By: Wendy Van Diver
Beautiful Santa Barbara County embraces rambling cattle ranches, quaint western towns, rolling oak-peppered hills, white beaches, and the charming seaside city of Santa Barbara—home to Touring & Tasting and its editor. Here land and sea enjoy a juxtaposition that’s unique on the west coast. The ocean is south—not west—of the terrain and the mountain ranges run east to west—not north to south. The vineyards benefit from westerly winds, gentle maritime fogs, and a multitude of microclimates. It’s easy to slip out to Santa Barbara Wine Country. Most visitors come from the city or stop as they’re traveling through on Highway 101. Here are some of my favorite slip-out day tours.
LOMPOC/SANTA RITA HILLS
From the city of Santa Barbara, head north on Highway 101 along the untouched Pacific coast and follow Highway 1 to Lompoc. The first stop is the Lompoc Wine Ghetto (tasting rooms are open Thursday through Sunday and by appointment). Nearly one dozen excellent wineries make wine in this industrial complex. You may hesitate, but don’t. Wonderful wine awaits behind these doors and the owners are often there, eager to greet you. I suggest you start at Palmina, where the tasting room is an Enoteca, serving cheese, salami, and other tidbits paired with the magnificent Italian wines. Visit another winery or two in the complex and then head east on Highway 246. This narrow country road leads to the rolling vineyards of Santa Rita Hills and around two dozen wineries. One personal favorite is Alma Rosa on Santa Rosa Road. When you reach the town of Buellton, you can head south on Highway 101 and return to Santa Barbara.
Between wineries: Visit La Purisima Mission; eat at Vandenberg Village Country Club (open to the public)
LOS OLIVOS/ALAMO PINTADO ROAD/SOLVANG
Routinely referred to by Santa Barbara locals as “the pass,” Highway 154 leaves the city and leads you straight into the foothills to Santa Barbara Wine Country. For this tour, take Highway 154 north all the way to Grand Avenue in Los Olivos. Turn left and discover a charming two-block town lined with winery tasting rooms, art galleries, café-style restaurants, a couple of country inns, and that’s about it. There are many great options for lunch, including Petros, Los Olivos Café, and Side Street Café. The tasting rooms are small and friendly. A personal favorite is Consilience Winery, but there are many more to sample.
After a good solid meal and a visit to a tasting room or two, continue on Grand Avenue about a mile south of town, turn right at the first stop sign, and join up with Alamo Pintado Road. There are several delightful wineries to visit as you drive south along this farm road. This stretch was featured in the movie Sideways (2004), and Blackjack Ranch Vineyards and Winery still has a sign out to remind us. Lincourt offers an idyllic spot to picnic. Its lovely 1926 Sears Craftsman kit home-turned-tasting room is perched on a hill, providing great views of its vineyards. Down the road a bit on the east side, Buttonwood Farm Winery grows vegetables and livestock as well as magnificent Sauvignon Blanc. Now, just when you’re thinking about getting a little snack, continue south and follow the signs to a quaint town with Danish roots, Solvang. There are more tasting rooms to discover here, along with magnificent Danish bakeries and restaurants offering open-face sandwiches and pastries.
Between wineries: Visit Clairmont Farms for lavender; visit Ostrich Land and feed the ostriches
FOXEN CANYON ROAD/SANTA MARIA
Find the start to this rural trail off Highway 101, north of Buellton and Solvang. From Highway 101, take the Zaca Station Road/Highway 154 exit, turn right, and then almost immediately turn left onto Zaca Station Road. The first winery, up the country road a little more than two miles, is Firestone Vineyard. A favorite location for weddings and receptions, the manicured grounds boast beautiful views of the vineyards and mountains. Wend your way north along Foxen Canyon Road and discover more wonderful wines along the way. Fess Parker Winery & Vineyards offers great winery tours. And Foxen has just opened a new solar-powered tasting room. The wineries near Tepusquet Road (Cambria, Kenneth Volk, Byron, Riverbench, and others) draw grapes from the legendary land surrounding the Sisquoc River. Be sure to stop and taste along here. Cottonwood Canyon has caves, a rare sight in this region. The road heads west here and reconnects with Highway 101, just south of Santa Maria. This is an excellent place to have lunch or dinner.
After wineries: Eat at Central City Market in Santa Maria or Rooney’s Irish Pub in Orcutt
DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA
If you’re not able to slip out of Santa Barbara, you can still sample wonderful Santa Barbara County wine along the Urban Wine Trail. Nearly a dozen wineries have tasting rooms in downtown Santa Barbara and Summerland. Many are located just blocks from the ocean, and many are close enough to each other that you don’t have to drive! Watch for fun tasting events, popular with locals and wine club members.
Between wineries: Have an appetizer at FishHouse; watch skateboarders at Skater’s Point