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Santa
Barbara County
I am particularly fond of the
Santa Barbara County wine country. Although the
area and the wines are gaining recognition as a
premier wine-producing region, it is still
uncrowded, at least when compared to Napa Valley
and Sonoma County. Though only two hours from Los
Angeles, the drive down narrow roads winding
through vineyards and ranches can seem like a world
away.
The expansion of the wine
industry in the area can be reflected in one
statistic: in 1989, vineyards were selling 70% of
their crops to northern buyers, however by 1996,
only 56% were sold to other regions. This fact
shows two things: first, Napa and Sonoma wineries
knew the quality of the grapes were excellent, and
second, the local wineries realized that the same
grapes grapes could be made into great wines
locally.
With the exception of the few
wineries in the city of Santa Barbara, the Santa
Barbara County wineries are bordered by the town of
Solvang at the south and Santa Maria at the north.
Most are located within minutes of Highways 101,
246 or 154. A touring map provided by the Santa
Barbara County Vintner's Association may be picked
up from most any winery.
Andrew Murray
Vineyards
2901A Grand Ave.,
Los Olivos / 805-686-9604
The tasting room is
one of the newer "storefront" tasting rooms in
Los Olivos, but don't let that distract you- the
wines are excellent. Focusing exclusively on
Rhone varietals, the Roussanne ($25) exhibited
flavors of honey-apricot and had a long,
lingering finish and the Viogner ($25) was
fruity with pineapple and dried-apricot flavors.
The Syrah "Les Coteaux" ($18) had deep black
cherry, cassis, raspberry and black pepper
flavors while the "Hillside Reserve" Syrah ($25)
tasted of cherry, cassis, black pepper and oak.
Stephanie, the tasting hostess even offered us
her own private selection of chocolate-covered
cherries to taste with the Syrah- it was
wonderful!
Babcock
Vineyards
5175 E. Hwy. 246, Lompoc /
805-736-1455
Babcock is one of
the more out-of-the-way wineries in the area. A
$2 tasting fee will bring you a wide selection
of wines. My favorite was the Cuvee Lestat Syrah
($32) which has intense fruit flavors, soft
tannins and a long smooth finish, and the
Riverbreak Claret ($9) which had a light berry
flavor and was one of the best valued wines in
the valley. They also produce several
Chardonnays, several Sauvignon Blancs,
Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Merlot,
and several blends. Bryan Babcock, the
winemaker, was the only American winemaker
chosen as one of the "Top Ten Small Production
Winemakers in the World" at a James Beard
Foundation event in New York City.
Beckmen
Vineyards
2670 Ontiveros Road, Los Olivos /
805-688-8664
Beckmen, whose
Spartan tasting room is housed in a barn-like
structure, is a no-nonsense, friendly winery.
The tasting manager, Michael Donahue, is likely
to ask what you like in a wine and will even
suggest other wineries if your tastes are
outside their realm. The Sauvignon Blanc ($12)
was non-grassy with flavors of melon, the Select
Chardonnay ($20) was smooth with citrus and a
buttery finish, the Grenache ($16) tasted of
berries and dried herbs, and the Muscat Canelli
($10) was somewhat spicy with orange and
tangerine flavors.
Bedford Thompson
Winery and
Vineyard
9303 Alisos Canyon
Road, Los Alamos / 805-344-2047
This tasting room
located in a small, rustic farmhouse that is
easy to pass by unnoticed, but that is where the
humbleness ends. Stephan Bedford was the former
winemaker at Rancho Sisquoc and David Thompson
is the experienced vineyard owner. Their 1994
Syrah is one of the best I've ever tasted-
fruity with nice tannins and a lingering finish.
They also produce a very good Cabernet Franc and
Chardonnay.
Blackjack Ranch
Vineyards &
Winery
2205 Alamo Pintado
Road, Solvang / 805-686-9922
Blackjack Ranch
opened the doors of it's rustic tasting room on
December 31, 1999. They specialize in
Chardonnays and they offered three: a Central
Coast with Orangepeel and Butterscotch flavors,
a Reserve with flavors of pineapple and toasty
oak, and a Reserve with Tangerine and Mandarin
orange flavors. They also offer a Pinot Noir and
a red Bordeaux-type blend that exhibited flavors
of jammy plum and raspberry fruit.
