WINERIES
We carefully curate every tour from a selection of our premier partner wineries and tasting rooms spanning several regional AVAs. Each venue will offer you a unique perspective of our world-renowned wine country.
Whether it’s beautiful outdoor patios set amidst the vineyards, passionate wine educators who love to share their knowledge with guests, or a world of award-winning varietals, Santa Barbara Wine Country has something for every palate!
SANTA BARBARA WINE COUNTRY AVAs
Image courtesy of SBCountyWines.com
OUR COLLECTION OF WINERY PARTNERS INCLUDES:
(Custom winery options are only available on customized, private tours. A $25 service fee will be added to the tour price if you request a non-partner winery, limit 1 per tour.)
Alma Rosa Estate
Set among rolling hills and ancient oaks in the Sta. Rita Hills, Alma Rosa’s 628-acre estate offers an intimate look at one of Santa Barbara County’s renowned cool-climate wine regions. Founded by pioneering vintner Richard Sanford, Alma Rosa is especially known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and its commitment to thoughtful, sustainable winegrowing.
Andrew Murray Vineyards*
If you ask locals their favorite red in the valley, be prepared to hear Andrew Murray as a common response. A beautiful tasting room, complemented by lovely outdoor seating (and even games and activities for kids) make Andrew Murray a delightful stop in your tasting experience. Delicious chocolates and cheese plates are available to pair with your tasting.
*Monday-Thursday only.
Babcock Winery & Vineyards
Over 30 years of perfecting winemaking in the Sta. Rita Hills has resulted in Babcock Winery as it stands today — an uncanny mix of color, sound, vintage, midcentury modern, world-class wine, and soul; there is nothing else quite like it.
Beckmen Vineyards
Crafting wine that leaves an impression since 1994. The focus of Beckmen’s winemaking team is to draw out the distinct qualities expressed by each grape variety, and the unique character of their two vineyards, as they guide the grapes from vineyard to bottle.
Enjoy a 6-flight tasting on their outdoor covered deck, overlooking a pond and estate vineyard.
Brave & Maidan Estate (Private tours only)*
Brave & Maiden combines sweeping vineyard and mountain views with a beautifully designed estate in the heart of Santa Ynez Valley. Their sustainably farmed, estate-grown wines include Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, and a particular focus on Cabernet Sauvignon, all presented through an intimate and highly personalized tasting experience.
*Additional fees apply.
The Brander Vineyard
Step inside a mini-castle and taste wine fit for royalty. The Brander Vineyard was established in 1975, making it the oldest family-operated estate winery in Santa Barbara County. Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, varieties for which Fred Brander served as a pioneer in planting, flourish in this area.
Demetria Winery (Private tours only)*
Ranging from 1,100 ft. to 1,450 ft. above sea level, Demetria’s vineyard is one of the highest in the appellation, allowing for incredible wines and views. Demetria is also one of the first vineyards in Santa Barbara County to be farmed biodynamically. Named after their daughter Demetria, and the Greek goddess of harvest Demeter, John and wife Sandra purchased the estate in 2005. They are well known for their Rhone and Burgundy-style wines, excellent service, and idyllic setting in the hills of Foxen Canyon.
*Additional fees apply.
Dragonette (Tasting Room)
Dedicated to careful, patient, minimalist winemaking — Dragonette Cellars is a family-owned winery in the Central Coast of California making exceptional Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Syrah.
Epiphany Cellars (Tasting Room)
Crafting interesting wines of exquisite quality is the sole reason for the label’s existence. Epiphany’s lineup features a selection of Rhône-based wines sourced primarily from Rodney’s vineyard on the family’s Home Ranch. Located in the heart of Los Olivos and has a gracious garden area that is ideal for a seated wine tasting experience.
Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard (Private tours only)*
Established in 1988, Fess Parker Winery is situated among a 110-acre estate vineyard featuring a lovely terrace and grounds.
*Additional fees apply.
Firestone Vineyard
Founded in 1972, Firestone was the first major estate winery established in the Santa Ynez Valley. The property’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean, a mere 26 miles to the west, creates a climate that is arid, sunny, and mild. The key to the winery’s success is the 400 acres of estate vineyards. Planted to a mix of Bordeaux, Rhone, and Burgundian varieties, these vines provide Firestone’s winemaking team with the fruit they need to create an incredible array of wines.
Folded Hills (Private tours only)*
Tucked behind the coastal mountains of Santa Barbara County, they are the closest winery to the ocean. Their new location is the original dwelling of a simple homesteader who settled here in 1898. They craft beautiful wines with a focus on purity. Keeping this in mind, their farming and cellar work are all organic. You can also meet and feed the animals, including KuneKune pigs, miniature donkeys, goats, and their miniature Jersey cow.
*Additional fees may apply. Maximum of 4 guests.
Four Brothers Wine Co. (Tasting Room)
Run by, as their name implies, four brothers, this boutique, family-owned business brings you the highest quality wines sourced from the most in-demand vineyards the Central Coast has to offer.
Gainey Winery
Now on their fourth generation of winemakers, family tradition is a staple of Gainey’s farming and winemaking. They employ sustainable practices and grow wine in two ranches in the Santa Ynez Valley and Sta. Rita Hills.
