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.

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

Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards
Alma Rosa is approximately 4.5 miles from Mosby on Santa Rosa Road.  Pioneer winegrowers in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA since 1970, with over 100 acres of certified organic estate vineyards, Thekla and Richard Sanford focus on excellence in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; as well as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir Vin-Gris (a dry rosé).  With over 38 years experience winegrowing in this region, Alma Rosa practices and promotes organic farming, sustainable agriculture, ecologically-responsible packaging, and green building. Rustic creek-side tasting room and picnic area available.

Tasting Room Hours: 11 am – 4:30 pm Daily
Phone: 805 688-9090, email – info@AlmaRosaWinery.com, Alma Rosa

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