You know your happy place? Everyone has one. Well, mine is Santa Barbara and wine tasting at Bridlewood Winery (3555 Roblar Ave., Santa Ynez). Most people think of wine tasting in Napa Valley or if they can’t make that trip, Temecula, but better than both is Santa Barbara and especially Bridlewood. Not only does Bridlewood have my favorite wines, but the grounds are the most beautiful you have ever seen.
Living on an old Arabian horse farm and equestrian rehabilitation center, the barrels are housed in the original, refurbished barns. Also, in another section of the barn is a lounge for wine members to relax and enjoy a bottle. Or, grab a glass and a seat on one of the sofas in their stone courtyard that surrounds the fountain. From there you can see the Spanish-style bell tower that is echoed in their labels and you can also look out onto the rows and rows of grapes, horse stables and their small lake.
When it comes to their wine, you can’t go wrong. Lindsey, our sommelier, took us through a tasting that included a Chardonnay that was made in a cement egg, to a beautiful Estate Zinfandel that was perfect with our lunch. She made it easy to understand the wines and how they were made. We all agreed that they were the most aromatic wines we had found and left with a car full. My personal favorites were the 2011 Chardonnay, which was crisp and refreshing; the 2008 Block 5 Syrah, which was milder of the reds; and the 2007 English Pleasure Syrah, which was a true steak wine. My overall favorite, which I have had at previous occasions and can be found in Los Angeles stores, is the 175 Blend. It’s a perfect red and the name comes form the 175 times it took to get the perfect blend.
I highly suggest taking a little road trip and finding you happy place up in the hills of Santa Barbara and with Bridlewood Winery.
