Santa Barbara Wine Regions

Wine Tours in Santa Ynez Valley AVA

Nestled in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s legendary vineyards, is the breathtaking Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country. Wine tours in this region is the perfect destination for the getaway weekend or relaxing day trip, the Santa Ynez Valley boasts exquisite hotels, wonderful restaurants and unique shopping opportunities.

While in the Valley, discover the artist colony of Los Olivos, rustic Santa Ynez and the quaint Danish village of Solvang. Relax amidst the vines while taking in the ancient oaks stretching out over gently rolling hills. Enjoy sampling our award-winning varietals, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Merlot.

Flanked by the Santa Ynez Mountains to the South, and the San Rafael Mountain to the north, this well-established area maintains a pleasant, temperate climate. With its moderate climate, beautiful scenery and peaceful country living it’s no wonder the Santa Ynez Valley has become home to some many exceptional wineries.

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Wine Tours in the Santa Rita Hills AVA

Santa Rita Hills is a new AVA within the Santa Ynez Valley appellation. Located on the far western end of the long corridor, the marine influence is directly off the ocean providing an extremely cool climate. The home and inspiration of “Sideways” the Santa Rita Hills appellation has recently achieved national acclaim for its outstanding Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and my personal favorite, cool climate Syrah. The wines emerging from this area are highly stylized and structured. Some of Santa Barbara County's youngest winemakers, as well as several of the area's winemaking pioneers, grow and produce wine just miles from one another, making for wines of great daring and elegance.

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Wine Tours in the Santa Maria Valley and the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail

The often foggy and windswept Santa Maria Valley offers up California's longest grape growing season and is the northern most appellation in the Santa Barbara County. The region’s first officially approved American Viticultural Area (AVA) enjoys extremely complex soil conditions and diverse microclimates. The unusually long “hang-time”, and we ain’t talkin’ Michael Jordan, is the Pacific's doing, with cool maritime breezes pouring into this appellation with a relentlessness matched only by the desire of each individual cluster to ripen to full maturity. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, two varietals especially amenable to the ocean's influence, are the flagship wines of this region. Explore the Santa Maria Valley or mosey on down the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, a California Poppy Highway, and discover the hidden treasures that await you.

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Wine Tours in Urban Santa Barbara

Not exactly a wine region but a good choice if you’re in town with not much time to spend as a tour to the region requires a minimum of 5 hours with the average running 6 hours due to drive time in and out. Retail tasting rooms await you with friendly staff and tasty wine!

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Santa Barbara County Vintners' Wine Events

The Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival
3rd Weekend of April

The Festival is held annually at River Park, just outside the city of Lompoc, attracting wine lovers from near and far for an opportunity to meet member vintners, taste their wine and enjoy great food and music in a festive outdoor environment.

Every one of our member wineries will be there, pouring a selection of their fine wines. Local restaurants, catering companies and specialty food purveyors offer exquisite samples of their food, all the while you’re serenaded by live and lively music. As Lompoc is known as “The City of Arts and Flowers”, local artists will display their work. The Festival also features a silent auction of large format wines, special bottlings and verticals and lifestyle items, all benefiting local charities.

In addition to the Vintners' Festival itself, the individual wineries spare no effort to welcome, entertain and even educate you - there are winemakers’ dinners, winery tours, library wine tastings and sales, barrel tastings, special appetizers and live music in the tasting rooms, smaller wineries open to the public. Make a weekend of it and join us for a wine tour the day following the festival.

Celebration Of Harvest
2nd Weekend of October

The annual Celebration of Harvest is held at Rancho Sisquoc Winery in Santa Maria each year, when we're in the thick of the wine grape harvest and winery staff will take a needed break to showcase their latest wines, many newly bottled!

Local restaurants, caterers and food suppliers showcase their talents and produce by providing delicious samples. Live music from several bands will keep your toes tapping. An important part of the Celebration of Harvest is the Silent Auction - your chance to own some very special bottles of wine.

Be sure to take in the sights, sounds, smells and excitement of harvest by extending your stay for a few days. The Vintners’ Visa is a four-day pass to 12 participating wineries, each of whom are pulling out all the stops just for Vintners’ Visa holders. The Vintners' Visa can be used at participating wineries from Friday to Monday, so make it a long weekend!

In addition to the Celebration itself, and the special treats offered through the Vintners’ Visa programs, many member wineries are hosting special events. From winemaker dinners to Open Houses to tours and tastings at wineries not generally open to the public, there’s a full slate of events during the long weekend. Hey, here's a unique idea, make a long weekend of it and join us for a wine tour of the open houses the day following the celebration.