My California wine-tasting road-trip

I was certainly amused when the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) asked me if I’d brought any alcohol into the US. Why would I do that, I wondered. I had just flown for 10 hours across the Atlantic and was about to embark on my California wine-tasting road-trip from LA to Santa Barbara and the Central Coast, and from there to Big Sur and San Francisco (with a detour to the Yosemite National Park). I was planning to drive on the Pacific Coast Highway and visit as many vineyards and wineries as I could (the fact that I would be driving was going to be the number one limiting factor). So, why would I bring any alcohol with me?

My California wine-tasting road-trip came quite a few years after I’d first watched ‘Sideways’, one of my favorite films, and winner of the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Directed and co-written by Alexander Payne, ‘Sideways’ was set and shot in the Santa Ynez Valley. It follows Miles, a wine aficionado, who takes his soon-to-be-married friend Jack on a road trip through the Santa Barbara County. There he meets and falls in love with Maya, whilst I simply fell in love with the Central Coast of California, and ultimately decided to take my own friends on a road-trip there. 

So, I carefully planned my California wine-tasting road-trip itinerary and I made it to Los Angeles. Here’s the itinerary I would recommend (slightly tweaked from the one I followed):

Day 1 – LA to Santa Barbara

Having spent a few nights in La La Land (I would recommend staying there for at least 3 days), I made it to the airport early in the morning, to pick up my rental car and hit the road. And this is how my California wine-tasting road-trip began…

I then drove on the Pacific Coast Highway via the coastal towns of Santa Monica (which I had previously visited) and Malibu (where I stopped, but I wouldn’t recommend you do the same). Had I driven non-stop, it would have taken me 2 hours. I arrived in Santa Barbara in time to check in to the hotel, parked my car and made it downtown for some wine. The earlier you get there the better, as most tasting rooms close in the early evening. Downtown Santa Barbara is dotted with winery outposts; in most places, a flight of five wines usually costs $15 and no advanced booking is required.

Mindful of the fact that most tasting rooms do not serve any food, I first had a light lunch at Lilly’s Taqueria. Tacos were followed by ice-cream at McConnell’s (I had a scoop of the pineapple rum and guava jam, and another one of the double peanut butter chip) and then wine. 

My first tasting was at the Melville Winery Tasting Room, where I tried their cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah, all grown in their estate vineyards in Santa Rita Hills in Lompoc. The tasting room is located right next door to McConnell’s, and is one of the few where they also serve cheese platters.

Another tasting room I visited was Pali Wine Co.; their vineyards are located both in Santa Barbara County and in Sonoma. This tasting room tends to close later than most, and here you can also find board games to play. 

Opposite Pali Wine Co, there are two more tasting rooms, of Lafond Winery and Santa Barbara Winery. I did not do any tastings there, but that was only because of the limited time I spent in Santa Barbara. In hindsight, I would’ve stayed there for one more day.

If you decide to follow my recommendation, extend your stay in Santa Barbara, and try more wines, but, nonetheless, you fancy a break from the wine, there’s the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. only a few doors down. 

For dinner, there are quite a few options nearby, such as Loquita, Casa Blanca, and Rusty’s Pizza Parlor. 

Day 2 – Santa Barbara County

I started my day with a cinnamon twirl and a very aromatic cup of chocolate raspberry coffee at the Santa Barbara Roasting Co. coffeehouse. I may have been in Santa Barbara for wine tasting, but I realized that coffee doesn’t fall behind. In fact, this was the best filter coffee I’ve had in California.

I then drove to Santa Ynez Valley, home to many wineries, most of which are located 40 minutes to an hour’s drive from Santa Barbara. Driving past the towns of Santa Ynez and Solvang, I arrived at Beckmen Vineyards in Los Olivos. Mindful that I would have to drive back, I requested for smaller servings, and afterwards I had a picnic at one of the gazebos (I had bought fresh fruit in Santa Barbara). A flight of six wines at Beckmen Vineyards costs $20 and no advanced booking is required. 

After Beckmen, I continued my California wine-tasting road-trip back on the Pacific Coastal Highway and towards Big Sur and Carmel-by-the-Sea. However, I would recommend you spend one more day in Santa Barbara County, and perhaps visit the nearby towns of Santa Ynez, Solvang and Los Olivos, or one more winery, before heading back to Downtown Santa Barbara.

In addition to the many tasting rooms and the restaurants I’ve already mentioned, Santa Barbara is also home to Cat Therapy. This is an innovative social space that doubles as a cage free cat sanctuary. All the cats there are rescued and adoptable. If you’re not able to adopt one, you can still relax in the cat lounge and enjoy a complimentary drink in the presence of 12-20 cats. Or, you can do some yoga, also in the presence of a few cats.

If you visit Santa Barbara in November, you may also come across the Santa Barbara Surf Film Festival, a two-day annual event. It was inaugurated this year and took place on the 8th and 9th of November 2019. Amongst the films screened was ‘Better Together‘, a documentary by Isaac Hernandez.

Day 3 – Santa Barbara to Big Sur and Carmel-by-the-Sea

Big Sur refers to a section of the Central Coast of California between San Simeon (south border) and Carmel-by-the-Sea (north border). I once read that Big Sur is a state of mind, rather than a specific place, and I couldn’t agree more. The drive is simply spectacular and my words would not do it justice (hopefully my photos will speak a bit louder, but still there’s nothing quite like being there). 

The drive from Santa Barbara to Carmel takes about 5 hours (provided there is no traffic), but, given the gorgeous scenery and the number of photo opportunities on the way, I would allow much more time for the journey there. 

