Like other have said Mike thanks for the pics and BTW you should come out of retirement and become a tour guide. You missed your calling in your past life.
Sideways Tour de California!
- Thread starter ibglowin
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Our first stop of the day didn't take very long to reach for sure. I admit I didn't have much time for in depth research of the area but since we had been here back in 2005 we had some prior knowledge of the wineries. Firestone seemed to fit the bill as it was pretty highly rated by its visitors. After a little glitch in the Goggle maps we pulled into the entrance to the winery. Another beauty for sure from the outside.
The inside was more wood and less industrial like some of the other tasting rooms. Not pretentious and very welcoming. Our host greeted us immediately and was friendly and attentive. Tasting fee was only $10 waved with a single bottle purchase.
We tasted through the whites and all where good but nothing stood out like we couldn't leave without it until we got to the Sauv Blanc It stood out not only for taste but also for the price. $14 a bottle at the winery is a crazy deal. We moved onto the reds and for the first time I felt like something was not right. We tasted through about 4 reds total and all four of them were past peak. By past peak I mean like an open bottle of wine that has been sitting out for days on end and is oxidized and has that sherry taste to it past peak. We all were spitting and or dumping after the first taste. I should have asked the host to taste and see if she thought they were tasting OK but was a little uncomfortable I suppose doing that.
The Winery owner William Foley is a former CEO in the financial services sector and owns about a dozen wineries now (among other things). If you join one wine club you are basically a member at any of the other ones. He even has 2 in WA State.
We didn't join the club and did not purchase any of the red wines but we did leave with a half case of the Sauv Blanc. Wines were in the low to medium price range. $14 to $50.
The out door patio area is huge and had a large event space for outdoor weddings etc. I loved the old vines that had been pulled out and hung on the wall outdoors.
I have to say while the winery was worth the stop for the Sauv Blanc the tasting experience was not all that great due to the red wines. They were just over the hill and I don't know if the bottle was open and sitting too long (hard to believe) or just over the hill as in not enough sulfites and too much air.
Not sure I could fully recommend this winery after our tasting experience.
The inside was more wood and less industrial like some of the other tasting rooms. Not pretentious and very welcoming. Our host greeted us immediately and was friendly and attentive. Tasting fee was only $10 waved with a single bottle purchase.
We tasted through the whites and all where good but nothing stood out like we couldn't leave without it until we got to the Sauv Blanc It stood out not only for taste but also for the price. $14 a bottle at the winery is a crazy deal. We moved onto the reds and for the first time I felt like something was not right. We tasted through about 4 reds total and all four of them were past peak. By past peak I mean like an open bottle of wine that has been sitting out for days on end and is oxidized and has that sherry taste to it past peak. We all were spitting and or dumping after the first taste. I should have asked the host to taste and see if she thought they were tasting OK but was a little uncomfortable I suppose doing that.
The Winery owner William Foley is a former CEO in the financial services sector and owns about a dozen wineries now (among other things). If you join one wine club you are basically a member at any of the other ones. He even has 2 in WA State.
We didn't join the club and did not purchase any of the red wines but we did leave with a half case of the Sauv Blanc. Wines were in the low to medium price range. $14 to $50.
The out door patio area is huge and had a large event space for outdoor weddings etc. I loved the old vines that had been pulled out and hung on the wall outdoors.
I have to say while the winery was worth the stop for the Sauv Blanc the tasting experience was not all that great due to the red wines. They were just over the hill and I don't know if the bottle was open and sitting too long (hard to believe) or just over the hill as in not enough sulfites and too much air.
Not sure I could fully recommend this winery after our tasting experience.
Just down the road from Firestone in the same Foxen Canyon is a small quaint winery called Koehler Winery. We had seen this winery back in 2005 but did not stop in back then. As it just so happens our BFF's traveling with us last name is one and the same as the winery so we kinda felt like we had to stop in this time around and check it out. Fore some reason the area around Solvang and Buellton has a lot of Ostriches and Emu's. We were sorta greeted by one as we pulled into the parking lot at Koehler Winery. He was behind a fence but had no fear of us. We kept our distance as we did not wish to be bit none the less.