Grassini Family Vineyards (Private tours only)*
Located in the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA, Grassini Family Vineyards is a family-owned estate specializing in Bordeaux varieties, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Guests can enjoy an intimate tasting surrounded by the beautiful Santa Ynez countryside, with views overlooking the estate vineyard and pond.
*Additional fees apply.
Kalyra Winery
Take an Australian-born winemaker, give him twenty years making wine in California and Australia… then add some of the best grapes from California; Australian style winemaking techniques and what do you get? An outstanding portfolio of wines from Santa Barbara County and California.
(P.S. They have some amazing award-winning dessert wines!)
Koehler Winery
This family-operated winery is celebrated as one of the most popular stops on the renowned Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. Their 48-year-old estate vines have been nurtured by vineyard manager Felipe Hernandez since day one. Felipe is himself a bit of a legend in this storied region, starting out as a field worker and maturing into one of the most skilled and knowledgeable vineyard managers on the Central Coast.
Just steps from the tasting room are a gathering of rustic picnic benches, shaded by an awning of pepper trees. Guests may also relax and picnic at the harvest tables shaded under a canopy of 140-year-old olive trees that are surrounded by a year-round display of blooming wildflowers. Emus are a popular added bonus during visits to Koehler!
Lincourt Vineyards
Surrounded by California pepper trees and overlooking the Alamo Pintado Vineyard near Solvang, Lincourt retains the rural charm and simplicity of an earlier era. They produce hand-crafted, small-lot wines aged from grapes grown on three vineyards and aged in French oak barrels
Peake Ranch Winery
Located on the eastern end of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, Peake Ranch is a 105-acre parcel with 50 acres of vines. The plantings include seven different clones of Pinot Noir, three clones of Chardonnay, and two each of Syrah and Grenache. Peake Ranch believes that by working in concert with nature, exceptional wines can be achieved.
Pence Vineyards & Winery (Private tours only)*
Nestled on a 200-acre working ranch in the Sta. Rita Hills, Pence Vineyards combines the peaceful beauty of the Santa Barbara countryside with a Burgundian-inspired approach to winegrowing. Their estate vineyard specializes in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Gamay, with guided tasting experiences highlighting the vineyard’s distinctive soils, farming, and terroir.
*Additional fees apply.
Refugio Ranch Estate (Private tours only)*
Tucked against the Santa Ynez Mountains, Refugio Ranch is a 415-acre former cattle ranch offering a secluded and distinctly Santa Ynez Valley setting. The family-owned estate focuses primarily on Rhône varieties alongside Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Sirah, with just 28 acres planted to vineyard and much of the property preserved in its natural, rugged landscape.
*Additional fees apply. Maximum of 8 guests.
Refugio Ranch Vineyards (Tasting Room)
Soak in the rustic beauty and history of Santa Ynez at this lovely tasting room built in 1912. Featuring two tasting bars, a VIP lounge, and an expansive outdoor deck, this is one of the largest tasting locations in Los Olivos.
Rideau Vineyard*
Family-owned and operated for over 20 years, Rideau specializes in small production Rhone wines, enjoyed on their beautiful grounds in the Santa Ynez Valley.
*Monday-Thursday only.
Roblar Winery
Nestled in an oak tree-studded 40-acre vineyard and located in the heart of Santa Barbara County, Roblar Winery & Vineyards reflects the spirit of Santa Ynez Valley — rustic, authentic, and bold. Their philosophy is to foster a unique visitor experience of bringing together great wine, great food, and great friends. They encourage guests to explore the estate — from their stunning 5,000 sq. ft. tasting room complete with an indoor-outdoor stone fireplace to the trellis-covered patio looking out over our expansive gardens.
Saarloos & Sons (Tasting Room)
Saarloos & Sons is a labor of love four generations in the making. All of their wines are under 400 cases in total production and some are as rare as 40 cases. Once a release is sold out it is gone forever. We visit their tasting room often for wine and cupcake pairings on our Wine & Cupcake Tour.
Story of Soil (Tasting Room)
Dedicated to making small-production wines crafted with intention, Story of Soil is a tasting room located in Los Olivos with authentic and passionate winemakers. There’s a story behind every bottle.
Sunstone Winery
Sunstone Vineyards, Winery, and Villa is an organic vineyard retreat. Guests enjoy tasting in their Provençal French courtyards, stone barrel-aging caves, and picnic grounds.
Tomi Cellars (Tasting Room)
Tomi Cellars produces handcrafted wines using premium fruit sourced from vineyards throughout California’s Central Coast. Combining time-honored winemaking methods with modern wine science, their focus is on small-production wines that showcase the character of the vineyards they come from, served in a welcoming tasting room with a strong sense of community.
Vega Vineyard & Farm
Established in 1853. With a concentration on their estate vineyard, Vega has sought to produce wines that are “a window to a place.” Each one of their wines is different in expression, with its own subtle, yet distinctive character and voice.
Vincent Vineyards
Vincent Vineyards is known for its wonderful indoor and outdoor seating, friendly service, and incredible wine. When you sit outside you are at eye level with the vines and feel completely immersed in the wine-tasting experience. Vincent was established in 2005 and the owner has a multitude of worldly experiences and connections on the walls of the winery. It feels as though you are walking through a museum with a glass of wine in your hand!
Their award-winning collection of wines is made using old-world techniques and distributed both nationally and internationally.
