A Day of Wine Tasting in Los Olivos

Wine Tasting in Los Olivos California - Santa Barbara County

Last Saturday, we spent the day wine tasting in the Santa Barbara Wine Country. The wine country is comprised of many different areas, and Los Olivos is just one of the many places where you can taste wine. What I like about Los Olivos is that you have access to 30+ tasting rooms all within walking distance of one another. It’s a great place to spend a day wine tasting without having to drive around to several different wineries!

We arrived in Los Olivos around noon, so we made it to 3 different tasting rooms (see below). If you have the entire day, you could probably visit about 4-5 different tasting rooms. Some are open as early as 10 AM and some stay open as late as 7 PM.

If you need some ideas for which tasting rooms to visit in Los Olivos, take a look through the information below. All of these wineries were incredible, and I would highly recommend each one. They all offered something a little bit different, so it made for a really well rounded day. It was nice to be able to try a wide variety of wines!

Liquid Farm

Tasting Fee: $20 for 5 wines (plus some bonus pours)
Varietals: Rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Favorite Wine(s): Rosé of Mourvédre, La Hermana Chardonnay, Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir
Reservation Needed? We didn’t need one, but it never hurts to make one just in case it’s busy!

We had a great experience at Liquid Farm, and I loved their winemaking style. The wine is very Burgundian in style and their Chardonnay tastes nothing like your typical California Chardonnay. I was surprised at how many different Chardonnays they produce. We think we tasted at least 4 different Chardonnays. Each one was so unique and had a different flavor profile.

The tasting room is absolutely stunning. The owner’s girlfriend designed the entire space and even built some of the furniture instead. So impressive! I was also told that this space used to be a bank. Honestly, I would have never known it was a bank unless they told me. They did a great job making the space cozy and comfortable for their guests.

In addition to the Chardonnay, we were able to taste several different Pinot Noirs. All of them were delicious and very impressive. They source the grapes for the Pinot Noir from some of the best vineyards in Santa Barbara County.

Overall, we loved everything about our time at Liquid Farm. The wine was impressive, the tasting room was gorgeous and the staff was very knowledgeable. Of course, we ended up taking a few bottles home with us because we couldn’t resist.

Pro Tip: Be sure to get a picture with the rosé wall!

Story of Soil

Tasting Fee: $15 for 5 wines
Varietals: Grüner Veltliner, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah
Favorite Wine(s): 2019 Grüner Veltliner
Reservation Needed? We didn’t need one, but it never hurts to make one just in case it’s busy!

Story of Soil is a winery that is producing all single vineyard, single varietal wines. Nothing they make is a blend of any kind. They do this because they want you to know the place the grapes are from. They farm 11 different vineyards in the Santa Barbara area and are picking the best of the best. They are all about quality over quantity. Right now, they are producing less than 2,000 cases a year. If you like one of their wines, be sure to buy it because they do tend to sell out quickly.

One of my favorite wines from the tasting experience was the Grüner Veltliner. This isn’t a grape you see very often, so it made me appreciate the wine even more. I also LOVED their Pinot Noir. I could have sat there and drank it all day long.

In terms of their tasting experience, you can either stand inside at the counter or you can sit outside on one of their couches. I would recommend sitting outside if it’s a nice day. It’s a very relaxing atmosphere and you can always order their wines by the glass or bottle. I don’t think they sell food, but you could always ask if you can bring something in for a little picnic lunch.

Overall, we loved Story of Soil and their philosophy. Be sure to check it out if you want to visit a smaller, boutique winery and support a woman winemaker!

Waylan Wine Co.

Tasting Fee: $15 for 6 wines
Varietals: They make TONS of different varietals including Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Favorite Wine(s): 2018 Grenache Blanc and 2017 GSM Blend
Reservation Needed? We didn’t need one, but it never hurts to make one just in case it’s busy!

Waylan Wine Co. was started by two brothers back in 2015. This was their dream and their passion, so they made it happen! They are making several different varietals, many of which are Rhone varietals. I loved their GSM blend and their Grenache Blanc. They also make a Cabernet/Syrah blend that we really enjoyed. I was surprised at how much variety they had! This is a great place to visit if you are wanting more than Chardonnay or Pinot Noir.

In terms of the tasting experience, they have a counter you can stand at inside OR you can snag of the spots outside. We opted for outside because the weather was perfect!