Meritage Wine Market & Tasting Room

Geez! I really wanted to go and try out some wines here and especially wanted to see if they could obtain some Greek wines.
Made the mistake of calling and instead of being able to talk to an employee I waited for five minutes (partly to see how bad it was) to a variety of sales pitches.
You have won a complimentary trip to Orlando (also to the Bahamas)
Deal or $ 100 rebate to major retailer like Walmart or Macy’s
Awesome deal on Sprint!
Would I be interested in the best car insurance rates in the country?!
I hate this place without ever visiting.

Great and unusual wine collection. Love their Friday evening wine tastings; friendly crowd to chill with as you try an assortment of wines. Also interesting wine tasting events on another days from different wine companies that are educational and of course with wine tasting and sometimes food.

Nice event here last night supporting the San Diego Humane Society. Donations consisted of buying 90+ point wines and donating them to the Humane Society to auction off at their Fur Ball. Meritage then hosted a wine tasting for the attendees. This place is close by the TM Center in Encinitas, so next time I go there for group mediation, I may stop by again and buy some wine.

I you do not know this place, you probably should. Meritage Wine Market has an amazing selection of hard to find wines. The tasting room is cozy and the customer service is excellent.
Dustin the GM will answer any questions you may have. Make sure you keep up to date with their monthly wine tasting events.

A hidden gem located in Encinitas literally yards away from ritzy Rancho Santa Fe. This place is the best place in San Diego for wine! I do not know of any better place that has a better wine selection and knowledgeable staff.
I highly recommend this place, no matter if your an experienced sommelier or a wine newbie. Meritage Wine Market’s GM, Dustin Cano has put together and runs a phenomenal establishment that will not disappoint. Meritage has a top notch selection of wine from California wineries as well as a great selection from around the world. You will not find cheap Walmart-​type wines here nor «two-​buck-​chuck», their prices are very good — you can find wine priced under $ 10 and all the way up to $ 1200. You can swing by and use their tasting room anytime they are open.
Their staff is friendly, knowledgeable and will guide you if you need help finding something. The staff make the experience. More often that not, I come to Meritage Wine Market without knowing what I want. Maybe I’ll have an idea of what I want the wine to accompany or if I want red or white… but beyond that, I put all my trust in the staff. They don’t just recommend the expensive wines. They take an honest assessment of what I’m looking for, what I’ve tried and what I may like. I’ve discovered more wines by following their recommendation than I could have on my own steam.
Once a month or so that hold bigger wine tastings where the wineries actually send a rep out to pour and explain the wines– this is where the best wines I’ve discovered have come from. They usually have freshly made tasty appetizers that pair well with the wines on hand as well… typical things like cheeses, meats, breads etc. anything that you would think would go well with a bottle of wine.
Go with an open mind and explore… you’ll not be sorry you did!

They have a great wine selection and the staff is so knowledgeable! I used to shop else where, now i will only shop for my wine needs here. The prices are comparable to the big box stores. Thanks for the great selection. I am glad to buy from a small business. Did i mention they have wine tasting! Fantastic store.

As wine shops go, this one is as good as they get! Lord knows, I’ve been to all of them. The quality of the wines sold is outstanding, and there is a good range of prices. The owner is not only very friendly, he knows wine. If you come looking for your favorite wine, and they don’t carry it, he can suggest a wine that is similar that you’ll love. For me this has led to a whole new range of favorite wines AND wine makers!
The inventory is not gigantic, but I always find something interesting that made the drive worth it.

I have become a huge fan of Meritage Wine Market! This is a place where the staff knows the wine and doesn’t try to sell you the most expensive bottles. Even if you don’t know exactly what you are looking for they always give you great suggestions and within your price range.
I have stopped going to wine markets here in LA and now only buy through Meritage! Every recommendation has been fantastic! I no longer have to break the bank to have a good bottle of wine!
Definitely check out this store and try to make the tastings! You won’t be disappointed!
j

Meritage Wine Market is one of the best wine stores I’ve ever been too. The staff is top notch, well informed, and always have great recommendations. Being from out of state I unfortunately only get to visit Meritage about 6 times a year. I really wish and have talked to Mark about opening a store like this in Boston. I’ve been unsuccessful so far but I figure if I keep trying one of these days he will give in and agree to open a second store!!!
If you have no clue what wine to bring to a party or pair with a certain dish stop by Meritage. You will not be disappointed with their recommendations.

I am a former Meritage employee, but I will always be a Meritage customer. I left on my own accord for other pursuits. I knew that I worked for a special place, and as I look back and try to find a new place to fill my wine-​glass, my admiration for Meritage as a company and as a collective group of people has only blossomed.
All wines that have made it to the shelf have been tasted and met a high standard of quality. When you ask for a recommendation, the staff will gladly listen to your preferences and pick a wine that is a genuine personal recommendation. They strive to get to know customers and their palates and thrive on hearing the positive feedback when the wine is a hit (which it usually is!)
The Friday and Saturday tastings are a nice balance of fun and education, but when the crowd really gets going, it just feels like a party! For the hopeful scholar, you can sign up for small, sit-​down seminars that are much more education-​oriented and extremely helpful in expanding your knowledge and palate. There are also new self-​serve machines so you can taste up to 16 wines any time the store is open.
The clientele are varied– wine lovers cover the entire spectrum of personalities! Whether you attend the tastings with a friend, a group, or by yourself, you will assuredly be welcomed.
Even though I live in the Bay Area now, I still read about and purchase wines that are recommended in the direct-​to-​client, custom-​tailored emails (which make purchasing, pick up, or shipping a piece of cake). Meritage offers a great variety of wines (both international and domestic) for any occasion and any price.
The staff is a wonderful group of people who love what they do and that excitement is contagious when you walk in the door. The vast knowledge, down-​to-​earth attitudes, and senses of humor of everyone there will keep you coming back. Oh, and the wine is really great, too! You won’t find a total wine experience like this anywhere else/

I am truly on the fence with this review. I love the shop in regards to purchasing wine. It is the wine tasting events that I am stuck in a wobble. I have been to about 5 of them and yes they get a great crowd, the wine is good. However, I really wish they would make the tasting pours a bit more robust. You spend $ 20 to stand because there is limited seating and the pours are so small that I often wonder «why»? Maybe it is the great crowd?

Great Napa wine tasting. Generous taste of new and established wines from Napa. Large friendly crowd and dinner next door with free corkage encouraged us to indulge. I recommend it. Learned a lot and enjoyed some fine wines. The check in was slow, but the proprietors were friendly.

Excellent tasting yesterday, the selection was perfect, «Bubbles and Bordeaux», the additional tasting notes are even more helpful. The crowd was diverse and interesting. About 25 people showed up within the designated 2 hours. The service was attentive and excellent. I signed up for the email updates, curious to find out how it will enhance my enjoyment of this neat little shop?
Thank you, Dominic, for the extra tip for Geyserville tasting next weekend!

Great independent wine shop! If you enjoy wine, but don’t know a lot about the details, they are very helpful. Great wines for every budget.

Best wine store I’ve ever bought from. Mark and Jason really know their wines! They do tastings every Thursday and Friday with different themes each time. Very reasonably priced for the price of the bottles they are pouring. If you buy from them they get to know your tastes and more importantly wines you don’t like! Everyone on the staff is very wine savvy and can easily find a bottle for you based on your likes and your price range. Sure they have the first growths at over $ 400 a bottle, but if you ask them for a great Napa cab for under $ 30 they will come up with a winner. We’ve been regulars for two years and can’t say enough good things about them. If you are in San Diego, you owe it to yourself to stop by!