What Makes Santa Maria Valley Wineries Different From Sta. Rita Hills?
Short answer: Santa Maria Valley wineries tend to produce fruit-forward, rounder wines shaped by sandy loam soils and a wide-open valley, while Sta. Rita Hills delivers leaner, more mineral-driven bottles thanks to tighter wind tunnels, calcareous rock, and colder overall temperatures. Both sit in Santa Barbara County. Both grow Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. But the…
Where To Find the Best Santa Barbara Pinot Noir Beyond the Tasting Room
The tasting room is not the only way. Most people visiting Santa Barbara wine country spend their time hopping between reservation-only estates in the Santa Ynez Valley, which is still amazing. But truly great bottles can be found beyond the tasting room. They move through mailing lists, quiet restaurant cellars, and urban tasting rooms that…