Discover Santa Ynez
Wine Country
This stunning wine region on the southern end of California’s Central Coast is by far one of the more unique and dynamic in the state.
We have all heard of Napa Valley and Sonoma, two of the most renowned wine regions in California and all of the United States. But, have you heard of the Santa Ynez Valley? If not, you should, and our guide is the perfect place to get you started on understanding the Santa Ynez Valley wine country and planning your next grape escape.
WHERE IS SANTA YNEZ?
Only 40 minutes from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, two hours north of Los Angeles and four-hours south of San Francisco, you’ll find the Santa Ynez Valley. What might be Hollywood’s closest wine region is the furthest thing like its star-studded neighbor.
BEST TIMES TO VISIT
The weather in this Central Coast wine region allows for year-round activities making it ideal for any season. The Santa Ynez Valley features more than 100 wineries, 50 unique accommodations for every price point, chef-driven cuisine, and festive events, all painted into atmospheric backdrops which colorfully mesh Old World, Old West, Victorian-era, and mid-century to modern Danish.
GETTING TO SANTA YNEZ
The most direct airport to reach the Santa Ynez Valley is Santa Barbara Municipal Airport. You can take an Uber, Lyft or taxi into the valley, but don't think they will be easy to access once there. Consider renting a car if you plan to explore on your own, or hire a private driver.
TOP GRAPE VARIETIES IN SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
White Wine Grapes
- Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Roussanne
RED Wine Grapes
- Pinot Noir
- Syrah
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
the towns of the santa ynez valley
The laid back, farming communities of the Santa Ynez Valley make up the largest of the six federally-sanctioned American Viticultural Areas AVAs within the Santa Barbara County AVA.
The Santa Maria Valley AVA is the second largest within the Santa Barbara County AVA. The other four AVAs are actually sub-AVAs of the Santa Ynez Valley – Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon.
Along with its six AVAs, the valley is also home to six distinct towns, each with its own lodging and restaurant scene, but all only 10-15 minutes from one another. Each town is worth spending time sipping in.
Ballard
One the smallest towns in the Santa Ynez Valley both in size and population, is home to the infamous Ballard Inn and award-winning restaurant, The Gathering Table. This little town offers visitors a quiet, retreat in wine country. (We got the scoop from Chef Budi Kazali on his Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. Get the recipe for your next food and wine pairing.)
Buellton
One of the larger, more active towns within the Santa Ynez Valley, Buellton offers visitors a variety of hotels, distilleries, outdoor activities and wineries.
Los Alamos
At the northern end of the Santa Ynez Valley you’ll find the quaint town of Los Alamos. It’s only seven blocks long yet filled with a world of Old West heritage. While you may feel a bit transported back in time with the historic buildings and scenery, this little town is quickly becoming a hip, culinary and wine tasting destination. With restaurants such as Bell’s French Bistro, Plenty on Bell, Pico Restaurant, and Bob’s Well Bread this little gem of a town is one worth exploring in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Los Olivos
This is a charming, picture-perfect country town that has done an amazing job melding its history with modern-day wine tasting rooms, art galleries and upscale shops.
Santa Ynez
The town of Santa Ynez is the largest in size in the Santa Ynez Valley. It does an excellent job in taking visitors back to the Old West with its period-style false-front building facades housing shops, saloons, feed stores and random horses hitched to posts.
Solvang
Founded in 1911, the community of Solvang has held true to its Danish-American heritage. Farm-style architecture and windmills of all sizes line the streets of the pedestrian friendly village. You can easily spend the day in Solvang exploring the boutiques, restaurants and of course tasting rooms. Solvang and all of its neighbors make for the perfect Los Angeles weekend getaway.
Happy Canyon
Happy Canyon earned its name during the years of Prohibition in the United States since it was one of the areas only moon-shine making sites.
Happy Canyon earned its name during the years of Prohibition in the United States since it was one of the areas only moon-shine making sites.
TERROIR
The movie, Sideways, may have put the Santa Ynez Valley on the map. But its terroir has its own sideways effect as it’s home to the West Coast’s only east-west transverse mountain range. Which means the winds go from east to west, making them direct conduits for winds that carry the cool air and fog from the Pacific Ocean.
The Santa Ynez Valley is home to the West Coast’s only east-west transverse mountain range. What does this mean?
The two mountain ranges that make up the wine regions in Santa Barbara County run east to west, unlike the rest of the state’s mountains that run north to south. In fact, this is the only stretch of land from Alaska to Cape Horn constituting an east-west traverse.
This unique feature means that the winds go from east to west, making them direct conduits for winds that carry the cool air and fog from the Pacific Ocean.
The winds are so strong they literally make trees twist and turn, creating uniquely shaped trunks that sometimes hug the ground.
These winds have also resulted in the Santa Ynez Valley becoming one of the coolest grape growing regions in California. During the summer, temperatures range from 70–80 °F (20–27 °C) during the day and drop to 50 °F (10 °C) in the evening.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes love this kind of weather… So do visitors seeking a reprieve from the hot, summer months. (Make sure to pack a light jacket even during the summer months!)
The further inland you get into the Santa Ynez Valley, the warmer the temperatures are, along with warmer grape varietals being produced. From west (the coldest) to east (the warmest): Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos and Happy Canyon. Learn more about each of the five towns in the Santa Ynez Valley.
WHERE TO SIP
Sipping is subjective so with 100+ Santa Ynez Valley wineries, you’re bound to sip well no matter where you go. Here are a few of our favorite wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley to sip – both for good wine and excellent tasting experiences. .
Dierberg Star Lane Vineyards
Brave & Maiden Estate
Gainey
Vineyard
Planning Your Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country Vacation
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY WINE TASTING ITINERARIES
WHERE TO STAY IN THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
WHERE TO EAT IN THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
With 100+ wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley there is soooo much to sip in. But getting to and from all the wineries requires driving. There are so many different forms of wine country transportation options that I actually put together a full guide to help you determine which one is best for your wine vacation.
As for the Santa Ynez Valley wine country transportation options UberWINE is available, it’s not reliable though. I tried, read my experience here. Maybe you’ll have better luck. If you want to make sure your day of wine tasting in Santa Ynez Valley is totally taken care of and want someone else to book your tastings
> Wine Country Cab & Wine Tours
> Solvang Taxi & Wine Tours
> Stagecoach Co.
> Should you hire a private driver, group tour, DIY or Uber?
BEYOND THE VINES
With more than 100 wineries, wine tasting is one of the top things to do in the Santa Ynez Valley, but you will miss out on a lot if you don’t go beyond the vines. The area is home to so many fun activities! If you’re in the area and looking for things to do in Santa Ynez Valley besides wine tasting, we’ve got some great picks for you.
There are plenty of trails ready for you to explore, but a hike up to the Nojoqui Falls is a must. Not only is it stunning but the story behind the falls is beautiful.
While wine tastings might be one of the big things to do in Santa Ynez Valley, tasting olive oil isn’t too far behind. Global Gardens offers an amazing olive oil tasting at its wine country Farm Stand.
EAT! There are so many amazing local restaurants you can eat your way through you may consider extending your trip…and your belt. We have a few favorites here.
Sip in More of the Santa Ynez Valley
Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer, wine judge, American Wine Specialist and certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET II). At Carpe Travel she shares wine travel destination guides for ALL WINE LOVERS – from novices to experienced pros – to help them plan their wine adventures, arming them with insider tips, must-visit spots, and things to see and do beyond the vines.