Article Archive

I recently returned from a trip to one of my favorite wine regions, the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County.

 

I’d been invited down to do a signing for my new book, New Classic Winemakers of California: Conversations with Steve Heimoff, at the Santa Ynez Inn, a bed-and-breakfast in Santa Ynez town, where I stayed for the night.

 

The two-story inn, with its gables and brick chimneys, resembles an old Victorian mansion, but is of recent construction. The owners have spared no expense in luxury appointments, from the antique furniture and Frette linens to the gourmet breakfast and the gas fireplace that warmed up my suite on a cold December night. 

 

Santa Ynez town is one of the valley’s population hubs, the others being Los Olivos, a charming little village of antique shops, galleries and winetasting venues; and Solvang, a bustling, trafficky faux-Danish town that’s a garish combination of Copenhagen and Disneyland. The three towns form a triangle within the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley wine country, surrounded by hills that peak in the mile-high San Gabrial Mountains, to the east.

 

Long the getaway for the horsey Hollywood set (Ronald Reagan’s ranch was here, and so is Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch), the Santa Ynez Valley has acquired a new identity as Southern California’s best wine country. Some of my favorite local wineries are Gainey, Brander, Foxen, Zaca Mesa and Fess Parker. They’ve proven themselves with brilliant Syrahs, Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs and other wines. The only major California variety that has yet to succeed in Santa Ynez Valley is Cabernet Sauvignon. Check out the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association’s website, at www.sbcountywines.com.

 

The valley is beautiful year round, and any season can conjure up postcard-perfect views of pastoral vineyards, rolling hills, gnarled old California oaks, grazing horses and distant mountains. In addition to winetasting, outdoor recreation abounds. Go to the Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association website, at www.syvva.com, and click on the “activities” link. And don’t forget the camera!

 

The day after my book signing, I drove another 90 minutes south to the old Ventura County town of Ojai, about 25 miles inland from the coast. It achieved fame for being the home of the Indian spiritual leader, Yogananda, but these days it’s booming in housing developments and tourism. Ojai Avenue has traffic the Yogi probably never dreamed of. My purpose was to taste the wines of Ojai Vineyard. Well known to insiders, it was founded by Adam Tolmach, one of the pioneers of Santa Barbara winemaking and a co-founder (with Jim Clendenen) of the famous Au Bon Climate winery, or “ABC” to its admirers.

 

Ojai’s wines range from luscious Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays to dense, full-bodied Syrahs and cherry-flavored Grenaches. The winery is not open to the public, but you can find the wines locally in restaurants and wine shops. Highly recommended: Ojai 2005 Fe Ciega Vineyard Pinot Noir, which lists for $56.

 

In Ojai, I stayed at a new inn, Su Nido. Resembling a Mission-style hacienda, it’s a cluster of small, detached cottages surrounding a central plaza with a bubbling fountain, just two blocks from Ojai Avenue, with its antique shops and art galleries. Don’t miss Primavera Gallery, whose art glass and woodworks are museum quality.

 

A visit to this romantic part of Southern California is off the beaten path, and the Santa Ynez Valley in particular makes for a great multi-day vacation. Some of the better restaurants in the valley include Grappolo (a winemaker’s favorite), the Ballard Inn Restaurant, and the Hitching Post, in Buellton, which was already famous long before the movie “Sideways” made it even more so. In Santa Ynez town, check out the Maverick Saloon, where millionaires mingle with cowboys and line-dance to live country music.

 

If you have extra time, the city of Santa Barbara, with its beaches and Southern California glamour, is about one hour south of the Santa Ynez Valley.

 

Steve Heimoff is the West Coast Editor of Wine Enthusiast Magazine and has written numerous articles on the wine industry. He is the author of New Classic Winemakers of California: Conversations with Steve Heimoff and A Wine Journey along the Russian River. Heimoff lives in Oakland, California.