La Jolla Wine Tours

If you enjoy exploring the city of San Diego while experiencing new restaurants and fine wines, the La Jolla Wine Tours is the perfect way to celebrate your next date night! La Jolla Wine Tours was founded by Shira Bliss and Paul Anthony Vild. Together their mission is to bring joy to their guests, share knowledge and passion for great wine and food while supporting local San Diego merchants. As a recent guest on their walking wine tour, we can confidently say they are doing an incredible job bringing this mission to life.  The La Jolla Wine Tours has cultivated strong relationships with venues such as Karl Strauss, The Public House, Aquamoree and the La Jolla Brew House.

The 3 hr walking tour began at the Empress Hotel in La Jolla where we were warmly greeted by our tour guide Marti. Marti is a local expert with years of fine wine and culinary experience, and years of living in La Jolla. Our first destination was Cafe Milano located on Pearl Street Cafe Milano is a quaint yet classy venue known for traditional Italian dishes. Before we had our first tasting, Marti instructed us how to see, smell, swirl, sip and summarize each wine. This process was helpful as the day progressed, allowing us to truly benefit from each tasting. To start, Cafe Milano paired a fruity Italian Pinot Gregio with sweet and crispy Brusetta. Our second pairing was a full bodied Tuscan wine with creamy homemade Tortellini. Our final pairing consisted of a dry Merlot and a dish of meatballs with a savory red sauce and vegetables.

 

A few blocks away from Cafe Milano was Chedi Thai, our second walking wine tour destination. Chedi Thai offered three pairings in a contemporary fine dining venue. Each was well thought out and left me with the desire to go back and try more! First was a crisp Savigyon Blanc from new Zealand paired with Shrimp Parcels (crispy wonton skin wrapper shrimp mousse with sesame seed, and kaffir lime curd). Second was a sweet German Riesling paired with Steamed Vegetable Dumplings (shitake mushroom, sweet corn, tofu, spinach, peanut and garlic chips). Finally we had an spicy Argentinian Malbec paired with Chicken Curry Puffs (caramelized chicken and potato, parsnip, cilantro and cucumber relish).

 

Our next stop was closer to where we began our tour giving us a good 15 minutes of fresh air and exercise. We were pleasantly surprised when we approached We Olive. We Olive is the premier retailer of California extra virgin olive oil in the U.S., with several retail outlets throughout California. The store had a complimentary tasting bar, allowing us to try more than 20 artisan produced extra virgin olive oils from every region in California. Indulging in pieces of bread dipped in oil infused lemon, garlic and basil, date night cooking ideas started to transpire. Continuing to explore we walked past their wine bar. Just beyond the wine bar was an outdoor patio overlooking La Jolla Cove. It was a romantic setting perfect for date night. The Sommelier then rounded us up to try a bottle of  Carnival Mertiage, a red blend of Cabernet Savigyon, Merlot and Malbec. Our second tasting was a 2008 Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon. The Sommelier explained it was one of their most poplar wines only sold to restaurants and wine bars. With a bite of dark chocolate to seal the deal, we were on our way to our last and final stop of the tour!

In our book, the La Jolla Wine Tours saved the best for last.  At Zenbu Sushi, the owner warmly welcomed us to enjoy a glass of Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc which was by far a favorite white wine of the tour. To pair with our Sauvignon Blanc was a delicious crunchy roll with snow crab, massago, gobo and avocado. For a sushi aficionado, Zenbu Sushi should definitely be added to your date night list.

 

 

The La Jolla Wine Tour is more than an opportunity to try new wines. It’s an incredible opportunity to explore the city and try new restaurants. For busy parents, the La Jolla Wine Tour is an excellent way to let someone else do the planning and enjoy the ride (and wine!).

For more information on La Jolla Wine Tours, click here and visit them online! Also check out featured wine tour partners: Cafe Milano, Chedi Thai, We Olive, Zenbu Sushi

La Jolla Wine Tour Dates and Times

Romantic Packages

For a limited time only, you can add a special romantic package to any of the tours below. That package includes wonderful gifts and prizes especially designed for couples and a chance to win a beautiful bottle of wine at the end of the tour. This wonderful package includes a delightful gift package of an organic chocolate bar, 2 memento wine glass charms, a La Jolla Wine Tours corkscrew, and a beautiful 6-bottle wine tote bag. Romantic package is only $15 per couple.

