California's Santa Ynez Valley
An Art-and-Wine Vacation in the Unspoiled Home of Great Pinot Noirs
Nov 3, 2008
The Santa Ynez Valley is a 20-mile-long Eden north of Santa Barbara. Beautiful horses graze in bucolic ranchettes. Miniature ponies peacefully wander fence-fringed meadows. Near Solvang, a charming Danish-style community founded in 1911, the Alisal Guest Ranch offers golf and other resort amenities. Ostriches gawkily strut at Ostrich Land in Buellton.
Near private Santa Ynez Airport, the Chumash Casino, built by a local native tribe, offers Vegas-worthy slots and gaming, fine restaurants, and an all-you-can-eat buffet. Its showroom features stars like Diana Ross, Kenny Rogers, Julio Iglesias, Don Rickles, and Chris Rock.
Then there's the wine. Over three dozen vineyards capitalize on the rich soil and sheltered microclimate to produce world-class Chardonnays, Syrahs, and Pinot Noirs.
Yet, that fact remained an insiders' secret until 2004, when the valley starred in the independent film "Sideways." Now, roadside signs direct visitors to the tasting rooms of vineyards like Firestone, Fess Parker, Foley, Foxen, Brander, Sanford, Au Bon Climat, Babcock, and Qupe.
Art in Los Olivos
Artists have long been attracted to the valley, and the Victorian-era town of Los Olivos is arguably its artistic heart. There's a disproportionate number of galleries for a population of 1,300. Chief among them is the Judith Hale Gallery (2890 Grand Ave., 805-688-1222), which shows works in a century-old building and sculpture garden.
A stroll up Grand Avenue leads to more, including the intimate Young's Gallery (2920 Grand Ave., 805-688-9745) and the large cooperative Gallery Los Olivos (2920 Grand Ave., 805-688-7517). Many wine-tasting rooms will make you glad the town is small enough to park once and see everything on foot.
That includes the Wildling Art Museum (2329 Jonata St.). Occupying an 1880s farmhouse, the museum dedicates itself to wilderness-themed art, with four small, choice shows annually.
And don't miss the Los Olivos Café, setting of a pivotal "Sideways" scene. The menu features grilled food, salads, pastas, pizzas, and local wines.
Art and Treats in Solvang
No more than a 15-minute drive from Los Olivos is Solvang's Elverhoj Museum (1624 Elverhoy Way, 805-686-1822), a Danish-style farmhouse built in 1950 and transformed into a museum in 1988. The Elverhoj devotes itself to Danish-American history and culture, as well as eclectic art exhibits.
Solvang's quaint streets also beckon with souvenir shops, bakeries, boutiques, and galleries. A great evening stop is the Hitching Post II restaurant just down the road (406 E. Highway 246, 805-688-0676), another "Sideways" setting, famed for oak-grilled Prime steaks and house Pinot Noir (reservations essential).
Art, Wine, and the Old West in Santa Ynez
For a return to American style, the Old West town of Santa Ynez awaits four miles east. Here, local ranchers spin yarns at the Longhorn Saloon and Red Barn Restaurant. For a more contemporary experience, Artiste (3569 Sagunto St., 805-686-2626), a combination gallery, art studio, and tasting room, highlights European-style blends by winemaker Bion Rice. If inspiration strikes, tasters can also take brush and paint to newsprint or canvas in Artiste's studio.
Of course, the scenery always beckons visitors back outdoors. Vibrant lavender fields blossom at Clairmont Farms south of Los Olivos. A drive up Figueroa Mountain Road passes the gatehouse of the late Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch into unspoiled scenery flecked with springtime wildflowers. Refugio Road winds south into the Coast Range, passing Ronald Reagan's beloved Rancho del Cielo to offer breathtaking Pacific Ocean vistas.
Each detour becomes a memorable destination in itself, enough to make any visitor want to pick up a pencil, pen, charcoal, chalk pastel, or brush and capture the Santa Ynez Valley in a personal work of art.
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