Anyone have anything new re: Santa Barbara?

[lizardbrains]

I'm making another trip to S.B. to see my brother and do some wine tasting. Buttonwood is having a Pomegranate Festival - it sounds intriguing.

Have any of you been there recently? I reviewed (and printed) my prior thread so I can refer to that. I will make it a point to get to Babcock and ABC, as well as Ballard Inn.

Any new info for me?!

Thanks,
Elizabeth
ETA: I checked out Au Bon Climat's website which said they don't offer tastings or tours. So, I gave them a call (the person who answered the phone did an excellent job pronouncing Au Bon Climat, by the way - I was quite impressed!)... and he said the same. They are only open two days a year: on the Sundays of the two festivals (Harvest Festival in the fall, and Vintners Festival in the spring). Hmmm... too bad. So, he said I should taste their wines at a place called Santa Ynez Inn Wine Cellar.

[This message has been edited by lizardbrains (edited 11-17-2004).]

[Innkeeper]

I think you are the most recent visitor there Liz. Just pick up where you left off.

[lizardbrains]

Yeah, I kinda thought so, IK! Oh well - I'll let you know how it goes! :-)

[Zinner]

Have you already gone? You don't give the dates of travel, so hard to tell when you need info.

Anyhow, Jim Clendenen at Au Bon Climat chooses to put his funds into the wines rather than fancy facilities and tasting rooms. The winery is a rather unromantic looking Butler building with several winemakers and labels working out of there. While it lacks in decor, the excitement is in what's in the barrels.

Anyhow, earlier this month I was in Lompoc(where Babcock is located) to visit Sea Smoke, which for all the world is very similar to ABC. Industrial quarters slap behind a Home Depot, but stunning wines. Unfortunately I suspect it's also not open to the public(I'm a writer--that's why I can get an appointment), but the Sea Smoke folks suggested that I also stop by Melville, which I believe shares a drive with Babcock next door.

Melville does have a gorgeous tasting room open to the public 7 days a week from 11 a.m-4 p.m. and should be quite convenient for you.

I had just very limited time in the Santa Rita Hills because I had to be back up in San Luis Obispo for a reception. If you have time to go up to SLO and explore the Edna Valley area, let me know. Perhaps I can be more help there.

[lizardbrains]

I'll be there next weekend (4th & 5th). I'll just be going to the Santa Barbara wine country, unfortunately won't get a chance to tour much farther. I'm mainly there to see my brother and remind him what wine-tasting is all about! :-)

I'm hoping to get to Roberto's fine establishment on my way home!

I had looked up Babcock on the internet, and couldn't figure out where it was located. (Interruptions from my 1 1/2 year old daughter caused me to not be able to dig much deeper, as of yet.) So, from what you say, I gather that it's not really in SB wine country???

Understand what you say about the wineries and not spending money to look fancy. I'll be sure to find the ABC wine while I'm out there though!

-Elizabeth

[Zinner]

Hi again Elizabeth,

You don't have to go all the way to Lompoc to visit Babcock and Melville. They are in between Buellton and Lompoc on Hwy 246. If you are travelling 246 from Buellton, they are on the right side of the road and the drive forks left for Babcock and right for Melville.

Is your brother in Santa Barbara? If so, to me it looks like you may take State 154 up toward Los Olivos(or Hwy. 101 toward Buellton) to get to the central Santa Barbara wine country. Hwy. 246 runs east/west across these roads and if you go to Buttonwood, it's off 246 near Solvang on Alamo Pintado Road.

There's a bunch of tasting rooms in Los Olivos, just north of Solvang. If you can grab a copy of a magazine-format guide called Vintages(Wine Tasting and Touring on California's Central Coast), I think that will help you a lot. Think it's free at some of the wineries and has lists and simple maps. It's published by The Tribune(Central Coast newspaper) and their phone is 805-781-7844, if you want to check where it might be given out.

From my copy, I see that Au Bon Climat has wine tasting at 2905 Grand Avenue in Los Olivos 11-6 daily. In fact they list a bunch of wineries with tastings on Grand. I'd suggest you also go by 2531 Grand for Qupe(Bob Lindquist was making terrific Syrah and Viognier before the term Rhone Ranger came along and works out of the same facility as Au Bon Climat) Jaffurs, Lane Tanner, Flying Goat, Vandale, Whitcraft, Fiddlehead and Clos Pepe(also 11-6). Should be lots of interesting stuff there. And there's even more on Grand, including Daniel Gehrs(we used to get a lovely Chenin Blanc from him)at 2939 Grand(Heather Cottage). Geez maybe you better eat something in Los Olivos too.

