Community News

California Wine Festival Returns to Surf City USA

 

by: John Piekarski
Published: October 19, 2026

 

 

HUNTINGTON BEACH ... The California Wine Festival brought two days of premier wine tasting along with food, a magnificent ocean view and live entertainment to showcase the best wines and foods. VIP guests were treated with wines that were paired with foods selected from chef-inspired appetizers from Orange County's top restaurants.

All of the beautiful people were out Saturday, October 17, 2026 for the California Wine Festival held at the Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach. The turnout was outstanding with several thousand wine conaseurs, who were dressed up like Saturday night at the Yacht club.

 

This exclusive festival featured many exclusive local wines from Temecula and Malibu, as well as some rare handcrafted California vintages from the Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles and Santa Rosa area wineries. Just a few of the outstanding wineries that brought their wines includes Ascension Cellars of Paso Robles, Terra Amata Vineyards from Healdsburg, and Akash Winery of Temecula.

 

For the two days guests were treated to some of the best reserve selections and rare wines costing several hundred or even a thousand dollars a bottle that rivaled the best of European wines.

There were outstanding food stalls from many restaurants in Huntington Beach, as well as many startups with items such as butter pecan ice cream, spaghetti sauce and premium olive oils.

 

Some of the highlights, besides the beach and Huntington Beach Pier, was the perfect weather and the beautiful views of the Pacific and the surfers hanging 10 south of the pier.

What an awesome setting for wine tasting, sightseeing and catching up with friends.

Founded in Santa Barbara in 2004, this wine festival has grown to become one of the largest outdoor wine festival in California.

Photo: JohnPiekarski