Santa Ynez Valley - Part One

Located in Santa Barbara County, the Santa Ynez Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area with the greatest concentration of wineries in the Santa Barbara County.  The valley is a mere 45-minute drive from the Santa Barbara Airport, and has a population of approximately 20,000 residents living in the charming communities of Solvang, Los Olivos, Ballard, Buellton and Santa Ynez.  

During the blistering Arizona summer months, Hubby and I find refuge in Santa Barbara, a place I liken to "heaven on earth".  For the last 10 years, we have taken many forays into the nearby wine country of Santa Ynez to sample some vinos.  I love the area for many reasons (yes, I loved it before the movie Sideways was released): namely the shear beauty of the country, the cuisine, the wine (goes without saying), the friendliness of the people, and the adorable towns previously mentioned. 

We hatched a plan last year to take a wine-tasting and food-gorging extravaganza with my siblings this fall.  While I cannot speak for them, judging by the amount of fun we all had, as well as the amount of wine consumed and purchased, I think it was a success.  

There are many hotels from which to choose, and we chose Fess Parker's Inn in Los Olivos.  The Inn has a lot going for it: up-to-date, comfortable rooms, spa services, and proximity to many of my favorite restaurants and tasting rooms.  Fess Parker, an American actor who is best known for playing Davy Crockett in the mid-1950's miniseries by the same name, was a native Texan.  As such, the Inn flies the Texas flag and considers itself the "unofficial Texas Embassy" of California.  Did that have anything to do with my decision?  Truthfully, no.  It is the ambiance.  Plus, Los Olivos is just one of those towns were it is not uncommon to see a cowboy cruising down the streets on a gorgeous Peruvian Paso Fino horse (the area is also noted for the number of horse farms).  But I digress...let's get on to the tastings!

A room at Fess Parker's Inn in Los Olivos

The lobby of the Inn

We felt like it was only appropriate to start our tour off at the Fess Parker Winery and Vineyards.  When his acting days were winding down, Parker purchased a winery and devoted much of his time to viticulture.  His family currently owns and operates the vineyard, which has over 1,500 acres under cultivation.   

We missed harvest by a month

One can never have enough coonskin bottle toppers...

...or enough coonskin caps

The cool ocean breezes that settle in the nearby Santa Rita Hills create the ideal climate to grow Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.  The vineyards and tasting rooms we visited focused on production of these varietals, and include some (not all...not enough time!) of our favorites:  Sea Smoke, Melville, Brewer Clifton, Clos Pepe, and Dierberg/Star Lane.  Plus, I sprinkled in a few shots of tasting rooms in Los Olivos, as well as some views of the surrounding countryside and the fall colors.  Enjoy this introduction to the Santa Ynez Valley, as I get prepared to tell you about the food.  Bottoms up!

 

Sea Smoke's sparkling wine, Sea Spray

New vines planted in the Santa Rita hills

The Rhône varietals are also quite nice

Melville Winery

Clos Pepe Vineyard

Chief winemaker of Clos Pepe, Wes Hagen, leads an insightful lecture on the history of wine.  Wes is a former high school teacher, and his tour is peppered with so many memorable "Wes Quotes", my favorite of which includes, "The kids drove me to drink, and the drink drove me to go pro".  The tour and the wines are off-the-chart great.  See below for all the information regarding these wineries. 

Have a picnic at Dierberg

Maybe for your wine cellar?

Our grandfather was from Refugio, Texas, so we got a chuckle from this label

I will be sure to try it in the summer and get back to you

Quaint small tasting room of Carhartt

Check out the bocci court outside of Coquelicot tasting room

I love the light in the Fall

I just love this sign, period

Alamo Pintado Road

I just might spend my golden years here

I will come back here when the lavender is in bloom

Looks like we got an early jump on it!

Fess Parker Wine Country Inn & Spa
2860 Grand Avenue, Los Olivos
805-688-7788
www.fessparkerinn.com

Fess Parker Winery
6200 Foxen Canyon Rd, Los Olivos
805-688-1545
Open every daily, 10 am to 5 pm
www.fessparkerwines.com 

Sea Smoke is not open to the public, but the wines can be available at Taste of Santa Rita Hills tasting room:
1505 E Chesnut Ave, Lompoc
805-735-8774
Open Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm, or by appointment
www.tasteofstaritahills.com 

Melville Winery
5185 E Highway 246, Lompoc
805-735-5310
Open daily 11 am to 4 pm
www.melvillewinery.com 

Brewer-Clifton
329 North F Street, Lompoc
805-735-9185
Open Friday to Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm
www.brewerclifton.com 

Clos Pepe
4777 E Highway 246, Lompoc
805-735-2196
By appointment only
www.clospepe.com 

Dierberg/Star Lane
1280 Drum Canyon Rd, Lompoc
866-652-8430
Open daily 11 am to 5 pm
www.dierbergvineyard.com 

Refugio Ranch, Carhartt, and Coquelicot are located in "downtown" Los Olivos.