 

Coaster Train Wine and Food Tours (Mon. – Fri. Start time: 1.40pm)

These GREEN tours are about 5 hrs in duration. We have ample tastes of fabulous, local wines – about 18 tastes! We start the tour with a wine and food pairing lunch at our partner restaurant (delicious fine dining Italian). We enjoy the beautiful coastal scenery as we travel by rail (wine tasting on the train is allowed!). We walk into the villages for tastings at the boutique/urban wineries (where they make the wine) for wine and cheese and wine and chocolate pairings. You can join us on this train tour easily from most locations (Santa Barbara to San Diego) by using public transportation (bus, trolley, train, coaster etc.). These popular tours are only $88 per person. (Does not include round trip train ticket which is an additional $11 per person.)

 

San Diego Wineries Tours (Wed. – Sunday. Start time: 12noon)

On these popular tours we pick you up from your residence/hotel (from most San Diego locations) and take you to 3-4 San Diego Wineries. These fabulous tours are about 6 hrs and include ample tastings at each winery (where they grow the vines and make the wine). Your guide will entertain you with local history and tasting tips. At our first winery we’ll savor delicious fruits and cheeses with our wine tastings. We’ll conclude this amazing adventure with decadent wine pairings and a gourmet pizza dinner overlooking spectacular  wineries grounds. The San Diego Wineries Tours are only $149 per person.

 

La Jolla Wine and Food Walking Tours (Daily. Start time: 3pm)

This fabulous 3-hr guided walking tour has 4 tasty tour stops in the beautiful village of La Jolla. With your knowledgeable guide you’ll taste fine wines and savor delicious, gourmet food and learn about wine tasting and food pairing. We’ll even be treated to chocolate and wine tastings! Enjoy a leisurely walk of about 1 mile near the ocean, while being entertained with the history and culture of the La Jolla by-the-sea. We sit down at three of La Jolla’s very special restaurants and partake, at each restaurant, 2-3 tastes of wine (about 3oz each) paired with 2-3 tapas size dishes. At our fourth stop we delight in fine wine tastings at a stunning ocean view Wine and Olive Bar.  These tours are only $69 per person.

 

Beer & Burgers Walking Tours (Daily. Start time: 11.30am and 3pm)

On this exciting 3-hr guided walking tour you’ll enjoy award-winning beer tastings, including local craft beers, along with VIP food pairings e.g. organic burgers, pizza, steaks and mac n cheese. In addition to these decadent, thirst quenching offerings you’ll get to go behind the scenes and learn about the beer making process. We’ll even have beer games and prizes! This ultimate beer and food tour of La Jolla’s restaurants and breweries is only $68 per person.

 

San Diego Brewery Transportation (Thurs. – Sat. Start time: 12:30pm)

Your Brewery Transport includes transportation to 4 nano/micro breweries AND a fantastic restaurant with local craft beers on tap. That’s five stops total! We have chosen the optimal route so you can get the most tastings AND the best beer and food. By not including the tastings in your ticket price you get to customize your tastings and food. If you want pints or tasters you can do so. And at our restaurant fuel stop you can pick whichever menu items you’d like. Many of our guests enjoy having this customizable service which is only $79 per person (includes 10% off your first beer tasting AND 10% off your food bill; Souvenir glass; Bottle of Magner’s Irish Cider and keepsake bottle opener).

 

San Diego Guided Brewery Tours (Thurs. – Sat. Start time: 1:30pm)

Tour San Diego’s nano/micro breweries with us.  Experience San Diego’s best craft beers with this over-the-top SUDSPERIENCE! This Guided Brewery Tour includes pick up and drop off at your hotel/residence (from most San Diego locations); Transportation to 3 different stops; Tastings at 3 Breweries (around 5 tastings at each Brewery); Delicious bag Lunch (sandwich/chips/cookie); Souvenir glass; Behind the scenes tour of the beer making process; Bottle of Magner’s Irish Cider and keepsake bottle opener. Tour price is only $89 per person.

Wine Tasting Dinner Parties (Daily. Start time: 6.30pm)

La Jolla Wine Tours is highly regarded when it comes to putting on a crowd-pleasing wine and food tasting event. Our knowledgeable and cheerful team have years of experience in the wine and food business. And they love what they do! We’ll bring you a fabulous interactive party that’ll impress everyone. We’ll thrill you with fine wines paired with tantalizing, gourmet appetizers, and seasonal menu favorites. We’ll have our very own local winemaker to wow us with luscious wine that he produces from his San Diego County vineyard. There’ll be games and prizes, grape stomp (available seasonally) and tons of fun! We’ll even have a raffle where guests will get a chance to win a bottle of one of San Diego County’s best wines!  Price is only $78 per person.

 

*above offerings may vary

**group discounts available