Looking to visit Santa Barbara and explore the wine scene? You’re in the right spot! The Santa Barbara Wine Country is comprised of SO many different areas and has so much to offer. We’ve been exploring this part of the country for the past year, and we STILL have so much we haven’t seen.
On this specific trip, we focused on two different areas of Santa Barbara’s Wine Country: Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria. Sta. Rita Hills is becoming quite famous for their outstanding Pinot Noir, and Santa Maria is home to several amazing and historic wineries. These sub-regions of Santa Barbara aren’t super close to one another, so I’d recommend focusing on one region per day. Sta. Rita Hills is closer to Santa Barbara proper, so this is a good option if you are staying in Santa Barbara. Santa Maria is closer to San Luis Obispo, so you may want to consider staying up there if you want to visit wineries in that region.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the Sideways Inn in Buellton. This is a great place to stay because it’s centrally located within the Santa Barbara Wine Country. You can get to Santa Ynez, Sta. Rita Hills, Solvang and Los Olivos all within 10-15 minutes from this hotel.
The Sideway Inn is newly renovated and the rooms are gorgeous. There is a really nice restaurant/bar at the hotel, so it’s the perfect option if you want to lay low after a day of wine tasting. They also deliver breakfast to your room each morning! I was very impressed with the hotel overall and would definitely stay here again.
Itinerary
Saturday (Sta. Rita Hills/Buellton)
- 11:00 AM – Folded Hills Ranch
- 1:00 PM – Peake Ranch Winery
- 3:00 PM – Alma Rosa Winery
- 5:30 PM – Dinner at S.Y. Kitchen
- 7:30 PM – Drinks at Sideways Lounge
Sunday (Santa Maria)
- 10:30 AM – Bien Nacido Vineyard Tour and Lunch
- 1:30 PM – Presqu’ile Winery
- 3:30 PM – Drove back to Santa Barbara
Map
Winery Recap
Folded Hills Ranch
- Tasting Fee: $20 for 5 wines
- Varietals: Rhône Varietals including Grenache, Syrah & GSM Blends
- Favorite Wine(s): 2017 August Red Blend
- Reservation Needed? We didn’t need one, but it never hurts to make one just in case it’s busy!
Folded Hills is unique in that they have two tasting rooms! We had previously visited their tasting room in Montecito, but this specific visit was to their ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley. After visiting their other tasting room, we knew we had to make a visit to their beautiful ranch. They have TONS of land and the space is gorgeous. They have farm animals, herb gardens and so much more!
The tasting experience can be done inside or outside. I’d personally recommend exploring their outdoor space while you browse. They have SO much seating, and it’s perfect for any group size.
If the weather isn’t great, they do have a beautiful lounge inside their tasting room. It is so cozy and it’s the perfect place to relax with friends and family.
The wine tasting at Folded Hills consists of 5 different wines. Most of these wines are Rhône varietals like Grenache and Syrah. All of their wines are fantastic, and I love how easy drinking they are. I think their wines could pair with just about anything.
There are some food/snack options at Folded Hills if you get hungry. We opted for a charcuterie board and it definitely hit the spot! Another thing to note is that you can order wines by the glass or bottle, so be sure to stay and relax for a bit after your tasting. You could even play a game of bocce ball outside!
Overall, the Folded Hills Ranch is beautiful and is 100% worth a visit! Take your friends and family, share a bottle of wine and just relax. Also, be sure to check out some of their private experiences. Folded Hills offers several amazing tours and in-depth experiences that would be a great option for a party of any size.
Peake Ranch Winery
- Tasting Fee: $25 for 5 wines OR $35 for 8 wines
- Varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rhône Varietals
- Favorite Wine(s): 2017 Peake Ranch Pinot Noir
- Reservation Needed? I’d recommend calling ahead. You will probably get a better spot if you make a reservation.
Peake Ranch Winery is a fairly new winery located in the Sta. Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County. The tasting room opened in the Spring of 2019, but they have been making wine since 2016. The Peake Ranch Vineyard covers about 50-acres and is home to mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The vines are planted on steep slopes which adds to the complexity and body of their wines.
The Peake Ranch tasting room is gorgeous! It would be a great place to visit regardless of the season. The inside is cozy and has a nice fireplace for those cooler, winter months. The outside is beautiful and has space to fit parties of all sizes. We sat inside at the bar for the first few pours, and then migrated outside to finish our tasting.
We tasted 8 wines in total since we opted for their reserve tasting experience. If you don’t want 8 wines, you can taste 5 wines if you do their standard tasting experience. Also, you could split/share tastings with someone else in your group if you are worried about drinking too much! I always recommend this if you plan to visit 3-4 wineries per day.
I enjoyed all of the wines we tasted at Peake Ranch, but their Pinot Noirs were definitely my favorite. You really can’t beat a Pinot from the Sta. Rita Hills!
Overall, Peake Ranch checked all of my boxes when it comes to a wine tasting. Great wines. Great space. Great location. Great hospitality. Be sure to check them out the next time you’re in Santa Barbara.
Alma Rosa Winery
- Tasting Fee: $20 for 6 wines
- Varietals: Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah
- Favorite Wine(s): 2019 Grenache Rosé
- Reservation Needed? It’s not 100% necessary, but I’d recommend calling ahead. You will probably get a better spot if you make a reservation.
