Brad is the MAN! The wine man, that is!
Before visiting Solvang, I contacted him via email to ask if I can bring my 5 lb Maltese to which he responded in a timely manner to bring my baby in! So off our family (me, my boyfriend and our Popple) goes from LA to Solvang in the middle of the week in traffic. Needing to escape the city... needing a bit of tranquil tourism and obviously WINE. We hit traffic.. ok. Had a flat tire... fine. Poop, we need gas... alright.
We finally arrive in town around 730 (everything closes by then btw) and we go straight to VGC. Brad was closing but gave us the full experience... super knowledgeable, hospitable and hilarious. Â 5 stars because that's all there is to pick from!
THANKS BRAD!
This place was a hidden treasure during our stay in Solvang. We were in town for a wedding and wanted to have a quick tasting before joining in on pre-wedding festivities. Viking Garden was a literal 1 minute walk from our hotel. Â Everyone was super friendly and knowledgable and not intimidating (i.e. not wine-snobby). Â That's just the kind of tasting I like! Â Oh yeah, and they have beer! Â Good beers at that!
Review Source:Visited VGC on Feb. 16th. Partner and I found ourselves feeling a bit like outsiders at most of the wine bars in Solvang but not at VGC. The bar is not a long one but just spacious enough and sufficiently lit--not cellar-dark like some wine bars, if you know what I mean. Personally, I like to see what I am drinking.
We split a $10 wine flight that include a rose', three reds, and a white. I am not a big red wine fan and did not care much for the three we tasted. The Riesling was outstanding, however, dry yet fruity with a fresh, orchard-like bouquet. The rose' was equally refreshing.
The staff is what really stands out at VGC. Our sommelier made us feel welcome. He was friendly, funny, and very knowledgeable about all the wines served. He took the time to really educate us, which we greatly appreciated, and didn't pressure us to buy. He actually gave me an additional taste of the Riesling since I enjoyed it so much.
Loved the low-key ambience--a fireplace in the corner, plenty of seating, good music, and original art on the walls. VGC is a nice place to wile away an afternoon in Solvang.
Don't share ur opinions or anything beyond ur wine & beer preferences. 1 guy (don't remember his name) will shoot you down and debate endlessly w/ u while mocking ur thoughts. Screw that... Personally I enjoy wine in the company of easy going individuals & solving has more to offer than this jackass
Review Source:This place was cool, the wine server was friendly & gave us a great recommendation...a wine spritzer was perfect for the hot day!! Will totally go back when I visit Solvang again. Â Plus the decorum was totally awesome!! There was a pic someone took of a restaurant (I think) Â which recycled the corks & bottles. The bottles were used for the counters and the corks for the ceiling.
Review Source:Awesome place. Â This is a must stop if you are interested in tasting wine in Solvang. Â My first visit I met Amber who was very knowledgable about the wines she was pouring. Â She spent time explaining the wines and how they were made. Â I was very impressed with such a young woman knowing so much about wine. Â A couple days later I went in again and met Brad. Â Good grief, I found nirvana. Â Brad is awesome and extremely educated in wine. Â b/c I had already tried the flight onhand he broke out new bottles and took me on a tasting journey of chards, grenach, and pinots, it was awesome. Â This place knows their stuff and will spend the time to educate and expand your horizons in regards to wine. Â Coming from NORCAL and and the Napa wine tasting experience it was a pleasant surprise. Â If you love wine and wine tasting stop here for a great intimate wine experience by people who care about wine. Â Impressive and laid back - Great folks!!. Bought a case of wine and will relish the memories whenever I pop a cork. Â Look fwd to another trip to VGC to get recommendations from Brad and Amber.
Review Source:My wife and I went to Solvang recently, and Viking Garden was our last stop. Â We unwittingly saved the best for last, even though it didn't seem that way at first.
It's set off from the road about twenty yards or so, at the back of a sparse, concrete (somewhat uninviting) courtyard, so it's kind of easy to miss. Â We probably would have passed it up, except we wanted to taste cheese with our wines, and there was a little chalkboard sign on the street indicating wine and cheese tastings were available. Â Since not all the wine tasting rooms offer cheese, we decided to give it a try. Â We got inside and were still a little unsure about sticking it out. Â The room itself isn't very cozy, as they leave empty space for the bands they bring in, but when the bands aren't there, it just seems kind of empty. Â Then we met the manager, Brad, and that's when the fun started.
Brad is very knowledgeable and passionate about wine. Â Even though we'd been to a good half dozen wine tasting rooms that weekend, I learned more from Brad than from everybody else combined. Â He picks the wines and the cheeses you taste, which we found a tad off-putting at first, since all the other wine rooms give you choices, but it turns out his expertise resulted in each wine being a great choice. Â Every other tasting room we went to had at least one or two (or three) wines that weren't so great, but every wine at the Viking Garden was excellent. Â My wife doesn't like white wine, and in fact had not had a white wine the whole weekend, but Brad made her start with a couple of whites anyway. Â She was reluctant, but then couldn't believe that the whites he put in front of her were both very good. Â He told us why he picks the wines he chooses, his philosophy on creating the best tasting experience for the customer, and the best way to judge the wines. Â He was very funny - at times it was almost like stand-up - and the cheeses were great, too. Â We hit the Viking Garden last, but after meeting Brad, next time it will be our first stop. Â We got Brad's personal email so in the event he ever leaves Viking Garden, we'll be able to track him down and visit him wherever he's working. Â A great experience!
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