On our way up the coast to Santa Barbara, CA, my friends and I decided to pull into the small, seaside town of Summerland (population 1,448). We visited a cafe and enjoyed grilled cheese sandwiches, looked around a cool antique shop, and made our way into a boutique winery.
Summerland Winery was founded in 2002 “with the goal of producing premium wines from expressive vineyard sources spanning from Santa Barbara to Monterey.” I loved the ambience — it was small with a nice communal table and a “bar” with about 10 seats. Wine bottles and other products served as the decor, and I particularly liked the candles, which were made from old wine bottles. The outdoor balcony was a great place to taste wines and wind down on a beautiful day.
Unfortunately, I didn’t find the staff particularly knowledgeable, as no one really ever explained the wines to us, but they were definitely friendly. The cheese plate also left much to be desired, but I concentrated more on the wine. My two favorites were 2009 Summerland Pinot Noir, Solomon Hills Vineyard and 2010 Summerland Viognier, Late Harvest, Paradise Road Vineyard. I recommend this quaint town and charming winery to anyone who is in the area and looking for a nice, relaxing afternoon. It’s strong, regional character at its best.
Summerland Winery
2330 Lillie Ave
Summerland, CA 93067
(805) 565-9463
Tricia is a native Washingtonian, born and raised in Columbia Heights. She loves DC so much that she was only able to leave the city for one year after college and immediately came running back. She’s lived in Navy Yard for the last few years and is excited to see all the new restaurants finally moving into the neighborhood. Tricia works in PR during the day, and spends her nights trying out new restaurants in DC with friends or watching The Good Wife, Scandal, Bones and Grey’s Anatomy. A couple of years ago Tricia decided to eat at all of the 100 Very Best Restaurants until she realized she would be old and broke by the time she finished. Unfortunately, part of that fate might still come true due to her obsession with Uber.