Photos by Rona Edwards
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY – The Weekend Getaway!
Vineyards, Good Food & Romance – only a few hours away. . .
By Rona Edwards
Sometimes, I need a change of pace – a place to go where I can decompress – a place that isn’t so far that a plane is necessary yet far enough away to feel like you’ve gone somewhere. Two hours away lies a valley of rolling hills and vineyards, wineries and restaurants, along with charming inns all made famous by the movie, Sideways, but certainly attracting visitors for many years prior to that movie’s release. Santa Ynez Valley, just north of Santa Barbara, home to the Danish town of Solvang, Los Olivos and Santa Rita Hills has been growing vines for thirty years but it is only over the last decade that they are gaining respect for their world-class grapes.
To begin, book two nights at the Wine Valley Inn. This hotel is the best deal in town with fifty-six guestrooms and six cottages. Managed by Sandra Hallmann, who has won awards for customer service, and located off the main drag in 
Solvang, it offers packages that make it almost unbeatable in affordability. Try the Dinner and Welcome Package, which includes a basket of goodies, a bottle of wine, along with a dinner voucher for two at Angelica’s restaurant. All rooms include a continental breakfast. The prices vary with Sunday through Thursday offering exceptional deals. With these packages, you have a choice of a fireplace deluxe room or a Chateau loft suite.If massage is your forte, try the Relax’Inn Package, which includes a massage and spa gift basket, or try the Golf Package that includes a round at Alisal River Course and a massage. In all, the Wine Valley Inn offers ten diverse 
packages. The cottages, however, with their old-world appeal, have fireplaces and small kitchens, some with outdoor private Jacuzzis. If you can upgrade to the cottages with their private gardens and a Koi pond at your front door, I would strongly suggest it. Named after regions in France and Italy, we stayed in the Tuscany room, a 2-story cottage
that we would have loved to have owned ourselves, equipped with two fireplaces: one downstairs in the living room and the other in the loft bedroom upstairs. Once your lodgings are set, plan what wineries to visit.
“Wine like a painting, requires a little mystery…” – Edgar Degas.
Wine is passion, friendship and good times. Open a bottle of wine and it transforms from the first taste to the last drop hours later; some wines are valued by their age, while others need to be imbibed young. Grapes are delicate and go through a long cultivation before that bottle arrives at your table.
With nearly 100 wineries to choose from, log on to the Santa Barbara Vintner’s Association’s website which lists an in-depth description of all of them in the region. It’s interesting to note that many of the wineries in this area produce Pinot Noir, full-bodied Syrahs, Chardonnays and Viogniers (a favorite of mine and a nice alternative to Chardonnay). Most offer a flight of wines from $5.00 – $10.00 and you keep your glass as a souvenir. Plot your journey according to regions, 
which are all very close to each other. For example, drive through Foxen Canyon, a real country escape. Start at the end, with a visit to Rancho Sisquoc – an out of the way rustic winery, work backwards to Foxen and dip into their Jerry Garcia-style tasting room. Foxen Canyon has eighteen wineries on its picturesque route.
Head to Los Olivos, a quaint town with an abundance of wine tasting rooms from some twenty wineries. Have lunch at the Los Olivos Café, by far one of the best restaurants in the area that serves wine friendly food in a jovial atmosphere. After eating, walk down the country-western promenade; stop by the different tasting rooms including Carina Cellars for its iconoclast viognier. We had on previous trips scored at Andrew Murray and delved into Robert Longoria - Daniel Gehrs , a winemaker for many of the vineyards in the area has his own tasting room in Los Olivos.
Another day, head over to historic Santa Ynez, a charming town of western wear and tsotchke shops. Try the Chicken Parmigiana Pannini at Volare’s. Chef Oronzo Rosato is excited to share his food and expertise, revealing that he imports a number of items from his Italian homeland. Stop by Artiste, billed as an 
impressionist winery and tasting room with unique gift items and equally unique blends of artisanal wines. We loved First Dance, along with the beautifully painted wine labels 
by artist Daniel Baylis, one of six artists that inspire second-generation winemaker, Bion Rice to produce his inventive impressionist cuvee wines.
