Itinerary Check - Santa Ynez Valley

Hi All,

Long time lurker, first time poster here. My wife and I will be traveling to the Santa Ynez Valley from LA this weekend to celebrate our one year anniversary. I’ve mapped out the following high-level itinerary and would love to get your collective thoughts.

Our palates generally lean towards old-world style wines with lower ABV, higher minerality, and less ripe fruit than typical CA wines.

Lodging: Marriott Buellton - we chose here because it was the only dog-friendly place we could find last minute at a reasonable price
Nights: Saturday and Sunday

Saturday - driving up from LA
Lunch - looking for something in Los Olivos
Stolpman Vineyards (Los Olivos tasting room)
Liquid Farm (Los Olivos tasting room)
Dinner - Industrial Eats (no reservation)

Sunday
Morning hike - Lover’s Loop via Grass Mountain Trail - https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/lovers-loop-via-grass-mountain-trail
Dragonette Cellars - Buellton Facility
Dinner - Hitching Post (have reservation)

Monday:
Brunch reservation - SY Kitchen in Santa Ynez

Experts and locals - how does the above look? We certainly have time for more winery stops on Saturday and Sunday. Any glaring recs pop to mind? Thank you so much in advance.

In Los Olivos see if Sides is open for lunch. Otherwise try the Los Olivos Cafe. In Los Olivos see if Larry Schaefer at Tercero is open. Also Solminer. Harvest has started and the small wineries with tasting rooms are stretched. Saarloos in Los Olivos does a tasting with cupcakes which is fun. When in Buellton at Eats go across the parking lot to Brian Loring’s tasting room. If you are interested around and behind Lorings tasting room is a distillery that does tastings. Figueroa Mountain Brewery is down the street from Eats if you are looking for a change of pace. Enjoy.

Kevin,

First off, congratulations on your anniversary. What time is your reservation at Stolpman? My wife and I will be there at 11:45 tomorrow - it looks like you have an afternoon appointment but if we are overlapping, it would be fun to say hello.

I’m not sure what their Covid-era situation is but right next to Industrial Eats is Alma Rosa. We had a nice visit there the last time that we were in the area. I would second the suggestion to look into Tercero. We’ve been wanting to visit for awhile and have an appointment on Monday. Larry seems like a great guy and was super nice when I spoke to him about making an appointment. I would also recommend a stop at Au Bon Climat in Santa Barbara on your way back on Monday (again, if they are open for tasting). It’s a real favorite of ours in the area.

Eric

Steve, I am afraid Sides is permanently closed, with a replacement expected from the Bell Street operating team but not yet up and running. The SY Kitchen chef Luca has opened Nella in the Fess Parker (small bites, I am told), and Los Olivos Cafe is always an option. Regarding your hiking plans, OP, I believe the trail you reference closes during deer season, so you better consider a Plan B there too, sorry!

Enjoy your visit,
Jonathan

You might also check the weather forecast before deciding to head out for a hike. I just did and I’m already sweating.

Your itinerary looks great. In Los Olivos, another place to take a look at is Solminer, they focus on Austrian varietals - Gruner, Riesling, Blaufrankisch, St Laurent. If you have time swing by Los Alamos, it can be a quick stop or all day. A few notable stops in Los Alamos: Bob’s Well Bread for breakfast goods or a midday snack. Bell’s is one of our favorite French Bistros in the country, and I believe they’ve switched to a tasting menu format and have a takeout option. If you’re ever there on a Monday it is 50% off their bottle list. A Tribute to Grace has a tasting room in town and has great grenaches from the Central Coast. Finally, Full of Life Flat Bread can not be missed either, not only for their flat bread but their whole menu is great and very seasonal. Next to it is Bodega, which is more focused on natural wines, but they have a really large outdoor area to relax in.