January Road trip to CA Central Coast

[Jeffy Boy]

Hi, this is my virgin egullet post, so I hope I don't screw this up

I'm planning a road trip starting Dec 27th from Vancouver down to either the Monterey or Santa Barbara area, with a goal of touring wineries, eating some good food, and generally relaxing - after a crazy year at work capped off with a week confined with in-laws during Christmas

We've been to Napa and Sonoma at this time of year (nice), and last year tried the Willamette Valley in Oregon (hello, anybody home?). Are wineries outside of Napa/Sonoma generally open around New Years, or am I setting myself up for a letdown? Any "must-visit" places you can recommend? We're into the landscape and architecture as much as the wine itself.

[Sparkitus]

Monterey and Santa Barbara are not quite as built for tourism as Napa, but I think that's an attraction. You should know, however, that many of these wineries are rather small and a call ahead is a smart move, or even essential. Some have open tasting rooms (Fess Parker among them) you can just walk in to.

SLO (San Luis Obispo) is a charming town to visit, and there are some great restaurants in the area. Check out The Wine Cask in Santa Barbara and order a bottle of Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir (the logo was inspired by the ceiling in the restaurant). Also, I don't know if it's on your itinerary, but the Highlands Inn in Carmel has spectacular views of the Pacific, great food, and an impressive wine program. Monterey has an aquarium that's worth a detour.

[Jeffy Boy]

Thanks for the reply, Sparkitus.

We did a drive several years ago from San Francisco to LA, and spent some time in Monterey & Carmel, so I was planning on passing on by. Maybe we'll stop in Carmel though (gotta eat!). On that trip we stopped at SLO only for lunch and the afternoon, but it looked great. I think I'll add that to the agenda.

Fess Parker is one for the notebook. And I just checked out the Wine Cask website (looks amazing - I think their Seared Hudson Valley Duck Breast will go nicely with your Pinot Noir).

Any comments on the Carmel Valley, and what I'd find along that thin line on my roadmap between there and Paso Robles?

[rshorens]

Do you plan on passing through Healdsburg/Santa Rosa on Highway 101? I live in Santa Cruz, but the Russian River/Dry Creek/Alexander Valley areas near Healdsburg are my favorite getaway for wine-tasting and eating. Much less touristy than Napa.

Some recommended wineries, both for wine and scenery, include: Pezzi King, Trentadue, Gary Farrell, Ridge, Rocchioli, deLormier, Hartford Family Wines and Bella. There are several fine restaurants, but I like Charcuterie for excellent country French food at reasonable price. Haydon Street Inn is a lovely Bed and Breakfast.

Have a great trip!

Roz

[Jeffy Boy]

I'm still debating the pace at which we plan to go. I love to drive, and would like to stick to the coast as much as possible. My wife though thinks that's all "overhead", and would probably prefer we took 101 at max speed.

Our initial plan was to revisit the Sonoma/Santa Rosa area, but also want to see regions we haven't been to. On our last wine trip to California we stayed in Santa Rosa, and got to see much of the Healdsburg area. It was gorgeous and much more relaxing than Napa (I don't think I'll ever go back there).

Thanks for the recommendation on Haydon St Inn, Roz. I've now got it bookmarked. In Santa Rosa we stayed at the Gables Inn, which was nice. The breakfasts were the best we've ever had at a B&B.

So many wineries, so many wines, so little time!

[ludja]

We took a nice trip one year at the same time (right after New Year's) down Hywy 1 from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara area. We did a lot of great wine tasting--both in the San Luis Obispo area and down further just north of Santa Barbara. I don't think we had any problems w/wineries being closed...but it probably would be a good idea to have a wine map and be able to call ahead if you're going out of your way. We went to three different wine areas--Paso Robles (zinfandel), San Luis Obispo (chard and pinot) and then Santa Maria to Santa Barbara (chard and pinot). Probably my favorite wine area is between Santa Maria and Santa Ynez.

One wonderful thing about going this time of year is that the hills should be really green. One thing that happened though, is that Hwy 1 washed out behind us--so it's worth while to keep up on the weather and road conditions if it is raining alot. We went down Hwy 1 and came back on 101.

