Whether your visiting in Santa Ynez Valley wine country or chic Santa Barbara, Kalyra has two tasting room options that are sure to be the most talked about destination of your trip. To make your experience the most pleasant possible, groups of 6 or more require a reservation ahead of time with the tasting room manager.
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 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.
Palmina is more than a winery. It is a philosophy, a passion and a strongly held belief that wine is an extension of the plate, a component of a meal and a means to bring people together. Formed by winemaker Steve Clifton in 1995, Palmina is named in honor of Steve’s great friend Paula. Like a grandmother to him, she taught Steve to love cooking, wine and the Italian lifestyle and was a spark in his life. After Paula succumbed to breast cancer, Steve found that her given name on her Italian birth certificate was Palmina, and the winery was thus fittingly named.
A long-standing member of the Santa Barbara winemaking community, Whitcraft Winery is obsessed with producing the highest quality wines. Their signature varietals are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah, but also produce a variety of other unique, hand-crafted varietals.
Epiphany finds its identity and passion in the production of esoteric Rhone-based varietals and blends from some of the finest vineyard designates in California.
Located in the prestigious Santa Rita Hills appellation, Foley’s beautiful Rancho Santa Rosa property is home to a 3,500 square-foot tasting room and event center. Located next to the iconic 12,000 square-foot winery building, the Hospitality Center affords visitors spectacular vistas of neighboring mountain ranges, coastal oaks and contoured hillside vines.
stablished in 2001, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is a remarkable destination for wine lovers, known for its unique, ultra-cool climate. Located in the westernmost section of the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, it lies at the foot of Point Conception, flanked by the Purisima Mountains to the north and the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south. This mountainous terrain forms a significant corridor leading into the Pacific Ocean, influencing the area's climate and terroir.
Wine enthusiasts are drawn to the AVA’s brisk ocean breezes and the late-morning maritime fog that blankets the vineyards, making Sta. Rita Hills one of the coolest growing regions in the world. The varied soil types—including marine sand, loam, clay, and limestone—contribute to the complexity of the wines produced here. Elevations range from near sea level to 1,800 feet, offering diverse microclimates for grape growing.
The region experiences a semi-arid climate, with an average annual rainfall of just 13 inches, primarily occurring between December and May. This allows vintners to extend the “hang time” of the fruit, free from the threat of fall rains that can challenge other Pinot Noir and Chardonnay regions. The extreme conditions, particularly the cold and windy climate, result in low yields, leading to Pinot Noirs with deep color and intense flavor profiles, making Sta. Rita Hills a must-visit for any passionate wine lover.
Andrew Murray fell in love with the emerging Rhône varieties, Syrah and Viognier, in the late 1980’s while traveling through France’s Rhône Valley. Leaving his UC Berkeley paleontology studies behind, he pursued his new mistress, Syrah, with an internship in Australia. As Robert Parker, Jr. put it, “…Andrew Murray’s offerings are a breath of fresh air given their exceptionally high quality and realistic prices – reader take note.
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.
