Visiting a winery provides a way of learning about how wine is made and sampling some of the products that are available. If one of the Santa Barbara wineries is on your list of places to visit, there are a few tips to keep in mind so that you have the best experience possible. Try to make plans to visit the winery during a time of year after grapes have been gathered so that you can learn more about the process of making wines.
Early Days
If you can arrive at Santa Barbara wineries in the morning, then you’ll usually have more time to enjoy sightseeing on the property yourself after taking a guided tour instead of mingling with crowds. The tasting rooms tend to be less crowded earlier in the day as well. If possible, visit in October or November when the crushing process is winding down as it will be easier to walk around and sample a few more wines than if you were to go in August when the crushing process usually begins.
Limited Visits
Even if there are several wineries within a short distance of each other, don’t visit more than two or three during the day. If you try to visit more than that, then you might not get to see all of the details that set each one apart. It can also be harder to ask questions or get samples if you feel like you’re being rushed to get from one winery to another.
Samples
Take advantage of the samples that are offered so that you get a better idea for the flavors of each wine. However, limit the samples that you drink so that you don’t have a high level of alcohol in your body. Most wineries have spit buckets so that you can gently roll the wine in your mouth before you expectorate the rest.