Alma Rosa was founded in 2005 by Richard Sanford, a pioneer in the Santa Barbara Wine Country and for California wine in general. He was the first to plant Pinot Noir vines in Santa Barbara back in 1971, and he launched two wineries before creating Alma Rosa. In 2015, he sold the winery to the Zorichs.
Alma Rosa is located in Buellton, and it’s very easy to find. Their tasting room is gorgeous and very cozy. There is plenty of seating inside so you shouldn’t have to stand at the counter and taste.
Their tasting flight consisted of several different types of wine including a rosé, Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. You might get some bonus pours depending on what they have open in the tasting room that day.
Everything we tasted was incredible, and I appreciated the variety. We had wines that were lighter in style and we ended with some of the heavier wines like the 45th Anniversary Pinot Noir.
We were able to taste our wines alongside a beautiful charcuterie plate filled with different cheeses, crackers and olives. I love when you have the opportunity to pair wine with food. It’s always fun to see how the wine changes when you take a bite of food before tasting.
Overall, I loved the tasting experience at Alma Rosa, and I’m hoping to visit again so we can try one of their private estate experiences.
Bien Nacido
- Tasting Fee: $20 for 5 wines in Los Olivos OR $125 for a Vineyard Tour + Tasting + Lunch
- Varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah
- Favorite Wine(s): 2016 Bien Nacido Pinot Noir
- Reservation Needed? If you want to do a vineyard tour, you will need to make a reservation in advance. If you want to visit the tasting room in Los Olivos, you can walk-in.
If you’re looking for a vineyard tour in the Santa Barbara Wine Country, be sure to check out Bien Nacido. These vineyards are some of the most historic vineyards in all of Santa Barbara County. This land was originally a Spanish Land Grant back in the 1800s, and it was later purchased by the Miller family in 1969. The vineyards were planted in the early 1970s and were some of the first vineyards in Santa Barbara County.
We visited the Bien Nacido Vineyards in March right when bud break was happening. I thought it was really cool to witness the first growth on these vines!
We tasted five different wines during the tour including two Chardonnays, two Pinot Noirs and one Syrah. All of them were outstanding wines and very well made. The winemaker, Anthony Avila, was our guide for the day and he did a really great job of explaining everything. He knew so much about the land, the history, the growing season, etc.
We drove all over the property and were able to see several different vineyards. Interestingly enough, there is a small Nebbiolo vineyard planted on the property that Au Bon Climat uses each year.
Even though the vines weren’t full of leaves and grapes, it was such a beautiful site. I was truly amazed by how much land they have and how much they are able to grow. It’s no wonder they sell their grapes to so many different wineries!
We toured the vineyards for almost 2 full hours, but I could have spent the entire day doing it. I love learning more about wine, the land, the soil types and everything else in-between. I guess I really am a wine nerd!
After the vineyard tour, we enjoyed a beautiful lunch at the guest house. The guest house has an amazing patio that overlooks some of the Bien Nacido Vineyards. It was the perfect backdrop to enjoy lunch and a glass of wine. They told us we could stay the entire day if wanted, and I almost took them up on that offer!
Overall, we had an amazing time touring the Bien Nacido Vineyards. I was blown away by the terroir and the landscape of the surrounding area. It’s kind of hard to believe that all of this land was under the ocean millions of years ago!
I would highly recommend this tasting experience if you are looking for something more in-depth. This experience is a great way to learn more about wine if you are trying to dive deeper and increase your knowledge. I always appreciate the wine more when I can physically see and understand where it came from.
Presqu’ile Winery
- Tasting Fee: $25 for 6 wines
- Varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah
- Favorite Wine(s): 2016 Presqu’ile Vineyard Pinot Noir
- Reservation Needed? Make a reservation if you want a seated experience. Walk-ins are welcome to taste at the tasting counter.
If you’re looking for a wine tasting with a great tasting room and beautiful views, look no further than Presqu’ile Winery. This is a family-run winery located in the Santa Maria Valley. The Murphy family bought this land back in 2007 after Hurricane Katrina forced them to leave their Gulf Coast home in Mississippi. Their old home back in Mississippi was called “Presqu’ile” which is the Creole word for “almost an island.” The winery was named after their old home because they envisioned Presqu’ile to be an island-like haven amid the vines.
Presqu’ile is making several different kinds of wine including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and even some sparkling wine. They have a nice variety, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
We had a seated tasting experience since we made a reservation, but there were several people who walked in and tasted at the counter. I’d recommend reserving something ahead of time so you can have a more relaxing experience.
They have several options for food pairings if you get hungry including a charcuterie board, sandwiches and a cheese plate. We had eaten lunch just before our tasting, so we didn’t get to try anything. Based off what other people were ordering, the food looked incredible and I would definitely give it a try some other time.
Something unique about Presqu’ile is that they have a wine cave. Not many wineries in Santa Barbara County have a cave, so I thought this was really cool! They offer special tours/experiences if you want to see the wine cave and get a more in-depth overview of the winery.
We had a great experience at Presqu’ile, and I really enjoyed all of the wines we tried. I definitely want to come back and relax outside with a glass of wine sometime!
If you’re looking for other resources/guides for Santa Barbara and the surrounding area, be sure to check out some of my other posts linked below:
- The Ultimate Santa Barbara Travel Guide
- Wine Country Weekend – Santa Ynez Valley
- A Day of Wine Tasting in Los Olivos
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