The Brander
Vineyard/Domain Santa
Barbara
Hwy. 154 at Roblar
Ave. / 805-688-2455
The wine tasting
room is located in what appears to be a stark,
old-world Italian chateau, although the tasting
room is actually fairly young. The $2.50 tasting
fee is applied to your purchase. Wines are
produced under both the Brander and Domain Santa
Barbara labels. Brander specializes in Sauvignon
Blanc (Fred Brander's first crush won his, and
Santa Barbara County's, first gold medal at the
L.A. County Fair) which had aromas of citrus
peel, melon and cut greens and the Sauvignon had
flavors of nectarine, mint and grapefruit. An
estate-grown Merlot had flavors of raspberry jam
but my favorite is the Bouchet, a blend of red
Bordeaux varietals with cherry, blackberry and
black cherry flavors.
Wines under the Domain
Santa Barbara label consisted of three
Chardonnays (the primary focus) and a Pinot
Gris. The 1998 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay
was excellent and exhibited flavors of tropical
fruit, papaya and honey.
Bridlewood
Winery
3555 Roblar Ave.,
Santa Ynez / 805-688-9000
Upon driving into
the winery complex, with it's spanish-style
fountain adjacent to the parking lot, you get
the feeling that Bridlewood is no ordinary
winery. The mission-style, wood-beamed tasting
room opened in April, 1999 on the site of a
former horse ranch. In fact, all of the original
buildings on the 105 acre spread are still in
use as the tasting room and production
facilities. Bridlewood Winery is a winery not to
be missed. The wines are among the best I've
tasted from any Santa Barbara County winery, the
selection if gifts is among the best I've seen
at any winery, and they also offer a selection
of deli items. Better yet, there are several
quiet areas, including a courtyard with
fountain, in which to picnic and enjoy the
views. The staff is very friendly and
accomodating (as was our host Keith Biggar) and
$5.00 allows one to taste 7 selections from the
impressive wine selection.
Wine Notes: Bridlewood focuses on the grapes that grow best for each vineyard climate. They produce Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah and a Rhone-style red. The Chenin Blanc had a toasty quality with flavors of peach and nectarine and the Sauvignon Blanc had aromas of figs, key lime and honey. My favorites are the reds. The Merlot and Zinfandel were better than average for this region, The Cabernet Sauvignon had bold, up-front flavors of plum and dark fruit, and the fruity Pinot Noir had flavors of wild blackberries and black cherry. Their goal is to make "the best Syrah possible" and they make one of my favorites, with up-front flavors of currant and blackberry and a smoky finish. Their "signature wine," called Arabesque, is a Rhone-style blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignane and Syrah. Although they are not always available at the winery, the Zinfandel and the tannic and fruity Cabernet Franc are my favorite and are worth looking for.
Buttonwood Farm
Winery & Vineyard
1500 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang /
805-688-3032
Buttonwood's tasting
room resembles a large homey, wood-beamed
country kitchen. Here you can purchase wine and
kitchen-related gifts and even artwork from
local artists. The staff is always friendly and
on sunny days the white wines are tasted at an
outside bar beside a rustic garden.
Wine Notes: Buttonwood
produces Marsanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah,
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
Syrah and white and red blends. The Marsanne
(100%) was light and floral with flavors of
apricots. The Merlot was full-bodied and tannic
with flavors of plum and black cherries, the
Cabernet Franc had flavors of plum and black
pepper, and the Syrah-Cabernet was tannic with
flavors of plum and black cherries. They also
produce a fine Meritage-style wine called Trevin
that is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
and Cabernet Franc. Wines under the winemaker's
private label called Kalyra include an intense
and sweet Orange Muscat, a very good Vintage
Port and a rich, Sherry-like Tawny Port. Most
grapes are estate grown.
Byron
Winery
5230 Tepusquet
Road, Santa Maria / 805-937-7288
The Byron wine
tasting room is a wood-sided facility,
surrounded by grapevines and perched on a wooded
hillside above Tepusquet Creek. The tasting room
is small, with some gift and food items, and
there is a nice picnic area with a stunning
view. Founded in 1984, Byron completed a
state-of-the-art gravity-flow winery in 1984.
The winery is now owned by Robert Mondavi. The
winery focuses on wines made in the traditional
Burgundian style. The winery offered Pinot Gris,
Pinot Blanc, several Chardonnays and a blend
called Lineage (available only at the winery)
with light notes of citrus and melon. Also
available are a Pinot Noir with raspberry jam,
currnat and plum flavors, and an Estate Pinot
Noir (my personal favorite) with smoky notes and
flavors of black cherry and currant. Although
not available on my last trip, the winery has
produced one of my favorite non-grassy Sauvignon
Blancs.