My research had told me this winery had some great success in the past with some of the GSM blends and especially with some of th pure varietals including Grenache and Mourvedre. Indeed at one time they had several WE Editors Choice Wines scoring in the mid 90's.
We were greeted by easily the most animated host we have had so far on our trip. Really he could have been on the stage at a comedy club on any given night. Extremely funny and attentive to say the least. We all were laughing from his one liners from the get go.
Wines here were low to medium priced ($20-$45)
We decided to do two simultaneous but different tastings. One Signature Flight (6 wines $15) and one Premium Flight (6 wines $20). We shared the tastings so we all got a taste of each wine. The whites were a Riesling (unusual for this area), A Grenache Blanc, Sauv Blanc, Chardonnay , Viognier and a Rose of Grenache.
Sadly none of the whites really stood out. All were OK but not must have OK. The Rose was easily the best of the bunch. On to the reds. We had a Sangiovese (usual for this area), Grenache, Syrah, Pinot Noir. Again all just OK and some had that slightly oxidized sherry taste that had us all spitting and dumping left and right.
Another couple came in during our tasting. We were the only ones in the tasting room prior to that. It appeared to be a local wine club member who had brought some friends in to taste. As we were finishing up our wines and our friends were shopping for SWAG for the Surname on it we were asked where we were headed next. We said we were headed to Sunstone Winery down the road we thought. We were told in short order that the wines here were better than any wine at Sunstone by the local club member.
OK we will take that into consideration........
Our BFF's left with a couple bottles of Rose' and more SWAG than anything else.
Not sure I could recommend this winery. The host was fantastic but the wines were just so-so unfortunately.
By now it was after one in the afternoon and the temperature was a scorching 95F. We headed out to find our last stop for the day which came with some of the highest ratings from visitors on the travel websites as well as some good reviews from WE. Sunstone Winery
My research had told me this winery had some great success in the past with some of the GSM blends and especially with some of th pure varietals including Grenache and Mourvedre. Indeed at one time they had several WE Editors Choice Wines scoring in the mid 90's.
We were greeted by easily the most animated host we have had so far on our trip. Really he could have been on the stage at a comedy club on any given night. Extremely funny and attentive to say the least. We all were laughing from his one liners from the get go.
Wines here were low to medium priced ($20-$45)
We decided to do two simultaneous but different tastings. One Signature Flight (6 wines $15) and one Premium Flight (6 wines $20). We shared the tastings so we all got a taste of each wine. The whites were a Riesling (unusual for this area), A Grenache Blanc, Sauv Blanc, Chardonnay , Viognier and a Rose of Grenache.
Sadly none of the whites really stood out. All were OK but not must have OK. The Rose was easily the best of the bunch. On to the reds. We had a Sangiovese (usual for this area), Grenache, Syrah, Pinot Noir. Again all just OK and some had that slightly oxidized sherry taste that had us all spitting and dumping left and right.
Another couple came in during our tasting. We were the only ones in the tasting room prior to that. It appeared to be a local wine club member who had brought some friends in to taste. As we were finishing up our wines and our friends were shopping for SWAG for the Surname on it we were asked where we were headed next. We said we were headed to Sunstone Winery down the road we thought. We were told in short order that the wines here were better than any wine at Sunstone by the local club member.
OK we will take that into consideration........
Our BFF's left with a couple bottles of Rose' and more SWAG than anything else.
Not sure I could recommend this winery. The host was fantastic but the wines were just so-so unfortunately.
By now it was after one in the afternoon and the temperature was a scorching 95F. We headed out to find our last stop for the day which came with some of the highest ratings from visitors on the travel websites as well as some good reviews from WE. Sunstone Winery
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Mike,
Love the images! You are a great photographer (IMO). Thanks for sharing all of this, I just can't show them to my wife or I'll have to get a second job to try and afford a trip out there.
Most retirees I know are busier than I am. I see now that your better half is retired, you two are fitting quite nicely into the "retired mold" I have in my head!
Love the images! You are a great photographer (IMO). Thanks for sharing all of this, I just can't show them to my wife or I'll have to get a second job to try and afford a trip out there.
