Santa Barbara Trip

[vinesugar]

Hello all - I'm planning a trip to Santa Barbara with some friends and would like to know what your favorite wineries in the area are or which are worth visiting. I'm driving from Livermore Valley so if you know of any along the way down that are nice, let me know. I'm only familiar with Napa/Sonoma and this will be my first trip south of the Bay Area. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Innkeeper]

You are going to be driving by a couple of hundred wineries, many of them wonderful. Many "wine communities" such as Paso Robles and Solvang have central tasting rooms or wine retailers that offer tasting of many local wines.

[Kcwhippet]

You're only familar with Napa/Sonoma? I hope you're also familar with all the wineries of the Livermore Valley. I remember some really wonderful wines from when I lived there. I recall the luscious 1987 Cab, from Chouinard, the 1965 Petite Sirah from Concannon, the 1990 Riboli Zin from Murietta's Well, and on and on. I even remember the whole lineup of the Wood Family Winery we visited just last year. As Ik says, you'll be passing some great wine areas on your way south to SB. There are a number in the Monterey area, and that's where the Pisoni, Garys, Rosella's and Brousseau vineyards are that have become the grape sources for a number of remarkable Pinot Noirs lately. Further down, be sure to stop in the Paso Robles area and visit Tobin James, Castoro Cellars, Bonny Doon and any others you have time for. Further down you'll pass through the Santa Maria Valley and Edna Valley. You'll see signs for a number of wineries along the road, so pick a few and stop in to the likes of Cambria and Edna Valley Vineyards. Be sure to take a slight detour along Foxen Canyon Road and visit Foxen Vineyards, and maybe Fess Parker a bit further on. So many wineries, so little time.

[vinesugar]

Oh I've been to almost every winery in Livermore valley. It's about the only thin I do on the weekends is tour wine country - I've alway stuck to as far south as Santa Cruz and as north as Mendocino area. I'm relatively new to the wine scene so I stayed with things familiar at first and easily accessible.

This trip is with hopes to venture out and find new discoveries. I wanted to get others people's thoughts. You're all right, there are hundreds of wineries - thus making it difficult to choose.

Kcwhippet, thanks for your suggestions!

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Ryan ODonnell
VineSugar.com