Guadalajara: City of Roses

It is worth your while to spend a day familiarizing yourself with Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque.  We took a city tour that started at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady, and walked nearby to the Government Palace, completed in 1790, that houses the state government offices of Jalisco.  It is also where you will find, in the staircase and in the State Congress chamber, a few famous murals by Jose Clemente Orozco painted in 1935.

Along with Diego Rivera, Orozco was a leader of the artist movement known as Mexican Muralism.  During the mid-20th century, a large number of murals were commissioned to be painted in public areas as a way of promoting social and political ideas.  In the main staircase of the Government Palace, Orozco depicted Miguel Hidalgo, the father of Mexican Independence, brandishing a fiery torch at shadowy figures representing oppression and slavery.   

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Interior courtyard of the Government Palace

In the State Congress chamber, Hidalgo signs the decree to abolish slavery

Many of Orozco's murals were shaped by the brutality he experienced living in Mexico during the 10 years of political unrest brought on by the Mexican Revolution of 1910.  The themes of human suffering and tragedy depicted in his murals are a powerful reminder of the social strife, not only in Mexico, but also throughout the world during the early 20th century.
A short walk from the Government Palace is the Hospicio Cabañas.  One of the oldest and largest hospital complexes in the Americas, the Hospicio is now occupied by art and crafts schools.  In 1939, when it was still an operating hospital, Orozco was commissioned to cover the interior walls of the main church with a series of monumental frescoes.  In the center, 200 feet above the floor, stands the Man of Fire, which some have dubbed the "Sistine Chapel of the Americas".  

Man of Fire, 1938-39, Hospicio Cabañas

After having our fill of shadowy figures, human suffering and death, it was time to eat.  Our trusty tour guide, Hector, recommended Casa Fuerte in Tlaquepaque as the perfect spot for a margarita, and, not to be missed, the queso fundido.  There couldn't be a better way of capping off a day of studying figures writhing in agony, than scarfing down bowls of hot, melted cheese.

Bar at Casa Fuerte

Interior courtyard at Casa Fuerte

Labeled as a "cheese lover's delight", the queso fundido at Casa Fuerte is a block of Oaxacan cheese that has been breaded and fried, then served in tomatillo sauce in a pre-heated molcajete, a stone tool used for grinding that is made out of volcanic rock (absolutely brilliant...I have never seen this presentation before).  The waiter cut the cheese up for us, and we swirled it around, watching it melt into gooey goodness.  It did not last long, so the kids begged for another.  Of course, we obliged them, while being persuaded to try the house margarita, a tamarind margarita.  These two were truly such stand outs, I would return to Casa Fuerte over and over again.  For the plato fuerte, I ordered the shrimp in a hibiscus mole, and topped the meal off with one of my favorite desserts, cajeta (caramel) crèpes.

Yum, yum, yum

Rimmed with tajin (see post on Tequila), the tamarind margarita had the perfect mix of sweet, salty and tangy

Shrimp in hibiscus mole

Crepas de cajeta

After rolling out of Casa Fuerte, it was time for a stroll through Tlaquepaque.  Tlaquepaque is a city that was absorbed by Guadalajara in the early 20th century.  The name is derived from a Nahuatl word meaning "place above clay land", and is known for its pottery and blown glass.

There are many lovely pedestrian areas

As well as a couple of photo opportunities

Examples of local pottery

The sanctuary of Our Lady of Solitude near the main square

In the main square, we chanced upon a ceremony called the Danza de los Voladores.  This Mesoamerican ritual involves a dance and a climb up a 100-foot pole, where the participants, after having tied themselves with ropes around their feet and waist, launch themselves from the pole in a circular motion, slowly unwinding their way to the ground.  This ritual is said to have been created to ask the gods to end severe drought (how do we get these guys to South Texas?).

My Instagram photo

Gotta buy the tchotchkes for the folks back home

This one played an instrument the entire way down

I am always struck by the vivid colors of Mexico, found in everything from the food to the flowering trees and native costumes.  As we head into the post-Veterans Day weekend, I leave you with a few more colorful images from México.  

 

African Tulip Tree seen close up...

...and from afar

From Ajijic on the shores of Lake Chapala...

...to downtown Guadalajara

Paletas (popsicles) from La Michoacana (the blue one is tequila-flavored)

I hear you can find it in select stores in the U.S.

Bougainvilla

Cascarones (eggshells filled with confetti) for crushing on someone's head

PS...
Where to see Orozco murals in the States?  He created four major murals during the ten years he spent in the US.  On the west coast, at Pomona College you will find Prometheus.  On the East Coast, at Dartmouth College, you can find The Epic of American Civilization, as well as A Call to Revolution and Table of Universal Brotherhood at the New School for Social Research and Dive Bomber and Tank at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.