DV8 Cellars

You can’t go to the Funk Zone and not visit DV8 Cellars. Today I was able to meet one of the owners and she was fantastic, friendly and funny with a great personality. I love the atmosphere of DV8 and the wine tasting was enjoyable. I can’t remember the names of the wines I tasted but I do remember I was not disappointed.
Thanks to Santa Barbara Vintners Spring Weekend the Premier Spring Wine & Food Festival Grand Tasting. Thursday, April 21-​Sunday, April 24, 2016 Vintner’s Visa

Great spot! The owner, Marc, is a really nice guy and their GSM is delicious. Ask Marc about his days in a hair band when Guns N Roses was opening for him. Lots of other great tasting room just steps away.

I was lucky enough to be invited by my two fellow friends Jim and Elizabeth K who are members of the DV8 wine club, I have to give them a big Thank you very much for introducing me to another Santa Barbara staple.
The owners are so down to earth and so friendly, it was a pleasure to visit with them throughout our visit, they have a muted screen in the background that rotates pictures of the path that led them to opening DV8, from Headbanger, to race-​car driver, to vineyard owner and winemaker, not to shabby if you ask me.
I sampled several of the wines, but my favorites turned out to be the 2012 Overdrive Syrah and the 2013 twisted-​road-​roussanne. They were complete opposites on flavor profiles, as the overdrive was earthy and rich, where the the Twisted Road was crispy, light, & with a hint of vanilla, this wine would be paired perfectly with a light fish.
The staff were very friendly and chatted with us throughout the day, I can see myself going back very soon… and they are dog friendly, I just may have to take Lucy on a trip up to DV8 very soon!

I love sitting on one of the leather seats here and people watch. It’s 2:00 pm on Good Friday and the place is almost full. The set up is quaint and warm. The bar section has plenty of chairs for people to sit and chat. There are two tall round tables that our friends took up to enjoy their wine.
They have a nice patio with two tall tables in the back.
They have a small cheese menu here as well.
The first bottle, rose, was okay.
The second bottle, g-​force Grenache, is good.
Nice place.

I love DV8! Good wine, good people, great wine club!
It’s tucked away in the Funk Zone behind Kunin and some cute boutiques. You can easily miss this literally, hidden gem, if you aren’t paying attention.
As of Feb 2016, they are offering two wine tasting options — the Classic (a variety of whites and reds) and the All Red (self explanatory, I hope.)
I love the Classic because it contains some DV8’s earlier vintages. The GSM is out of this world, as is the Rose. I believe I bought their last two bottles of the Rose. Sorry folks!
For me, DV8 has one of the best wine clubs in Santa Barbara County — three bottles, twice a year (Spring and Fall), you choose between red, white or a combo; and it is very fairly priced — especially for the quality. Wine Club Members receive free tastings in the tasting room and 20% off wine purchases.
The tasting room itself is inviting and comfortable. There are a several high top tables with chairs, a lounge chair with upholstered seating, bars tools at the bar and a cozy outdoor patio with umbrellas. Whether I’m in a large group or tasting solo, I always feel at home. They are also dog friendly so feel free to bring your fur-​panion to keep you company while you sip.
I have grown to know the owners, Marc and Dominique, quite well since joining the wine club and they are very down to earth people. You can tell they are excited about their product and their customers who love it. They make you feel like a part of the DV8 family.
The pick up parties are super fun too! Mony’s catered the last party and it was phenomenal. If you’re in the Funk Zone, you should definitely at DV8 to your list!

The wine was nothing spectacular. The only good thing was it is dog friendly, with a patio in the back. The ambiance was ok. Nothing really caught my eye. The staff was friendly. One guy came back and poured me a tasting from the fight I had ordered. Just wish the wine was better!

The 2 stars are only reflections of the wine (which is completely subjective & a matter of taste). The entire flight was consistent enough in quality. Nothing truly bad, but nothing truly memorable.
The décor & set up was a bit lacking. Felt almost empty, as though the tasting room was still in the process of being completed.
The owner was nice enough, but I didn’t have the «WOW» for customer service experience a lot of folks are referencing here. I made a few comments about some of the aspects of the wine I liked and didn’t get a response. No engagement in conversation. Given, it was late and it was a cold night. We’re only human. He might have been tired.
With so many options in the Funk Zone, can’t say this will be a revisit.

Had such a great time wine tasting ! New hidden gem of SB. The owner is rockstar, literally. Guns and Roses opened for him… Seriously, had a great time !

DV8 is fantastic! Marc and Dominique, the owners, are wonderful and make this winery a unique experience in the SB Funk Zone. They are so attentive to their customers and make sure that everyone has a pleasant experience, no matter how busy they are.
Tucked back behind a few other street front wineries, their inside space is so inviting and offers a few high tops, larger chairs, and their wine bar with seating. They also have a great patio which I highly recommend for enjoying the weather while sipping your wine. If you opt for the patio, Dominique keeps an eye out for empty glasses thru their window by the bar for your next glass!
If you are a wine club lover, DV8 has some great benefits. Their bi-​yearly shipments (spring and fall) include three bottles of wine (reds only, red & whites, whites & rose’ only) and they have ‘pick up parties’ at the winery. This is a great way to taste the new wines and interact with other club members. In addition, each visit you get two free tastings and a 20% discount on wine purchases.
Aside from the pick-​up parties, they also often have events for all guests, so keep your eye out. Most recently they offered a Halloween wine and cupcake pairing!
Check DV8 out, you won’t be disappointed!