On your last day, tour Solvang. Check out Mandolina, a tasting room owned by 
Lucas & Lewellen whose winemaker, Daniel Gehr creates Italian style wines. Their Dolcetta is a full-bodied zesty red wine that will warm you down to your toes and their tasting room, reminiscent of Italian hospitality, offers unique gifts. A number of wineries offer their club members (free to join with a commitment to buy wine shipments) events throughout the year. We experienced Lucas & Lewellen’s 
Valentine Wine Dinner, held amid the barrels at the winery where a five-course gourmet meal, paired with their fabulous wines, made the evening very special. We sat next to Royce Lewellen, a former Santa Barbara County judge, now partnered with Louis Lucas in 400 acres of vineyards in Santa Barbara County. Royce and his lovely wife, Ann took us on a tour of some of those vineyards and explained 
how the valley has grown to be one of the premiere places for growing grapes. Royce’s partner, Louis, who tirelessly checks the vines, always looking for ways to improve them, joined us at the tasting room, pouring us some delectable Chardonnays and a remarkable Cabernet Franc. It becomes apparent how passionate they are about their wine, which consistently wins awards, striving to make each season surpass the last.
Lastly, drive towards the Santa Rita Hills. Melville winery, with its Tuscan-style 
tasting room, has beautiful scenic views and mouth-watering Chardonnays and though famed vintner, Richard Sanford lost his namesake Sanford Wines, you won’t be disappointed with his latest creation, Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyard where Pinot Noir is king!
Hungry? Aside from what’s already mentioned, don’t miss the famous Hitching Post where meat is the name of the game. Santa Maria BBQ, known for the savory red oak is what makes their prime beef taste so scrumptious. Owned by Frank Ostini, the wines, especially the Pinot Noir Highliner, was a highlight. Chef Brad brought us an appetizer plate of Grilled Artichoke, Quail and Yucatan Sweet Potatoes. Our main dish was Lobster Tail cooked over the red oak with a Filet Mignon seasoned with their “magic dust.” Extremely tasty!
Here’s a few more ideas for restaurants – The Ballard Inn is a quaint little inn where you can stay in very individualistic country rooms. It’s quite romantic. Their restaurant is sensational, cozy with a huge fireplace as its focal point. 
I also tried Jocko’s famouse steakhouse 20 minutes north in Nipomo (be sure and make a reservation or you’ll be waiting for hours). It may not look like much but the steak is so large you’ll need a doggy bag, though the ambiance is nothing fancy. People come here for the meat. The Vineyard Inn in Santa Ynez is worth a try as well. With so many eateries and only so much space to write about them, feel free to comment here. I’d love to hear from others about their experiences up here.
Santa Ynez Valley is also home to Mission Santa Ynez, wine festivals and events all through the year. From June to October, enjoy the Solvang Theaterfest under the stars. You’ll never be bored. But the best part about vacationing here is you can plan a lot or just a little and still feel content. Driving home, we were satiated, rested and our minds were clear, ready to get back into the city, knowing that we had a three-day respite of food, wine and country roads.
Lodging: Wine Valley Inn – 1564 Copenhagen Drive, Solvang, CA 93463; (800) 824-6444. Best Bet: The cottages but try one of their packages – www.winevalleyinn.com for prices. Mention you heard about them from the Beachwood Voice!
Wineries: Santa Barbara Wine Vintners Website – www.sbcountywines.com for info, hours, addresses and maps of all wineries in the area. Most have their own websites. Some of my favorite stops include Foxen; Rancho Sisquoc; Artiste, Carina, Lucas & Lewelyn and Mandolina, Alma Rosa and Melville wineries.
Eateries: Los Olivos Café, The Hitching Post, Volare’s, The Ballard Inn, River Inn, Jockos in Nipomo, Angelica’s and many more!
DO NOT REPRINT THIS ARTICLE OR PHOTOS WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION FROM RONA EDWARDS. PHOTOS BY RONA EDWARDS. Copyright 2007 all rights reserved.
