Fume Blanc

Fume Blanc

Firestone Vineyards

grape cluster - Pixabay

Founded by legendary tire innovator Harvey Firestone’s son, Leonard, and his son, Brooks, Firestone Vineyard was the first estate winery established in Santa Barbara County in 1972. What began as a dream to plant a vineyard and establish a winery has today, with Vintner Bill Foley’s guidance, grown to 325 certified sustainable vineyard acres in one of the most desirable appellations in California — Santa Ynez Valley.

Firestone Vineyard's wines include varietals such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Their 325 acres of historic vineyards lie approximately 26 miles from the cold Pacific Ocean, creating a moderate, arid climate and an extremely long growing season. These unique growing conditions, combined with certified sustainable farming techniques, yield wines that are concentrated, elegant, and firmly structured.

Tres Hermanas Winery

glass of wine

This is a great little winery along the Foxen Canyon trail. If you want a winery where the owners pour and you can actually talk about winemaking and the whole experience you get it here. Tres Hermanas does not make super jammy Central Coast wines but rather produces numerous wines in a more European style...lower in alcohol, higher in acid and basically more food friendly. I will have to say I enjoy 90% of what they produce. Their Tres Hermanas Cuvee is incredible as is there Nebbiolo, Refosco, Syrah/Sangiovese blend and Muscat Cannelli.

Wiens Cellars

cluster wine- ai generated

They began with a vision—to craft high-quality, hand-crafted Southern California wines that would tell a unique story from vine to glass. Planting their first vineyard by hand in 1996 not only marked the inception of Wiens Cellars but also deepened their connection to viticulture and winemaking. The initial five varieties established the foundation for what would eventually grow into a diverse portfolio of over thirty, and a modest 14-acre vineyard expanded into a sprawling 70+ acres of hand-cultivated Southern California vines.

Amid this growth, a unique extended family emerged from the business. The legacy of Wiens Cellars stands as a testament to the power of shared dreams, unwavering commitment, resilience, and perseverance. This foundational chapter, crafted through the efforts of many hands and a continuous, collective endeavor, laid the groundwork for the legacy they uphold today—an enduring commitment to family, quality, and integrity.

Chateau St. Jean

grape clusters - Pixabay

The tasting rooms and grounds are beautiful and well kept. There are shaded areas to enjoy a glass of wine, as well as a great deal of manicured lawns to have a picnic or catch some rays. If you arrive with sufficient time, they gladly give tours of the production rooms, which I found interesting. Each time I've gone to a tasting here, the staff has been welcoming and informative, without being pretentious. The selection of wines for the regular tasting is good and includes several of my favorite wines from this winery. They usually give away the tasting for free if you buy a bottle.

Frog's Tooth Vineyard

wine glass at picnic table

Frog's Tooth Vineyard

Once upon a time, not so long ago, in a valley known more for cattle ranching than vineyards that the story begins. It was the Winter of 1999 when Frog's Tooth Vineyards began its life as a tadpole with the purchase of 67 acres of land in the Salt Springs Valley of Calaveras County. It slowly grew through infancy until the Spring of 2003 when it began its transition to adolescence with the planting of approximately 10 acres of premium wine grapes.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Roblar Winery

corks and a wine glass - Pixabay

Roblar Winery wines reflect the diversity of Santa Ynez Valley, with an east-west transverse range that allows the Pacific Ocean a significant influence with near-daily fog and crisp ocean breezes. This cooler climate leads to wines with firm structure, plenty of secondary flavors, and great potential for aging.

Beaver Creek Vineyards

man at table with his cat and enjoying a glass of wine

At Beaver Creek Vineyards, our approach is simple: "Let nature create the wonders and we will work hard to support and enhance her efforts." With this credo as a guiding principle, Beaver Creek Vineyards strives to make wines of utmost quality borne from viticulture practices that are in alignment with nature. Beaver Creek Vineyards is an eco-friendly, organic and biodynamic certied boutique winery specializing in limited production, estate wines as well as select wines from exclusive organic or biodynamic certied vineyards. Harvests are done by hand, choosing only the best grapes for Beaver Creek wines.

Grgich Hills Cellars

grape cluster

Grgich Hills Cellars

Love private tours? Perfect for both families and friends. It comes with both a walk tour and a formal sit-down tasting paired with complementary cheese and chocolates. Can a girl ask for more? I'm in particular a fan of their Cabernet Sauvignon - very bold without being overtly tannin-ridden and their Violetta dessert wine - seriously off the charts!

Wing Canyon Vineyard

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Wing Canyon has played a major role in the evolution of Mt. Veeder as a prominent wine-producing region. From vineyards to carp farm, popular resort to a camp for the blind Wing Canyon has been home to valley pioneers and visitors for over a century. Captain Stalhan Wing produced the first Mt Veeder wine, which he entered into the Napa County Fair in 1864. He was also known for his carp, thousands of which he raised in man-made ponds amongst the vineyards.

BK Cellars

BK Cellars logo

BK Cellars is a unique urban winery in Escondido. Here you can enjoy aiir conditioned, crystal chandelier tasing lounge. Enjoy the wide selection and flights of 5 or 6 of their wines. Feel free to bring along a few snacks to enjoyr with your tasting.

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