I am familiar with Fiddlehead and Stolpman, but what other tasting rooms do you suggest, as we will be there two days, but my son is graduating, so time for wines is probably going to be limited.
This was a serendipitous turn of events; My friend reminded me that I better make reservations now, as SB hotels fill up. I went online and discovered there were no rooms for the dates we need in June except one resort at $450/night, and no, they wouldn’t even accept AAA. So, with a choice of going 40 miles north or south, I chose wine country north rather than dumpy Ventura. Looking forward to it.
Thank you for the input. I would love to visit so many wineries in Santa Barbara and the surrounding areas. So, I appreciate the recs as I am, like King Solomon, going to have to cut the baby in half, or rather a lot more than half. Hubby and my graduating son are not as enthusiastic about wine as I am, although they are happy to drink anything I choose, and my younger son is 18 and likely wouldn’t be able to taste at the wineries. Too bad, as he has an excellent nose and palate as well as a prodigious memory to catalog information, and I wonder if mine is deteriorating with age The US has such ignorant laws, and don’t even get me started on how we can’t get foie gras in CA restaurants due to PETA and friends. When I was in Israel, we sent the 6 year old to the corner store to buy more beer for the barbecue. They didn’t have decent wine back then.
As it turned out, I did find a 2 star hotel in SB for $269/night (not including outrageous taxes) and dh okayed it rather than staying in Solvang, Buellton, or Lompoc for roughly half the cost. I was so ticked, I almost got a spot in a really nice Carpenteria Inn for $220/night, but as I was processing it on Expedia, someone else must have clicked, “send,” before me, and it dumped me and that was the last available reservation at this 4-star place that offered a daily happy hour with gourmet appetizers and local wine, as well as it was a lovely, highly praised on Yelp place. Oh well.
Taste of Santa Rita Hills is also in the Wine Ghetto, I can’t remember the Italian gentleman’s name that runs it but he is very accommodating and pours some good wines, usually with some charcuterie.
Another one to try to visit on 246 on the way in (or out) is Clos Pepe, need appt.
In Santa Barbara — see if you can book a room at the White Jasmine Inn. It is a really nice B&B.
We have also gotten an occasional deal at the Kimpton Canary in SB.
As for wineries - the lists above can keep you busy. One addition would be Close Pepe - Wes Hagen offers a fun tasting. I wouldn’t miss Arcadian in the Ghetto.
Just visited this new tasting room in Orcutt, just off the 101 heading into Santa Maria Valley - http://www.presquilewine.com/About-Us/Our-Vineyards. Incredible setting on top of the hill, world class contemporary architecture and really solid wines. Pinots, chards and the best sauvignon blanc I have had in years and I really don’t care for the varietal. These guys are serious and this is a venture that will be making waves.
Nice place to take the ones in your family that are not into the wine thing as well, really a cool place.
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The US has such ignorant laws, and don’t even get me started on how we can’t get foie gras in CA restaurants due to PETA and friends. When I was in Israel, we sent the 6 year old to the corner store to buy more beer for the barbecue. They didn’t have decent wine back then.