Most retirees I know are busier than I am. I see now that your better half is retired, you two are fitting quite nicely into the "retired mold" I have in my head!
Our last stop on the Sideways Tour de California was Sunstone Winery. This winery was always listed as one of the top spots to visit in the Santa Ynez valley. The photos look like a winery out of Tuscany and not necessarily California but there it is looking like a picture postcard when you pull up.
The tasting fee at Sunstone is $20 waved with a 3 bottle purchase (one of the higher in the area). The tasting room was hopping when we entered. Easily the busiest tasting room, on our trip. The grounds are some of the more spectacular we saw all week. I am sure they had private events every weekend pretty much year round.
Our host was cordial but rather hurried as the tasting bar was full on this hot Friday afternoon. It appeared they only had 3 host for about 20 people which left little time to spend with customers and answer questions before they scurried away to someone else. At least the wines were good for a change today! The Whites were all very good. We tasted their Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauv Blanc and their Soliel Blanc blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay and Semillon. The Reds were equally very good and we tasted through 4 different Bordeaux blends as well as a straight Cab franc and a Malbec Rose'
They had a nice setup of dipping oils and baguette that easily sold Mrs IB on a bottle of dipping oil to go with a few other tasting room profit makers. We ended up purchasing a half case between us and thus voiding the tasting fee. We went with one of the Viogniers, a Sauv Blanc and one of the Malbec Rose'. The reds were good but did not wow me like I was wowed up in Paso Robles. Perhaps I was tired or perhaps it was the fact that we had been wine tasting for 4 days now! Our BFF's chose the Cab Franc, Sauv Blanc and Chardonnay.
Overall we had a pleasant tasting experience even with the crowded tasting room. Wines were easily the best of the day.
Wines are on the steep side for the area ($28-$70)
I would easily recommend a stop at Sunstone if you are ever in the area wine tasting for sure!
When we left the temps were approaching 100F and it was hot and dry. We downed some food and cold water from the rear of the CRV and headed back south on Hwy 101 towards Los Angeles hoping we could get back before traffic got too bad.
We had a lot of fun, had a lot of laughs, tasted a lot of great wine and brought close to 4 cases home between us. Not a bad week for sure!
The tasting fee at Sunstone is $20 waved with a 3 bottle purchase (one of the higher in the area). The tasting room was hopping when we entered. Easily the busiest tasting room, on our trip. The grounds are some of the more spectacular we saw all week. I am sure they had private events every weekend pretty much year round.
Our host was cordial but rather hurried as the tasting bar was full on this hot Friday afternoon. It appeared they only had 3 host for about 20 people which left little time to spend with customers and answer questions before they scurried away to someone else. At least the wines were good for a change today! The Whites were all very good. We tasted their Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauv Blanc and their Soliel Blanc blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay and Semillon. The Reds were equally very good and we tasted through 4 different Bordeaux blends as well as a straight Cab franc and a Malbec Rose'
They had a nice setup of dipping oils and baguette that easily sold Mrs IB on a bottle of dipping oil to go with a few other tasting room profit makers. We ended up purchasing a half case between us and thus voiding the tasting fee. We went with one of the Viogniers, a Sauv Blanc and one of the Malbec Rose'. The reds were good but did not wow me like I was wowed up in Paso Robles. Perhaps I was tired or perhaps it was the fact that we had been wine tasting for 4 days now! Our BFF's chose the Cab Franc, Sauv Blanc and Chardonnay.
Overall we had a pleasant tasting experience even with the crowded tasting room. Wines were easily the best of the day.
Wines are on the steep side for the area ($28-$70)
I would easily recommend a stop at Sunstone if you are ever in the area wine tasting for sure!
When we left the temps were approaching 100F and it was hot and dry. We downed some food and cold water from the rear of the CRV and headed back south on Hwy 101 towards Los Angeles hoping we could get back before traffic got too bad.
We had a lot of fun, had a lot of laughs, tasted a lot of great wine and brought close to 4 cases home between us. Not a bad week for sure!
