Santa Barbara has it all, great food, great shopping, great culture and great wineries. If you are looking to escape the commercialism of Napa, Santa Barbara is the way to go. I think Santa Barbara is the most unique wine region in California because of the beaches, eateries and resorts.

Santa Barbara is a pedestrian-friendly community with miles of exotic beaches, beautiful mountains, incredible architecture, and rolling valleys. community

Santa Barbara Winery, Kalyra Winery and Oreana Winery are the top 3 wineries.

Located at at 202 Ancapa Street in Santa Barbara, sits Santa Barbara Winery. Started by Pierre Lafond in 1962, the first winery since prohibition which helped spark the Santa Ynez Valley wine industry. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Pinot Noir and other wines are produced by the Santa Barbara Winery.

Wine tasting is 5 bucks. For $5, you get to taste 6 different wines AND keep the glass. The value is amazing, friendly staff, and great atmosphere! The Riesling was incredible and the others notably exceptional. The winery is within walking distance to the beach, so plan on stopping by this winery after a great day of wine tasting and stroll out onto the beach.

A great experience overall, very enjoyable, drinkable wine, a great experience even for those not used to wine tasting, or those for whom this may be your first tasting. We will certainly visit Santa Barbara winery again.

Secondly, located 212 State Street is Kalyra winery. Their main winery is in the Santa Ynez valley and this is their second location. Just two blocks from the beach, Kalyra has a cool, fun, adventurous wine experience. The winemaker is from Australia and has been making wine in Australia and California for over 20 years which gives the winery an Australian vibe. The winery also has free movie nights periodically.

We tasted 3 whites, 3 reds, and 2 dessert wines for a wine tasting fee of $10. If you are into the sweeter variety, their specialty is dessert wines and this spot is incredible.

If you were into the movie, “Sideways” (2004), try to spot where Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Haden Church) meet Stephanie (Sandra Oh) at the bar. It was here at Kalyra! Overall, I must say that I had a fantastic wine experience here, and will gladly return in the near future.

Last but not least and located at 205 Anacapa street is is Oreana Winery. With creative wines such as “bacon wine”, this winery is a must try. When visiting Oreana, they were very generous with their tasting. This winery did not skimp on the tastings. A definite plus especially when it’s great wine. This winery was redeveloped from an old gas station and using its bones, transformed it into an incredible winery tasting room.

These are 3 wineries that you need to visit, when visiting Santa Barbara,

Want to find out more about wineries, then visit the Ultimate Winereries.com site on how to choose the best wine tasting directory for your needs.

Recently we were in Portland, had a great time, and then went searching for the home of some of the world’s best pinots, the Willamette Valley.

The Willamette Valley stretches for over a two hour drive, and is most easily accessed from Portland by taking 99W and heading for Mcminnville, Amity, etc – there are great wines near the Dundee Hills area – also great wines at the bottom of the Valley, Benton Lane for example.

The hotbed for Pinot Noir is the relatively compact north valley. Several big-name producers are there, including Domaine Drouhin, Archery Summit, Beaux Frères, Domaine Serene and Argyle.

More than 250 vineyards will keep you hopping from place to place!

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Plonk Wine Merchants will not pre-bill you for all of your shipments at the time of your wine club registration. We will charge your credit card monthly on the 1st day of the month for the duration of your wine club membership. We hope you enjoy the flexibility of being able to pay in smaller monthly increments instead of paying for your entire membership upfront!

All wine club shipments get sent out the first Monday of each month or directly thereafter should a national holiday fall on the first Monday of the month.

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Indulge yourself with highly coveted, hard-to-find wines on sale. Save up to 60% on award-winning, limited-production wines. Shop wines priced as low as $9.99, plus save up to $36 in shipping on every case.

Orders must be in half cases (6 bottles) or full cases (12 bottles). Mixed cases are okay! Wine Sale Ends on March 31st, 2013. Sale prices cannot be applied to previously placed orders and cannot be combined with other discounts.

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The California Wine Club – Spring Wine Sale – Up to 60% off retail on over 200 wines plus $1 shipping!

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Uncrate 6 wines every month, each expertly selected to indulge the wine adventurer in your life. A great way to discover a broad range of varietals and vintages from many of the world’s leading wine regions. The wines are ideal for food pairing, dinner parties or everyday enjoyment. Comes with our Tasting Notes, so its perfect for wine tasting events.

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In this year’s list, 13 countries are represented. The average score remains consistently strong at 93 points, and the average price per bottle is $46, just $2 more than in 2011. We hope that you enjoy our 2012 list and that it leads you to more deeply explore the world of wine.

Wine Spectator Top Wines Of 2012

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The California Wine Club
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Start Date: 2/15/2013
End Date: 3/31/2013
Highlights: Up to 60% off on over 200 wines, $1 shipping

The California Wine Club – Spring Wine Sale – Up to 60% off retail on over 200 wines plus $1 shipping!

The California Wine Club – Spring Wine Sale – Up to 60% off retail on over 200 wines plus $1 shipping!

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