Where Hipsters, LA Weekenders, and Cowboys Collide for Earth-Friendly Wines

Once a rural ranching hinterland, Santa Ynez Valley has emerged as one of America’s most exciting wine destinations. As complement to its wealth of wineries and tasting rooms, the valley’s hospitality offer has exploded. Boutique hotels, creative restaurants, and curated fashion and home goods stores have sprung up around the region’s characterful towns. What Santa Ynez gets right about growing — and gentrifying — is the careful merger of its historic frontier town cowboy energy with upscale development. The other thing the region is getting right: a focus on sustainable growth — in the vineyard.

Santa Ynez Valley growers have demonstrated an increasing dedication to sustainable, organic, biodynamic, and now regenerative farming practices. From small minimalist labels to ambitious projects, it’s easier than ever for consumers to vote with their dollars for better environmental and social practices without compromising on taste and pleasure. Currently, around 25% of the region’s 200 wineries are at least Sustainability in Practice (SIP) certified.

While many of California’s famous growing regions face hotter, drier conditions and regular threat of wildfire, Santa Ynez Valley and the larger Santa Barbara County AVA have been spared some measure of unpredictable weather. Santa Barbara County reaps the unique benefit of a geological feature that regulates temperature, especially in the Pacific-facing St. Rita Hills: transverse valleys. The Santa Ynez Mountains form part of the Transverse Ranges, an east to west (instead of north to south) geological chasm that sucks the cool Pacific Ocean air inland which slows down grape ripening and retains acidity. Wine consumers looking for pure, energetic Pinot Noir, fresh yet complex Chardonnay, or earthy and elegant Syrah, should start looking north of Los Angeles instead of San Francisco.

Santa Ynez Valley wineries

For the wine lover, Santa Barbara County’s seven AVAs keep even the most ambitious tasters busy. From Alisos Canyon, Ballard Canyon, and Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, to Los Olivos District, Santa Maria Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, and Sta. Rita Hills, the varying climate, grapes, and styles offer something for everyone.

Roblar Winery

Open seven days a week, Roblar Winery encourages appointments but accommodates walk-ins when available. Your best bet: Book a tasting with lunch. While bar stools and tables offer seated options inside, take advantage of the fabulous weather in Santa Ynez Valley on the leafy patio. Surrounded by oak trees, this 40-acre property blends rustic ambiance with sophisticated wines. The menu changes regularly based on the season, as all dishes are composed of fresh produce harvested weekly at the adjacent organic farm. The farm employs regenerative agricultural practices through organic soil amendments and on-site livestock manures for composting, among other things. The winery makes a wide range of wines, a feature of Santa Ynez Valley’s diverse soils and climates. Selections range from Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier to Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Grimm's Buff

For mountaintop vistas, head to this certified organic winery in Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. The vineyard makes up 16.5 acres of a 246-acre ranch, much of it farmed using biodynamic principles. The Grimm's Buff estate takes visitors by appointment, though this family-run business only sees one party at a time. Booking options include a tasting of reserve wines based on Bordeaux varieties, while the longer "tasting and ranch tour" sends you on an immersive experience around the property. The tour starts with a glass of rosé at the cabana, a visit with the farm animals, then wraps up inside the stylish barn with sips of Sauvignon Blanc, Cliff Hanger Cabernet Sauvignon, and Contango Cabernet Sauvignon partnered with a cheese platter. While the destination is photo-worthy, you can also taste the wines in the Los Olivos tasting room.

Presqu’ile

Though the furthest AVA in Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Maria Valley is worth the drive. Family-owned, and sustainably farmed, Presqu’ile occupies a favored hilltop spot two miles from highway 101 that feels worlds away. Magnificent ocean and vineyard views from an expansive terrace hint at the quality of the wine inside. Presqu’ile focuses almost exclusively on cool-climate winemaking with a particular focus on deftly delineated vineyard expressions of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. Unusual for the region, they also produce standout traditional method sparkling wines including blanc de blancs, a brut cuvée, and a sparkling rosé. All are worthy of a spot in your wine luggage.

Dovecote Estate Winery

Potentially unfamiliar to the average wine drinker, the diminutive Alisos Canyon AVA, next to the tiny town of Los Alamos, has an outsize reputation for Rhône varieties. Though a relative newcomer — the appellation earned its status in 2020 — winemakers and growers have been working the land for 50 years and consider it a recognition long overdue. The bright, complex wines of Dovecote Estate Winery are testament to that. Indeed, the push for the appellation was spearheaded by the winery’s owner Noah Rowles who purchased the celebrated Thompson Vineyard a decade ago. Planted in 1989, the vineyards have earned SIP certification. Despite the small-batch, artisan nature of the wines, tastings are a relaxed affair, held in a wooden "wine shack" by the pond.

Solminer

Natural wine enthusiasts with a soft spot for Austrian varieties can book an appointment or simply walk in to Solminer’s Los Olivos tasting room. Owners David and Anna deLaski produce wines inspired by Anna’s Austrian heritage. In 2012, they bought a 12-acre farm five minutes from town, then slowly transitioned to organic, biodynamic, and now regenerative agriculture. They grow Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch, and Sankt Laurent, while sourcing a little Syrah from Coquelicot, a nearby organic and regenerative vineyard. The bright and airy space lends itself to the fun, funky natural wines in the glass. They also participate in 1% for the Planet.

King’s Carey

Just outside Solvang, James Sparks offers tastings of his personal label, King’s Carey. The unassuming industrial spot off the main strip belies his winemaking credentials. Sparks learned his craft at lauded wineries, including Dragonette Cellars and Liquid Farm, both earning a string of high scores and accolades. Sparks, who greets visitors by appointment, sources organic grapes for his minimal intervention wines. He works with Semillon, Grenache, Chardonnay, and Syrah, as well as sparkling wine, much of it fun and experimental, which he pours with self-deprecating humility.

Demetria

This family outfit practices biodynamic and regenerative farming. The owners of Demetria offer tastings of their wines inside or on a leafy patio, poured by a small but dedicated team that creates a welcoming air of intimate conviviality. Boasting over 213 acres of rolling hills and 45 high elevation hillsides planted with vines, the views from the property are worth the visit alone. You might even spot a herd of sheep grazing in the vineyards from your shaded table beneath an oak tree. Though the owners specialize in Rhône-style wines, the creamy lemon-curd, Burgundian-style Chardonnay entices many a guest to linger longer.

Foxen Vineyard & Winery

Foxen’s origin story dates to the 1800s when William Benjamin Foxen, an English sea captain, put down roots in Santa Maria Valley. In 1837, he purchased a 9,000-acre tract of land called Rancho Tinaquaic. Time saw the property trimmed to 2000 acres, though the heart of the ranch remains in the hands of family, including co-founder Dick Doré. In 1985, Doré and friend Bill Wathen, started a wine brand, the first bottle made in an old blacksmith shop on the ranch. In 2009, they built a solar-powered winery and tasting room. The duo dry farms for water management and is SIP certified. A row of electric charging stations outside the tasting room encouraging guests to bring their EVs. Foxen makes a range of wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Rhône varieties.