If any of you personally know me, you may know that Santa Barbara is one of my favorite cities in the world. Wineries, beach, mountains, gorgeous weather, what more could you want?!
Santa Barbara County is about an hour and a half north from Los Angeles and is part of the Central Coast AVA, and in itself has 6 smaller AVAs:
Santa Maria Valley
Sta. Rita Hills
Santa Ynez Valley
Ballard Canyon
Los Olivos District
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara (named during Prohibition when people need to escape to find their "happy" in this canyon)
Santa Barbara is unique in that it has the longest East to West running mountain ranges along the western Pacific Coast. What this does is pull the cool air for the Pacific Ocean into the inland valleys, creating a variety of microclimates and making Santa Barbara one of the coolest grape-growing areas in California. Because of this, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc are the highest grown grapes in this region. Further inland though, it does get hot enough to ripen Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhône varieties as well.
There's two ways to experience Santa Barbara wine country, one is to stay downtown and hop around to the tasting rooms with fun shopping, restaurants and beach paths in between. The other is to head about 30/40 minutes north to the actual wineries and enjoy a lovely scenic day of wine tasting.
For my blog today, I'll be focusing on the downtown tasting rooms.
Start up at the top of State Street and work your way downwards towards the beach, ending at the "Funk Zone" where wine tasting rooms are open later.
Stop 1. Frequency https://www.frequencywines.com/
This little wine tasting room is so cute, and the servers and owner have all been so wonderful every time I go.
They have wonderful, affordable wines, I went home with a bottle of their GSM for only $28!
Stop 2: Au Bon Climat: https://www.aubonclimat.com
Famous for Burgundian style Pinot Noir, Au Bon Climat is a tasting experience not to be missed. With wonderful service and cute outdoor patio, you will taste through a few fabulous whites and their elegant Pinot Noirs.
Alex and I usually go home with a bottle of red, but their 2017 Hildegard (a blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Aligote), with exotic notes of Creme Brûlée and hazelnut, stole our hearts!
Stop 3: Grassini Family: https://www.grassinifamilyvineyards.com
Grassini is in the cutest little plaza right off State Street as you make your way down towards the beach.
A great place to stop for some big bold Bordeaux varietals or light and crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
Stop 4: Margerum Wine Company https://www.margerumwines.com
Cross under the bridge and head into the "Funk Zone" area of Santa Barbara near the beach. Start out at Margerum, a great place to grab a snack off their full menu and maybe some Cold Brew Coffee and keep the wine tasting going!
They have a wonderfully sweet and knowledgable staff on a spacious patio. With the combination of Barden and Margerum wines on the menu, there's plenty of choice to find one you love!
Stop 5: Pali Wine Co. https://www.paliwineco.com
Pali Wine Co. is a great place to start winding down from daytime into evening. With their fun patio and young, hip atmosphere, I recommend getting a bottle and settling in.
Pali consists of two other brands, Tower 15 Winery and Neighborhood Winery and they specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Santa Rita Hills and Sonoma County.
My personal favorite is actually this Swell Bordeaux Blend. Wonderful blackberry jam, mocha, toasted oak, and candied black cherry make this a lovely nighttime sipper.
Stop 6: Corks n' Crowns: https://www.corksandcrowns.com
Corks n' Crowns is a wine and craft beer shop with a cute patio for sipping and I had to include it because it's a such a fun time! And if any of you have partners or friends that desperately just want a beer at this point, they can finally be satisfied!
A beautiful place to watch the sunset, and they have an adorable fireplace inside and outside for cold nights.
Alex's Kolsch beer was straight from Germany and I was shocked to find out it was poured from a bottle, it tasted so fresh!
Stop 7: Paradise Springs: https://www.paradisespringsofsantabarbara.com
I absolutely love the vibe of this place, really open with a fire pit and lots of outdoor seating. It's the first Bi-Coastal Winery brand in the U.S. with operations in California and Virginia.
This holds a special place in my heart because I was born in Virginia :) They have awesome bold, complex red wines. Their tasting room is open until 9pm, so an awesome place to end the evening, that is if you've made it this far!
(Warning: High chance of tipsy shopping in between wine tasting shops. But hey, I think this leopard jacket is pretty fly ;) - At Brass Bear Brewing
These 7 wine tasting rooms have been my favorite so far in Santa Barbara, but I know there are plenty I haven't tried yet! So please leave a comment below with any I missed and I'll make sure to check them out next time I'm there!
P.S. Dinner Recommendations...
1. Santo Mezcal for bomb margaritas and Mexican food
2. Zaytoon for an incredible fire pit outdoor atmosphere with amazing Lebanese cuisine
3. Lama Dog for laid back burgers and fries with a great beer selection
4. Stonehouse for a magical evening under the stars. Just bring your pocketbook ;)
Until next time, Happy Sippin'!
