At the bottom of Goose Valley, below an ancient volcanic hill sits the Cassidy Family Estate, home to Barrel 1 Winery. First planting Merlot grapes in 2001 the Cassidy Estate, with over 3,000 vines, has grown into one of the larger vineyards in the Ramona area. Growing grapes and making wine for years, owners Tom and Audrey Cassidy along with winemaker Robert Garland firmly believe good wine starts with great fruit.
Our focus is on the grapes, our wines tend to be fruit forward and full bodied, which we credit to awesome soil and weather. So much of the grapes character and flavor comes from the growing environment, claims Tom Cassidy. Early on, surprised by the quality, Garland researched geological surveys and found the vineyard was planted in a plume of volcanic soil eroded over the centuries from the mountain above the property.
Our focus is on the grapes, our wines tend to be fruit forward and full bodied, which we credit to awesome soil and weather. So much of the grapes character and flavor comes from the growing environment, claims Tom Cassidy. Early on, surprised by the quality, Garland researched geological surveys and found the vineyard was planted in a plume of volcanic soil eroded over the centuries from the mountain above the property.
Reviews (24)
Leigha S.
Oct 20, 2021
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Love this winery! It's less than a five minute drive from my house and the winery itself is stunning. It's a ways back from the road so you feel much further away from Magnolia traffic than you are.
Audrey is so nice. My boyfriend and I went on a holiday weekend and things were winding down. We ended up talking with Audrey for quite a while and she was so much fun! She let us try a few extra special wines that were already open (since we were the only people left) and they were really good.
I bought their Merlot a few years back for our one year anniversary and I, despite not being
Audrey is so nice. My boyfriend and I went on a holiday weekend and things were winding down. We ended up talking with Audrey for quite a while and she was so much fun! She let us try a few extra special wines that were already open (since we were the only people left) and they were really good.
I bought their Merlot a few years back for our one year anniversary and I, despite not being
Mike W.
Aug 26, 2021
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Another fantastic experience at Barrel 1 last weekend. The owner, Audrey, and her family are the most wonderful hosts, and their wines are some of our favorites. They offer 6 tastings of their Estate grown wines for $15. They're not currently serving munchies, but you're free to bring your own.
The wines are easy drinking, but with full flavors. We really like their Merlots ('15, '16, and '18), enjoyed the two newish 2018 Rosés, the 2016 Canelli, but my all-time favorite is their 2017 Viognier (a little smokey, like a mellow mezcal). If you're lucky, there might
The wines are easy drinking, but with full flavors. We really like their Merlots ('15, '16, and '18), enjoyed the two newish 2018 Rosés, the 2016 Canelli, but my all-time favorite is their 2017 Viognier (a little smokey, like a mellow mezcal). If you're lucky, there might
Sean Roberts
Apr 17, 2021
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Julie S.
Mar 27, 2021
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We really enjoy our time here. The grounds are beautiful and relaxing. Audrey is super hospitable and friendly. Oh and the wines-such a unique blend of whites and reds always pique our interest and leave us satisfied. We feel so fortunate to have this experience in our backyard. Couldn't recommend it enough.
Pranav Jain
Mar 17, 2021
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Great place for wine with a relaxed vibe. Lots of lawn space to spread out in. They allowed us to bring our own food and provided exceptional service. We sat on the other side of the driveway, but Audrey still came over and brought us all our drinks. She even brought us chairs, a trash can, and picked up any trash we made. We had a fantastic afternoon and were able to hang out with friends while still socially distancing with them. I recommend the Viognier 16, it was our favorite!
Michelle
Mar 02, 2021
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Katie S.
Jan 31, 2021
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Curtis Millican
Dec 07, 2020
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Hannah K.
Nov 22, 2020
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We enjoyed our time here :-)
We each did a wine tasting (about $15 per) and then each ordered a glass of our favorites (about $10-15). There was a nice variety of wines to try!
Even in the midst of covid19 restrictions, Audrey was awesome in adhering to all safety regulations, had hand sanitizing bottles all around, and even provided us some friendly neighborly suggestions as we were visiting/exploring the nearby eateries and cities!
We also loved the quiet and the view as we happened to go right when it opened. We definitely would love to be back!! Thank you, Audrey! We went to Mom&apos
We each did a wine tasting (about $15 per) and then each ordered a glass of our favorites (about $10-15). There was a nice variety of wines to try!
Even in the midst of covid19 restrictions, Audrey was awesome in adhering to all safety regulations, had hand sanitizing bottles all around, and even provided us some friendly neighborly suggestions as we were visiting/exploring the nearby eateries and cities!
We also loved the quiet and the view as we happened to go right when it opened. We definitely would love to be back!! Thank you, Audrey! We went to Mom&apos
Jessica E.
Sep 02, 2020
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My grandma and I came here a few weeks back and had such a pleasant experience. The owner was awesome and her niece. We were greeted by the big dog who may startle you with his size but he just wanted love. We brought a salad and dessert and bought a few glasses of wine after our tasting. The wine didn't disappoint. Make the trip, try the wine.
