Where to find no crowds, great food, award-winning wines, according to Modesto columnist
Winter is the best time of the year to visit wine country. With the harvest/crush completed, crowds are nonexistent and your tasting room host might be the winemaker or owner. We do most of our tasting….(I mean ‘research’) in January on the Central Coast. Having a timeshare available and close to great restaurants and incredible wines made by talented winemakers makes this research tolerable.
Recognized as one of the world’s most dynamic wine-growing regions, the Santa Maria Valley is the heart of the Santa Barbara County wine region. In 1981, the federal government granted American Viticultural Area, or AVA, status to the Santa Maria Valley. Today, Santa Barbara County has more than 200 wineries producing more than 400 brands of wine from more than 20,000 acres of vineyards, planted with 40 different grape varieties.
Riverbench Vineyard & Winery
Planted in 1973, Riverbench is one of the oldest vineyards in Santa Barbara County. The gravelly soil and proximity to the ocean provide ideal conditions for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In 2008 they made 200 cases of sparkling wine, a blanc de blanc, which now has evolved into 2,500 cases of seven different sparklers. Later, in 2015, they added Pinot Meunier vines to their Champagne lineup, being the only winery in California to do so. A 1920s craftsman-style house located on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail is a beautiful tasting room and offers you three different tasting flight options. A second tasting lounge is in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone.The tasting fees are $25 and refundable with bottle purchases.
Presqu’ile Winery
Located in the heart of Santa Barbara County, Presqu’ile (pronounced press-KEEL) Winery opened its doors in 2013. The name translates from Creole as “almost an island” and refers to a property on the Gulf Coast the owners had until Hurricane Katrina leveled it. The modernistic design of this new winery perched high on a hill south of Santa Maria fits the Creole word perfectly. Located just 16 miles from the ocean, the views from the tasting room deck are incredible. And the same word applies to the food, wine and hospitality. Using a minimalist approach, winemaker Dieter Cronje produces delicious cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Presqu’ile wines consistently score in the mid 90s. Chef Julie Symon, continues getting high reviews for using local ingredients and seasonal produce from the one-acre estate garden. The warm hospitality was evident in the top-notch servers which certainly reflects the style and grace of the Murphy family. Check out their website at presqu’ilewinery.com for more information. The food and wine experience is a very relaxed and unpretentious two hour Estate Tasting paired with the Chef’s Mezzo Picnic. The Navigator raved about the food and I totally agreed with their wine scores. It was a perfect afternoon. We will definitely revisit Presqu’ile Winery and more of the 16 wineries on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. We look forward to our return to Santa Maria Valley in 2026.
What’s On Our Table
When we visit new wine regions, we always check out the wines at the local Costco. Most carry some of the local wines, usually below suggested retail prices. On our trip to the Central Coast, I picked up five Santa Barbara County Pinot Noirs all under $20. All were good but the 2022 Cambria from Santa Maria Valley was lights out delicious. So now, the 2022 Cambria Estate Winery Julia’s Vineyard Cambria Pinot Noir is No. 1 on my “must find” list. Cheers!
Questions? Comments? Find me on Facebook or at rgwinton@yahoo.com.