Rancho Sisquoc Winery

The Traveling Winers on Santa Barbara Wine Trail

Rancho Sisquoc Winery is a location where, if you are so inclined, you might consider dressing for the occasion in your western ware because this place is a Rancher’s Ranch! 37,000 acres of land, a cattle ranch with a mere 300 acres of grape vines. When you pull into the property you see a number of homes that immediately make you wonder…”hmmmm, those obviously aren’t the tasting room, but then what are they?” As it turns out, the homes at the entrance are lodging for the cattle manager, ranch manager, winemaker and assistant winemaker. It is only with a tiny bit more driving down the gravel road that you find the tasting room welcoming your arrival.

The tasting room is quite small, as is the actual tasting bar, however there is plenty of room outside on the patio to enjoy a glass of wine and the California sun. When we drove up a few folks were doing just that. This busy ranch produces about 20,000 cases per year, only using 35 acres of their own grapes for estate wines, and selling the other 265 acres of grapes to other wineries.

They have a nice selection of wines to taste – one in particular is worth your time. That is 2012 Sylvaner. Rancho Sisquoc Winery is the only California producer of the Sylvaner varietal. It really is interesting as it starts out smelling like citrus but then tastes sweet on the tongue! Very different and interesting!

We rated this winery a 4-grape winery and therefore would totally recommend that you stop and have a look-see. Perhaps pack a picnic lunch to bring with you, buy a bottle of wine, put on a pair of shorts (with cowboy boots for the ladies!), pull up a chair on their patio and soak up the bounty and relax! And remember, the VT “winers” said “Cheers!”

The Traveling Winers at The Vineyard Trail