Cambria Winery
& Vineyard
5475 Chardonnay
Lane, Santa Maria / 805-937-8091
Cambria Winery,
situated in the northernmost area of the Santa
Barbara wine region, is well worth going out of
your way for. They have an attractive, airy
tasting room and one of the best wine selections
in the region. The $5 tasting fee includes a
logo glass. The Cambria winemaking philosophy is
one of minimalism: enhance the subtleties of the
naturally intense grape flavors with judicious
use of winemaking techniques to heighten, not
suppress complexity.
Wine Notes: The extensive
wine list consisted of 20 wines. The whites
consisted of Pinot Blanc, Tepusquet Vineyard
Viognier, the creamy, melony Katherine's
Vineyard Chardonnay, a pear and nutty Reserve
Chardonnay and a Select Chardonnay. My favorite
was the Viognier which had floral and
honeysuckle aromas and a creamy, dry finish. The
reds consisted of no less than five Pinot Noirs,
a Tepusquet Vineyard Syrah with boysenberry and
black pepper qualities, three Tepusquet Vineyard
Sangioveses and two Barberas. My favorite red
was the Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir which had
raspberry jam and plum flavors. Dessert wines
consisted of an excellent Late Harvest Viognier
with intense apricot and orange peel flavors and
a Blanc de Noir, and a Brut Rose was
available.
Curtis
Winery
5429 Foxen Canyon
Road, Los Olivos / 805-686-8999
Curtis Winery was
established by the Firestone family to focus on
premium Rhone varietals. The white, open-beamed
tasting room is approximately three years old
and offers some gift and deli items. There is a
trail that connects the Curtis winery to
Firestone Vineyards. Curtis produces Viognier,
Syrah and several Rhone varietal blends. Of
special note: the Viognier had flavors of unripe
apricots and vanilla. There were two vintages of
Ambassador's Vineyard Syrahs: one with jammy
plum and black cherry flavors and a later
vintage with blueberry and cranberry
flavors.
Domaine Santa
Barbara
See The Brander
Vineyard
Epiphany
Cellars
2973 Grand Ave., Los Olivos /
805-686-2424
Eli Parker opened
expanded his winemaking reach with his Epiphany
Cellars-- focusing on single, designated
vineyard wines. The tasting room occupies a
corner storefront on the popular Grand Avenue in
Los Olivos. Epiphany produces Pinot Blanc, Pinot
Gris, a Washington State Aligote, Syrah and a
spicy, raspberry and cherry flavored
Grenache/Syrah blend called Revelation. Aside
from these wines being very good quality, they
are very reasonably priced.
Fess Parker
Winery
6200 Foxen Canyon
Road, Los Olivos / 805-688-1545
The winery, looking
somewhat like an expansive wood and stone
European hunting lodge, is one of the most
impressive facilities in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Fess Parker (of Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone
TV fame) is often in the tasting room on
weekends to sign bottles and talk with visitors.
Once after telling him of our 8-week old son, he
signed a bottle: "To Adam, no wine before your
time." Under the direction of Fess' son Eli, the
winery produces some excellent, award winning
wines. The list of wines available for sale is
extensive. Tastings usually consist of five
wines for $3.00 including a logo (a coonskin
cap, of course) glass. There is a large
wine-oriented gift selection (many items
featuring the coonskin cap) and there is an
outdoor BBQ on some summer weekends. This is a
prime location for a picnic, as there are
parklike grounds to sit under a tree and tables
and chairs surrounding the visitor center. For
those looking for a beautiful location to host a
wedding or other occasion, Fess Parker Winery is
my choice for this area.
Wine Notes: The creamy
Chardonnay was complex with flavors of pear,
citrus, toast and honey, the flavorful Viognier
had notes of melon, apricots, pears and honey
and the White Riesling had a honeysuckle aroma
and a light, toasty flavor. The "American
Tradition Reserve" Meritage (my personal
favorite) exhibited flavors of green olive,
plum, cassis and black cherry and a hint of
pepper and anise. The Syrah had aromas of plum,
cherry and currant and the Merlot exhibited
flavors of black pepper and black
cherry.
