diego

Local Wally's Guide to San Diego

CA Wine Fest 2024

California Wine Festval Coming JUNE 28TH and 29TH, Carlsbad Aviara Park Hyatt - What Wineries Will Be There? Worth It?

Local WallyComment

Good times at the California Wine Festival at Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, CA

The California Wine Festival is one of my favorite wine and food fests in San Diego. It’s more low key, more manageable, more relaxed than some of the other big events. You want wine, you walk up and get it. More food, no problem. And the north country beach vibe is all over this event, it’s really a great way to spend an afternoon with friends or neighbors.

And don’t worry that the wineries are second rate - You’re sure to find a ton that you love including wineries from Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, as well as some local wineries. Here’s the list:

  • Adobe Road Winery

  • Austin Hope Family Wines

  • Barlow Vineyards

  • Bellante Family Winery

  • Bernardus Winery

  • Darcie Kent Estate Winery

  • Doffo Winery

  • Double Bond Wine

  • Dracula’s Daughter Prosecco

  • Esfuerzo Wines

  • Goldschmidt Vineyards

  • Hall Wines

  • Harvey & Harriet

  • Hawk and Horse Vineyards

  • Head High Wines

  • King Frosch Wines

  • Kubani Wines

  • Lloyd Cellars

  • MCV Wines

  • Michael Mondavi Family Wines

  • Miner Family Wines

  • Navarro Vineyards

  • New Zealand Wine Navigator

  • Pamec Winery & Vineyard

  • Pasmosa Sangria

  • Poggio Leano Winery

  • San Simeon Wines

  • Santa Rita Hills Wine Alliance

  • Sinegal Estate Winery

  • Tehachapi Winery

  • Wente Vineyards

  • Wine Guy & Wine Gal

California Wine Festival

The event extends over two days. Overlooking expansive lush green vistas beneath string lights at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort’s The Gardens, Friday evening kicks off with a Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting, a special experience for wine enthusiasts. A sparkling wine reception begins the evening of sampling hard-to-find reserve wines and offers tasting room exclusives and limited-production wines descending from vineyards based in California’s world-class wine producing regions. Popular North County restaurants will serve delicious hot and cold appetizers to pair with the decadent wines. 

During the evening event, guests will have the ability to participate in a silent auction, bidding on coveted items such as exotic wines, tasting tours and dining certificates. Proceeds from this auction will benefit Golden Rule Charity, an organization dedicated to helping people in the hospitality industry during unexpected hardships.

The Next Day….

The next day, this wine tasting experience continues with a Beachside Wine Festival taking place at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort's Heron Lawn. The festivities will allow guests to improve upon their wine education and exploration through intimate conversations and tastings with winery representatives hailing from California’s world-famous wineries as well as culinary talent from the region’s most lauded restaurants. Guests will have the opportunity to experience hundreds of premium California wines and regional craft brews, paired with bites from the many culinary establishments present. The VIP Pavilion will feature a selection of reserve-level wines as well as craft brews along with special seating adjacent to the resort’s award-winning golf course overlooking the Batiquitos Lagoon nature preserve.

Insane Food at the California Wine Festival

Don’t forget about the food!

Top-tier restaurants from North San Diego County and beyond serving delectable appetizers to accompany the festival’s exquisite wine selections include: aficio22, Aquamar California Rolls, Beshock Ramen, Bluewater Grill, Carlsbad Cookie Company, EPAA! Empanadas, Farm Fresh Home Foods, Gino Angelini Authentic Italian Sauces, Goufrais Southern California - Cocoa Confection, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken, Icelandic Glacial, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Kelly's Croutons, Kerrygold, Krave Asian Fusion Restaurant, Mendocino Farms, Orfila Vineyards Tasting Room & Kitchen, Ponto Lago, p.o.p. candy co., Prager Brothers Artisan Breads, Savory Bites, Señor Grubby's and Grubby's Poke, Seven Barrels Olive Oils and Aged Italian Balsamics, Swoon, Torsap Thai Kitchen Carlsbad, and Waterloo Sparkling Water.

Tickets start at $65 - that’s a steal when you compare this to other wine and food festivals charging $200 to $400 per person!

California Wine Festival 2024 - San Diego, Carlsbad - BEST Wine + Food Fest - Ticket and Event info

Local WallyComment

The Park Hyatt Aviara hosts the CA Wine Festival every year in Carlsbad, CA (North San Diego)

I’m all happy as I just returned from the California Wine Festival in Carlsbad, CA, held at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort. This annual event happens every June and while tickets are not yet available for 2024 you need to make room in your busy schedule now to make sure you go. I’m serious, this is really a great event.

CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL 2024, SAN DIEGO EVENT, TICKET INFO AND UPDATES

Hall Wines from Napa giving out pours of their premier wines

VIPs get a table but most people walk from booth to booth to get wine and food samples at the CA Wine Festival in Carlsbad, CA

Gus’s Fried Chicken, rated BEST in America, makes it’s appearance at the CA Wine Festival in Carlsbad

CA WINE FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE

What is it?: It’s a wine and food festival where you get unlimited glasses of wine and food snacks held at the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, CA. There are two events, the “rare wines” sunset event held the evening before, and the main event where you walk from booth to booth to get the samples.

When is it?: Held annually in June, tickets for 2024 will be announced soon. Go to their official site to get more info.

How much does it cost?: The Beachside Wine Fest (aka the walk from booth to booth to sip and snack event) is $105 pp, but currently has a $75 early bird deal good until June 13th. Get that ticket!! The Sunset Tasting Event (the classy one) is $140 pp, discounted to $105 for early birds.

Where can I get tickets: Go to their Official Site to get tickets to either of their two events.

With so many Wine and Food Fests in San Diego (along with countless “taste of San Diego” local events, why does the CA Wine Festival in Carlsbad rank as one of my top picks? Because unlike some of the other mega events, the CA Wine Festival is, well, relaxed might be a good way to describe it. With the other events my watch is lighting up saying “CALM DOWN - YOU’RE STRESSED OUT” the moment I try to figure out where to park, but with the CA Wine Fest parking is easy - and free. Nothing makes me more happy than free parking right next to the event.

And while the event isn’t as huge as some of the other wine and food fests in San Diego, it’s big enough. I mean, how much wine can you seriously sample in an afternoon? With ridiculously short lines you can try them all if you are up for that (spit buckets available, and the grass didn’t seem to mind a splash here and there).

If all of this wine was making you hungry you only had to step aside to pick up any number of delectable eats - not “bites”, not “samples”, but full sized tacos, hot out of the oil fried chicken, all you can eat wood fired pizza. This is real food portions, not Costco size samples. And. No. Lines. I like that. Really like that.

I didn’t forget the wine. Obviously there were plenty to keep you busy for the afternoon as you sauntered around the event, took in some live music, and enjoyed the sunshine that was cooled with a coastal breeze. Napa was there, Paso was there, San Diego was there, hey, France was there too and everyone serving was clearly having fun.

And in case you were wondering if this event is WORTH IT, if you’ve been to a Napa winery lately the tastings are running on average $40 per person and even Temecula is charging $20+ per person. So yes, walk to a couple of booths, grab some lunch, how can it NOT be worth it? And that’s not even factoring in how much fun the event is.

Adobe Road Winery at the Carlsbad San Diego CA Wine Fest

So yes, I LOVE the CA Wine Festival in Carlsbad and think you will too. Look, I’m not saying I won’t be at all of the other wine and food festivals in San Diego because each one is fun and unique but I am saying that the CA Wine Fest in Carlsbad definitely has a spot on my calendar next June 2024.

Come back soon for more info on 2024 tickets!