Winery Article Section

This article is about the wineries in southern California, particularly the Fess Parker winery and the wineries in Santa Barbara County.  These wineries have their own unique essence and flavor as well as their own fame with the California wine industry.  You will learn much about the more famous wineries in this region.  Read on for more!

Santa Barbara, located about 90 miles north of Los Angeles, has been called the most beautiful city on the California coast. One of the many attractions this picturesque beach town has to offer is the excellent wineries located in the adjacent Santa Ynez Valley, in the southern extreme of the Central Coast viticultural region.

This is what the internationally acclaimed wine critic Robert Parker predicted about the future of the the Central Coast wine region in general, and Santa Barbara in particular, in a 2004 Food & Wine article:

Look for wines from California's Central Coast (an enormous region that runs from Contra Costa down to Santa Barbara) to take their place alongside the hallowed bottlings of Napa and Sonoma valleys. No viticultural region in America has demonstrated as much progress in quality and potential for greatness as the Central Coast, with its Rhone varietals, and the Santa Barbara region, where the Burgundian varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted in its cooler climates.

Robert Parker's prediction has come true; Central Coast wines, especially those of the Santa Barbara region, have steadily gained recognition and acclaim for their consistently high quality. But it is not only the quality of the wine that has been raised, there has also been a dramatic increase in the number of wineries in the region. Santa Barbara County is now home to over 100 wineries, in four federally approved appellations: Santa Ynez Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, and Santa Maria Valley. The sheer number of wineries presents a conundrum for the visitor: Of all the many wineries to chose from, which ones should I visit?

To narrow things down a bit, Santa Ynez Valley is the best of the four appellations for a wine tasting tour because it has the highest concentration of wineries and is located the nearest to the city of Santa Barbara--by far the nicest place to stay in the area.

For a lot of people, the 2004 movie Sideways put the Santa Ynez Valley on the map. There is even a literal "Sideways map," available online or from the local tourist information office, which guides you to all of the stops that Miles and Jack (the main characters) made on their mad road trip of wine tasting and midlife angst. But, even though the Sideways locations made for great theater and cinematography, they are not necessarily the best places to sample great wines.

So, if you want to visit Santa Barbara to sample the great wines the region has to offer, who should you turn to for advice on which wineries provide the best libations? The best person, of course, would be a knowledgeable local. Fortunately for the reader, I happen to be well acquainted with just such an individual. It just so happens that my father--for some years the president of the Santa Barbara Wine Society--has been sampling the regions wares and visiting its wineries for the past 45 years, during which the local wine industry grew from insignificance to being the major player it is today. The following are his suggestions:

The very best winery in Santa Barbara city is Jaffurs Wine Cellars, on Montecito Street near Milpas. It is kind of funky, but they make truly great syrah and you will often be able to talk to the winemakers. The rest are over in Santa Ynez Valley, and for ambiance and good wine I would recommend Gainey Vineyards (both reds and whites), Sunstone Winery (reds), Blackjack Ranch Vineyards (reds), and Rideau Vineyard (reds and whites). These wineries are all located within reasonable proximity to each other. The best places for wine and a picnic are Beckman Vineyards (reds) and Rideau. I would recommend Kalyra (reds and whites) in the valley (it's near Sunstone) to the younger set because it's fun, but a bit noisy. For someone who wants to drive further out, I would recommend Brander Vineyard (whites), Curtis Winery (whites), Fess Parker Winery (reds and whites), and Zaca Mesa (reds).

For more free information about Beautiful Santa Barbara California, its wineries, attractions, restaurants, hotels and wine country tours, click on the link.

More on Fess Parker Winery:

RIP Fess Parker | My Wine Education

I was sad to hear today about the passing of Fess Parker. As many of you know, last weekend I poured wine for Epiphany and Fortress, wines that are part of.

Publish Date: 03/18/2010

2006 Epiphany Cellars F Block Syrah

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Oenologist for Fess Parker Winery '99, Winemaker Sunstone Winery 99-02, Consultant winemaker fess Parker Winery 02, Vintage Winemaker- Haselgrove Winery- McLaren Vale South Australia 03, Associate Winemaker in ...

Publish Date: 04/12/2010