Santa Maria Valley AVA

Santa Barbara County

Located North of Los Angelos and on the west shore of California, Santa Barbara is generally thought of as a beach side resort, but it is so much more, it has a growing winemaking Community with unique and interesting Diverse Wines and Tasting rooms. The Topography spans a East to West orientation forming valleys allowing inland flows of fog and ocean breezes to shape one of the coolest growing regions in California. The growing season is typically longer here, allowing the grapes to mature longer.

Twenty million years ago, this land was under the ocean. The tectonic plates moved and the mountains were shoved up out of the ocean in a North-South direction causing the Mountain ranges we are familiar with in California.

Over the next 12 million years, the mountains in the Santa Barbara area broke away from the plate and began their gradual clockwise turn bringing the mountain ranges here to an East-West orientation. They are continuing their move today.

This east-west orientation of valleys allows the marine influence to flow into the region. The temperature from the west near the coast to the east inland in Happy Canyon increases by 1 degree per mile. As a result, many varieties grow here, over 70, according to the Santa Barbara Vintners Association.

There are 7 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in Santa Barbara.

The Santa Ynez Valley AVA covers much of the southern portion of the wine region. It has four nested AVAs, with the Sta. Rita Hills AVA sitting closest to the coast. As you move east, you find the Ballard Canyon AVA, which sits in a smaller North South Valley. On the eastern border of Ballard Canyon, you find the Los Olivos AVA, which is the most recently approved sub-AVA.

Happy Canyon sits the furthest East of these nested AVAs and is the warmest region.

North of the Santa Ynez Valley, you find the Alisos Canyon AVA. This AVA runs from the 101 East to Foxen Canyon Road. This East-West Valley pulls in marine winds from the Pacific Ocean, which is just 20 miles away. More and more winemakers have been pulling fruit from this region. This is part of the larger Los Alamos Region which is not at this point an AVA.

North of Alisos Canyon, you come to the Santa Maria Valley AVA. This was the 2^nd AVA in California and the third in the US in 1981.

Santa Barbara County is divided into distinct Growing regions:

Santa Maria AVA

About Santa Maria AVA

Santa Maria is the Northern most Appellation(the region’s first AVA). The diverse climate support the growth of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, benefiting from the coastal influence.

Santa Maria Valley is the northernmost appellation in Santa Barbara County. The average temperature here is 64 degrees. The area is bounded on the north by the San Rafael Mountains and on the south by the Solomon Hills. They get early bud break here and then a long ripening season with an average of 125 days from bloom to harvest. The maritime fog keeps things cool here from sunset until about 10 am. This AVA boasts Nielson Vineyard, the oldest commercial vineyard in Santa Barbara County that was planted in 1964.

The Santa Maria AVA was the 3^rd established AVA in the United States. We think of this Santa Barbara region as being so new. But truly AVA’s are new. The Santa Maria Valley AVA was established in September of 1981. To give a little perspective here, the first US AVA was established in June of 1980. (And crazily enough that 1^st AVA was in Augusta, Missouri!) If you are like me, you won’t be able to read any further until you know where the 2^nd US AVA hailed from…so….I did the research and it is the Napa Valley AVA which was established in February of 1981, just a scant 7 months (or actually 6 and a quarter months) before the Santa Maria Valley AVA. Are you still curious…you can find this info at The Wine Institute (http://www.iwineinstitute.com/avabydate.asp). Feel free to search for AVA establishment dates to your hearts content.

There has been a massive replanting of the Santa Maria vineyards in recent years to varieties that are more suited to the climate and soil. You will find lots of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay here due to the climate, but you will find many vineyards expanding into cool climate Syrah as well as other Rhone varieties.

The Santa Maria AVA encompasses some incredible vineyards like Bien Nacido, Solomon Hills, Julia’s Vineyard and Foxen Estate Vineyard. As to Wineries… here you will find Cambria, Kenneth Volk, Riverbench and Tres Hermanas. Fine wineries such at Alta Maria, Au Bon Climat, Bien Nacido, Byron, Qupe, Solomon Hills and others feature wines from Santa Maria.

Santa Maria Valley Santa Barbara County’s 1st AVA

Discovering Wine Country Santa Barbara Santa Maria Valley. grapes

The Grapes

The Santa Maria Valley is well known for its Pinot Noir, especially from the rightfully revered vineyard of Bien Nacido. This most northern region in Santa Barbara has the Vandenberg Fog drifting in daily, making this a perfect place to grow Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and cool climate Syrah and Pinot Blanc.

