As a transplant from Southern California’s Temecula Valley, I’ve been enjoying living in Santa Barbara wine country for the past year. I have put together educational wine tastings about this region after only briefly visiting so it has been nice to understand in depth more why wines made in the Santa Ynez Valley rank as some of the best that California has to offer. Hopefuly the following review will help anyone looking to learn more about this region, from wine educators to wine tourists looking for the best way to plan their visit.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

These great maps are made by the Santa Barbara Vitners Association and can be purchased on their website

Inside the Santa Ynez Valley is a variety of climates, grapes and quality to be found. This region is home to transverse mountain ranges formed by the collision of tectonic plates moving in opposite directions. In general, as you travel inland from its coastal border the temperature rises about one-degree Fahrenheit for every mile traveled, giving the amazing ability to grow over 20 different varietals in its over 45-mile length. This diversity of climates and grapes is what influences local winemaker and industry leader Wes Hagen to describe the Santa Ynez Valley as, “…the Loire Valley of California.” The Santa Ynez Valley was established in 1983 and has expanded to include four sub regions currently.

STA. RITA HILLS

These great maps were created by the Santa Barbara Vitners Association and can be purchased on their website

The Sta. Rita Hills, was the first sub region of Santa Ynez Valley to be given an offical AVA in 2001 due to its unique features. The soils here are marine based with many white chalky hillsides of diatomaceous earth found near vineyards alongside the Highway 246. This soil is former single celled algae with outer casings made of silica, which is often used to make filters in winemaking as well as providing good soil drainage. The sharp sandy crystalline structure of this soil also makes a natural insecticide for home gardens. Elevated levels of calcium with this soil type can help with water retention, beneficial during the warm summer, and provides vines the ability to keep grape skins strong and resistant to fungal disease.

Sta. Rita Hills pioneer Richard Sanford helped establish the first vineyard, Sanford & Benedict, in 1971 and is quite fond of describing the climate as providing, “refrigerated sunlight.” The northern half of the region is particuarily exposed to cool ocean currents and high winds off the Pacific Ocean. This along with misty early mornings help keep this region cool enough for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah which make up the majority of plantings. A fact made even more impressive as this region is along the same line of latitude as Tunisia, Africa! Together these elements of the land and climate provide a salty saline minerality that expresses itself in the Chardonnay grown here and provides a bright and zesty citrus element in many of the red wines. Unique microclimates, soil types, and prefered winemaking styles will still greatly vary the taste profiles of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from here depending on producers though.

Amazing value wines- “Zoto” Pinot Noir- Zotovich Vineyards, “Backroads” Red table wine-Babcock Winery & Vineyards

BALLARD CANYON

Moving inland in the Santa Ynez Valley is Ballard Canyon, which was awarded an AVA status in 2013 due to its high and low temperature swings, fog that blankets its lower elevation southern half, and the identity it has created for itself as California’s unique imitation of the French Rhône Valley. Currently more than 50% of vineyards here are dedicated to the Syrah grape, as well as Grenache, Viognier and Roussanne vines making up some of the other major plantings. The Syrah wines from here have established a well earned quality reputation with their blue and black fruit character, high flavor extraction, and bright acidity and vibrancy. Since 2012, grower-producers from here have been offering their estate grown Syrah in embossed wine bottles with Ballard Canyon proudly raised and circling around the bottle shoulder. A confidant reminder from these producers about where these great vines call home.

Amazing Value- Rusack Vineyards Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc, Stolpman Vineyards La Cuadrilla

LOS OLIVOS DISTRICT

Fred Brander of Brander Vineyards has been advocating for the Los Olivos District since 1975 when he planted Bordeaux varietals in the alluvial benchland here of sandy gravely well drained soil. This area is the least varied in soil types compared to the other sub regions while also having a similar shared topography throughout its borders. Coastal fog can still crawl into its open valley borders and diminish the temperature differences between daytime highs and nightime lows. Slightly cooler than its neighbor to the east, Happy Canyon, LOD captures more malic acid in grapes which imparts a vibrant zesty tartness found in the Sauvignon Blanc from here.

Buttonwood Farm Vineyard & Winery, another Los Olivos District winery, captures this lively style with their own rooted 2018 Sauvignon Blanc featuring cut grass, tart lime citrus aromas and low alcohol. They also produce a Sauvignon Blanc called Hop On, with additions of three different kinds of hops grown on their estate. The perfect recomendation for any IPA beer lover switching over to wine. Cabernet Sauvignon is also grown in the Los Olivos District, often found in a lighter style compared to the bolder examples found in the Happy Canyon . The Camp 4 Vineyard is located here and is named for being the 4th stop of stagecoaches on their way from San Francisco to Yuma, Arizona. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, who historically called this land home, now own this vineyard, with tribal member Tara Gomez producing amazing wines under the Kita label.

Amazing Value- Brander Sauvignon Blanc, Beckmen “Cuvee Le Bec”

HAPPY CANYON OF SANTA BARBARA

Happy Canyon was once a moonshiner’s paradise where locals came for some home-grown liquor. In 2009 it was granted AVA status as the most eastern region in the Santa Ynez Valley which imparts a warmer climate required to grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and other Bordeaux grapes. Soils formed here by the erosion runoff of the San Rafael and Santa Ynez Mountains. Each mountain range is composed of different material, with the San Rafael Mountains in the north having some of the most significant deposits of serpentinite in Santa Barbara County.

The serpentinite cobblestones here were once ancient ocean crust under the sea floor which became superheated and pressurized as the San Rafael Mountains grew and were uplifted. If found in excessive amounts the soil would not be suitable to plant. Local winemakers such as Brandon Sparks-Gillis of Dragonette look for the right ratio of cobblestones to dot along a vineyard, like chips in a chocolate chip cookie. Low soil nutrients and high mineral content of the serpentinite and chert soil provides an elevated calcium to magnesium ratio that significantly slows vine growth. Vineyards here are sometimes planted to high vigor rootstocks to balance this out. Happy Canyon has less acres planted compared to other regions of the Santa Ynez Valley due to challenging growing obstacles, but the high reward ensures many future wineries will continue to seek out this quality wine region.