Some non-wine possibilities are Hearst Castle and the mission in San Luis Obispo (right down town). There is a neat old stagecoach inn in Los Olivos with okay food and tons of atmosphere. Note: this is right down the street from the now infamous Neverland Ranch.

For part of our trip we stayed in Lompoc (between Santa Maria and Santa Barbara). There is a neat inexpensive motel there that was pretty fun--very retro from the fifties or sixties but neat and clean--and it has a bar. It's called the Spaceport Inn (it's just down from the airforce base).

Anyway, thanks for your question, brought back lots of nice memories of the trip. Have fun!

[Jeffy Boy]

I never even thought about Neverland! Los Olivos just made to the "must see" section of my itinerary

The trip is now shaping up to hit 3 areas, with a couple of days at each: Sonoma-Healdsburg; SLO-PasoRobles; and Los Olivos-Santa Ynez.

I know what you mean about memories of previous trips. I had an amazing lemon cream ravioli in Sonoma about 8 years ago, and have been searching for something like it since. I remember I let my wife have a taste of it and spent the rest of my meal defending it with my fork! We still chuckle about that episode...

[nanuq]

My husband and I spent a few days in the Paso Robles area over Thanksgiving. We stayed in Morro Bay, which is a lovely small town. Many of the smaller artisan wineries do not take vistors, or are by appointment. We had an excellent tour at Tablas Creek (reserve ahead for the tour) - they grow their own vines, so this is unlike any other tour. Turley was also a great tasting experience - very good service in a busy tasting room. Talley was a Napa-like tasting. I can also recommend a new restaurant in Paso Robles called Panolivo.

Los Olivos looks like a great little town - we were there Thanksgiving eve and it was closing down, but great wine stores.

In Sonoma, there are several good restaurants, we loved Cafe La Haye. Heard good things about Roux in Healdsburg, and for a coffee fix, Flying Goat in Healdsburg

Also search the California board, there are some recommendations for the Santa Barbara general area.

Have a great trip, I think the Paso area is going to expolde, it reminds me of Sonoma seven or eight years ago.

Tracey (still call Toronto home, even though we live in the San Francisco area, Go Leafs!)

[marie-louise]

Highway One from north of San Francisco to where it meets 101 is beautiful. No wineries, but lots of beautiful scenery. The winter storms make for great ocean waves, but the roads can close due to rockslides. There are lots of B&B's in a town called Mendocino, and that is near the Anderson Valley (Navarro, Roederer, others.) It is a beautiful drive down a redwood-lined road that runs along a river; on rare occasions that road floods, but only in a huge storm.

I have friends who stay at a place in Cannon Beach, Oregon every Christmas. They love it, that might be a good midway point for you to stop. I've stayed in Seaview, Washington; again, no wineries but GREAT food. I stayed at The Shelbourne Inn. I see from their website it is being featured in next month's Martha Stewart Living. Sigh, I guess reservations will be a little tougher now. Talk about great B&B breakfasts-the weekend we were there, the chef was making omlettes w/ fresh porcini mushrooms he's picked nearby.

Edited December 14, 2003 by marie-louise (log)

[Raoul Duke]

Lucky you, a road trip! have been living in Paso Robles for the past 2 years after spending 13 glorious years on the island of Maui in Hawaii. I am still learning the area between the inevitable work and establishing an olive farm. I"ll give you some of what I have learned to date and hope it helps make your trip memorable. There are a VERY large number of vineyards and wineries in Paso Robles and Templeton. This particular area is similar to the Rhone region and offers some terrific zinfandels, vigoniers, syrah and on. Eberle winery has a very nice tasting room as well as cave tours. Maggie and Marc at their own small vineyard/winery (Windward) that produce an interesting pinot noir. They also pour L'Aventure wines that you should try. Meridan, Turley, EOS/Arciero, Justin (Isoceles), etc... But the best information can be had at the local Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association (PRVGA)site at www.pasowine.com which will give you wineries to visit, operation hours, as well as weather. Some of my favorite eateries are Alloro, Italian with an outstanding wine selection, Bistro Laurent for French (check out their web site for menu's), Villa Creek for neuvo southwestern and Vinoteca a wine bar to sample the local product. If it's mexican grinds (hawaiian word for eats) then you should try Papi's, carnitas with a Bohemia. Plenty of places to stay from the upper end to the Motel 6. I can go on more but if you like I can send you a "Vintages" magazine, the local free wine tasting & touring publication for the Central Coast, just let me know. By all means do not miss the coast towns of Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay, Shell Beach, Pismo Beach, etc.. And since I will be a producer soon, please visit the Willow Creek Olive Ranch, that produces some mighty fine oil and visit the olive oil tasting room in Paso.

