Week End in Los Olivos
My boyfriend Rick and I love wine tasting on the Central California Coast. Los Olivos, a quaint little town located in the Santa Ynez Valley, is one of our very favorite haunts! Its history dates back to the 1860’s where the stagecoach route passed through; and it definitely has that throwback feel. Today, California history melds with modern wine tasting rooms, both old school and new upscale restaurants, art galleries, and clothing boutiques. The easy, laid back vibe makes Los Olivos the perfect getaway destination!
Places to Stay
Fess Parker Wine Country Inn
Our favorite place to stay in Los Olivos
We stayed at the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn. It's a 19 room, upscale boutique hotel which over recent visits, has become our favorite place to stay. They have a beautiful pool area which is a necessity when visiting during the summer months. We enjoy returning from the wineries and heading straight to the pool to cool off. Temperatures get pretty high during the summer! With its renowned restaurant Nella Kitchen & Bar, staying at Fess Parker makes for a wonderful experience. In addition, there are discounts available for Fess Parker Wine Club members.
Also located close by in Santa Ynez is the Santa Ynez Inn, another luxury boutique property which I highly recommend. We especially enjoy staying there during the winter months with its cozy, romantic feel. There’s nothing like sipping a late night glass of wine in front of a roaring fire!
Restaurants
S.Y. Kitchen Cucina Rustica
Cocktails at S.Y. Kitchen
Nella Kitchen & Bar at Fess Parker Wine Country Inn
S.Y. Kitchen Cucina Rustica is another of Chef Luca Crestanelli’s renowned ventures. He launched Bar Toscana, an impossibly chic bar located next to the legendary Toscana, a 33 year old Northern Italian trattoria located in Brentwood, California. I used to frequent Toscana so many years ago and had no idea of its relationship to S.Y. Kitchen. He has done a wonderful job of infusing his Italian style with a rural sensibility. Nella, mentioned above as his newest venture, will not disappoint!
Rick & Me at Bar Le Cote
Bar Le Cote is a modern seafood tavern located along the main drag of Los Olivos. Having only been open for a year, it is incredibly popular! This is the second restaurant for Ryan and Daisy Bell, of the Michelin Star bistro Bell’s located in nearby Los Alamos. With the chef and co-owner Brad Mathews, they have created another successful venture! The menu is inspired by the daily catch of the Central Coast and the modern cuisine of Europe’s seaside. The vibe is casual, as is most everything in Los Olivos.
Dinner at Bell’s
Bell's Restaurant is a quaint, French inspired bistro located in Los Alamos, about 10 minutes away from Los Olivos. As mentioned above, it was founded by Ryan and Daisy Bell. They were recently awarded One Michelin Star for their high quality, delicious, unpretentious dishes. As the Michelin Guide stated ‘this is cooking that tastes as good as it looks.” I’m here to affirm that it was nothing short of spectacular!
An Array of Spectacular Dishes from Bell’s Restaurant
Wineries
Demitria Estate
Established in 2005 Demetria Estate is a long standing family owned winery. Demetria includes two separate portfolios of wines: pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and pinot blanc. This estate vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley includes syrah, mourvedre, grenache and viognier, roussanne, marsanne and grenache blanc. We actually became members of their wine club during this trip!
Andrew Murray Vineyards
Andrew Murray Vineyards is another family-owned winery located in Los Olivos. It specializes in Rhône varieties[1] Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Grenache blanc.Andrew Murray Vineyards is one of the wineries along the famous Foxen Canyon Wine Trail.
For almost 25 years, the Koehler family has operated the Koehler Winery. Since acquiring the farming estate in 1997, they have been committed to producing premium wines, and offering them at affordable prices. On Koehler's 40 acre estate, everything from Rhone and Bordeaux varietals to Riesling and Chardonnay is grown. The rustic setting is absolutely stunning.
If you read our blog, it is likely that you know Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite! Grimm’s Bluff has the most amazing Sauvignon Blanc! Either the Estate or Reserve…both are amazing!
Every time we visit wineries in Santa Ynez, Dragonette is always on our “must visit” list. It is a family owned winery that produces exceptional Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Syrah.
Of course there are many more wonderful wineries along the Central Coast of California. Hopefully we have given you a glimpse of some of our favorites.
Thanks for coming along on our week end in Los Olivos. It was a great trip. I hope we have inspired you to visit this charming town.
XOXO
Harriet