Matt Kettman, SF Chronicle | Reference Source
Thanks to the beautiful Transverse Range, Santa Barbara County has one of the most unique and dynamic wine-tasting scenes in the world right now. The mountains and valley in this special southwestern corner of California run east to west, rather than north to south - this is the only place on the West Coast that this geographic anomaly occurs.
The Santa Ynez and Santa Maria valleys open directly onto the Pacific Ocean, and then creep inland, where the climate gets warmer the further you travel into the valley. The fog and wind dwindle, making it an ideal climate for growing a variety of grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon in the warmer dryer areas, and Chardonnay closer to the coast. Santa Barbara provides a happy home for nearly every popular grape variety in the world.. read more to discover the best wine tasting spots on the central coast ...
