What Makes Buellton Wineries the Gateway to Sta. Rita Hills?
Quick answer: Buellton is the gateway to Sta. Rita Hills because it sits at the eastern doorway of the AVA, right off Highway 101, with Highway 246 and Santa Rosa Road running straight west into the vineyards. The town packs close to 30 tasting rooms into a compact, walkable scene, and a lot of Sta….
What Makes Sta Rita Hills Wine So Distinct from the Rest of Santa Barbara Wine Country?
Santa Barbara wine country covers a lot of ground. You’ve got Happy Canyon making Bordeaux-style reds in the east. Ballard Canyon is doing bold Syrahs. Los Olivos is turning out textured Rhônes. They’re all part of the same county and yet taste completely different from one another. But no sub-region within Santa Barbara pulls quite…