The must-try wineries in California, according to Yelp

Looking for a boozy bucket list? Here’s a place to start.

Yelp has compiled a list of the top 10 wineries in California — quite a feat when you consider there are at least 3,600 wineries around the state, according to USA Wine Ratings.

It’s no surprise the list is dominated by wineries in Northern California’s wine country, especially Napa and Sonoma counties. But a few spots outside the region made the list, including Vineyard Grant James and Espinosa Vineyards — both in San Diego County.

The top 10 wineries in California, according to Yelp, are:

1. Shadybrook Estate Winery, Napa
2. Vincent Arroyo Family Winery, Calistoga
3. Vineyard Grant James, Ramona
4. Gracianna Winery, Healdsburg
5. Hendry Vineyard and Winery, Napa
6. J. Rickards Winery, Cloverdale
7. Pride Mountain Vineyards, St. Helena
8. Palmaz Vineyards, Napa
9. B Cellars Vineyards & Winery, Oakville
10. Espinosa Vineyards and Winery, Escondido

Yelp, a ratings and reviews site, put together the list by evaluating all of the California wineries on its platform on several factors, including the number and quality of ratings. All of the wineries in the top 10, not surprisingly, have a perfect five-star overall rating.

Each business also had a passing health score as of June 2022, Yelp said.

Shadybrook Estate in Napa, the No. 1-ranked spot on the list, was praised for its excellent customer service. “There is zero snobbery at this winery,” wrote one reviewer. The winery also keeps horses on the property, and allows visitors to book horseback riding experiences.

Vincent Arroyo in Calistoga ranks second. Yelp reviewers say their red wines are so good, they’ll even convince white wine loyalists to switch to the dark side.