Approximately half-way between Santa Barbara and Carmel there’s the Hearst Castle, near the small town of San Simeon. Since I continued my California wine-tasting road-trip straight after my visit to Beckmen Vineyards, I did not have time to stop at the Castle. However, if you decide to spend an extra day in Santa Barbara, the Castle could be your first stop on your way to Big Sur. Named after the publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst, the Castle is a hilltop mansion built in the first half of the 20th century. Widely considered a California landmark, it is now open to the public ($25). 

After the Hearst Castle, the Big Sur coast officially begins. The narrow two-lane highway can get busy, so to avoid queues I would strongly recommend driving there during the week. Driving southbound offers easier access to the designated vista points, which offer splendid views of the coastline and the ocean, and are also safe places to stop. There are plenty of them, so even if you drive northbound, you’ll be able to safely stop to some of them (there are road signs to inform you when it is safe to do so). An advantage of driving northbound is that you can time your journey so you drive in Big Sur in the evening, so you can watch the sunset from one of the vista points (preferably one closer to Carmel). 

An obligatory stop is north of the Bixby Creek Bridge (also known as Bixby Canyon Bridge), an open-spandrel arch bridge built in the early 1930s. It is one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world, as well as one of the most photographed bridges in California and the West Coast of the US. From there, Carmel-by-the-Sea is about 20 minutes away.

In Carmel, I had dinner at the Forge in the Forest, a cozy Californian restaurant with a beautiful outdoor patio. 

Day 4 – Drive to Yosemite National Park

I only stayed in Carmel for a night; if I had more days, I would’ve spent one more day there, and would have also visited the neighboring town of Monterey, where the famous jazz festival takes place every September. 

Instead, I left Carmel relatively early in the morning and drove to the Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The drive is nowhere as scenic as the drive on the Pacific Coast Highway, and takes about 4 hours (to the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center). Again, I would strongly recommend avoiding the weekend. The park entrance fee costs $35 (per vehicle) and is valid for 7 days, during which you can drive in and out of the park.

The Yosemite Valley is a great place for hiking; there are quite a few hiking trails to choose from, so the more time you have the better. These trails can take you from the Visitor Center in the Yosemite Village (be mindful this is not a real village) to natural and historic landmarks, such as the renowned Yosemite Falls, the Mirror Lake, and the historic Ahwahnee Hotel. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to have a drink at the Ahwahnee or visit the Mirror Lake.

Be mindful, however, that your accommodation may not be very close, so make sure you leave before the sun sets. The drive through the forest will not only be easier, if there’s still daylight, but also much more enjoyable. 

The Glacier Point is a great place to watch the sunset from; however, I did not have time to make it there in time for the sunset, so I visited the following morning instead. In case there’s a queue, a good alternative would be stopping at Washburn, which is less than a mile before the Glacier Point and offers equally pristine views of the valley, the mountains, and the famous Half Dome; this can save you a lot of time and is worth a compromise.

View from the Glacier Point

Last but not least, I had dinner at the Narrow Gauge Inn’s Dining Hall & Buffalo Bar.

Day 5 – Drive to San Francisco/Napa Valley

On the last day of my California wine-tasting road-trip, I decided to spend the morning driving around the Yosemite National Park, due to my relatively late arrival the day before. The drive from the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center to Downtown San Francisco takes about 4 hours (and is largely dependent on traffic). In San Francisco, I’d recommend staying for at least 3 days. 

Alternatively, you could drive to Napa Valley first (the drive to Napa takes just over 4 hours), spend a couple of days there, and then finish your journey in San Fran. 

Fast forward a few days later, at London Heathrow Airport, nobody asked me whether I had brought any alcohol with me. My answer would’ve been very different this time…

Californian wine

California’s Mediterranean climate has helped the Golden State become the state with the largest wine production in the US. In fact, if California, home to more than 1,200 wineries, was a separate country, it would be the world’s fourth largest wine producer. The 7 leading grape varieties grown in the Californian vineyards are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, and Zinfandel. Interestingly, following the ‘Sideways’ release in 2004, Merlot sales dropped while Pinot Noir. This was thanks to Miles, who throughout the film spoke fondly of the latter while denigrating the former.

Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot’s potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they’re just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and… ancient on the planet.

Miles (from ‘Sideways’)

Accommodation

In Santa Barbara, I stayed at the Hyatt Centric. Located on the seafront, it is within walking distance from Downtown Santa Barbara (a pleasant walk along the Pacific coast).

In Carmel-by-the-Sea, I stayed at the Vendange Carmel Inn & Suites, a wine-themed inn within walking distance from the Forge in the Forest, where I had dinner. Breakfast was included in the price, which explains why I did not further explore Carmel.

In the Yosemite National Park, I stayed at the Narrow Gauge Inn, in Fish Camp. This mountain resort is about an hour’s drive from the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Breakfast is included in the price.

Further reading (and watching)

To better prepare for my trip, I used the Lonely Planet California Travel Guide.

And I also re-watched ‘Sideways’.

When in Santa Barbara, I came across Sharon O’Connor’s ‘Tasting the Wine Country‘, a book that combines life’s great pleasures, food, wine, and music (I’m borrowing the author’s words). This book is part of the Menus & Music series, and includes recipes from inns located in different wine-producing regions in North America (mostly in California though), as well as a CD compilation of classical music, bluegrass, Latin, and jazz.

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Alex

(the Traveling Psychiatrist)