Discovering Wine Country Santa Barbara Santa Maria Valley. Zaca Mesa

take the Scenic route down Foxen Canyon Road

Drive down Foxen Canyon Road with the namesake vineyard and winery “Foxen.” This winery is worth a stop. While their beautiful winery and tasting room have great views, I beg you not to pass up a visit to the Foxen 7200 “Shack.” Just past the winery on your right, you will see a simple building that was their original tasting room. It is rustic, and the doors open up to the hill to the east, where you can watch the wildlife. The flights here are different than those at the winery up the hill, so both are worth a stop.

If you continue further on Foxen Canyon Road, you will eventually come to River Bench, where they do some fantastic sparkling wines, Kenneth Volk, and at its northern end Bien Nacido. These last two do not have tasting rooms at the moment. You can find the Bien Nacido tasting room in Los Olivos.

The road winds around toward Santa Maria, and Presqu’ile sits on a hill with ocean views on a clear day.

To enjoy this area take a look at the Santa Maria Valley & Los Alamos Wine Trail that is listed on the Santa Barbara Vintners site http://www.sbcountywines.com/tasting-routes.html#smv

Windmill on Saarloos & Son's Windmill Ranch Vineyard

Windmill on Saarloos & Son’s Windmill Ranch Vineyard

To fully experience this area I suggest that you start at the Saarloos and Sons Windmill Ranch Vineyard. (Update…okay I made an assumption, because of the windmill, but clearly if you read the sign on the windmill, you will see that this is actually the El Camino Real Vineyard) You can’t miss the landmark windmill if you are driving on the 101. This is just their vineyard, you will have to head back into Los Olivos to do a tasting with them. From here take Zaca Station Road out into the vineyards. First on your drive you will pass Firestone (yes from the tire company). They have a vineyard, winery and a brewing company.

The Patio at Zaca Mesa

This place really got things going out here. Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat and Bob Linquist of Qupe both started out working here. The property is lovely especially if you get there early and can watch the marine layer roll through from Vandenberg AFB, and then stay long enough to enjoy the views that it was hiding once it burns off. The wines….I love their Rhones. And on weekends they often have lunch available on the patio. This place is really welcoming and….they have great trees.

A little further on you will come to Foxen. Now you can go into the Pinot House at 7600. It’s shiny and pretty and nice. But I prefer stopping a little past there at “The Shack” . This is their original tasting room and it is rustic and fabulous. You look out the door onto the hills as you are tasting and often the girls in the tasting room will point out the resident mountain lion who hunts on the ridge. The Shack pours their Bordeaux & Cal-Ital-style wines. at 7600 you will find Pinots, Chardonnays and Rhone Blends.

Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard

Further ahead is Fess Parker (yes, Daniel Boone from the TV series) Their winery is out here, but they also have a tasting room and Inn in downtown Los Olivos. A little further on is Zaca Mesa.

Discovering Wine Country Santa Barbara Santa Maria Valley. foxeb shack

Continue north and you will come to the cluster of River Bench, Cambria and Kenneth Volk. I will give a shout out here to Kenneth Volk. I have not been to this tasting room, but did taste at the tasting room with Lone Madrone in Paso Robles.

Kenneth Volk’s old Paso tasting room

He is another wine legend. He was the winemaker at Wild Horse and now has his own winery where he gets to play. He does Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Santa Maria and Bordeaux varieties from Paso Robles and then… he does Heirloom Wines. This are rare varieties like Malvasia, Trousseau, Negrette, Touriga Nacional, Blaufrankish, Verdelho and Albarino. This is a great place to go and explore varieties you may not have tried before.

Presqu'ile Winery Terrace in the Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara

View of the San Rafael Mountains from Presqu'ile Winery

Closer to Santa Maria you will find Cottonwood and Presqu’ile.

Presqu’ile North in the Santa Maria Valley. I often speak of beautiful properties, but…you know when you go to a parade of homes and get to the most beautiful house…well Presqu’ile is the winery equivalent. “Presqu’ile” means “almost an island” in French and was the name of the Murphy Family property in Mississippi that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The family looked for a place to rebuild their family gathering spot and came upon this property in Santa Maria.

See a Video on Strawberry Citrus Salad paired with Presqu’ile wine