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. In light of COVID-19, click here to check out which wineries are currently open. At this time, wineries are only permitted to host tastings outdoors.
Santa Barbara Wine Country is unique in that it is situated between transverse mountain ranges which allows for cooling ocean influences to funnel inland, resulting in idyllic growing conditions for a wide variety of grapes. In fact, throughout its 16,000 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 Bordeauxs, elegant Rhône-style wines, and even Spanish and Italian varietals.
With over 200 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 hip, urban tasting room or 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!