With harvest quickly approaching, I’ve been getting asked which tasting rooms people should stop by while wine tasting in Los Olivos and the Santa Ynez Valley. There are roughly 280 wineries in Santa Barbara County to visit — I have yet to visit ALL of them, but I’ve been to a lot. Personally, when I go wine tasting, I try to avoid to big crowds because I’m there to actually experience and learn about the wines, not just indulge in loads of alcohol. With that being said, I believe we all deserve a chance to let loose a little bit and put our worries behind us for a day, a weekend, a week, a month, or however long you need.
I have loads of recommendations regarding which tasting rooms to visit, and I’m in the middle of creating a Getaway Guide series which will lay out all of my favorites. For now, I wanted to share with you the wine clubs that I’m personally a member of and why you should visit them!
McKinney Family Vineyards
I immediately wanted to join McKinney’s wine club because of the experience and the incredible varietals that Matt has created. I dive deeper on McKinney Family Vineyards in my post about my luxury Villa Wine Tour experience, but a quick recap — They are located in the Santa Ynez AVA. Matt McKinney, owner and winemaker, shared his unique story of how he went from one passion to another: professional volleyball to Viticulture. While you’re tasting his wines, he’s also walking you through his vineyard and explaining each step on how he makes each varietal. I learned more about Viticulture and geology on this private tour than any other tour I’ve ever been on in the past.
During my first experience, I tried about seven or eight of Matt’s wines, however, they currently have about sixteen varietals in their library. Not only are their wines polished and smooth, their names also have meaningful stories behind them. I’m a history nerd, so I appreciate this extra touch!
Mark my word: You will leave the McKinney family’s estate craving more. Matt makes some of my all-time favorite reds, including The Baron and Napoleon’s Secret.
*The Winery & Estate Property are open by Appointment Only. This is a private tasting.*
Piazza Family Wines
My mom and I fell in love with Piazza Family Wines recently! I honor and respect history, and this family’s label is just that — based in history. You can read more about my experience at Piazza Family Wines by clicking here, but here’s a quick recap: Ron and Nancy Piazza founded Piazza Family Wines in 2018, however, their story begins long before that in 1989 with a group of Carmelite nuns when they founded Mt. Carmel Vineyard, a historic steep, south-facing cliff at the center of the Santa Rita Hills AVA where Mail Road ends. Mt. Carmel Vineyard supplied pinot noir and chardonnay fruit to a small group of Santa Barbara’s most esteemed winemakers. That’s when they started searching for another vineyard that they could call home. They eventually found the perfect property in Ballard Canyon, with Stolpman Vineyard and Beckmen’s La Purisima Vineyard as neighbors. The vineyard was originally planted in 1999 by Roger Harrison and Hilarie Clarke. In 2013, Graciano was planted. Ron and Nancy purchased the property in 2017 and planted the Italian varietals in 2018 – Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Montepulciano.
There are over 280 wineries in Santa Barbara County and most of them offer something unique, whether its the experience or the wine itself. It’s a double win when they offer a unique experience AND unique wines, which differentiates them from the rest of the hundreds of local options we can choose from. Piazza Family Wines’ Bella Vista vineyard rests north to south in Ballard Canyon, whereas most other vineyards in the neighborhood sit east to west. Between the longitudinal direction the property faces, the various soils, and Gretchen’s unique winemaking, it truly makes their wines even more unique.
*The Winery & Estate Property are open by Appointment Only. This is a private tasting.*
Luna Hart Wines
I fell in love with Luna Hart Wines and Piazza Family Wines at the same time — How could that be? One amazing lady: Gretchen. Along with being Piazza Family Wine’s winemaker, Gretchen Voelcker also has her own label – Luna Hart Wines. Gretchen pays special attention to the fruit and produces high quality, fruit forward wines with bright acidity, and “never turns down the opportunity to experiment and welcomes interesting projects.” Gretchen hosts such a personal wine tasting experience that includes her own wines, but also Piazza Family Wines.
The moment Gretchen confessed that she isn’t a big fan for Sauvignon Blanc is when I first knew I really liked her. Sauvignon Blanc is all over Santa Barbara County, so she was presented with an opportunity to buy some Sauvignon Blanc fruit. She decided to challenge herself — She wanted to make a Sauvignon Blanc with a twist that she actually enjoyed, which she easily accomplished. I will say, it’s one of the very few Sauvignon Blancs that I enjoy. You have to try it for yourself!
*The Winery & Estate Property are open by Appointment Only. This is a private tasting.*
Folded Hills
“The Fold” was the first wine club I joined and it will always be my “family”! I decided to join their wine club after enjoying their Lilly Rosé (too much) at the Santa Barbara Polo Club back before they opened up their two tasting rooms. Just like Piazza Family Wines, Folded Hills comes with a lot of deep rooted history as well. Owned by the Busch family, Folded Hills brings some of their St. Louis roots to their wines. Just like his father, Folded Hills follows Andy’s father’s example of hospitality to preserve their land and their family’s way of life.
Their beliefs align with mine — They believe in legacy, they believe in getting their hands dirty, they believe in family and they believe in quality. They’ve created some of my favorite wines from their humble approach. You can always find a few Grant Grenaches in my wine collection. I always have some on hand!
I recommend joining The Fold if you’re looking for a wine club to join. Their wine club events are creative and unlike any other!
*You can visit their tasting rooms in Gaviota and Montecito. Reservations for both locations are encouraged. Walk-ins are welcome, and are subject to availability.*
