A California grape-hopping road trip can unveil many unexpected moments. Explore the Golden State’s unique wine tasting experiences one sip at a time.
Santa Barbara’s World of Pinot Noir
The 3-day World of Pinot Noir is a wine-fueled weekend held February at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara celebrating delicious and storied wine. Attendees include wine aficionados, sommeliers, winemakers and those who just love a culinary explosion of vino and bites.
A Thursday evening Opening Night Party kicks off live music and endless stations of West Coast Pinot, with surprising finds from other U.S. regions. Guests can participate in a White Burgundy Seminar, Global Blind Taste Challenge or specialty winemaker lunches and dinners that showcase the beloved grape. On Friday and Saturday, a VIP Grand Tasting brings wine lovers to the beautiful grounds all afternoon.
The venue’s Bubble Lounge welcomes guests with an array of fine sparkling wines and caviar. Bacara’s exciting food stations abound, including a make-your-own cannoli, create-your-own poke bowl and dazzle-your-own rum-glazed donut with ice cream and toppings. Central Coast Creamery cheeses, wood-fired pizzas, seafood and handmade pasta are available to pair with wine too. One thing is certain, California produces exceptional Pinot Noir, ranging from lean, Burgundian-styles to richer, fruit-forward varieties.
Final Girl Wines, Solvang’s Slasher Tasting Room
Could you ever dream up a spooky wine tasting room, where bottles showcase film scenes of girls who survived slasher movies? Where ghoulish artifacts abound and moving glowing faces pop from the fireplace as bold expressive wines, from Sauvignon Blanc to an orange “Skin Contact” white blend, are poured. Surely a Goth-like educational vino experience to remember!
Brecon Estate’s Chic Paso Robles Property
More than 40 grape varieties ripen to perfection in the Adelaide sub district of Paso, where the Brecon Estate is named after a national park in South Wales, and where the couple who began the boutique winery met, exploring their love of caves. Here, in this land of warm days and cool nights in the rolling westside hills, absorb the tranquil setting on the patio of this stylish modern architecturally stunning property, with a tasting flight of the oldest Cabernet vines on the Central Coast. Brecon Estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are recognized as part of the Historic Vineyard Society. The 2022 Budgie Smuggler, a four-red blend with just 374 cases produced, was especially tantalizing for our taste buds.
Napa Valley’s Vine Trail Bike Path Starting in Calistoga
From Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort and Mineral Springs, complimentary bikes make it easy to peruse the town of Calistoga. Journey down the street from the hotel, along the Vine Trail bike path, to be captivated by the heart of wine country. Just a short spin ahead, arrive at Sterling Vineyards, where a gondola ride brings guests to wine taste around the white stucco wannabe Mykonos structure with a view 300 feet above the town and panoramic views of Napa Valley.
Chateau Montelena, Where the Wine Put Napa on the Map
Carved into the hillside, spiral up to this 100+ year old French chateau dripping in ivy and flanked by Chinese gardens, a Jade Lake and “Parking for Irish Only,” as these elements tell the unique history of three different owners during the past century. This vineyard put Napa on the map during a blind wine tasting in 1973. Known for crafting age-worthy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, this vineyard invites guests to learn the stories behind each vintage with a wine tasting at this “Judgment of Paris” white wine winner.
A Bacon and Wine Pairing at Priest Ranch in Yountville
In the idyllic culinary town of Yountville in Napa Valley, determine your favorite red varietals at Priest Ranch’s Bacon and Wine Pairing, with four reds from their 1,700-acre estate, 20 minutes away. Here, the fats soften the tannins, enhancing the wine. Discover your favorite pairing like the 2022 Priest Ranch Cab with Pear Mostarda Bacon.
Anderson Valley’s Disco Ranch and Laidback Tasting Rooms
This relaxed wine paradise produces the best small production wines, most notably Pinot Noirs and traditional method sparkling wines. Spiral through the Anderson Valley, where time stands still, in a good way. Visit bucolic Goldeneye, where female winemaker Katey Larwood showcases a reserve tasting of Pinots and Gewurztraminer.
Be surprised at Brashley Vineyards tasting room, with an amazing dry Riesling (with Finger Lakes grapes) and a mindblowing White Pinot Noir, thanks to winemaker Ashley Holland. She also produces incredible wines under her own Read Holland brand, like the 2021 Deep End Pinot Noir and Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains), named Top 50 Wines in the U.S. by Decanter.
In the heart of this cool climate rural wine region, get to know more wines at the Disco Ranch, a rustic wine bar and specialty food market with a friendly patio. Female winemaker Shalini Sekhar showcased her Ottavino wines, luring us with her St. Laurent varietal from Los Carneros AVA.
Arrive for Anderson Valley’s White Wine Festival in February, Pinot Fest in May or harvest in the fall. Create your own wine tasting tour any time of year, as the charm of this redwood vineyard landscape in NorCal is part of the allure. This is California at its best! Sip wines like speed dating at Husch, Lussier and Foursight. Try a Gewurztraminer from Lula, rustic bubbles from Fathers and Daughters, Sauvignon Blanc from Topaz and White Riesling from Navarro.
Cheers to the good life, or as they say in Boonville, “Bahl Hornin!” or “Good Drinking!”
"Create your own wine tasting tour any time of year."
..."learn the stories behind each vintage."