A State of Wine

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SAN LUIS OBISPO

The mighty wine trail that winds through San Luis Obispo County——encompassing more than 100 wineries and 3,000 acres of vines——is unparalleled in its abundance of wine awards and international recognition. The clever Franciscan padres, who placed the first SLO grapevines in the late 1700s, surely never imagined the enormous business they were planting.

Differentiated by the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, the county is divided into two viticulture districts: Paso Robles in the north; and south San Luis Obispo, which includes the 35-square-mile Edna Valley, perfect for Chardonnay and the treasured but touchy thin-skinned Pinot Noir grape, which at times can be as difficult to handle as a jeweled diva with a sore throat.

Wineries to experience: A perfect pause is Edna Valley’s Domaine Alfred Winery. Utilizing organic farming methods, the winery has won a whopping 86 prestigious wine awards since 1998. DA Red, a blend of Pinot Noir and Syrah showing black fruit, caramel and vanilla, is a great buy. Visitors sip six wines in a cozy tasting room that feels like home (805-541-9463; domainealfred.com).

Festive Baileyana, housed in a bright yellow, restored 1909 schoolhouse, is noted for estate-bottled Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc——reflecting Edna Valley’s cool climate characteristics and French-born winemaker Christian Roguenant’s expertise. Tasting takes an enjoyable turn with the unusual stemless Riedel glassware (805-269- 8200; baileyana.com).

Among California’s tasting rooms with glorious views, spacious Edna Valley Vineyard is proud of its 2004 wine release——the winery’s celebrated 25th vintage. Edna Valley was put on the wine map with a buttery, French-oak Chardonnay enjoyed at the White House. The winery is a great place to tie the knot or enjoy a lingering wine dinner (805-544-5855; ednavalleyvineyard.com).

Five miles south of SLO town, the stunning Tolosa Winery on Edna Valley Road——which boasts the largest crush facility in the county——features a state-of-the-art glass tasting bar and up-close views of the working winery. Estate-grown Pinot Noir is their proud flagship (805-782-0300; tolosawinery.com).

Where to stay: The 30-room Craftsman-style Avila Village Inn, a romantic hideaway just minutes from Avila Beach in San Luis Bay Harbor and the Avila Beach Golf Resort, offers a fireplace in every room, fitness center, hot tubs and massage therapists (800-454-0840 and 805-627-1810; avilavillageinn.com). The historic 1929 Carlton in Atascadero, just off Highway 101, is a skillfully restored, 52-room, full-service boutique hotel with two restaurants, bakery and extensive wine cellar (877-204-9830; the-carlton.com).

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

The county, as elegant as a vintage Port——with appellations, wineries, and vineyards reaching from the Santa Maria, Los Alamos and Santa Ynez valleys to the Santa Rita Hills——offers some 80 wineries, including 16 Los Olivos tasting rooms, an overwhelming collection when four to five winery calls a day should be the max. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes are the most commonly grown, but Syrah and other Rhône varietals are raising eyebrows.

Wineries to experience: Oenophiles can hop on the downtown Urban Wine Trail with key stops at Santa Barbara Winery, the oldest (established in 1962) in the county (800-225-3633; sbwinery.com). Across the street is Cellar 205 Winery & Marketplace, a working boutique cooperative winery where Christian Garvin and three passionate winemaker friends offer a spirited wine tasting (805-962-5857; cellar205.com).

Forty miles north in the Santa Rita Hills at Lafond Vineyard (which is a producer for Santa Barbara Winery), visitors enjoy a gorgeous tasting room, acres of planted vineyards and wonderful Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs orchestrated by winemaker Bruce McGuire (805-688-7921; lafondwinery.com).

Four miles from Lafond on Santa Rosa Road in Buellton, Mosby Winery expresses the essence of Italy in the old Carriage House tasting room, as well as in the fine estate-grown Cal-Italian wines crafted from grapes grown on vines originally from Italy. Look for winemaker Bill Mosby; wife Jeri’s recipes are on the Web (800-70-MOSBY; mosbywines.com).

