Follow The Prince
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South Central Coast: Santa Maria Valley
The wineries are easily accessible and within a 20 minute drive of each other. All the wineries and tasting rooms in Santa Maria Valley are family owned. This is a rarity in the wine business. Even the larger Kendall-Jackson properties, Cambria and Byron, remain family owned.
Santa Maria Valley, once known only for its row crops and cattle ranches, is now recognized for its Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and cool-climate Syrahs.
A Santa Maria Valley Wine Trail (see smvwines.com) includes Presqu'ile, Kenneth Volk Vineyards, Costa De Oro Winery, McKeon Phillips, Rancho Sisquoc, Cambria, Byron, Foxen, and Cottonwood Canyon.
Recommended Wineries
| Bien Nacido Vineyards |
| Address | 4705 Santa Maria Mesa Rd, Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-937-2506 |
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| Owner | Stephen Miller |
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| Comments | Solomon Hills Vineyard under same management. Grapes provided to numerous California producers. Tours available by special appointment only. Wineries at Bien Nacido Vineyard: Au Bon Climat (tasting room in Santa Ynez, no tours or tasting); Ambullneo (tasting by appointment., 805-474-5858, talk to owner Greg Linn); Tantara Winery (tasting by appointment., 805-938-5051, talk to owner Bill Cates). |
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| Byron Vineyard & Winery |
| Address | 5230 Tepusquet Rd., Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-934-4770 |
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| Website | byronwines.com |
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| Tasting Room | By appointment. |
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| Production | 25,000 cases Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah. |
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| Winemaker | Jonathan Nagy |
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| Owner | Artisan & Estates |
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| Comments | Established by Ken Brown in 1984. |
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| PoP coverage | Byron Vineyard & Winery |
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| Cambria Estate Vineyard & Winery |
| Address | 5475 Chardonnay Lane, Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-937-8091 |
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| Website | cambriawines.com |
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| Tasting Room | Open daily, 10-5. Tours by appointment. Picnic area and picnic supplies. |
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| Production | 20,000 cases Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah |
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| Winemaker | Denise Shurtleff |
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| Owner | Kendall-Jackson |
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| Comments | Established in 1987. |
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| Cottonwood Canyon |
| Address | 3940 Dominion Rd., Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-937-8463 |
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| Website | cottonwoodcanyon.com |
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| Tasting Room | Hours vary with seasons - call ahead. Picnic area. Older vintages available with food matching. |
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| Production | 2,500 cases Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah |
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| Winemaker | Norman Beko |
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| Owner | Norman Beko |
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| PoP coverage | Cottonwood Canyon |
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| Foxen Winery |
| Address | 7200 Foxen Canyon Rd., Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-937-4251 |
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| Website | www.foxenvineyard.com |
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| Tasting Room | Open daily 11-4. Tours by appointment. |
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| Production | 12,000 cases Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Syrah. |
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| Winemaker | William Wathen |
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| Owner | William Wathen |
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| Comments | Established in 1985. Full-throttle, richly fruited Pinot Noirs. |
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| PoP coverage | Foxen Winery |
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| Kenneth Volk Vineyards |
| Address | 5230 Tespusquet Rd., Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-938-7896 |
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| Website | volkwines.com |
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| Tasting Room | Open daily 10:30-4:30. |
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| Production | 8,000 cases of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot,and Cabernet Sauvignon. |
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| Winemaker | Kennth Volk |
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| Owner | Kennth Volk |
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| Comments | Kenneth Volk is the former founder of Wild Horse Vineyards and Winery. Established in 2005 following the sale of Wild Horse Vineyards and Winery. |
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| PoP coverage | Kenneth Volk Vineyards |
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| Lane Tanner Winery |
| Address | 2717 Aviation Way, Ste 102, Santa Maria (Central Coast Wine Services) |
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| Phone | 805-929-1826 |
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| Website | lanetannerwinery.com |
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| Tasting Room | By appointment |
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| Production | Small lots of Pinot Noir and Syrah |
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| Winemaker | Lane Tanner |
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| Owner | Lane Tanner |
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| Comments | Charming winemaker crafting charming wines. |
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| PoP coverage | Lane Tanner Winery |
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Recommended Lodging
| Holiday Inn |
| Address | 2100 N. Broadway, Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-928-6000 |
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| Radisson Hotel |
| Address | 3455 Skyway Dr., Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-928-8000 |
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| Comments |
Note: Lodging in Shell Beach, San Louis Obispo, Edna Valley, and Santa Ynez Valley about a 45 drive from Santa Maria Valley. |
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Recommended Restaurants
| Chef Ricks |
| Address | 4869 S. Bradley Rd., Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-937-9512 |
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| Website | chefricks.com |
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| Comments | Louisiana, Southwest and Southern California influences. Excellent. |
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| Dino's Deli |
| Address | 750 E. Main Street, Santa Maria |
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| Website | |
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| Comments | Great gourmet sandwiches for a wine country picnic. near the Santa Maria, Tepesquet and Foxen Canyon Wine Trails. The adjoining gourmet grocery has one of Santa Maria's largest wine selections, with more than 400 labels. |
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| Far Western Tavern |
| Address | Hwy 1 at 899 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe |
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| Phone | 805-343-2210 |
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| Website | farwesterntavern.com |
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| Comments | Very casual, steaks. |
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| Santa Maria Valley BBQ |
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| Comments | On the weekends, there are makeshift Santa Maria barbecue pits on corners and various locations. Santa Maria tri tip steak and pinquito beans are a featured and treasured cuisine of this region. |
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| Shaws Famous Steakhouse |
| Address | 714 S Broadway, Santa Maria |
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| Phone | 805-925-5862 |
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| Comments | Go for the tri-tip. |
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Appellation Websites
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