Wine tasting in Solvang CA

We managed to visit during “a taste of Solvang,” in March. Organized by the Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau we visited many of the nooks and crannies of Solvang that we’ve missed on previous trips. We loved the walking portion of the event but wouldn't recommend the wine and cheese tasting event. It was in an overcrowded banquet room of the Veterans Memorial Building. Crowded tables in a small room are not the best places to taste wine

Quick Tips:

Don’t plan on visiting more than six vineyards in one day, it just gets to be too much and your palate is killed by the end anyway. We’ve visited quite a few of the vineyards but we’ve done it over multiple trips.

Best Way To Get Around:

We managed to visit during "a taste of Solvang," in March. Organized by the Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau we visited many of the nooks and crannies of Solvang that we’ve missed on previous trips. We loved the walking portion of the event but wouldn't recommend the wine and cheese tasting event. It was in an overcrowded banquet room of the Veterans Memorial Building. Crowded tables in a small room are not the best places to taste wine.

While walking through the city one of our favorites places to visit was a wine tasting room called "The Secret Cellar" located in an attic. The intricate decorations and warm personality of the owner makes this unconventional cellar a must-see place to visit.

During "a taste of Solvang" guests purchase a pass which includes a book of coupons that you redeem for free samples of wine, beer and local cuisine. A cookware store gave out glasses stamped with the logo of a Danish variant of vodka which we sampled at, of all places, a jewelry store. We liked the idea of being able to drink hard liquor while shopping for jewelry; it helped take the edge off of the prices. We sampled aebleskivers, which we didn’t even recognize as food by the name but are a popular Danish dessert shaped like golf balls that taste like pancakes. The skivers are topped with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar.

We found a few wine stores within the town which offered wine tasting and especially enjoyed meeting the owners of two vineyards which had their own dedicated tasting rooms in town. We enjoyed the Plam wines and liked the owners so much that we joined their wine club. We prefer to drive to the vineyards for the full experience but it was a nice option to sample the wines in town and then walk back to our hotel.

Don’t plan on visiting more than six vineyards in one day, it just gets to be too much and your palate is killed by the end anyway. We’ve visited quite a few of the vineyards but we’ve done it over multiple trips.

Firestone has the biggest tasting room and the most expansive selection of wines and local gourmet sauces. They’re also the only place we’ve found with a formal tour of the vineyard and winemaking facilities. They recently purchased Curtis Vineyards next door to them which has some of our favorite wines.

Zacca Mesa has a great trail that leads up a hill with an expansive view of the surrounding valley and some picnic tables in a small meadow. Speaking of picnic tables, make sure you pack a lunch and buy some bottled water before you head up to begin sampling wines. None of the places we visited offered food to purchase other than gourmet crackers and sauces. Many of the local stores will make sandwiches for you and if you want to go generic there is a Subway on highway (246) in Solvang.

Sunstone has a terrific picnic area decorated in the old west style overlooking the Santa Ynez River below and green rolling hills above.

Located 132 miles northwest of Los Angeles, travelers feel transported back to Old World Europe as soon as they enter the unique town. The streets are filled with buildings reminiscent of Copenhagen and a variety of windmill adorned shops and restaurants. It’s easy to pretend that you’ve escaped to Europe without the long 14-hour flight and expensive plane ticket.

Known as the Danish capital of America, Solvang is full of quaint restaurants, bakeries and cafes built using old-world Danish methods and styles. Time your weekend right and dancers, singers and musicians fill the streets. Check out their website at www.solvangusa.org to view their calendar of events.

While walking through the city, one of our favorites places to visit was a wine tasting room called "The Secret Cellar" located in an attic. The intricate decorations and warm personality of the owner makes this unconventional cellar a must-see place to visit. In a small bakery we sampled aebleskivers, which we didn’t even recognize as food by the name but are a popular Danish dessert shaped like golf balls that taste like pancakes. The skivers are topped with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar.

