Giracci Vineyards and Farms

Beautiful setting! Large open grounds, nice tasting room. Wines so-​so. Don’t get the $ 6.00 valet fee tho… no self parking allowed. Our car was moved about 75 ft down the driveway to a dirt lot. Very few people there on a Saturday afternoon, so wondering why the mandatory valet?
Great grounds tho and the visit to see the horses was great!

Beautiful winery/​barn setting right in Orange County: Our May wedding turned out absolutely beautiful at Giracci. In the price package we purchased in January 2015 ($ 7k) we got Michelle as a planning support contact, valet parking, the whole place to ourselves after the winery closing (guests were out by about 6pm), and free reign to anything that they already have on the grounds (basic tables, chairs, bar tables, ect.). It was so nice having Michelle dedicated to us the day of to support our wedding planner and drive us around the grounds for photos on their golf cart, pull the horse out for photos, ect. I’m sure she did millions of other things that I didn’t see but happened to get done. Well done Michelle!
We had the ceremony outside by the gazebo which was cool and shaded by 5pm. It would have been nice to have more privacy as there were still serving wine to the public at 5pm but I think you can pay an extra fee to close the public winery early. The reception took place in one of the barns which has been remodeled to serve as an event space only. We had about 125 guests which fit comfortably with a small dance floor. They could probably squeeze in more with a different table layout but I appreciated having a little space to move around. There are two chandeliers in the barn already but it would have been pretty dark at night without an extra rental and twinkly lights strung throughout the entire ceiling that we rented.
Tips:
1. View Giracci’s preferred vendor list but don’t be afraid to ask for one off the list. We see Facebook postings all the time from Giracci with vendors used off the list. They used to only allow one caterer but have expanded since we booked them
2. Make an appointment if you want to visit. They are closed throughout most of the day during the week and have a locked gate. Unless you want to sneak in you should give Michelle a decent heads up so she knows to either be there or have someone there to open the gate for you
3. Go through what they already have in detail at the venue. When we did our final walkthrough we found some great unique gems that we used the day of. A couple examples were a cupcake tower stand and a huge table to display our sign-​in quilt.
Overall, a beautiful night!

I have lived in this area for more than 30 years and cannot believe I didn’t know about this place until now! What a cute little winery in south Orange County, within a few minutes drive of lake forest, mission viejo, foothill ranch, rsm, etc. The inside portion is smaller but they have a patio with plenty of outdoor seating which is where my parents and I sat. It is absolutely beautiful outside and we stayed for the entire afternoon. Sometimes at these small wineries you aren’t sure how the wine is actually going to taste but we were pleasantly surprised. We liked everything thing! And the tastings were reasonably priced and they give you pretty large pours. The only reason I am not giving them five stars is that they don’t offer many white wine selections and those they do have aren’t great. Their reds are definitely better. Also they make you valet for $ 6 which is super obnoxious given that there is plenty of parking there. They said it was because of a wedding but I didn’t even see any of the wedding guests parking near us. Just seemed like a lame attempt to make a little more money off of us. I’ve never seen valet at a winery — not even in Napa. So they may want to rethink that policy. But overall we really liked this place and I would definitely recommend it!

The review is only about the venue. Was at this location for a banquet. It is very quaint and quiet. Getting there is easy, the drive through the hills is very peaceful for Orange County. It’s far enough from the road so you don’t hear the cars. The lights at night are somewhat amazing (looks better in pictures than real life) but the lighting itself makes it difficult to take pictures. Parking is tricky, especially in a dirt lot, but it’s manageable. Not too many bugs flying around. Was only at the site for 1.5 hours and only .5 was after the sun had set. Great location for a quick party, would go again.

I coordinated a wine tasting for a work retirement present and decided to give Giracci another try since it’s been quite a while since we had gone, and we wanted to wine taste in OC at a place just like they offer. (beautiful and with vineyards) GREAT NEWS — from the moment I started working with Anthony (a newer employee) I had a feeling we’d have a completely different experience. He was easy to work with, flexible, friendly, very knowledgeable, and interesting to listen to. They offer a tour which we really enjoyed. Most didn’t know this winery existed, and look froward to returning. Almost everyone in our 14 person group enjoyed the wine enough to take home 1 (and for most 2+) bottles. The Zinfandel was one of our groups favorites, but there wasn’t a bad wine, just different ones for different tastes. We were able to take photos this trip (casually, but I do have an SLR) and there was no hassle or word about paying for photos. (Good since we want to give the retiree a scrapbook of her day, and Giracchi was our main event and special.)
4 stars as the description says, YAY, I’m a fan, and now I am. Still wish tasting fees were less, or incorporated back into purchases, but I know that’s a trend and Giracchi is following what seems to be the norm. We’re glad they are in OC and offer a wonderful wine tasting experience! Thank you Anthony!

