|
Top Wineries on the
Santa Rita Hills Wine Trail
|
Head out to the city of Buellton and look for Santa Rosa
Road. Head west on this road to the Mosby Winery. This wine trail leads to
the Santa Rita Hills Appellation. The cooling climate of the Pacific Ocean
makes this area ideal for growing and producing cool climate grapes. Pinot
Noir and Chardonnay are the flagship wines for most of these wineries. Visit
Mosby, Sanford, Lafond, Babcock, and Melville wineries.
|
The Tasting Room at Sanford
|
Winery Descriptions, Driving directions, Tasting Room Hours
Mosby Winery and Vineyards
While other wineries in this region concentrate on Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay, the Mosby winery specializes in Italian varietals. The
winery offers a broad range of Cal-Ital wines including a line of
dessert wines. The tasting room is a cool looking red barn structure.
It was originally a carriage house built in the 1850’s on
what was a famous estate. Our favorite wines of the tasting were
the Cortese, the Pinot Grigio, the Sangiovese, and La Seduzione.
This winery is a refreshing change of pace from the usual fare of
wines offered by most California wineries.
Tasting Room Hours: 10 am – 4 pm daily pm
Phone: (800) 70-Mosby, email: mosbywines@yahoo.com, Mosby
Sanford Winery and Vineyards
Sanford is approximately five miles from Mosby. Watch carefully
on the left side for a small sign posted at the entrance road to
the winery. The owner and founder is Richard Sanford, a pioneer
of this wine region. While most growers ignored this region, Sanford
foresaw the potential for making exquisite Chardonnay, Pinot Noir,
and other cool-growing varietals. Today the winery has several hundred
estate acres that are certified organic vineyards. The winery is
well known for its line of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. Don’t
overlook the Sauvignon Blanc; it is excellent wine and will go with
many a light meal. Sanford is one of the wineries featured in the
popular movie “Sideways.”
Tasting Room Hours: 11 am – 4 pm daily
Phone: 805-688-3300, email; info@sanfordwinery.com, Sanford
Lafond Winery and Vineyards
Continue along Santa Rosa Road about a mile to Lafond Winery. Pierre
Lafond, who owns the much larger Santa Barbara winery, established
this winery in the Santa Rita Hills with the goal of making small
amounts of estate wines. The winery produces two lines of Chardonnay,
Pinot Noir, and Syrah. The wines labeled SRH are blends from their
vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, and the Vineyard labeled line
are wines made from select single vineyards. The wines are all excellent
and we especially enjoyed the two Syrah wines. There are picnic
tables available.
Tasting Room Hours: 11 am – 4 pm daily
Phone: 805-688-7921, email; lwv@lasfondwinery.com, Lafond
Continue on Santa Rosa Road until you come to the stop sign.
Turn right on to Highway 1, then another right onto Highway 246
towards Buelton. Travel about 7 miles to the entrance for both Babcock
and Melville Wineries. It will be on your left.
Babcock Winery
Babcock and Melville Vineyards share the same entrance way. Stay
to the left as you head up the road. Babcock, like Sanford winery,
is one of the original wineries in the Santa Rita Hills. After growing
sought-after grapes, the Babcocks decided to create a winery and
produce their own wines. Today, they produce award winning wines
under the winemaking of their son, Bryan Babcock. The winery has
a tremendous reputation for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines.
Babcock also produces other varietals including an outstanding Sauvignon
Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Syrah.
Tasting Room Hours: 10:30 am – 4 pm Friday to Sunday, noon
to 4 pm on Monday.
Phone: 805) 736-1455, email: info@babcockwinery.com, Babcock
Melville Vineyards & Winery
The winery has a very gorgeous Mediterranean winery and tasting
room that blends in among the vineyards and nearby mountains. This
is a family affair with Ron Melville and his two sons making some
exciting wines. The winery produces two lines of wine from their
estate vineyards. The estate line is their mainstay while the vineyard-designated
wines are made in small lots. The small vineyard lots of Pinot sell
out quickly but the more affordable estate Pinot Noir is a delicious
and lush wine selling for around $25.
Tasting Room Hours: Open daily, 11 am – 4 pm
Phone: (805) 735-7030, email: info@melvillevineyards.com, Melville
|
