Santa Ynez Valley Wine Tasting

In July, I was in Santa Barbara for Fiesta and some wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley. I’d been to several wineries in the Valley on previous trips, but that was before I had developed a sincere interest in delving into the nitty-gritty of all things wine. Like most things in life, I believe the more you know about wine, the easier it is to appreciate wine.  Tasting notes that are anything but informative, sipping and spitting wine into a bucket, sniffing the glass, these things help you appreciate wine more but only if you know the why. The more you immerse yourself in wine and practice these tasting techniques, the easier it becomes. Suddenly, you get it. At least, that is how it is for me.  I’m in no hurry. I only wish I lived a bit closer to a viticulture region.

Santa Barbara Wine Country

Santa Ynez Valley is a beautiful area (huge compared to Napa Valley); a patchwork of green vineyards, golden grasses, and oak-covered mountains. There’s a strong history of cattle ranching and horses, lending it a very western vibe. Though you’re only thirty minutes to an hour away from sophisticated Santa Barbara, it feels very remote. An agricultural area, it definitely is not short on delicious cuisine and chic boutiques. And of course tasting rooms, each reflecting the personality of the owner.

I’ll be writing more about the wineries and tasting rooms I visited in Santa Barbara County in some upcoming articles both here and on other sites I write for. If you’d like to read articles I write for other websites, check my writing page. I update it as new content is published.

Where is your favorite tasting room?

Related posts:

The Tasting Rooms Of The Urban Wine Trail, Santa Barbara, California Postcard: Old Spanish Days, Santa Barbara How Wine Travel Led To My WSET Education