Top Wineries on the Foxen Canyon Road Wine Trail

Our home base for this wine country getaway is the town of Los Olivos. Check the wine road map for details if you are starting from a different location. Head north from Los Olivos to Highway 154 and turn left. This leads to the Foxen Canyon Road. Continue on Foxen Canyon Road until you hit the stop sign. Turn right toward the Koehler Winery. At this junction, the Curtis Winery and Firestone Vineyards are to the left. This tour will lead back towards those wineries on your return.

Fess Parker Winery

Winery Descriptions, Driving directions, Tasting Rm Hrs, Contact Information

Koehler Winery
You will spot the Koehler Winery about a mile from the stop sign on Foxen Canyon Road. The Koehler entrance road is a beautiful drive. The road is lined with vineyards and majestic oak trees. The tasting room is small but very adequate. There is also a very attractive picnic area with a great view. All the wines here are estate grown except for the Pinot Noir. The 2001 Cabernet is delicious as is their Chardonnay.

Tasting Room Hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily
Phone: (805) 693-8384, email: info@koehlerwinery.com, Koehler Winery

Fess Parker Winery and Vineyard
Continue along Foxen Canyon Road a short distance to the Fess Parker Winery. Fess Parker made his fame and fortune as a TV actor playing the role of Davy Crockett in the late 50’s. Today, his winery and vineyard are making the fame and fortune. The winery, tasting room and grounds are the most lavish of any of the wineries in the Santa Barbara wine region. It is definitely one of the most attractive wineries you will find in California. The winery produces 75,000 cases of wine mostly from their estate vineyards located in three different growing areas of Santa Barbara Country. The Pinot Noirs are very delicious.

Tasting Room Hours: 11 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday, Sat. and Sun. 10 am to 5 pm
Phone: (800) 841-1104, email:info@fessparker.com, Fess Parker

Zaca Mesa Winery
Continue on Foxen Canyon Rd. to the Zaca Mesa Winery. This winery has a very spacious and modern tasting room. The winery concentrates on Rhone-style wines and produces excellent Syrah wines. The wines are all estate grown and Wines & Spirits Magazine named Zaca Mesa the 2004 Estate Winery of the Year. There is a cozy picnic area equipped with a life-sized chess game. There is also a short hiking trail that leads up from the parking area. Tours can be arranged by appointment. Zaca Mesa is located about 3 miles from Fess Parker.

Tasting Room Hours: 11 am – 4 pm daily
(805) 688-9339 ext. 308, email: info@zacamesa.com, Zaca Mesa

Foxen Vineyard
This boutique winery has some of the finest wines in the entire region. The Pinot Noir is their flagship wine, but the Chardonnay, Syrah and Cabernet Franc are also very good wines. Foxen is one of the few wineries in California that produces a Chenin Blance wine. Foxen used to be our vote for the most rustic winery but in August of 2009 they completed a new winery facility and tasting room. Foxen is located approximately nine miles from the Zaca Mesa Winery. Watch carefully.

Tasting Room Hours: 11 am – 4 pm daily
Phone: (805) 937-4251, email: info@foxenvineyard.com, Foxen Vineyards

Rancho Sisquoc Winery
The famous Flood Family of San Francisco are owners of this small winery which produces less than 10,000 cases a year. They make several varietals each in small amounts. The Pinot Noir sells out quickly. Other wines of note are the Malbec, and the Cabernet, both excellent and reasonably priced. This is also a rustic tasting room, but the grounds are spacious and tranquil. The winery is situated up a two-mile drive from Foxen Canyon Rd. so the grounds are peaceful and quiet. This is a good choice for a relaxing wine country picnic lunch. You will find the entrance to Rancho Sisquoc Winery about one mile past Foxen Winery.

Tasting Room Hours: 10 am – 4 pm daily
Phone: (805) 934-4332, email: sisquoc@ranchosisquoc.com, Rancho Sisquoc

At this point, you can head back toward Los Olivos and visit Curtis Winery and Firestone Vineyards.

Curtis Winery
The Curtis Winery is owned and operated by the Firestone family. The winery concentrates exclusively on Rhone varietal wines and has a separate winemaker from Firestone. Among the Rhone wines, the Curtis Winery is noted for its fine line of Syrah wines. The winery has a small modern tasting room with a comfortable picnic area located adjacent to it. The tasting fee is $6.00, and with your Curtis wine glass, Firestone will waive its tasting fee and vice versa. If you are touring with others, a few hearty ones in your party might try the 1.2-mile hiking trail from Curtis to Firestone. The hike is moderate and affords the hiker some beautiful vistas of vineyards and the surrounding mountains.

Tasting Room Hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily
Phone: (805) 686-8999, email: info@curtiswinery.com, Curtis Winery

Firestone Vineyards
The Firestone winery is one of the original wineries in Santa Barbara County. The winery began operation in 1972. Today the winery is housed in a very beautiful hillside setting. They have an exquisite tasting room and offer tours throughout the day from 10:15 to 3:15. The winery has a series of labels of the traditional varieties that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. One of our favorite wines is the Vineyard Select Riesling. It is a great value at $8 a bottle. This is a beautiful spot for a picnic lunch. Don’t forget about the 1.2-mile Brook Trail that leads to the Curtis Winery. Be sure to check out the historic photos of the Firestone family posing with various dignitaries.

Tasting Room Hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily
Phone: (805) 688-3940, email: ken@firestonewine.com, Firestone Vineyards