Firestone
Vineyards
5017 Zaca Station
Road, Los Olivos / 805-688-3940
Firestone was the
first commercial winery in the Santa Ynez Valley
to produce wine from locally grown grapes. The
impressive winery, a brainchild of owner and
tire company heir Brooks Firestone, is located
in several massive wood and stone buildings and
offers one of the best guided tours in the area-
one of the few that I would recommend as a
"don't miss." They produce full complement of
wines (and even beer), including a consistently
excellent Johannisberg Riesling, and Chardonnay
and Merlot. The very large tasting room, which
is usually quite crowded on weekends, offers a
nice selection of unique wine-related
gifts.
Foley Estates
Vineyard & Winery
1711 Alamo Pintado
Road, Solvang / 805-688-9327
Foxen
Vineyard
7200 Foxen Canyon
Road, Santa Maria / 805-937-4251
You won't find many
tasting rooms more rustic than Foxen's. Located
in a small roadside "barn," with newspaper
clippings tacked to the walls, this Spartan
winery hasn't changed in years. Don't let the
atmosphere influence your opinion of the wines--
they are among the most respected in the area.
Although I had previously remarked about the
lack of friendliness of the tasting hosts, I
have noticed a vast improvement in the last
several years (starting with hostess Katherine
Clark) to the point that I look forward to my
visits here.
Wine Notes: Foxen
specializes in red wines but they had several
Chardonnays that were much better than average,
my favorite being the Tinaquaic Vineyard which
had complex and creamy buttery and nutty
flavors. The reds consisted of a jammy Syrah
with raspberry and black pepper flavors, a good
Cabernet Sauvignon, a light and peppery Cabernet
Franc, and an equally flavorful Merlot with
qualities of cherry, plum and spice. The three
Pinot Noirs were equally excellent: the Bien
Nacido Vineyard had aromas of leather and
toasted marshmallow and the Julia's Vineyard had
plum and vanilla flavors.
Gainey
Vineyard
3950 E. Hwy. 246,
Santa Ynez / 805-688-0558
Gainey is one of the
most popular (and crowded) wineries in Santa
Barbara County, offering excellent picnic
facilities (some tables located at the edge of
their vineyards) and live music in the summer.
There are two tastings offered in the long
Spanish style tasting room, where whites and
reds are offered at opposite ends. Gainey
produces one of the most popular Johannisburg
Rieslings you'll find anywhere, along with
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet
Franc and Pinot Noir. There is also a small
selection of cheeses and crackers for an
impromptu picnic, if you can find an open picnic
table.
Daniel Gehrs
Wines
2939 Grand Ave., Los Olivos /
805-693-9686
The Daniel Gehrs tasting room is one of the many Grand Avenue storefronts but once inside, has the feeling of a charming antique store- complete with 2 roaming Siamese cats. There is a large selection of unique gift items here and the staff is always very friendly. When the weather permits, some tastings are conducted at a small tasting bar in a rear patio area behind the tasting room.
The wines consisted of a nice, light, fruity Monterey County Chenin Blanc, an off-dry Riesling, Pinot Noir, a spicy and fruit-forward Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, a spicy Shiraz (good BBQ wine) and a raisiny Fireside Port. Daniel's daughter (and our tasting hostess) has produced several of her own wines under the label of Vixen Wines, which are also available here. The reasonably-priced Fireside Port is one of my favorite Ports in the area and is produced from the true Portuguese Tinta Cao varietal.
Giessinger
Winery
100 State Street, Santa Barbara /
805-568-0820
Kalyra
Winery
343 N. Refugio Road, Santa Ynez /
805-693-8864
Kalyra Winery opened
it's doors in February 2002 in the tasting room
previously occupied by LinCourt Cellars and the
Santa Ynez Winery. There is no doubt that Kalyra
is the best of the bunch. Alex, the wine host,
guided us through a very relaxed and friendly
tasting. The wines consisted of a non-grassy
Sauvignon Blanc, a rich, buttery Chardonnay,
Blanc de Cabernet, a red table wine, and Merlot.
The dessert wines consist of Orange Muscat,
Black Muscat, Vintage Port and Tawny Port. The
ports have long been among my favorites in the
valley. In addition to the Kalyra label,
Australian wines under the M. Brown label are
available, consisting of Riesling and Shiraz.
The tasting room sells some gift items and the
winery grounds are available for event
hosting.
Koehler
Winery
5360 Foxen Canyon
Road, Los Olivos / 805-686-8484
Owners Peter and
Kory Koehler started the winery in 1998 and
opened the rustic tasting room in April, 2001.
