Santa Barbara
Wine Country

Santa Barbara Wine Country is one of the hot wine travel destinations says the Wine Enthusiast magazine and website. Santa Barbara’s wineries and vineyards rate alongside those of Napa Valley as an exciting wine destination to visit. 

Santa Barbara Wine Country VineyardsSanta Barbara Wine Country Vineyards

Three USA wine destinations made Wine Enthusiast's Top Ten list, the other one alongside Santa Barbara and Napa Valley being Virginia, on the east coast. The other top seven destinations around the world are:

  • The Champagne Region in France (of course!)
  • The Veneto Region in Italy, taking in Venice
  • The Central Otago Wine Region in New Zealand
  • The Colchagua Valley in Chile
  • Priorat-Cambrils in Spain
  • Tokaj-Hegyalja in Hungary
  • The Mosel Valley in Germany

Well, as a list we’d say that is far from being the Usual Suspects. In the United States you might expect to find places like Sonoma, Paso Robles and Oregon ahead of wines from Santa Barbara and Virginia. You might also expect to find more than one wine travel region from France, in addition to Champagne - and why is there nowhere from Australia?

Lists like this are meant to stir up publicity for whoever produces the list, but they do also make you think - and its certainly good news for the vineyards and wineries of Santa Barbara.

Our Pick of the Guides

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Santa Barbara Wine Country 

So why is Santa Barbara such a great place to visit for the wine traveler? “That’s thanks in equal parts to its Hollywood-style glamour, palm tree-fringed sandy beaches, fashionable resorts, great cuisine, endless shopping and one of the most beautiful wine regions in California,” says Wine Enthusiast magazine.

Tour of Santa Barbara Wine Country

Right in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara you can tour this Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail.

Santa Barbara Wine Country Wine Varieties

Wine Enthusiast says that these are the prominent wine varieties that are the best wines to look for in Santa Barbara: “Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah feature in the cool parts of the valley, while Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Rhône varieties dominate the warm areas.”

If you want to read what Wine Enthusiast has to say about Santa Barbara wine country, click here. 

Other Santa Barbara pages

  • PCH Travel picks the best time to visit Santa Barbara, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.

    Best Time to Visit Santa Barbara

    PCH Travel picks the best time to visit Santa Barbara, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.

  • The Santa Barbara Historical Museum is one of the best things to do in Santa Barbara, California, on the Pacific Coast Highway.

    Santa Barbara Historical Museum

    The Santa Barbara Historical Museum is one of the best things to do in Santa Barbara, California, on the Pacific Coast Highway.

  • The Santa Barbara Italian restaurant Olio e Limone serves some of the best Sicilian-Italian food in California, and is well-located downtown.

    Santa Barbara Italian Restaurant

    The Santa Barbara Italian restaurant Olio e Limone serves some of the best Sicilian-Italian food in California, and is well-located downtown.

  • The Oceana Santa Barbara beachfront hotel has a perfect seafront location, close to Stearns Wharf and State Street, and whale watching cruises.

    Santa Barbara Beachfront Hotel

    The Oceana Santa Barbara beachfront hotel has a perfect seafront location, close to Stearns Wharf and State Street, and whale watching cruises.

  • Pacific Coast Highway Travel visits the best restaurants in Santa Barbara and recommends where to eat for the finest food and top local wines.

    Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara

    Pacific Coast Highway Travel visits the best restaurants in Santa Barbara and recommends where to eat for the finest food and top local wines.

  • Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to the best museums in Santa Barbara, which include art, history, natural history, and science museums.

    Best Museums in Santa Barbara

    Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to the best museums in Santa Barbara, which include art, history, natural history, and science museums.

  • Santa Barbara whale watching cruises in southern California can be booked through Condor Express, with whale watching trips leaving from the harbor.

    Santa Barbara Whale Watching

    Santa Barbara whale watching cruises in southern California can be booked through Condor Express, with whale watching trips leaving from the harbor.

  • The historic Franciscan Inn in Santa Barbara, California, near the Pacific Coast Highway, is in a quiet location near the beach ideal for those driving PCH.

    Franciscan Inn Santa Barbara

    The historic Franciscan Inn in Santa Barbara, California, near the Pacific Coast Highway, is in a quiet location near the beach ideal for those driving PCH.

  • Standing on the Pacific Coast Highway in California, Santa Barbara is an attractive resort with a historic downtown, sandy beaches, a mission, and good museums.

    Santa Barbara

    Standing on the Pacific Coast Highway in California, Santa Barbara is an attractive resort with a historic downtown, sandy beaches, a mission, and good museums.

  • The Santa Barbara Guidebook from Moon Handbooks also covers California’s Central Coast with Ventura, San Luis Obispo, wine country, and Hearst Castle.

    Santa Barbara Guidebook

    The Santa Barbara Guidebook from Moon Handbooks also covers California’s Central Coast with Ventura, San Luis Obispo, wine country, and Hearst Castle.

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