I just got back from visiting the "wineries of Sideways" - I brought back 2 cases of wine to do a dinner for friends with. I'll be loading tons of photos and notes up shortly! Let me know if you have any questions

Has anybody else visited here after the movie came out?

Was it crowded?

I went there a couple of years before the movie and it was really quiet and laid back. Just like in the movie....

I visited this area in January. It was not crowded and it is a very lovely area. We tasted lots of good wine. . . especially the Pinot Noirs, which they are noted for.

Everyone should enjoy this area. They have small, quaint little wineries as well as big modern beautiful facilities. And most important. . .lots of great wine.

We also ate at the Hitching Post, the restaurant featured in the movie. It was "okay".

Cheers!
Kathy
http://www.cheers2wine.com

Ironically, when we went the wineries there say they are not really noted for pinot noirs. In fact very few of the wineries make pinot noirs. They say they are better suited for several other types of wines. There are of course a few that do make great pinots, but in the grand scheme of things other grapes apparently do better there.

One of the wineries mentioned in the movie - Firestone - doesn't even make a pinot noir. While we were there, someone came in asking for a pinot noir. When they were told the winery didn't make any, they turned around and left. That was pretty scary to me.

We were there on a weekday and it was pretty quiet - maybe 2-3 people at each winery and many had clearly come out because of Sideways. On the other hand, they said that it can get insane on weekends - with people 4 deep at the tasting bar and the noise so loud that you can't be heard over it - when the masses from LA come up for the weekend. Luckily it's far enough away that they don't come up for just a day.

As an example on the pinot noir, we tried the 3 pinots at the Hitching Post and the first 2 really weren't that good at all. The Highliner - at $50 a bottle - was good but not worth $50. It always struck me as funny that a starving writer would be glugging this down a bottle at a time On the other hand it strikes me as really funny that he bashes merlot through the movie as undrinkable - but what is his dream wine? The one he savors at the end? It's a merlot.

I'll try to get all my notes and photos up soon!

Lisa,

You reported:

"someone came in asking for a pinot noir. When they were told the winery didn't make any, they turned around and left. That was pretty scary to me."

Okay, you got me. What does the above mean?

I once visited a bakery and asked them if they had any chocolate-iced angel-creme filled doughnuts. When I was told they didn't make any, I turned around and left. I did so because I wanted a chocolate-iced angel-creme filled doughnut and they didn't have any there.

All I can say is I hope I didn't scare anyone.

Me too. If a winery doesn't have a wine I want to taste then I go.

When we visited Santa Barbara in January we found that our favorite wines were Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Noir. (There were several of wineries we tasted at that specialized in these three or a combo of them. )

In general I would say my favorite wines are Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.

However, the best Cabernet are from Napa (at least my favorites are) and my favorite Zins are mostly from Amador with some from Paso Robles and Santa Cruz. It does seem that some areas are better suited for different varietals.

Incidentally, we ate dinner and tasted wine at The Hitching Post (restaurant in Hitching Post). We were hoping to be able to recommend the restaurant on our web site but we were disappointed. We felt it was overpriced for what we got.

Kathy
http://www.cheers2wine.com

I thought Hitching Post was terrific. I loved my meal, and the personal attention of the owner, and seeing the chefs hard at work in the kitchen, and the chips (french fries) were the best I've had anywhere in the USA.

The restaurant is in Buellton.

My reviews of the wineries are finally online
http://www.wineintro.com/wineries/ca/santabarbara/

I'm not sure if you two are deliberately misunderstanding me. It really bothers me in New England when people drive a half hour to visit a local winery - then get there and say "Oh you don't have Chardonnay? You only have LOCAL wine types? Those aren't good enough for me, I won't even try them."

To me it's like going to France and then saying "I won't eat French food, I'm just going to the McDonalds here" ...

I understood what you are saying, Lisa.

As I said in "Carl and Marge Winery Visits" , we like to taste the various choices each winery has.

Just as in restaurants, you waste an opportunity if you prejudge what you are going to like.