Critic picks

Wine Enthusiast's top-rated wineries in Central Coast

Wine Enthusiast scores on the 100-point scale. Its 924 ranked Central Coast producers run from 93 to 95 points, each with at least two rated wines.

Ranked by Wine Enthusiast's mean score across every wine of theirs Wine Enthusiast has rated. Highest average first; ties go to the producer with more wines rated.

924
Producers Wine Enthusiast rates
95
Top score
290
Wines scored, top 25

The list

  1. 195Crown PointHappy Canyon of Santa Barbara, United States18 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  2. 294Domaine de la CôteSta. Rita Hills, United States3 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  3. 394Bien Nacido EstateSanta Maria Valley, United States30 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  4. 494AetherSanta Barbara County, United States4 wines ratedCRITIC-RATED→
  5. 594The HiltSanta Barbara County, United States8 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  6. 694The Royal Nonesuch FarmYork Mountain, United States2 wines ratedDISTINCTION→
  7. 794Solomon Hills VineyardsSanta Maria Valley, United States19 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  8. 894Farm CottageSanta Cruz Mountains, United States7 wines ratedDISTINCTION→
  9. 994PiedrasassiCentral Coast, United States13 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  10. 1094Black Sheep FindsCentral Coast, United States3 wines ratedCRITIC-RATED→
  11. 1194Samuel Louis SmithSta. Rita Hills, United States23 wines ratedDISTINCTION→
  12. 1294ClariceSanta Lucia Highlands, United States16 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  13. 1394Mail RoadSta. Rita Hills, United States8 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  14. 1494Ch.Igai TakahaCentral Coast, United States2 wines ratedDISTINCTION→
  15. 1594Story of SoilSanta Barbara County, United States2 wines ratedDISTINCTION→
  16. 1694MartianSanta Barbara County, United States2 wines ratedCRITIC-RATED→
  17. 1794ExprimereSta. Rita Hills, United States2 wines ratedCRITIC-RATED→
  18. 1894BookerPaso Robles, United States8 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  19. 1994Costa VinedoEdna Valley, United States4 wines ratedDISTINCTION→
  20. 2094PhinchEdna Valley, United States2 wines ratedCRITIC-RATED→
  21. 2193DonnachadhSta. Rita Hills, United States18 wines ratedDISTINCTION→
  22. 2293Mindego RidgeSanta Cruz Mountains, United States5 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  23. 2393Sandar & HemSanta Cruz Mountains, United States20 wines ratedDISTINCTION→
  24. 2493ChaninSanta Barbara County, United States68 wines ratedCRITICS' PICK→
  25. 2593Trippers & AskersSanta Barbara County, United States3 wines ratedCRITIC-RATED→

How we choose

Wine Enthusiast rates individual wines, not estates. Each producer's place here is its average Wine Enthusiast score across every wine of theirs the critic has scored. A producer needs at least two such wines to appear: the guard stops a single lucky score on one bottle from outranking an estate with dozens of rated wines. More on how the list works

Frequently asked

How many Central Coast wineries has Wine Enthusiast rated?
924 wineries in Central Coast, United States have at least two wines scored by Wine Enthusiast. Only those appear here.
Which Central Coast winery does Wine Enthusiast rate highest?
Crown Point, at a 95-point average from Wine Enthusiast, followed by Domaine de la Côte and Bien Nacido Estate.
How is this list ranked?
By Wine Enthusiast's average score across each winery's wines. A winery needs at least two Wine Enthusiast-rated wines to be listed, so a single high score cannot top the ranking.
Does this use user reviews?
No. Only Wine Enthusiast's professional ratings. There are no crowd star averages in it.

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