The tasting room, with mustard colored walls and
antique furniture, is built upon barn that
existed on the property. The winery mascot is
bison named Sampson that wanders about the
winery grounds. From what I see from their first
release, I suspect Koehler will have quite a
good reputation in the area. All grapes, aside
from the Pinot Noir, are estate grown.
Wine Notes: The Sauvignon
Blanc had flavors of pear and pineapple, the
Chenin Blanc exhibited apple and melon flavors
and the Chardonnay had notes of apple and citrus
with clove and banana on the finish. The Pinot
Noir had essences of cherry and spice and the
off-dry Riesling had flavors of apricot and
melon. Although their reds (other than the Pinot
Noir) had not been released at the time of my
last visit, I was fortunate to try the Cabernet
Sauvignon (which I enjoyed enough to make an
advance sale) which exhibited full-bodied
raspberry and currant flavors.
Mosby
Winery
9496 Santa Rosa
Road, Buellton / 805-688-2415
Mosby,,
located just west of the freeway in Buellton,
first appears to resemble a working farm. The
winery specializes in Italian varietals,
including Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Pinot Grigio,
Dolcetto and Grappa di Traminer, and there are
some wines marketed under the Vega label.
Rancho Sisquoc
Winery
6600 Foxen Canyon
Road, Santa Maria / 805-934-4332
The Rancho Sisquoc
Winery is situated on a a 38,000 acre cattle
ranch and the winery consistently has what I
would consider among the best wines in Santa
Barbara County. The entrance to the ranch is
marked by the historic San Ramon Chapel and a
long, narrow, scenic road leads to the winery.
There is a nice picnic area with an expansive
view of the ranch and there is live music in the
summer. The tasting room is rustic and offers
few gift items and a small deli selection. I
stop here every time I'm in the valley and
usually buy the Cabernet Sauvignon and
Merlot.
Richard Longoria
Wines
2935 Grand Ave.,
Los Olivos / 805-688-0305
The tasting room is another of the new "storefront" tasting rooms in the heart of Los Olivos. When the weather permits, tastings are conducted outside in the courtyard, allowing the visitor to relax and wander about. Longoria produces Pinot Grigio, Grenache, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, and a blend called Blues Cuvee. The Chardonnay was buttery with melon and apple flavors, the Pinot Noir was earthy and sophisticated with berry and cherry flavors and the Syrah was jammy with tart cranberry flavors. The wines are generally very good but tend to be on the high end of the price scale for the area.
Rideau
Vineyard
1562 Alamo Pintado
Road, Solvang / 805-688-0717
The Rideau Vineyard
tasting room is housed in the historic Alamo
Pintado Adobe that was built in 1884. The
grounds are beautiful and tranquil-- a perfect
spot for a picnic or an afternoon wedding. There
is also a very nice selection of quality gifts,
including Rideau's own line of sauces. In nice
weather the whites are tasted indoors and the
reds are tasted outside. A fee will buy one of
two tastings: a standard or a reserve.
Wine Notes: Rideau
produces a large number of varietals, including
Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Dolcetto,
Merlot, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo and White
Riesling. My favorites were the Bien Nacido
Chardonnay with flavors of honey, apple and
pear; a Rhone style blend called Chateau
Duplantier with aromas of cranberry and currant;
and a light Nebbiolo with cherry, currant and
pepper flavors that would be great for an
afternoon barbecue.
Rusack
Vineyards
1819 Ballard
Canyon Road, Solvang / 805-688-1278
Rusack Vineyards
tasting room is a renovation of the old Ballard
Canyon Winery. There are some gifts and deli
items for sale and picnic tables are located
outside the winery. There was a Chardonnay with
pear, peach and green apple flavors and a citrus
finish, a Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, a
Riesling with apricot and Mandarin orange
flavors, a semi-dry Muscat Canelli and a "Soul
of the Vine" wine in the German "eis wein"
tradition.
Sanford
Winery
7250 Santa Rosa
Road, Buellton / 805-688-3300
Sanford's
out-of-the-way rustic tasting room is very
unique-- somewhat resembling a funky library.
During my last few visits I was surprised to
find very friendly tasting hosts and some of the
best wines in the valley. Sanford is known for
their unique wildflower labels- a different
flower for each variety and vintage- and several
are available as posters.
Wine Notes: Sanford
produces several Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blanc,
and several Pinot Noirs. The Chardonnays and
Pinot Noirs are consistently the best in the
area. My favorites are the Barrel Select
Chardonnay with aromas of vanilla and pineapple
and flavors of butter and lime; and the Barrel
Select Pinot Noir- Sanford & Benedict
Vineyard with aromas of plum, cherry and roses.
