Carhartt Family Wines

Carhartt Family Wines in Los Olivos, California, pairs a working-ranch identity with a tasting room built for lingering rather than standing at a counter. Mike Carhartt farms the grapes, while Brooke Carhartt and their son Chase share winemaking duties. The operation traces its roots to a 1996 planting of seven acres of Merlot and three acres of Syrah at Rancho Santa Ynez in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Today, three estate vineyards support varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Sangiovese, alongside wines made from other local vineyards. The steep Canyon Vineyard makes the farming commitment tangible: much of its hillside planting requires handwork, from pruning through picking. Chase’s Carhartt Venture label gives the family room to experiment with techniques informed by his winemaking work abroad. All wines sell directly through the winery, rather than through restaurants or retail shops.

The Carhartt Cabin at 2939 Grand Avenue is the tasting-room stop, separate from the ranch. Staff bring each pour to seated guests inside or on the patio, where most visitors settle. More than 20 wines rotate through the tasting room over the year, so repeat visits need not mean repeat flights. Children and dogs are welcome, and Friday live music adds another reason to linger.