Sounds like a great trip. It also sounds like they are charging premium prices for so-so wine on the central coast. But the settings are opulent and beautiful. It is fun to go from place to place, and my strategy is the same as yours. Never pay the fee, always buy the minimum purchase. Although if the wine is clearly flawed, I have on occasion, just paid the fee.
I love being close to Amador. Great wines, informal tasting, reasonable pricing (though that's unfortunately changing). I've looked at a couple of properties to buy there, and maybe have a hobby vineyard. But the vineyard part isn't critical since there are beautiful grapes to buy everywhere for $0.50-$1.00 per pound.
But the wine business is obviously thriving. Nice that we can make our own, and have piles of choices for special occasions. In Amador, El Dorado, Sonoma, and even Lodi, lots of new vines going in the ground, so someone believes it's still a growing business.
Fun trip and thanks for taking us along.
Traffic in LA can be bad at 2am. Good luck! I can't imagine living or working there. When I visit my daughter in "beautiful downtown" Burbank, I'm on the road at 5am to just barely beat the traffic out over the Grapevine.
I love being close to Amador. Great wines, informal tasting, reasonable pricing (though that's unfortunately changing). I've looked at a couple of properties to buy there, and maybe have a hobby vineyard. But the vineyard part isn't critical since there are beautiful grapes to buy everywhere for $0.50-$1.00 per pound.
But the wine business is obviously thriving. Nice that we can make our own, and have piles of choices for special occasions. In Amador, El Dorado, Sonoma, and even Lodi, lots of new vines going in the ground, so someone believes it's still a growing business.
Fun trip and thanks for taking us along.
Traffic in LA can be bad at 2am. Good luck! I can't imagine living or working there. When I visit my daughter in "beautiful downtown" Burbank, I'm on the road at 5am to just barely beat the traffic out over the Grapevine.
Just seeing this Sideways tour thread for the 1st time. Incredible!
Amazing pics, accounts and just everything. Thanks for taking the time to detail your trip—
& especially for always keeping it real. [emoji1305]
Amazing pics, accounts and just everything. Thanks for taking the time to detail your trip—
& especially for always keeping it real. [emoji1305]
Thanks AJ! I suspect we will try and make it up that way once a year now that we are both retired and have the time. Will certainly try and visit new wineries and update this thread as needed. 
Thanks AJ! I suspect we will try and make it up that way once a year now that we are both retired and have the time. Will certainly try and visit new wineries and update this thread as needed.
Have you harvested yet? Haven’t seen any pics, or did I miss them?
Sad story there. The Marquette had to be harvested before we left or it would be raisins. They were nice and right around 23-24 Brix on average. I picked right at 100lbs. I stored them in my fridge the whole time we were gone hoping they might survive. I had no one around to mess with them if I pitched yeast and then left. As you might guess I came back to moldy grapes. On top of that I had 50lbs or more of the larger Noiret that are late bloomers and thus late ripeners. I let them hang thinking they would be ripe when I came home. When we came home I immediately noticed the dog poop in the back yard was loaded with grape seeds. My two Golden Retrievers broke into to the garden and ate anything they could get to which was pretty much all of them. My fence is 36" tall (heavy roll) and they just worked on it with their weight until they got it low enough to just jump it. Without us being there and the dog sitter only showing up for 20mins 2X a day to feed and walk them they took advantage of all that free unsupervised time........
Grapes are supposed to be bad for dogs. Mine are no worse for the wear as they say.
I will build a 4' tall cattle or hog wire fence with 2x4 frame as a support for next season.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
The Golden my parents got when I was in college loved grapes and would eat them every chance she got. Never seemed to have any ill effects. She loved bananas too.
Sucks about your harvest. Sorry to hear that. Did you think about freezing, or just didn't have the space?
Freezer is full of Brisket, Pork Butt, Ribs, Ho-Made Sausage .........
It really was about the only thing I could think of to do to try and save it.
Next year I have already said no long trips in late September early October time frame.
It really was about the only thing I could think of to do to try and save it.
Next year I have already said no long trips in late September early October time frame.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
The vines will be another year older next Spring. Until then, its not like I don't have any wine to drink!
Bummer.......real sorry to hear that.
Pics of our portion of the haul.