Wow, what a hidden gem! The first thing you notice when you come here is that the grounds are just gorgeous. Large trees, rolling hills, lots of open space — it is a very relaxing atmosphere. And the wines were surprisingly delicious. The sauvignon blanc and the merlot were some of the best wines I’ve ever had. Our sommelier-​in-​training, Ben, was friendly, helpful, and gave generous pours. What an excellent experience — we will definitely be back!

Loved this place, close to home. Great place to picnic and relax over a bottle of RED. Wasn’t too keen on their white wines, but their REDS rocked it!

Faves in order:
2012 Cabernet franc
2013 Due to
2011 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
2013 Sauvignon Blanc

This is such a cool place. Wine tasting was awesome. I’m no expert, but I love wine and all six that were offered in the tasting were delicious. Everyone who works there is so friendly, knowledgable, and just overall nice people. I went home with one bottle (I had to limit or I’d be broke lol) and the next time I’m in the area I will definitely go back. The atmosphere is so nice and I like that you can walk around and enjoy the whole place as you sip the wine.

This is the second time we have been to this winery. The staff are hit and miss. Our first experience was great but today we couldn’t get out of there fast enough. We did 6 tastings for $ 15 which is pretty typical. I work in the wine industry and have been tasting across the state so I know what to expect. We were not asked to revisit anything or if we wanted to purchase a bottle. That’s probably because our server, Dan, left the building and never returned. The Primitivo was fantastic but I didn’t care for the other 5 wines.

Ahhhhhmazing place. Absolutely pristine. Great people, superior setting. Visited for an hour and definitely want to have my next event there.

Staff was really really nice, professional, and informative.
Location was definately quite toasty warm, bordering on uncomfortably hot. Would be nice to have misters on the outside patio like one may see in Palm Springs.
The tasing room was comfortable but not nearly enough standing or sitting room for the guests there we arrived and departed on a flow. We went to sit on the outside patio and were quickly told by a guest they needed the chair we were about to sit in. Then there was a nice 2top where there was abviously an employee working on paperwork, orders, etc, that took the whole table, however left it vacant where customers could not sit. We were there an hour, the table sat empty, yet cluttered employee paperwork and belongings. Take care of your guests!
We asked about sitting outside and told the plain round tables had to be reserved at lease 48 hours in advance for $ 50…Seriously a joke! Great staff, Poor Management, Very Poor Seating. Cabernet Reserve quite nice. Sadly, not enough good customer service to return.

Wow! Beautiful place 10mn from Irvine, here in Orange County. You could be in Santa Barbara or any wine country vineyards. The wine is excellent. The set up beautiful. It’s like you’re being transplanted somewhere else. The staff and the owner are super friendly. Real family business. Congratulations for turning your dreams in a reality.

Excellent winery. Loved the tasting and the scenery. Charming tasting room and it is cozy. Beautiful property with gorgeous horses and white roses. I seriously could move in here! I imagine they have beautiful weddings. The venue could host so many events. It wasn’t crowded when we were there so it was nice to talk with the server and other guests. Nice shade there– would be great for a picnic as well. We bought 2 bottles of wine. My husband and I had a great time and on the way out we met the owners. Very nice people. I highly recommend a visit and tasting!

What I find. I’ve lived in the area for several years and never knew this place existed. I believe every third Friday of each month they have live music till 9pm. They put out tables and chairs accompanied by candles and elegant patio lighting for you to enjoy. We packed a picnic and of course you can’t bring outside wine. Very nice check it out. Cheers !

So lived here for 14 years and never knew this place existed. Located on Santiago Canyon Road just past the turnoff for Modjeska Canyon this place is a find.
The wine tasting is in a family compound that has horse stables and barns and vineyards and is very scenic and cozy. The round house for wine tasting is perfect. You walk in and in the back is the bar with a few places to sit and relax and even a fire place.
Now be prepared as the wines are priced in high 30s and forties so not cheap. But they are good and the staff is wonderful.
Came for a fund raising event and sat outside under the trees. At night they have white lights around the base of the trees that gives this a very festive feel. Got a bottle of the dessert wine and it tasted like pancakes and maple syrup in a bottle. Very delicious.

