Tag: 100 wineries

It’s a glorious descent from the Santa Ynez Mountain range into the long, fertile Santa Ynez Valley. For wine tourists coming from the city of Santa Barbara, the first vista view is so stunning, they often pull off the road to take it all in. The Santa Ynez Valley is Santa Barbara County’s largest AVA region covering 76,000 acres with more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms to discover.

It’s about as authentic Wild West as you’ll find these days, with lone cattle grazing on golden hills; silent, narrow country lanes; and farmers wearing cowboy hats in the fields. There’s more elbow room in the Santa Ynez Valley. But don’t let the wide-open spaces fool you. In every direction, there is plenty to see and do.

Since the opening of Chateau Ste. Michelle in 1976, Woodinville, Washington has been a secret treasure on the savvy wine tourist’s map. It’s located just 30 minutes northeast of Seattle—yet it’s a world apart, a chic little town surrounded by natural beauty in every direction. The southernmost part of Woodinville overlooks the wide and fertile Sammamish Valley, which provides much of the town’s fresh produce and many trails for hiking and cycling. Although there are more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms here, there are few vineyard acres. Most of Washington’s grapes are grown east of the Cascade Mountains, but you will find an amazing array of wines from nearly all of Washington’s 13 AVAs; so you can easily taste the whole state in just a matter of days, while staying within just a few miles.