Text courtesy of Trazzler.com.
By Megan Cytron
The movie Sideways put the Santa Ynez Valley on the map--and not just for aging burnt-out urban dwellers unlucky in love--a steady stream of wine-curious souls head here to wake up their taste buds at the valley's more than 70 wineries and tasting rooms. The feeling here is far less pretentious--and more family-friendly and idiosyncratic--than many other California wine-country regions. Dig a bit deeper and you'll find some pretty odd phenomena coexisting amidst the oenophiles: idyllic green hills, split-pea worship, a super-swanky dude ranch, wine-trail jeep tours, cuckoo clocks galore, cupcake and wine pairings, European fairy tales, a trolley drawn by draft horses, and aebleskivers (baseball-shaped Danish pancakes). Santa Ynez Valley towns: Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Solvang.