We’ve visited a number of times, our most recent visit being this past Sunday. We went with some friends, so our 5 year-​olds could enjoy the outdoors of a lovely fall afternoon.
Giracci is located in Silverado/​Trabuco Canyon a little bit before getting to Cook’s Corner, if you are traveling east. It’s a working horse ranch, too, so there will be cowboys and cowgirls here on weekends. Fun to watch.
The tasting room is a small house, with the coolest bathrooms ever. They even have showers, but I don’t know if anyone has ever used them. It gets hot out there, sometimes, and I have been tempted.
Wine tasting is $ 12 for 6 tastes, which is reasonable. The pours are smallish, but with 6, it’s plenty of wine to sample. You can stand inside at the tasting room counter, or you can take your wine outside to the many places to sit. There’s the balcony of the tasting room, with 2 or 3 tables, and then there is an open space, shaded by huge oak trees in front of the tasting room with lots of other seating options.
We chose to sit outside, eat some food we had brought while we sipped our wines. Yes, you can picnic here. You can spend the whole afternoon here, easy. Buy a bottle of wine that you liked after tasting, or drink the 6 tastes real slowly! The kids had fun running around, and we adults has a chance to try the wines and enjoy our food.
Giracci sources their grapes from all around California. The quality of the wines is quite good. The Sauvignon Blanc was refreshing. The Merlots were smooth and easy to drink. They produce a Zin, Cab, etc. There’s plenty to choose from.
If you don’t imagine a winery in OC can produce quality wines, think again. Plus, it’s a great location to spend some time with family and friends without having to go to the Santa Rita Hills, or Paso Robles or Napa.

We really like coming here because it makes for a nice day, the wines are good & best of all its close. Cowboy Canyon winery is next door & they are great too.
I’m knocking 1 star off because we were there over the weekend with a group of friends, and we had brought some food along to enjoy with our wine. The whole time we were there, which was hours, the resident Great Dane Valentino was at our table begging for food, drooling everywhere & being a bit of a pest. No one from the winery seemed to notice or care. Just before the tasting room was getting ready to close, Michelle, the owners daughter came out & basically yelled at us to NOT feed the dog because he had some kind of a surgery & we shouldn’t be feeding him… so after hours of their dog disturbing their guests she finally called him in & yelled at their guests??? uhm. ok…

I will state up front that the three stars is not for the wine, which might merit two, on a good day. Today was really not that day. Despite the blatantly negative teaser, I kinda like this place. It’s in Orange County, after all, and presents quite a lovely scene, with horses, barns, outbuildings, and some pretty impressive landscaping. If you are about to get married, and haven’t placed a deposit on a venue, you would do well to check this place out. It seems they do quite a lot of them, and it’s easy to see why. Beautiful setting with majestic oaks etc. But, I did go for the wine, so I’ll get to that.
The website, which happens to warn you up front that if you enter, your Mac will download malware, states that they source their grapes from the western area of Paso Robles. For in-​the-​know tasters, this region is known for some spectacular reds, due to the low yield of heavily concentrated grapes. It’s a microclimate thing, that makes for some great fruit. I didn’t get this, at all.
The real standouts here included their 2010 merlot. Perhaps now I know why Paul Giamatti is not a fan. The nose was all turn, a fouled bottle with that madeira taste of a browned, bad bottle. I pointed it out to the the pourer, who thanked me for bringing that to his attention. This did not, however, come with an offer of another pour of a different wine. So off to the next two, quite tannin-​bearing reds. Neither was really very good, and both were in the young stage where the tannins were a bit too much for a simple taste. Lastly, we had a decent pinot noir, the best bottle of the tasting. It was by no means great, but not bad. Light and appropriately fruity on the nose, strawberry etc. A lesser cousin of a west Paso Robles Pinot. When we were done, I asked if they had opened a new bottle of the 2010 merlot. They hadn’t, and were still pouring the slop I had identified as bad. They did open a new bottle for me to try, and at one sniff it was apparent that it was all turned. One of the pourers suggested that it might taste different, as it was an unfiltered merlot. Thanks for that, but no. The 2012, one of the higher tannin bottles that followed, was actually a thousand times better. I got the impression that these folks, while quite nice and friendly, knew very little about the wines, as they offered nothing in the way of detail on any of the wines they offered.
I still think this a good place to visit if you like wine tasting, if only for the setting. This is a great place to taste wine is you are a fan of Woodbridge or any of the other wines sold in big bottles, or boxes, for that matter. Okay, this is really not fair. I really only hated the one, bad wine. The others were all drinkable, and the pinot wasn’t at all bad, but I wouldn’t opt to buy a bottle of any of them at their asking prices.

I’ve read the other reviews stating that the staff wasn’t well informed, or offered no suggestions. I definitely did NOT have one of those experiences. That’s not to discount the fact that those experiences happened, but the gentleman that served my friends and I this past Sunday definitely knew his stuff.
The wine selection was pretty good, and the gentleman was able to answer every question that my friends asked (I just drank), and truthfully my friends asked a lot of questions. I mean A LOT! I liked their whites the best, and I typically prefer reds.
The property is really nice (as mentioned in every other review), so I won’t elaborate on that. The great Dane that roams the property could easily be mistaken for Lil Sebastian. I’m sure that dog could eat a small child.
All in all I enjoyed this winery. I’d make the 45 mile trek back down when I have friends come to town. I’m definitely a fan and recommend it.
PS…the guy that served us looks a hell of a lot like Seth Rogan, and even after he told me his name (I believe he said Nick) all I could think was Seth. Anyway, he KNOWS his stuff.