The towns of Buellton, Solvang and Santa Ynez are charming in their own right: amazing restaurants, plenty of craft beer and wine tasting, lots of things to do for families and opportunities for outdoor adventures. And they have 21 sparkling producers in total.
See more! There are over 75 sparkling wine producers in Santa Barbara County.
Buellton & South to Gaviota
1. Brick Barn
Brick Barn Estate vineyard lies just north of the Santa Ynez River in a largely unexplored winegrowing corridor near the city of Buellton. The vineyard’s south-facing orientation is unique to the area. With the Pacific Ocean just 10 miles away, the marine influence is forceful yet solar exposure remains persistent—a providential combination that produces fruit with extraordinary dimension. Brick Barn produces a variety of Red, White and Sparkling wines. Their Blanc de Blancs (méthode champenoise) is released yearly and can be tasted at their tasting room.
Méthode Champenoise is how sparkling wine is made in the Champagne region of France, also called méthode traditionnelle or classique. This is the highest-quality and most labor-intensive way to make sparkling wine. It involves bottling the still wine with additions of sugar and yeast after a first fermentation, ensuring a second fermentation happens in the bottle, trapping the bubbles inside. It then goes through aging (and periodic turning of the bottles to force the lees to the neck of the bottle), until it’s ready for dégorgement (to get these lees out) and dosage (to finish the wine).
2. Esfuerzo
Hispanic winemaker Fidencio Flores made a super fun sparkling Sauvignon Blanc Pét-Nat called Happy Boy or “Muchacho Alegre.” This sparkler is fresh & crisp with aromatic notes of peach, citrus, and tangerine…tastes like a mimosa! It’s perfect for weekend mornings. If they are sold out, get on their mailing list to wait for the next one!
Pétillant Naturel, or Pét-Nat, is an even more ancient way to make sparkling wine than the widely-used méthode champenoise (also called méthode traditionelle) originated in Champagne, France. In the méthode ancestrale, the wine is bottled with a crown cap before it even finishes its first fermentation, so it develops carbon dioxide as it goes. It’s not disgorged, often unfiltered, and can be made from any grape variety.
3. Hitching Post II
Info about this Prosecco-style rosé coming soon…Pinks!
The Charmat Method is how sparkling wine is made in the Prosecco region of Italy, sometimes called tank method. This is an easier way to make sparkling wine than the traditional method used in Champagne, France. It involves This involves conducting the secondary fermentation in large tanks, and then pressurized bottling, according to the winemaker’s taste preference. This results in a crisper, fruitier profile that is typically served young instead of aging.
4. Vega
Info coming soon…
Solvang
5. Alma Rosa
Alma Rosa Winery is situated on the north-facing slopes of the Santa Rosa Hills in Santa Barbara County. Their wines reflect the special terroir of the Sta. Rita Hills, which benefits from cool Pacific Ocean breezes funneled inland through the unique transverse mountain range of the region. Alma Rosa produces small-batch Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Rhone varietals. At their tasting room, try or buy their 3 Sparkling wines: Brut, Brut Rosé, and Blanc de Blancs.
6. Cali Love Wine
Cali Love Wine creates wines through the use of old world techniques including native yeast fermentations, multi-varietal co-fermentations, and extended macerations. The wines are hand-made from grapes sourced from their favorite local vineyards. While visiting Cali Love Wine’s tasting room in downtown Solvang, taste their 3 Sparkling wines: Stardust Brut Rosé, Gold Label Grand Cuvée, and the Wild Thing Peach Mango Sparkling Wine. They also have a location in Pismo Beach!
7. Casa Cassara
Casa Cassara has been growing grapes since 1992 and making wine in the Santa Rita Hills and Santa Ynez Valley since 1998. Some of their wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Nebbiolo, Grenache Blanc, Arneis and more. At their tasting room in downtown Solvang, enjoy their Sparkling Rosé made of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
8. Clean Slate/Bocce Ball
Info coming soon…
9. Final Girl
Info coming soon…
10. Kings Carey
Info coming soon…
11. Lucas & Lewellen
Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, a Solvang-based winery with 400 estate acres situated among 3 of Santa Barbara County’s separate and distinct climate zones, 3 major wine labels, and 2 popular tasting rooms in downtown Solvang. Aside from their wide variety of Red and White wines, you can enjoy their 3 Sparkling wines – Blanc de Blancs, “Kiss of Oak” Sparkling, and their original Sparkling Wine, all made in the méthode champenoise.
12. McClain Cellars
McClain Cellars sources all of their vines and varietals from Santa Ynez, Los Olivos District and other vineyards in the Central Coast of California. Whether you’re in Laguna Beach, Irvine, or Solvang you can enjoy a glass of their large selection of wines! Don’t forget to taste their 2 Sparkling Wines: Dream Keeper Sparkling Rosé or their Lovely Day Sparkling Wine, both made in the traditional method.
13. Sanger/Consilience
Consilience, part of the Sanger Family Wines brand, focuses loosely on Rhône and Burgundian varietals and few other Italian and Spanish wines. Some wines that you can taste from Consilience are their Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and many more. In addition to those wines, you can also buy their Brut Sparkling Wine made from 100% Chardonnay.
14. Toccata
Toccata is known for versatile food-friendly wines, approachable prices, and a fun and relaxed wine tasting experience. They pour estate-grown classic Piedmontese varietal wines at their tasting room in Solvang. While at their tasting room, you can taste their sparkling wine Sparkling Rosato made in the méthode traditionnelle alongside their sister Sparkling wines from Lucas & Lewellen.
Santa Ynez Area
15. Artiste
Info coming soon…
16. Kalyra
Kalyra Winery is a Central Coast Australian-owned winery specializing in dry red and white wines, plus dessert wines, and sparkling wines. Kalyra has been making sparkling wine since their first Blanc de Noir in 1999! Today, Kalyra’s Sparkling wines include their Brut Natural, Rosé, and Brut Sparkling.
17. Roblar
The Roblar Winery and Vineyards estate includes a beautiful 5,000 sqare-foot tasting room, rolling vineyards, and state-of-the-art winery facility. They produce a wide variety of wines right here on the estate property, including Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Sangiovese, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. In addition, Roblar produces 3 Sparkling Wines: Sparkling Brut, Blanc de Blanc, and Rosé Sparkling, all made in the méthode champenoise.
18. Rusack
Info coming soon…
19. Sunstone
Sunstone Winery was founded as one of the first organic vineyard estates in Santa Barbara County, and Sunstone is considered to be one of the most visually stunning destination wineries in California. They produce over 20 wines including their Brut Rosé (méthode traditionnelle) that was recently released.
20. Vincent
Vincent Vineyards specializes in Bordeaux varietals produced entirely from their boutique estate in the Santa Ynez Valley. Their limited production wines available at their tasting room include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Cuvee. Vincent Vineyards has produces 2 sparkling wines in the past, and now offers a Sparkling Rosé, all made in the Champagne method.
Gaviota
21. Folded Hills
Tucked behind the coastal mountains of Santa Barbara County, Folded Hills is the closest winery to the ocean in Santa Barbara County. Their handmade wines follow the biodynamic calendar from the vineyard to the glass. Folded Hills produces Rosé, White, Grenache, Syrah, Marsanne and 2 Sparkling Wines: a Sparkling Clairette Blanche and Lilly Sparkling Rosé (méthode traditionnelle). You can visit and taste at the Folded Hills estate or at their Montecito tasting room.
See more! There are over 75 sparkling wine producers in Santa Barbara County.
Sparkling Wine on Paso Robles’ Eastside
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