We found a few wine stores within the town which offered wine tasting and especially enjoyed meeting the owners of two vineyards which had their own dedicated tasting rooms in town. We enjoyed the Plam wines and liked the owners so much that we joined their wine club. We prefer to drive to the vineyards for the full experience but it was a nice option to sample the wines in town and then walk back to our hotel.

There are over 35 vineyards within a 15 mile radius so you need to plan your day wisely. You can pick up a great free map of the vineyards in the area by stopping by Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau. In fact this should be the first place you stop by to pick up some of their free information. They have a few different free guidebooks of the area and can also give you a list of events.

Don’t plan on visiting more than six vineyards in one day, it just gets to be too much and your palate is killed by the end anyway. We’ve visited quite a few of the vineyards but we’ve done it over multiple trips.

Firestone has the biggest tasting room and the most expansive selection of wines and local gourmet sauces. They’re also the only place we’ve found with a formal tour of the vineyard and winemaking facilities. They recently purchased Curtis Vineyards next door to them which has some of our favorite wines.

Zacca Mesa has a great trail that leads up a hill with an expansive view of the surrounding valley and some picnic tables in a small meadow. Speaking of picnic tables, make sure you pack a lunch and buy some bottled water before you head up to begin sampling wines. None of the places we visited offered food to purchase other than gourmet crackers and sauces. Many of the local stores will make sandwiches for you and if you want to go generic there is a Subway on highway (246) in Solvang.

Sunstone has a terrific picnic area decorated in the old west style overlooking the Santa Ynez River below and green rolling hills above.

Once you’ve been to the main areas it’s worth a journey over to the west side of the 101 Freeway along the 246 to visit a few wineries that we’ve even overlooked on previous trips. The first one you arrive at coming from Solvang is Mosby where the winemaker produces Cal-Italia wines from estate grown fruit which totally amazed us. One red variety he describes as an almond joy due to the wonderful similarity to the chocolate bar and is named Roc Michelle. We bought two bottles priced at only $18.00.

Sanford is the next winery you come across as you head west on the 246. We loved the beautiful drive through the vineyards and across a small river that leads to the tasting room. The wines here have a grandma looking label but we love the Pinot Noir - Vin Gris (this speaks volumes about the wine since neither of us usually like rose wines). Further down the highway we stopped at Lafond which had awesome desert wines and gourmet chocolates.

Solvang is a place for a relaxing weekend since the entire town closes up at 6:00 p.m. except for a few bars and restaurants. We enjoyed the bar at the Royal Copenhagen which has a wonderful fireplace and cozy atmosphere even though it is fairly large in size. Most of the people visiting Solvang are older (we’re in our mid-30’s), so if you want to party, bring along your own friends to play with.

The best place to stay that we’ve seen is the Inn at Peterson Village. It is centrally located and charming with prices ranging from $110-$275. We’ve never booked far enough in advance to get a room but we’re going to make sure we do for the Celebration of Harvest on October 12th. There is a Best Western is in the center of town that we’ve stayed in but it’s basic and the Marriot is a few miles out of town. The Royal Copenhagen seems to be a wonderful place to stay as well but we haven’t seen the rooms. We suggest checking out the solvang.usa website to figure out which one is right for you, we’re still figuring it out.

A few miles South of town on Alisal Road is a wonderful state park (Nojoqui Falls Park) with a delightfully lush trail that leads to a waterfall. The drive itself is amazing. Trees reach across the road forming a flourishing canopy of greenery. As you travel further along the road make sure to notice the spanish moss dripping from the trees, an uncommon sight in Southern California.

While you’re here don’t forget to visit the Firestone brewery just off of the 101 freeway in Buelton. There is a Chumush Indian Casino for the gambler in your group (open 24 hours) and a mission for the historian (Mission Santa Ines). We haven’t gone on a historical tour but there are many opportunities available for those who are interested as well as a few museums. A trip to nearby Los Olivos is also wonderful for those who have a bit more time. The Pacific Ocean is only a short drive away as well as a beautiful lake. We love our trips to Solvang and manage to discover something new each time we visit.