Another winery in Los Olivos that I'd visit would be Beckmen Vineyards at 2670 Ontiveros Road(website at beckmenvineyards.com). They have been developing a vineyard on Purisma Mountain and when I was at the Family Winemaker's trade tasting in San Francisco, there seemed to be a nice buzz about the Purisma fruit. Other wineries are making Purisma designated wines too.

Have you seen the movie Sideways? It's about guys going wine tasting in this area, so you might want to see it with your brother and then go out and see some of the places.

The Hitching Post is featured in the movie (very popular steak place in Nipomo near Buellton, also along Hwy. 246, if memory serves me). Fun place to have dinner(phone 805-929-4097 for reservations) and they also make Hitching Post wines under the Hartley Ostini label. Which unless they've changed since I was there, is also made out of the Au Bon Climat facilities. Saw Gray Hartley at the Family Winemakers too and they have some lovely Pinot.

Ask away, if you have have more questions and I'll see if I can find out.

Hope you and your brother have a great time!

[lizardbrains]

Holy schmoly - muchos info! Wow! Thanks, Zinner! That's so kind of you to post all that info for me. I'm going to print it out and try to digest it. My biggest problem is I don't know the area at all (my bro does), and my bro doesn't know wine at all (he's in S.B. for photography and that's all what he lives and breathes!). But, I'll print it out and get it all situated in my brain so I can make the best of it!

My biggest question, I guess, is "What is Los Olivos?" Is it a restaurant? Is it a town? Is it an area? Is it a winery? I've heard it referred to a lot, but haven't quite gotten a grip on what it is.

Thanks!,
Elizabeth

[Zinner]

Isn't that funny? Photography is what I do that pays the mortgage. Wine writing lets you be nosey and learn a lot, but doesn't earn a lot of money. Tell your brother that there's a ton of stuff to photograph in the wine country and I can say that from experience.

An if he's a visual person, all the more reason to take him to see Sideways.

But what you need for your wine-tasting adventure is a map, so it all makes sense. Los Olivos is a town in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country. If you will go to www.sbcountywines.com/visiting/map.htm then that should pull you up some maps that will help you with your route.

Once you get there, it will be easier. There are signs and wineries can help direct you to where you want to go next. Heck even if you get temporarily lost, there's some beautiful countryside to drive around.

[lizardbrains]

Great, Zinner, thanks! I'll check out that website ASAP - sounds like it's just what I need!

I'll have to get Sideways on DVD. My 1 1/2 year old can't quite sit through a movie at the theater, and I don't quite have a babysitter as of yet (working on that one!). But I'll be sure to pass that on to my brother so he can think about watching it. I'm really proud of my brother - he's good at photography, and I think he'll do a great job paying his mortgage with it in the next few years! :-) I'll be sure to let him know that wine country is suitable for cameras!!! He always heads to Mexico for good pictures. (shrug)

-Elizabeth
P.S. I checked out the website - WOW, great maps! My printer is smoking!! That's a very valuable resource, and now I understand what you wrote previously!

[This message has been edited by lizardbrains (edited 11-29-2004).]

[lizardbrains]

Zinner, do you have any favorite restaurants in Santa Barbara. My bro asked me to ask you b/c he says he only has the couple that he knows, and he'd love to branch out.

Thanks!,
Elizabeth

[lizardbrains]

Zinner, do you have any favorite restaurants in Santa Barbara. My bro asked me to ask you b/c he says he only has the couple that he knows, and he'd love to branch out.

Thanks!,
Elizabeth

[winoweenie]

LB I haven't been there in over a year but love the Wine Cask in SB. Wine and food have always been 1st class. Probably have a web-site. WW

[Zinner]

Hi Elizabeth,

Sorry so long but just got back from Napa and Sonoma. Will post something on that trip when I'm not so dead tired.

But as far as Santa Barbara goes, I haven't spent time in the city itself--only in the wine areas around it. So I don't personally know the restaurant scene there.

However, if I were headed there, I'd check out a website called Chowhound. They have various areas to post for different parts of the country, so you can always get some ideas or even ask a question of your own, as you do here.