Aloha, Raoul

[Jeffy Boy]

Thanks for the info and recommendations, especially the restaurant tips Raoul. I'm thinking that SLO would be a good home base for a few days of exploring both Paso Robles and as far north as Cambria.

A few years back we spent several days (again, in January) in Mendocino. We lucked out with terrific weather. It was amazing. I've got a framed picture I took of a glass of Old Vines Zinfandel on the balcony railing, with the setting sun shining through it.... The drive down to San Francisco on the coast was great, but took forever!!

Last January we went down to Portland and then Cannon Beach (stayed at the Stephanie Inn, which was very nice). Again, the weather gods were smiling on us. We really enjoyed Portland, which is a lot like Vancouver. Especially liked the galleries and restaurants in the Pearl district.

[Jeffy Boy]

Hey, just hit 20 posts, so I got to add an avatar! If you read my previous post about the picture of a Zinfandel glass, that's not it (if it was it would be a pretty crappy Zin). My avatar picture was taken the first week of January 2003, in Cannon Beach Oregon (from our room in the Stephanie Inn). I'm pretty sure it's a Chardonnay.

[Shannon Essa]

If you do go to the Wine Cask, be sure to taste some of the owner's wines (Doug Margerum, Margerum wines.) In Santa Ynez, check out Bridlewood and Brander, and there are plenty of tasting rooms on the main road in Los Olivos.

In San Luis Obispo definitely go to Talley - especially if you are into architecture. The have an incredible tasting room with a fantastic view. If you want to stay someplace odd, check out the Madonna Inn. It's scmaltzy, but it is different.

In Templeton, Turley is a good stop and a visit to Wild Horse is always fun.

In Paso, if you're OK with cheapo lodgings, I always stay at the Farmhouse Motel, at the southern tip of State Street. It's funky, but has a strange charm, and the price is certainly right. I love Villa Creek but order wine by the bottle because the by-the-glass menu is just OK (or get margaritas.) Castoro Cellars and Bonny Doon (close to each other on Hwy. 46 West) are two of my favorite stops. You must go to Tablas Creek - for the scenery and the great wines. Justin is worth a trip too. Have a great time!

[Jeffy Boy]

UPDATE: Just back from our road trip today, and I don't want to leave anyone hanging! We altered our agenda significantly after the earthquake in the Paso Robles area, and decided to spent some time in Geyserville, touring the Alexander Valley, Sonama and Napa areas. We then went up to Mendocino for several days of serious inactivity.

In Geyserville, we stayed at the Geyserville Inn, with a room overlooking some vineyards. Notable winery excursions included Geyser Peak (liked their Zinfandel) and Chateau Souverain (great Chardonnay, and a very nice bistro - mushroom pate was amazing). Ate many meals in Healdsburg, most memorable was dinner at Willi's, where I enjoyed fresh oysters with a bottle of Hanna Sauvignon Blanc. Also rediscoved the lemon cream ravioli I fell in love with years ago - at Piatti, in Sonoma. Best experience was lunch at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in St. Helena. Had seats "at the bar", with a view of the kitchen.

Mendocino is truly off-season in January, but weather for us was quite good, particularly after the torrential rains and flooding in the Napa area. Unfortunately Cafe Beaujolais was closed, and we were disappointed with our experience at 955 Ukiah. After overindulging in wine during the first part of our trip, I found myself switching to beer (I'm ambidextrous that way). The North Coast Brewing Co in Fort Bragg makes some excellent beers. I liked their Red Seal ale in particular. Got to see some migrating grey whales (no, before the beer).

The trip down from Vancouver and back again was an adventure as well! Most memorable stopover was in Garberville, Ca. It was the largest "dot" on the map for 50 miles, but probably deserved a smaller dot. Imagine organic flower child meets Mayberry. Had to change our agenda again, to avoid Portland on the way back due to snow and ice.