Where to stay: Nestled between the Pacific and the Santa Ynez mountains is the casually elegant Bacara Resort. The spa in this 311-room beauty (with 49 specialty suites) is 42,000 square feet and covers three floors. Wine tours are available (877-422-4245; bacararesort.com).

And for the ninth consecutive year, the 1874 Simpson House is America’s only AAA Five-Diamond bed-and-breakfast. The elegant property in the heart of Santa Barbara has rooms with wood-burning fireplaces and private decks and patios. Evening wine tastings and hors d’oeuvres could be dinner; wine tours can be arranged (800-676-1280; simpsonhouseinn.com).

SONOMA COUNTY

Only an hour’s drive north from San Francisco via Highway 121 or State 101, Sonoma County is an eternity removed from the big city and from neighboring Napa Valley. Residents take pleasure and pride in the Dry Creek, Alexander and Russian River valleys, the county’s three renowned wine-growing regions.

Wineries to experience: Healdsburg’s Front Street Wineries, the only one of its kind in Napa/Sonoma, is a clever collection of four small premium wineries with separate tasting rooms in the old 19th-century Roma Winery & RR Station. The Davis Family Vineyards are across the street. All cover major Sonoma varietals, while Holdredge and Sapphire make wines on the property (Camellia Cellars, 888-404-9463; Huntington, 707-433-5215; Davis Family Vineyards, 866-338-9463; Sapphire Hill Winery, 707-431-1888; Holdredge Winery, 707-431-1424; frontstreetwineries.com).

Where to stay: The lush, Tuscan villa–style Applewood Inn, a hot destination for wine aficionados, is a casual and luxurious bed-and-breakfast near Guerneville. The inn sets a marvelous table with an award-winning wine list featuring regional selections (800-555-8509; applewoodinn.com).

TEMECULA VALLEY

In 1998, Temecula boasted 13 operating wineries, but new vineyards with deep pockets now must compete with new housing for the valuable landscape. Regardless of the real-estate skirmishes, the “Big T” might be California’s easiest wine region to explore. Head for Rancho California Road, where 13 wineries line the street, each one more alluring than the last, all tempting visitors in for a taste.

Wineries to experience: Hart Winery is a small, earthy, family-owned winery, with (gasp!) not a gift shop in sight. Guests on Friday experience a bustling day, stepping over sizzling hoses that are moving wine from barrels to bottles. Hart is noted for hearty oak-aged reds such as a soft, food-friendly 2002 Cabernet Franc (951-676-6300; hartwinery@ speedband.com).

Showy Stuart Cellars, with a 360-degree view of the valley, is the place for private wine dinners, concerts, clambakes and festivals. Using the traditional north-south French planting scheme, Stuart has come up with numerous award-winners among its handcrafted, limited-release zinfandels and ports (951-676-6414; stuartcellars.com).

Prepare for a broad range of wines at the family-owned Mount Palomar Winery, established in 1969, including Italian-style wines such as Sangiovese and fine nutty sherry. The classy mission-style guest center and barrel tasting are both memorable (951-676-5047; mountpalomar.com).

Up-and-coming Leonesse Cellars, with a dazzling new tasting room and expansive views of vine-covered hills, is a house of reds yet is distinguished for its marvelous fruity white Merlot. Private tasting in the Old World–style tasting room, with a light lunch and 30 cheese spreads, can be arranged (951-302-7601; leonessecellars.com).

Where to stay: The serene 350-acre Temecula Creek Inn, overlooking a 27-hole golf course, is a refined destination resort complete with fitness center, in-room massages and fine dining. Wine tours are arranged through Esquire Limo Services, or try an early-morning Grape Escape Hot Air Balloon Excursion (951-694-1000; temeculacreekinn.com).

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