Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [333]
RIDEAU VINEYARD
The owner of this festive winery ( 805-688-0717; www.rideauvineyard.com; 1562 Alamo Pintado Rd; tastings $10; 11am-5pm), is Iris Rideau, a transplanted New Orleans native who brings Mardi Gras beads and Creole conviviality to her tasting room. The winery is located inside a restored 1884 adobe house that was the site of the first stagecoach stop in Los Olivos. See the fringed surry out front. Today people come for the Rhône varietals, good Chardonnay and great Syrah.
BECKMEN VINEYARDS
Bring a picnic to the pondside gazebo at tranquil Beckmen Vineyards ( 805-688-8664; www.beckmenvineyards.com; 2670 Ontiveros Rd; tastings $8; 11am-5pm), where Rhône varieties are grown according to biodynamic farming principles. This means that natural, not chemical, means are used to prevent pests, and that planting and harvesting schedules are based on lunar calendars. To sample their stellar Syrahs, follow Roblar Ave west to Ontoveros Rd, bearing left at the sign for Demetri’s Arabians.
Foxen Canyon Wine Trail
The scenic Foxen Canyon Wine Trail runs north from Hwy 154, just west of Los Olivos’ main drag, and into the Santa Maria Valley, a more rural area with fewer visitors. It’s a must-see for oenophiles or those wanting to get off the beaten path. For the most part, the trail follows Foxen Canyon Rd.
FIRESTONE VINEYARD
Located just east of Hwy 101 and three miles south of Zaca Canyon Rd, Firestone Vineyard ( 805-688-3940; www.firestonewine.com; 5000 Zaca Station Rd; tastings $10; 10am-5pm) is Santa Barbara’s oldest estate winery, founded in 1972. Sweeping views of the vineyard from the sleek, wood-paneled tasting room are as impressive as the sauvignon blanc, Syrah, merlot and Bordeaux-style wines. True oenophiles should arrive in time for a winery tour, offered at 11:15am, 1:15pm, and 3:15pm daily. And ladies, who knows, there’s always the chance the former Bachelor himself, Andrew Firestone, will amble past.
FESS PARKER WINERY & VINEYARD
At Fess Parker Winery ( 805-688-1545; www.fessparker.com; 6200 Foxen Canyon Rd; tastings $8; 10am-5pm) sales of pinot noir jumped after the winery’s appearance as Frass Canyon in the film Sideways. Sip wine outside on the verandah by the lush green lawn or inside by the fireplace at this beautiful estate. The two biggest wines here are Burgundy (pinot and Chardonnay) and Rhône (Syrah and viognier) styles. The winery’s other claim to fame is Fess himself, best known for playing Davy Crockett on TV. This is probably the only winery selling coonskin-cap bottle stoppers. Plan well – buses arrive afternoons and weekends.
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TOP FIVE WINERIES FOR PICNICS
Rancho Sisquoc (opposite)
Beckmen Vineyards
Sunstone Vineyards & Winery
Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard (left)
Zaca Mesa Winery (left)
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TASTING ROOM TIPS
Chris Burroughs is the tasting-room manager at Alma Rosa Winery in the Santa Rita Hills. He may be familiar to moviegoers for his appearance in Sideways as, of all things, a cowboy-hat-wearing tasting-room manager. Burroughs shares a few tips:
Novices never fear. Don’t let a lack of wine savvy keep you away. Winemakers enjoy sharing their passion and knowledge, and beginners are often their favorite guests.
Travel in small groups. Most tasting rooms aren’t well equipped for large crowds. Traveling light means you’ll have more time to chat with the staff.
Remember, less is more. Don’t keep a scorecard on the number of wineries visited. Spend time at only a handful of tasting rooms on any given day. Wine drinking is a social vehicle (but not a mobile party crawl).
Stay open-minded. At most tasting rooms you’ll sample six wines: three whites and three reds. Don’t tell the manager you never drink Chardonnay – who knows, the wine you try