A SHINING STAR IN CALIFORNIA'S WINE CONSTELLATION
A TOAST TO THE CENTRAL COAST
Pick a month, any month to tour wine country on the Central Coast. The weather doesn't change much all four seasons except for high heat in the summers where the Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfindel thrive. It's always a good time to set out and visit. Central coast wine country destinations continue to gain notoriety around the world, becoming one of the Golden State’s most popular tourism destinations with more visitors each year than San Diego, according to Visit California.
Two Nights in Santa Barbara
County
There are five wine trails in Santa Barbara County, home to over
170 wineries. I have often visited, the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail which takes you
out of the city and deep into wine country with exceptional tasting rooms.
Santa Barbara offers a full range of hotels and accommodations to
fit any travel lifestyle. You can venture
into small wine country inns such as the Fess
Parker Inn in Los Olivos or the Santa
Ynez Inn. The quaint towns of Santa Maria, Buellton, and Solvang can
be relaxing overnight stopovers with wine and craft beers native to the region
offered to those who are inclined to drink local.
Two Nights in San Luis Obispo County
Traveling north from San Luis Obispo over a mountain pass lies Paso Robles. Paso Robles was discovered as one of the great new wine regions of the world about 40 years ago with soil and climate that is ideal for growing vineyards. That’s not a secret to wine drinkers in California. Since the region is dominated by boutique wineries, you almost have to come here to taste some of the best wines.
Popular hotels such as Apple
Farm in SLO and La Quinta in
Paso Robles act as ambassadors for the region with complimentary wine tastings
for guests in the afternoons. For a true
wine country experience, Biddle Ranch
and Justin are among the wineries
that offer accommodations on their property.
Two Nights in Monterey County
The first time I visited the coast of Monterey County I could only describe it as Shangri-La. There are so many places of earthly paradise such as Carmel By-The-Sea, Pebble Beach and Big Sur. The northern most region of the Central Coast, Monterey County attracts visitors for everything from whale watching to golf. Many include trips to some of the 80 wineries in the region.
I chose to have a guided, educational tour, with Ag Venture Tours to learn how Monterey
County is known as “America’s Salad Bowl.” A large majority of the salad greens consumed in
the U.S. are grown within this region due to the leafy crops
which share the land with the vineyards.
Carmel Valley Road takes you to a village that is home to 20
tasting rooms. Cima Collina, Bernardus
and Talbott are but a few. Farm-to-table restaurants and art galleries enhance
the neighborhood. Carmel-By-The-Sea has luxury inns, art galleries and tasting rooms,
all within a short stroll of the coastline.
Venturing into the vineyards, Hahn
Estate provides a stunning view of the Santa Lucia Highlands as you enjoy a
glass of Pinot Noir or Chardonnay in their tasting room. Some of the most well-known wine producers
in California, such as J. Lohr got
their start in Monterey.
Just two hours from San Francisco, Monterey is growing in
popularity as a first-choice wine country destination for many Bay Area
residents.
90+ scores from wine critics are most common among the cast of
wineries along the central coast. The
tasting room fees range from free to $15.
The wines are not the most expensive from California just among the most
hard-to-find until you visit.
You can fly into Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria or Monterey to commercial airports. I often travel on Amtrak. Or pack up for a nice, long drive between LA or SF. Taste and tour for yourself through this prime offering of California's abundant bounty of wine.
CAPTIONS (from top): Santa Barbara County Vineyards; Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County; downtown Los Olivos; Edna Valley along the SLO Wine Trail; Chamisal on the SLO Wine Trail is renowned for their Pinot Noir; Pismo Beach has wine and waves; Halter Ranch Vineyards in Paso Robles; Hahn Estates vineyards in Monterey County; Bernardus Winery patio in Carmel Valley
Republished from Delta Sky, September 2015, The Wine Traveler