While Santa Barbara is known the world over for its Spanish Colonial architecture, historical monuments, picturesque scenery, and temperate weather year-round, make no mistake that this coastal California darling is a worthy destination for wine enthusiasts, too.
Santa Barbara Wine Country is unique in that it is situated between transverse mountain ranges, allowing for cooling ocean influences to funnel inland and create idyllic growing conditions for a wide variety of grapes. In fact, throughout its 20,000 acres of vineyards, there are over 65 different varietals planted. While Santa Barbara has established a reputation for world-class Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah, you’ll also find deeply-nuanced Bordeaux varietals, elegant Rhône-style wines, and even Spanish and Italian varietals.
With over 280 wineries throughout the region, we realize that planning a day or two of wine tasting is no easy feat. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best Santa Barbara wineries to visit. Whether you’re jonesing for a taste of Chardonnay with a view or are looking for an excursion through the vines, we’ve done all the leg work so that all you need to do is show up, sip, and enjoy! That said, definitely don’t feel limited to this list, as Santa Barbara County has a number of exceptional wineries worth exploring.