Taste Your Way Through The Santa Ynez Valley
By Zachary Rosen
Photo by Matt Dayka
Although the movie Sideways brought international attention to the Santa Ynez Valley wineries in the early 2000s, this area had been producing world-class wines long before then. The various cities and roads connecting the Santa Ynez Valley has 100-plus wineries, and with plenty of hotels and fine dining around the region, this area makes for the ultimate
SOLVANG/BALLARD
wine vacation — particularly during the harvest season. There are plenty of tours in the valley that provide a safe way to navigate the numerous locations and taste some of the finest wines in the Santa Ynez Valley. Take a visit to the Santa Ynez Valley this fall and learn about the grape harvest while giving one of these wineries a try.
produces several experimental wines including Hop On, a dry-hopped white wine. Close to Buttonwood is the popular Danish-themed town of Solvang with a wide variety of wine tasting rooms to visit. Located right downtown on Mission Drive,
Photo by Zachary Rosen
The Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard is one of the oldest in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Just outside the town of Ballard, Buttonwood is one of the oldest wineries in the valley. Their main vineyard sits in the hills surrounding their picturesque garden and tasting room. Each of the elegant wines have artistic labels and are produced by Karen Steinwachs, one of the region’s long-established winemakers. Karen is someone who has been through a multitude of harvests over her extensive career. She comments, “Last year we ended up picking about 120 tons of fruit and I think we are about the same or a little bit smaller this year. We had a really cool spring and that kind of delayed everything.” While this year’s harvest will not be ready this fall, visitors can still taste her skilled handling of the vineyards at the tasting room. Along with more classic examples of the region, Karen 100
Fall 2021
Photo by Casa Cassara Winery & Vineyard
The town of Solvang has many tasting rooms to try including Casa Cassara in the heart of Mission Drive.
Casa Cassara was first opened by Dan Cassara and wife Bridget ten years ago. The tasting room has a cozy mood with 15 different wines to choose from, and a family collection of wines soon to be released. While in Solvang, also visit the
Photo by Sanger Family of Wines
Tre Anelli, Marianello, and Consilience from the Sanger Family of Wines.
Sanger Family of Wines: Consilience, Tre Anelli, Marianello. Owners Bill and Jan Sanger bring their blend of European influences and modern tastes in these different labels, melding old-world wines with the distinct California Central Coast flare.
LOS OLIVOS
Across the entire Santa Ynez Valley, Los Olivos is the epicenter of tasting rooms with several dozen wineries crossing the streets of Grand and Alamo Pintado Ave. With plenty of splendid restaurants and boutique spots, like the expressive winery Artiste, and larger vineyard tasting rooms such as Carhartt Vineyard, it is hard to try everything in one visit! Taking its name from the French red poppy flower, Coquelicot Estate Vineyards has a minimalist approach to their CCOF Certified Organic wines. Mike Roth, a renowned viticulturist and Coquelicot Estate’s winemaker, has
Photo by Massimo Barbieri
Barbieri is one of the many tasting rooms located in downtown Los Olivos. california101guide.com
