Wine tasting has quickly become one of my favorite ways to spend a day or weekend. While I have never been a big wine drinker, I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have purchased a bottle of wine, I love wine tasting. I always go into a tasting with an open mind because I truly don’t know what type of wine I like. After a few wine tastings, I quickly learned that I hate Chardonnay and love Sauvignon Blanc and that Rosé does not taste the way I want it to. Champagne is my all-time favorite so anything sparkling is always fabulous.
Now, the reason I have jumped on the wine tasting bandwagon and tell all my friends to go and spend the weekend in Los Olivos and Santa Ynez area is because you cannot beat the vibe. Just picture it, you are outside in gorgeous weather, either at a vineyard or a tasting room, you are feeling good, everyone is lovely and inevitably dressed in floral and you get to learn about wine!
Let me take you through my itinerary that made for a wonderful 3-day weekend. I also happened to have been proposed to in the gorgeous rolling hills, so be prepared for my heavily swayed views of the romanticism of our local wine country.
Day 1
First Wine Tasting Venue
Start your day around noon and pop into Stolpman Vineyards’ Los Olivos Patio for a tasting. You sit outside on their charming patio and sip the most delicious wines on a mixed flight. This was the one and only location we went to where I thoroughly enjoyed every single wine we tasted. The gentleman who helped us even gave us a few extra pours of wines not on the list when we asked him what his favorite wines were. The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable about the processes used to create the wine and about company practices. They only have a porta potty as a bathroom option which was a major downside. The atmosphere is very chilled and relaxed, you may even find dogs roaming around the patio. Nothing fancy here and since it isn’t on their actual vineyard, there isn’t much to look at but the charming street it is on and the variety of seating available make you feel as though you are at someone’s home, enjoying delicious wine with a dear friend.
Lunch
After a delicious first wine tasting, you will surely need some food. If you’re a lightweight like myself, you can just walk yourself across the street for the most delicious sandwiches at Panino. There are so many options to choose from and the vegetarian sandwich choices are ample. I can’t even begin to say how hard that is to find and just how unappealing most vegetarian/vegan options are, and this place did not disappoint. My fiancé, Levi, and I still talk about our sandwiches. We often joke about driving the 90 miles just to go and get one. Once you refuel and drink plenty of water, head on down the street to Roblar Winery.
As previously stated, we are lightweights, so we decided to walk the 1-mile journey to Roblar Winery. The walk was beautiful, passing the farmlands and we even popped into a lavender farm on the way.
Second Wine Tasting Venue
Roblar is a lovely winery, complete with a beautiful 40-acre vineyard, gorgeous interiors with a substantial fireplace and ironwork chandelier. Their outdoor seating options are inviting with a lively feeling of joy. Their bathrooms were very clean, which was an asset because it was surprisingly difficult to find a restroom in the area. The wines at Roblar were not my favorite because I do not like a chardonnay and the service was not very good. We ordered food that never came, and it took about 20 minutes between pours. I was told by regulars that that isn’t typical of this winery and that they have always had amazing service. I suspect they were understaffed when we went and that the poor woman helping everyone was swamped, so I don’t hold it against them. Roblar Winery is still worth the visit.
Day 2
Breakfast
Start your morning with a pastry or breakfast in Solvang. This little Danish town has plenty of delicious food offerings. You’ll want to fill your stomach with all the incredible baked goods that every bakery has to offer. My favorite is Mortensen’s Bakery, there hasn’t been anything I have tried that isn’t melt-in-your-mouth incredible.
First Wine Tasting Venue
Head out for your first tasting of the day, at Fess Parker.
This gorgeous winery has beautiful views of a sprawling lawn and grape vines. The atmosphere was calm and felt like the ease of a Sunday morning. They have two tasting options to choose from. The Standard Tasting Flight or their Single Vineyard List. We chose the standard flight which features a lot of white wines at the time of our tasting. The tasting menu was relatively short, no extra pours here! But that was a good thing because it was light, short and sweet and we were out the door to our next location within their 90-minute time limit.
Go refill with lunch, and honestly if you wind up back at Panino, I wouldn’t blame you. Most wineries do not offer food. Some places will have the occasional food truck on weekends but do not rely on them having anything for you. You can also bring snacks or food with you; most locations are accommodating to outside food. And be sure to ask for water at your tastings, most do not give water without you having to ask.
After this, go and get engaged. It is magical. That’s what happened to me! It was stunning. But let’s focus on you!
Second Wine Tasting Venue
Just down the road is Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyard. This is by far my favorite in terms of scenery. They offer several variations of tastings. In their courtyard they have a Reds Only Flight, Mixed Flight, and 2 other options in the Lounge & Terrace. We chose the mixed flight. They had several wines we loved, particularly a deliciously crisp sparkling white wine that left me tempted to buy several bottles. The service at this location was off on our first visit because our hostess had friends who were in town visiting and completely forgot about us for 45 minutes. But she came back with 3 extra wines for us to try and apologized for losing track of time. We didn’t mind, it was extra wine, and we got to take our time and enjoy ourselves outside on this beautiful property. But for those on a time crunch, I can see how this wouldn’t be ideal.
Dinner
For dinner, while it is a touch out of the way, I recommend Full of Life Flatbread. Nothing tastes better than an incredibly delicious flatbread after a day of wine. They offer vegan cheese and gluten free crusts upon request. Their mushroom and caramelized onion flatbread is a revelation. Everything is made from scratch and cooked in their massive hearth stone oven that is the focal center piece of the restaurant. Outdoor dining is also available on their patio. Their days and hours are limited so be sure to get a reservation to confirm they are open for dining.
Day 3
After breakfast, aka a chance to get more pastries, head straight to Sunstone Winery. Lawn games were temporarily suspended due to covid but once those are back you are in for a treat! This place has a vibe that says, “Stay, enjoy and have fun!” It is gorgeous with its large villa with stonework that makes you feel transported to Europe. The sprawling 52-acre landscape is picturesque and tranquil. The vineyard is 28 acres and is the oldest organically grown vineyard in Santa Barbara County. You are sure to have a wonderful time here and it is particularly great for larger groups.
If you must hit the road early to go back home, I’d say only do one wine tasting. You can go and enjoy shopping in Solvang or gambling at the Chumash Casino. If you’re heading south, spend the day in beautiful Santa Barbara. Enjoy the beach, the urban wine trail, a plethora of delicious restaurants or even their gorgeous Zoo.
Overview
I would recommend doing a max of 2 tastings in a day. Hours are very limited typically between 11am-5pm at most wineries and each take about 90 minutes. You’ll want time to relax and enjoy yourself and obviously, do not drink and drive! Take the time to eat, sober up and then go or call a ride service. You can always pop into the one of the many boutiques dotting the charming streets of Los Olivos.
Be warned, due to covid restrictions, most places have a time limit in which you can stay. We found most places were 90 minutes, but some places are laxer than others if they aren’t busy, so we stayed at some places for 2 hours. Every winery we visited also requires a reservation. When planning, make sure you know the winery’s specific visiting requirements.
On average, most tastings are anywhere from 4 to 6 wines and typically range from $20-$35. Keep in mind every wine tasting is essentially an advertisement for each winery’s wine club so be expected to try and be sold on that. I find most places do not push it and you don’t feel obligated to join or buy anything beyond your tasting. Enjoy responsibly and have a wonderful and safe time wine tasting! Cheers!
