Santa Ynez Wine Country
Demetria Estate Winery, Santa Ynez
“Only someone who really takes the time to understand Pinot’s potential can then coax it into its fullest expression” (Miles on Wine) - Remember the movie Sideways? Miles and Jack’s week-long bachelor party in Santa Ynez Valley? They took us around the Santa Ynez and Los Olivos area, with stops in Buellton’s Hitching Post II, Fess Parker’s tasting room, a lot of talk about Pinot Noir, all while in the midst of lots of drama. A simple story line to follow with deep complexities to think about.
My weekend trips to the Santa Ynez Valley are always just as epic, not because of drama, but because I always seem to discover one more thing to love about the area. The food and the wine are amazing, the scenery takes my breath away, and the way all these elements come together are just enough for a magical weekend no matter how often and how “simple” the weekend plans may be.
Santa Ynez Valley, located in Santa Barbara County, California, sits between the Santa Ynez and the San Rafael Mountains. With a population of approximately 20,000 residents, the valley includes Solvang, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, Buellton, and the Ballard communities. While the wine industry is one of the most important components of the valley’s economy, the area is also home to other types of farming, equestrian activity, lavender farms, and much tourism.
We always visit Solvang, a town known for its Danish-style architecture, tasting rooms, Danish bakeries and chocolate shops. There are Christmas shops that open all-year round, and a main street that is perfect for strolling along. The town has a population of 5,644 people,
One of our favorite hotels in Solvang is The Landsby, a boutique hotel with stunning contemporary boho chic decor, with a hint of Scandinavia. It showcases 51 guest rooms, and a charming outdoor area with modern furnishings where you can enjoy happy hour and wine tastings.
There are plenty of breakfast places to choose from. Last time we were there we landed on Brekkies, a cute breakfast and brunch cafe owned by a long-time resident of the Santa Ynez Valley. The cafe offers a range of American and Mexican breakfast and brunch dishes, with an indoor and outdoor space located along the main street in Solvang. The owner of Brekkies also owns Mortensen’s Danish Bakery nestled down the street on Mission Drive, a “must” stop for authentic, decadent Danish pastries!
Dinner spots are plenty, and we have a couple that we usually visit during a weekend stay. One of them is the Hitching Post II (https://hitchingpost2.com/) in Buellton (besides being featured in Sideways, it really does live up to its reputation). If you stumble upon it, make sure you try the grilled artichoke served with a spicy smoked tomato mayo sauce (their most popular appetizer for a good reason!). If you are in the mood for Italian, you should head over to Trattoria Grappolo (https://www.trattoriagrappolo.com/) in Santa Ynez. They offer an amazing repertoire of pasta dishes, including some of my favorites such as a bolognese pasta and a cioppino to die for! Of course, the night is not complete without ordering the tiramisu, pannacotta, or a gelato. If you are having a big event (I believe no less than 20 people in your party), Trattoria Grappolo offers a private dining room with its own fixed menus, and your tables sit amidst a generous wine cellar. Luckily for us, we were able to enjoy it as we were celebrating a friend’s birthday party over the weekend.
The rolling hills and vineyards are part of what makes Santa Ynez Valley a magical place. The best way to enjoy it is to go on a cycling tour, albeit not always an easy one depending on what route you take. We decided to make our own tour on our mountain bikes starting early in the morning, before breakfast, in time to enjoy the early morning mist and fog that seeps through the vines. There is a cycling route website you can search for different cycling tours in the valley, depending on difficulty and locations you’d like to visit. We opted for a very hilly ride so we could get into the heart of the vineyards, although it was a rather shorter one than most of the tours (https://www.bikemap.net/en/l/5397059/).
There are so many amazing wineries in this valley, however, the winery chat goes well beyond the scope of our weekend trip in Santa Ynez. I guess this means I will need to go back soon and do a deeper research on each and every single winery we visit … stay tuned!
