The vineyards of Lucas & Lewellen are located in the three principal wine grape growing regions of Santa Barbara County: the Santa Maria Valley, the Los Alamos Valley, and the Santa Ynez Valley. These valleys all run west from the coastal mountains to the Pacific Ocean, allowing warm days and cool nights to produce a long, gentle growing season.
When Fess Parker purchased the 714-acre Foxen Canyon Ranch in 1988, he envisioned a future filled with cattle, a modest vineyard, and perhaps one day, a small winery. His dream was to establish a family business that could be passed down through generations.
Today, Eli Parker and his sister Ashley Parker Snider carry forward their father’s vision, managing the family portfolio with the help of Winery President Tim Snider, Ashley’s husband. Many of Fess’s grandchildren are also actively involved in the family business, ensuring the legacy continues.
Fess Parker, an actor and entrepreneur, captivated audiences with his portrayals of frontiersman Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone in the 1950s and 60s, earning a devoted following across generations. His down-to-earth charm and hardworking spirit endeared him to many, paving the way for his successful transition from Hollywood to the business world in the early 1970s.
While he continued to star in and produce numerous hits for Disney, Paramount, and Warner Bros., Parker laid the groundwork for his second career in real estate development. With his warm Texas demeanor and a keen eye for opportunity, he purchased the Foxen Canyon ranch and dedicated himself to producing high-quality wines from estate-grown grapes and the finest vineyards in the county.
Fess and his wife, Marcella, enjoyed a 50-year marriage and raised two children in Santa Barbara, where they lived for over 30 years. They were blessed with 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Fess passed away in March 2010, leaving behind a legacy of wisdom, warmth, and friendship.
Visitors to the Fess Parker Winery can still feel his presence, as his spirit lives on through his family and the remarkable wines they produce. For wine lovers exploring California's wineries, Fess Parker Winery offers not just exceptional wines, but a heartfelt connection to a beloved figure and his enduring legacy.
Come and visit with the winemakers, Mike and Brooke, at the "World's Smallest Tasting Room" to taste our full range of current wines.
In 1996, Mike and Brooke Carhartt planted a vineyard along with a dream on the historic Rancho Santa Ynez™ property. Today, with their son Chase, the Carhartt's grow grapes and craft wines on that same patch of ground. A ground to glass operation, the Carhartt's take extreme pride in farming their own fruit sustainably, with the utmost care and consideration for the environment.
Longoria Wines is an artisanal family winery established in 1982 by Rick and Diana Longoria. Rick’s decision to start his own wine label was born out of a desire to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, two varietals he was not producing as the winemaker for J. Carey Cellars, his first job as a winemaker. Rick sensed that those two varietals were poised to become the signature varietals for the new Santa Barbara County wine region, and he wanted to become a part of this new movement.
Who would have guessed that a kid from Amherst, Massachusetts, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sciences (Pre-Veterinary) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian from the University of Massachusetts, would end up in Santa Barbara County as an up-and-coming winemaker? Benjamin Silver did just that after catching the wine bug in 1993 at a summer job at Chicama Vineyards on Martha’s Vineyard.
When producing world-class Pinot Noir, location is everything. For years, vintners have coveted a stretch of land in the western end of Santa Barbara’s Santa Rita Hills AVA known to have the perfect microclimate, soils, and exposure to grow world-class Pinot Noir. In 1999, fulfilling a long-held dream of owner Bob Davids, this sought-after stretch of land became Sea Smoke Vineyard.Sea Smoke does not feature a tasting room because we have no wine available for sale at the winery. Sea Smoke wines are pre-allocated to our List Members and to our distributor partners before release each year, and are sold out upon release. This leaves no wine to offer for sale to potential visitors.
When Kory Koehler acquired the property in 1997, all of the estate grapes were being sold to local wineries. Koehler soon recognized that some of the best wines in the valley were being produced with grapes harvested from her own vineyard so she made the resolved to launch her own winery and tasting room. From the start, Kory Koehler's vision was to create a world-class winery committed to making premium wines at affordable prices.
Image: Saman Teher - Pixabay
Mark and Wendy Horvath, long-time figures in the Santa Barbara County wine industry, have embarked on a journey to establish a small, family-run winery that highlights the finest fruit the region has to offer. Their venture, Crawford Family Wines, showcases grapes from esteemed local vineyards such as Babcock, Bentrock, Radian, Rita’s Crown, and Zotovich. Embracing the "garagiste" style of winemaking, they produce tiny lots of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that capture the essence of the unique Sta. Rita Hills vineyards.
Committed to authenticity in varietal character and a sense of place, the Horvaths employ a minimalist approach, allowing the fruit to express itself fully. With a small Rhône program underway sourced from the Ballard Canyon appellation, the winery is evolving into a true showcase of meticulously farmed vineyards.
Mark Crawford Horvath began his winemaking career as a moonlighter alongside his good friend, Master Sommelier Emmanuel Kimiji. This invaluable experience, tasting and learning about wines from around the world with one of the country’s most celebrated sommeliers, helped Mark develop a well-rounded palate. Once captivated by the world of wine, he became determined to create it himself.
Together with Wendy, Mark left their previous jobs and moved to Sonoma to immerse themselves in the wine business. Mark took a position at Carmenet Winery, located high atop Moon Mountain in Sonoma Valley. Starting as a cellar worker, he quickly advanced to the lab, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the winemaking process.
While at Carmenet, Mark pursued various courses offered by UC Davis’ extension program. During a four-day Viticulture course, he met a group of passionate young winemakers from Santa Barbara County. Their enthusiasm for this emerging wine region was contagious, prompting Mark and Wendy to visit the Santa Ynez Valley multiple times over the following year. When Bryan Babcock advertised for an assistant winemaker, Mark seized the opportunity.
At that time, Santa Barbara County had yet to garner significant national attention, and the Sta. Rita Hills had not yet been established as an official appellation. The Horvaths quickly became part of this burgeoning winegrowing region. Mark spent five years at Babcock, the last two as Associate Winemaker, where he oversaw all winemaking responsibilities.
During his tenure at Babcock, Mark launched a side project with his close friend and colleague, Kenneth Gummere. They started with a single barrel of Pinot Noir from the 2000 vintage and, after producing one delicious wine, formed Kenneth-Crawford Wines. Over the next decade, they crafted some of the region’s finest and most sought-after Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Grenache.
While winemakers at Brewer – Clinton are grounded in traditional ideals found in Europe, Steve and Greg do not feel the necessity to be fettered by them. Instead they both make great effort to be certain that the wines that they produce truly are representative of the Sta. Rita Hills. Brewer and Clinton do not strive to emulate any other producer or any other region as they follow their own pursuit. This winemaking duo has espoused themselves to the appellation and will continue to do everything to display and celebrate it in as honest and impactful manner possible – in their wines.
Image: Saman Teher, Pixabay
Their passioned focus has been to work with the California Central Coast's best vineyards produce many Pinot Noirs, a couple Syrahs and a Cabernet Franc blend. With a cool marine-influence climate and unusually long growing season, many of these grapes make wines that drink well when young and had have shown the ability to improve and age gracefully for many years. Frank & Gray work with some of the best growers in Santa Barbara County, from the quality vineyards of Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Rita Hills and Los Alamos.
Image: courtesty Randy Carparoso