Sergio P.
Jul 27, 2020
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Was in town for the weekend & found this place on google. Barrel 1 did not disappoint!! We went on a Sunday & luckily it was not crowded. They have a small but very nice & scenic outdoor patio with good music & umbrellas.
The owners Tom & Audrey are super nice & friendly!! They have a diverse selection of wines & they are all delicious which made it hard to pick the bottles we wanted. We went with the Cab, the Tempranillo, & the Viognier. If you're in Ramona, treat yourself to tasting here!!
The owners Tom & Audrey are super nice & friendly!! They have a diverse selection of wines & they are all delicious which made it hard to pick the bottles we wanted. We went with the Cab, the Tempranillo, & the Viognier. If you're in Ramona, treat yourself to tasting here!!
Dany A.
Jul 25, 2020
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The worst customer service ever!!!!
We were looking forward to check this winery on the way back from Julian. We walked in and there was only one lady working there from what i noticed, who was the owner. She asked me to wait few minutes to clean up the tables as other people were leaving. We ended up waiting over 30 minutes before we left!
It took her over 30 min to ring up few people!
We were looking forward to check this winery on the way back from Julian. We walked in and there was only one lady working there from what i noticed, who was the owner. She asked me to wait few minutes to clean up the tables as other people were leaving. We ended up waiting over 30 minutes before we left!
It took her over 30 min to ring up few people!
Christine L.
Nov 30, 2019
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Who knew Ramona had wine?! My friends and I made the journey out to Ramona on a lovely Sunday afternoon and were greeted by Barrel 1's owner, Audrey, who poured our tastings all afternoon. Such a cool experience to hear the stories of each wine--all wines are estate-grown at Barrel 1! Our wine was accompanied by a high-quality and delicious cheese and chocolate board that perfectly enhanced the flavors of each tasting. We enjoyed every wine we tried at Barrel 1 (truly!), but if we had to pick a favorite, it would be the 2014 Merlot. Next time you're in the mood for wine, give Ramona Valley
Haleh M.
Oct 13, 2019
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It is sad. We have came here couple of times before and had tasting and purchased wine "Black Widow" and had my son 8 years old with us. Coming back from Julian today we were looking forward going for some wine and buy couple bottles and become a member. As soon as we walked in , looking for sit the lady on the counter said we can't have kids they have to go over where grass is " far from me. She was not even interested to go over the wine and just turned her head to other people. We looked at each other and said to each other no reason to spend couple hundreds of $$ to
Margaret M.
Sep 11, 2019
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Danielle R.
Jun 24, 2019
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Jan Mast
Jun 12, 2019
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Fantastic setting!
This is a cozy little tasting room that is a little building put on someone expansive property to serve as a tasting room. The little bar and seating area is cute and cozy.
They do have a decent variation of wines to sample but I don’t feel like anything really struck a chord with me. I especially didn’t enjoy the Tempranillo, and thought the Merlot was the best even though it was just ok.
I would visit again when/if we are in the area.
This is a cozy little tasting room that is a little building put on someone expansive property to serve as a tasting room. The little bar and seating area is cute and cozy.
They do have a decent variation of wines to sample but I don’t feel like anything really struck a chord with me. I especially didn’t enjoy the Tempranillo, and thought the Merlot was the best even though it was just ok.
I would visit again when/if we are in the area.
Emily F.
Apr 29, 2019
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This is my favorite winery. First I want to mention how outstanding the service is. It was our second time here, we tried all of the wines listed on the menu and were blown away. I lived in France and miss the wine from there, but the wine here resembles the wine I tasted back in France. Audrey helped us pick the right wine according to our taste. She is thoughtful and insightful. If you're in the area please show support for this winery.
Nance L.
Apr 08, 2019
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My boyfriend and friend were driving through the city of Ramona and saw a sign for wine tasting and figured let's try this out! Wow what an amazing time we had with the owner Audrey and Kelly her friend and cheese expert. The winery was absolutely beautiful. Breathtaking. The wine was delish and they were so nice to give us a complimentary cheese plate which went well w the wine! Audrey, the owner, made this little adventure so special for us we loved her stories, her yummy wine and the overall vibe of the relaxing, gorgeous place made our day! It's a dog friendly place as well! Thank
J. M.
Mar 18, 2019
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Beautiful property and outdoor tasting area. It was a let down though that the service was lacking. Unfriendly with no passion or explanation of their wines or wine process. The wines were average and they only poured 4 of the 5 tasting before closing. There are a lot of great wineries in Ramona that are far more worthwhile.
Ashley Webb
Nov 13, 2018
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Meredith G.
Aug 08, 2018
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Came to Barrel 1 with my husband a couple of weeks ago and had a great time. Nice scenery and the wine was great. We especially loved the 2013 Tempranillo. Complimentary cheese and crackers was a plus. Michelle was a great host. She was very friendly, knowledgeable and made us feel welcome. Will definitely be back.
Carol Archer
Jul 30, 2018
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Mary Ravare
Sep 27, 2015
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