Santa Ynez Valley, located in Santa Barbara County, is renowned for its scenic vineyards, diverse varietals, and exceptional wine experiences. This list of the 15 best winery tours in Santa Ynez Valley was curated based on wine quality, unique tasting experiences, scenic beauty, and customer reviews. Information was gathered from sources such as WineTourism.com, California Winery Advisor, and Go Travel California to provide a comprehensive guide for wine enthusiasts.

Wineries Reviewed

• Sunstone Vineyards & Winery
• Bridlewood Estate Winery
• Rusack Vineyards
• Foxen Vineyard & Winery
• Barbieri Winery
• Stolpman Vineyards
• SAMsARA Wine Co.
• Four Brothers Wine Co.
• Epiphany Cellars
• Brave & Maiden Estate
• Kalyra Winery
• Roblar Winery & Vineyards
• Andrew Murray Vineyards
• Vincent Vineyards & Winery
• Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards

1. Sunstone Vineyards & Winery

Location: 125 Refugio Rd, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Website: sunstonewinery.com
Best Known For: Rhone varietals, including Viognier
Wine Tastings: Estate tastings with gourmet lunch options
Why Visit: Sunstone offers an organic vineyard setting with French country-style architecture, providing an idyllic backdrop for enjoying their exquisite Rhone varietals​ (WineTourism.com)​​ (California Winery Advisor)​.

2. Bridlewood Estate Winery

Location: 3555 Roblar Ave, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Website: bridlewoodestatewinery.com
Best Known For: Syrah, Pinot Noir
Wine Tastings: Intimate barrel table tastings and courtyard seating
Why Visit: Bridlewood combines state-of-the-art winemaking with a serene estate setting, offering interactive educational programs alongside their premium tastings​ (California Winery Advisor)​.

3. Rusack Vineyards

Location: 1819 Ballard Canyon Rd, Solvang, CA 93463
Website: rusack.com
Best Known For: Pinot Noir, Syrah
Wine Tastings: Scenic deck tastings
Why Visit: Rusack Vineyards offers a picturesque drive and stunning vineyard views, making it an excellent spot for enjoying high-quality wines on their expansive deck​ (California Winery Advisor)​​ (Go Travel California)​.

4. Foxen Vineyard & Winery

Location: 7600 Foxen Canyon Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93454
Website: foxenvineyard.com
Best Known For: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Wine Tastings: Historic “shack” tastings and modern tasting room
Why Visit: Foxen is known for its friendly staff and diverse tasting experiences, with two tasting locations offering different wine flights​ (California Winery Advisor)​.

5. Barbieri Winery

Location: 2369 Alamo Pintado Ave, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Website: barbieriwinery.com
Best Known For: Bold red wines
Wine Tastings: Storefront tasting room with cheese pairings
Why Visit: Run by a master sommelier, Barbieri Winery provides a fearless approach to winemaking, focusing on powerful and unique wines​ (California Winery Advisor)​.

6. Stolpman Vineyards

Location: 2434 Alamo Pintado Ave, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Website: stolpmanvineyards.com
Best Known For: Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache
Wine Tastings: Outdoor patio and Fresh Garage Patio
Why Visit: Stolpman offers both traditional and innovative tasting experiences, highlighting their carbonic maceration wines and friendly staff​ (Go Travel California)​.

7. SAMsARA Wine Co.

Location: 2446 Alamo Pintado Ave, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Website: samsarawine.com
Best Known For: Pinot Noir, Syrah
Wine Tastings: Patio and indoor tastings
Why Visit: SAMsARA focuses on low-intervention winemaking with solar-powered facilities, offering a sustainable and enjoyable tasting experience​ (Go Travel California)​.

8. Four Brothers Wine Co.

Location: 2935 Grand Ave, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Website: fourbrotherswine.com
Best Known For: Boutique wines
Wine Tastings: Outdoor garden tastings
Why Visit: This family-owned boutique winery offers a spacious outdoor tasting garden and a unique, intimate tasting experience​ (Go Travel California)​.

9. Epiphany Cellars

Location: 2974 Grand Ave, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Website: fessparker.com
Best Known For: Rhone varietals and sparkling wines
Wine Tastings: Classic and bubbles flight tastings
Why Visit: Epiphany, along with its Fesstivity sparkling line, offers a variety of tasting experiences in a relaxed courtyard setting​ (Go Travel California)​.

10. Brave & Maiden Estate

Location: 649 N Refugio Rd, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Website: braveandmaiden.com
Best Known For: High-caliber wines
Wine Tastings: By appointment only
Why Visit: Known for its sustainably farmed vineyards and personalized tasting experiences, Brave & Maiden offers a high-end and unhurried wine tour​ (Go Travel California)​.

11. Kalyra Winery

Location: 343 N Refugio Rd, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Website: kalyrawinery.com
Best Known For: Dessert wines
Wine Tastings: Rustic tasting room
Why Visit: Famous for its appearance in the movie “Sideways,” Kalyra offers a fun and relaxed tasting atmosphere with excellent dessert wines​ (Go Travel California)​.

12. Roblar Winery & Vineyards

Location: 3010 Roblar Ave, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Website: roblarwinery.com
Best Known For: Estate-grown wines
Wine Tastings: Wine and food pairings
Why Visit: Roblar combines great wines with delicious food pairings in a beautiful setting, offering both lunch and dinner options in addition to tastings​ (WineTourism.com)​.

13. Andrew Murray Vineyards

Location: 5249 Foxen Canyon Rd, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Website: andrewmurrayvineyards.com
Best Known For: Syrah, Rhone varietals
Wine Tastings: Estate and secondary label tastings
Why Visit: Known for its excellent Rhone varietals, Andrew Murray offers a comprehensive tasting experience at both their main estate and secondary label location​ (Go Travel California)​.

14. Vincent Vineyards & Winery

Location: 2370 N Refugio Rd, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Website: vincentvineyards.com
Best Known For: Bordeaux varietals
Wine Tastings: Vineyard tastings with food pairings
Why Visit: Vincent Vineyards offers a personalized tasting experience with a focus on Bordeaux-style wines and excellent hospitality​ (WineTourism.com)​.

15. Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards

Location: 6905 Foxen Canyon Rd, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Website: zacamesa.com
Best Known For: Syrah, Rhone varietals
Wine Tastings: Outdoor tastings and vineyard tours
Why Visit: As one of the oldest wineries in the area, Zaca Mesa offers a rich history and a variety of Rhone varietals in a stunning vineyard setting​ (WineTourism.com)​.

Conclusion

Santa Ynez Valley offers a diverse range of wineries, each providing unique experiences and exceptional wines. Whether you’re interested in historic estates, innovative winemaking, or simply enjoying world-class wines, this guide to the best winery tours in Santa Ynez Valley will help you explore the rich flavors and beautiful landscapes of this renowned wine region.