Vine Culture
The beauty and bounty of Santa Barbara’s wine country By Louis Villard
Mehosh Dziadzio
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here is a rich history of wine being made in SB that goes back to the original Spanish settlers. In 1782, priests brought cuttings of vines from the mission San Gabriel, so the areas three missions La Púrisima Conception, Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara would all have supplies for their sacramental wine. The land was full of vineyards, even José Antonio de la Guerra y Noriega, the commandante, in the early to mid-1800’s, of Santa Barbara’s presidio was producing the modern equivalent of 2500 cases per year. Also, if you were facing the Mission in the 1800’s, all to the right, where Mission Park currently is, would have been vines. Jump ahead to some 200 years and Santa Barbara County is now ripe with vineyards and wineries. There are well over 100 wineries, about 21,000 acres of some 55 different grape varieties. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Tocai Friulano, Pinot Gris, Grenache Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Sauvignon Blanc - are just some of the grapes you are likely to find. You might be surprised to discover that it’s not Pinot Noir that leads Santa Barbara County in grape acreage, but rather Chardonnay. Also to w w w. f o o d – h o m e . c o m
note, Pinot Noir was being made in Santa Barbara long before the movie Sideways was a mere screen-play. Santa Barbara County is host to four American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) these are distinct regions with specific soil types, climate and typography – Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and within SYV is Sta. Rita Hills and Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. There are not many regions in the world that can produce the wide spectrum of wines, like those found here in Santa Barbara. But if you drive up into the valley you will be very much spoiled for choice. Where do you start then? Here’s a little guide.
Los Olivos
There wasn’t much difference to Main Street in Los Olivos in the 1990’s to the 1890’s. The town was originally a stage coach stop (check out the plaque on the front porch of Mattei’s Tavern.) Now, it is booming, a lot of the counties wineries set up shop here, so you don’t have to drive out to them. At last count there was about thirty different tasting rooms. The best bit, they are all walking distance from each other. food & home
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