Santa Barbara County Wine, Part 6: Foxen Canyon, Los Alamos, Santa Maria Wine Trail
Foxen Canyon, Los Alamos, & Santa Maria Valley Wine Trail: The Northern Passage
Foxen Canyon, Los Alamos and the Santa Maria Valley are all part of one larger wine trail and make up the northernmost part of Santa Barbara Wine Country. Each of these regions features distinctive wines and experiences.
Image from http://centralcoastuncorked.blogspot.com
Foxen Canyon
The Foxen Canyon Wine Trail runs from Los Olivos to Santa Maria with about 16 wineries along this 30-mile scenic route.
Demetria Estate Winery is known for its beautiful location and its Rhone and Burgundy style wines. Foxen Vineyard & Winery is a long-standing winery that features Bordeaux and Italian-style wines. Riverbench Vineyard & Winery is one of the few producers to offer sparkling wines.
Martian Ranch & Vineyard, not far from Foxen Canyon, offers a lot of different varietals from biodynamic vineyards, including a good number of white wines.
Los Alamos
Los Alamos is a small but historic and art focused town. The valley runs from Alisos Canyon in the east to near Vanderberg Air Force Base in the west. As a result, there are a wide variety of wines and styles.
Lo-Fi Wines, whose winemaker consults with Martellotto Wines, makes fresh, affordable wines that pair well with all types of foods. Nearby is Lumen Wines, one of the few wineries producing grenache.
Babi’s Beer Selection
A good place for lunch is Babi’s Beer Emporium, owned by actor Emilio Estevez, for craft brews and tacos. Have dinner at Pico at the Los Alamos General Store for locally sourced creative cuisine and a great wine list.
Stay at the charming Alamo Motel where you can enjoy wine from Municipal Winemakers around a communal firepit. Or gather around a table at Norman’s restaurant at the luxury boutique motel, Skyview Los Alamos, to enjoy good food and drink. Skyview is a remodeled, iconic 1950s motel with cozy, chic rooms and a heated pool.
Another historic hotel is 1880 Union, but you need a group to rent the entire hotel as individual rooms are not available.
Skyview Hotel Firepit
Santa Maria Valley
While there are about a dozen wineries in and near the town, a must visit is Presqu’ile Winery for pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc from sustainably certified estate vineyards.
Santa Maria has an outsized reputation for barbecue. The Swiss Restaurant & Bar has the most traditional barbecue while Far West Tavern (pictured below) is more contemporary.
Far Western Tavern, Orcutt, California
There are a number of choices for accommodations if you choose to stay north. Try the Santa Maria Inn which is a registered historic landmark with luxury guestrooms, a restaurant and a wine and martini bar.
Another must visit is the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, which has 18 miles of coastal dune ecosystem, one of the largest coastal dune systems in the world.
Foxen Canyon, Los Alamos and Santa Maria Wine Trail Offers Many Experiences
Choose your route, north or south, and learn what makes each of these wine regions special. Enjoy top-quality Santa Barbara wines in picturesque and natural settings.
Image from dunescenter.org