November 26, 2003
Shop 'til You DropInstead of fighting the hoards at the mall this weekend, escape to local wine country and make this holiday season one of giving gifts of wine. The Vintners' Association has just published its new county wine map for 2004. You can pick up a copy at most winery tasting rooms.
In and around Santa Maria, there are three tasting rooms:
Byron has closed its tasting room east of Santa Maria. Byron wines can be tasted in Santa Ynez at the Santa Ynez Inn. (805) 937-7288.
- McKeon-Phillips is located at 2115 S. Blosser Road. Open 11-6 Friday thru Sunday. (805) 928-3025.
- Cottonwood Canyon is east of Santa Maria at 3940 Dominion Road. Winter hours are daily 10-5. (805) 937-9063.
- Cambria is located at 5475 Chardonnay Lane east of Santa Maria. Open 10-5 Saturday and Sunday including holidays. (805) 937-8091.
In Los Alamos there are two tasting rooms:
Between Lompoc and Buellton:
- The new map is less than a month old and is already out of date. It shows the Bedford Thompson tasting room at its old location on Alisos Canyon Road. The tasting room has recently moved to 448 Bell Street in Los Alamos, next to Cafe Quackenbush. Open 11-5 daily. (805) 344-2107.
- Chimere is located in Los Alamos on Bell Street, at the Alamo Motel. Open 12-5 Friday thru Monday. (805) 922-9097.
My most recent columns on food and wine for Thanksgiving have resulted in terrific feedback. It's exciting when people I see tell me, "we clipped your recipe." It's very flattering. As a former broadcaster-program director and even acting news director-I guess I still think like a radio guy. I had asked my editor, Dana, if it would make sense to reprint any of the recipes, and she told me, "readers can clip the recipes." Like yeah! What am I thinking? This is print not broadcast. This holiday, eat and drink prudently, and Bon appetit!
- Babcock (not on the Vintners' map) is located at 5175 East Highway 246 east of Lompoc. Open 10:30 to 4 Friday thru Sunday and by appointment the rest of the week. (805) 736-1455.
- Melville is located at 5185 Highway 246, east of Lompoc. Open 11-4 Thursday thru Monday and Wednesday by appointment. (805) 735-7030.
- Lafond is located at 6855 Santa Rosa Road between Buellton and Lompoc. Open daily 10-5.(805) 688-7921.
- Sanford is located at 7250 Santa Rosa Road, west of Buellton. Open 11-4 daily. (805) 688-3300.
- Mosby is located at 9496 Santa Rosa Road just south of Buellton. Open 10-4 weekdays; 10-5 weekends. (805) 688-2415.
Wine and food lover and Santa Maria Times Wine columnist, Bob Senn, lives in the Los Alamos Valley and owns the Los Olivos Wine & Spirits Emporium.
