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The Santa Barbara County consists of three American Viticultural Areas (AVAs): The Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Rita Hills appellations. Our current “Taste of Santa Barbara” packages encompass two of the AVAs – Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Rita Hills. Our wineries have been hand selected in order to provide an overview of each region and AVA that is representative of the various wines produced in each. You will learn not only about the region you are visiting, but also about the main AVA and its unique viticulture. We work exclusively with smaller, boutique wineries whose distribution is limited so you are truly experiencing a taste of Santa Barbara that most outside of our area will not have. These tours are focused more on a detailed, educational wine experience rather than an overview. While anyone can enjoy and benefit from these tours, it is recommended that you have some experience in wine tasting and a thirst for knowledge! And since we realize that tasters cannot survive on wine alone, we serve a gourmet wine country picnic lunch at one of our winery stops while enjoying the gorgeous surroundings and beautiful weather. Tours are available Monday through Friday and are offered on a limited, reservation only basis. Cost per person is $145.00 and this includes everything except a gratuity for your guide. Private tours are also available for any of the packages. Call or e-mail for pricing. Santa Ynez Valley Tour (Upper Valley) The Santa Ynez Valley represents the largest number of wineries in Santa Barbara County. With a unique east-west facing valley and two very distinct temperature zones, from the costal region inland, this AVA turns out a number of varietals – Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Merlot – as well as Rhone and Italian grape varietals which have been gaining popularity. The wineries in this region are typically smaller, more boutique operations – many still family-owned. Depending on the season, winemakers are often on site and will give the group some insight into their current releases and schedules. The wineries that we will visit during this tour include
Sunstone Winery
Foxen Canyon Tour This unique “micro-climate” has an average temperature that is a bit warmer than most of the Santa Ynez Valley. Our wineries in this area focus more on the Rhone varietals and Bordeaux due to the warmer climate and less marine influence. Some of the wines produced out of this area include Syrah, Viognier, Roiussanne, Mourvedre and blends with similarities to Cotes du Rhone. The wineries included in this tour focus mainly on the Rhone varietals with some other surprising offerings mixed in. During this tour, we will visit the following wineries:
Zaca Mesa Winery
Santa Rita Hills Tour The Santa Rita Hills AVA is fast becoming California’s premier Pinot Noir growing area. Estate wineries and vineyards in this area treat their Pinot Noir vines like royalty and the grapes like jewels with a per ton price ranging from $5,000-$6,000 when the average for the rest of the county is $900.00-$2,000 per ton for most other varietals. This area is a must for any Pinot fans as well as wine aficionados! The wineries selected for this tour focus on Pinot Noir but are also noted for their other award-winning offerings.
Alma Rosa Winery
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