This tasting room is a great new gem that is tucked away in the funk zone. The wine was really tasty (I particularly loved the Roussanne and the Grenache) and the owners and tasting room assistants are very friendly and approachable. I will definitely be going back!

I have been trying to go to this place forever but everytime I was heading there I ended up somewhere else. Once it was Municipal, another time Kunin and a third 5.1. So I tried a different approach, I decided to go to Corks n Crowns and guess what, I ended up at DV8.
I like the place, it has a great vibe, the people are nice, the bottles are super cool and of course what matters most is that the wine is very tasty!
If you can get there without straying off course I would recommend it.

DV8, the Funk Zone’s newest hidden little gem of a tasting room, which is just how I like my tasting rooms.
I know it took a very long time for this space to open, Santa Barbara isn’t known for quick building and I have looking forward to checking them out for awhile. I knew the place was going to be cute, but I have to say, they way they did it was fantastic. It is a very inviting space.
The wine is good. I am a Rose girl and I loved their Rose so much, I bought 2 bottles and they are coming out with another Rose this weekend, which I cannot wait to try.
I love the owners Mark, Dominique and Kimberely who works int he tasting room is a love (and adorable).
I will definitely be coming back and soon!

I’m not a wine person, but was lucky to visit DV8 yesterday and was thoroughly impressed. First, who knew about the small, wine area off of Anacapa? Talk about a hidden SB gem! I love the owners, Marc and Dominique, and it was obvious that the tasting room was a labor of love from a couple who obviously love wine, but love sharing great wines with others even more. I actually prefer reds to whites and enjoyed a glorious red yesterday — the Monaco? — with hints of many berries. The bottles aren’t expensive, and neither are the tastings. The wine club is a total bargain if you are into that sort of thing.

DV8 Cellars is a boutique winery started in 2011 by Marc & Dominique.
This place is tucked away in a old building that has been refurbished it Marc & Dominique have really great staff that knows wine.
We were here with a group, we had a blast.
The wines here are in extremely small batches and very exclusive, I like that… we joined their wine club to make sure we get some for sure.
I expect that their biggest problem is going to be to meet demand as their popularity grows.
their wine labels were inspired by a love for Formula One car racing. Each label has a different racing theme with a painting of a vintage 1960’s Formula One race scene and each wine is named after something to do with car racing, either a racing term, a place, a corner,
finish line is the one I’m waiting for :)
I liked the 2011 Monaco Syrah, the best I hope its in my first club box!
The GSM was pretty good too. new local fav for us.
This is our first real wine adventure in SoCal since moving from Nor Cal in 2007 where we were close to Napa and spoiled by that.
Marc I used to play Under the Influence ²⁴⁄₇ you guys and the music never stopped… hummm me thinks I just dated myself didn’t I… rock on!

Great service :) my friend and I were visiting Santa Barbra and saw their sign
Definitely worth checking out!
The Rose and Grenache are amazing

We actually were tasting with the Owner. He was so nice, friendly and helpful explaining the wines, gave us info on their website for other products in the store. We didn’t buy any wine but we did purchase some tshirts and other novelty items.
His wines were delicious and he pours healthy tastes. Deviate from the norm and check out their wines. I think you’ll have a great time here!

I love that this tasting room is dog friendly and that the owner Marc offered Maggie a treat and some water.
The 2012 Roussanne was exceptionally smooth and balanced for a light white and the G force Grenache was surprisingly complex. Nice chill place and I would definitely visit again!

Don’t walk past this little wine spot! Great place to come in and cool off with a wine tasting. The owner, Marc, chatted and served up some great wines. I’m not usually a fan of white or rose, but their Rockin’ Rose was pretty tasty on a summer day.
The three reds we tried were all so smooth and delicious. My favorite was the 2011 Syrah «Monaco» — so jammy I could eat it with a peanut butter sandwich!
2 little extras: their labels are really cute and well designed (by Marc!) and they are dog friendly!

As a wine lover, I’m sad to say this spot was quite the disappointment. We were visiting a local winery that my mom is a member of and an employee mentioned the newest winery in town, so we decided to visit. The tasting room attendants and owners were friendly and their story of why they wanted to create a wine line and involve the race car theme was interesting. I had high hopes for this spot, but unfortunately the quality just wasn’t there. It all tasted like a decent table wine, just no depth for the price point. Maybe their next vintage will be better, but at this point I wouldn’t recommend, and we chose to pay a tasting fee rather than purchase a bottle.

I love being the first to review a new business! I know another wine tasting room in the funk zone… But the wines are refreshing and wonderful! They have F1 cars on the bottles and the owners Marc and Dominique are excited and enthusiastic.
The wines are extremely small batch and very exclusive. I expect that their biggest problem is going to be able to meet demand until their production catches up.