A first-release Pinot Noir Vin Gris 2000 had
aromas of strawberry and smoke and a crisp,
light finish.
Santa Barbara
Winery
202 Anacapa
Street, Santa Barbara / 805-963-3633
The tasting toom is
located just two blocks from the beach in the
downtown district of Santa Barbara. The tasting
room, across the street from the winery, offers
the casual visitor a small sampling of a quality
winery via a small tasting bar and a good
selection of wine-related gifts. I was very
impressed by the tasting host, Zack Stillings,
who was attentive to both the neophyte and
experienced taster alike.
Wine Notes: There was a
good selection of quality wines available for
tasting, including a Sauvignon Blanc with
flavors of lime, pear and a buttered toast
finish. Of the three Chardonnays, I particularly
enjoyed the buttery, creamy Reserve with soft
tropical flavors and the Lafond Vineyard with
it's peach, pear, tropical fruit and carmel
flavors. A Pinot Noir and Beaujour, a light,
fruity style Zinfandel, both had strong berry
flavors, while a traditional Zinfandel had the
appropriate currant and blackberry flavors. A
spicy Syrah had flavors of black pepper,
raspberries, currant and vanilla with a complex
finish and a Cabernet Sauvignon had aromas of
berries and mint with soft tannins. A Late
Harvest Johannisburg Riesling (21% residual
sugar) and a Late harvest Sauvignon Blanc (29%
residual sugar) both had strong armas of
apricots and peaches and were both excellent
dessert wines.
Stearns Wharf
Vintners
217 G Stearns
Wharf, Santa Barbara / 805-966-6624
The tasting room is
located on the historic Stearns Wharf in Santa
Barbara. In addition to the few Stearn's Wharf
wines, a nominal tasting fee may include wines
from various California regions, other states
and even South America. There is a small
selection of deli items and an upstairs outdoor
patio in which one can spend a good portion of
an afternoon enjoying the view with a good glass
or bottle of wine.
Sunstone
Vineyards and
Winery
125 Refugio Road,
Santa Ynez / 805-688-9463
Sunstone, located on
the southern end of the Santa Ynez Valley
produces what I feel is among the best
across-the-board selection of wines in the area.
The ranch-style tasting room appears to be a
leftover from an old Spanish western movie, and
the interior even includes an antique kitchen
with a wood-burning stove. There are two
tastings: a standard and reserve. I would
suggest that you splurge for the the reserve. I
have found that Sunstone's tasting room staff is
among the friendliest and most acommodating
anywhere, which adds to any wine-tasting
experience. There is a central courtyard in
which you can picnic or enjoy a bottle of
wine.
Wine Notes: Sunstone produces Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, a Syrah Rose, Syrah, Merlot and several blends. The Viogner was rich in honeysuckle and apricot, a very good Sauvignon Blanc had aromas of pears and apricots with a honey finish. Their unfiltered Chardonnay had aromas of pears, apples and pineapples with a vanilla finish and the Chardonnay Reserve was medium-bodied with aromas of pineapple and baked apple. The Merlot Reserve, one of my favorites, had flavors of plum, berry and mint with a long-lasting mint finish. A Bordeaux blend called Eros had big blackberry and cassis flavors and a Muscat Canelli exhibited intense peach and apricot aromas. Sunstone is a Certified Organic Vineyard.
Zaca Mesa
Winery
6905 Foxen Canyon
Road, Los Olivos / 805-688-9339
Zaca Mesa Winery is an attractive, rustic facility with a shady courtyard with many picnic tables and even a giant chess set. The tasting bar is at the center of an immense room surrounded by many unique wine-related gifts and clothing items. Our hostess, Theresa was also the author of a Thai cookbook which could be purchased at the winery. The winery produces a full compliment of wines including estate Chardonnay (their only non-Rhone varietal), Viognier, Rousanne, a dry rose and Syrah (Zaca Mesa was the first winery in the valley to plant Syrah). Over many years of tasting their wines, I consistently like the Syrah and their signature Rhone varietal blend called Z-Cuvee, a very fruit-forward and food-friendly wine.
My
Recommendations:
Don't
Miss:
Andrew Murray,
Bridlewood, Cambria, Fess Parker, Firestone, Rancho
Sisquoc, Sanford and Sunstone Wineries.
Best
Picnic Areas: Bridlewood, Gainey, Fess Parker, Sunstone, and Zaca Mesa.
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