Sir Clinks and Belle go Wine Tasting

[sir clinksalot]

Today we had a nice rare day when the kids were visiting Grandma and we didn't have any special plans. So Belle and I decided to drive up the 101 a bit and do some wine tasting. Belle even left her phone at home for the day to make sure the day was just about "us".

It was absolutely perfect.

After a nice lazy morning at home, we made our way up the 101 through the San Marcos Pass and started at our first Vineyard.

Gainey Vineyards, just outside of the Chumash Casino on Highway 246.





Upside Down wine-barrell Mickey!!!








We Left Gainey with a bottle of '06 Syrah and a '06 Sauvignon Blanc

Next up was Bridlewood, an absolutely GORGEOUS winery


This is the driveway heading up to the tasting room
















We left Bridlewood with a bottle of '05 Syrah and a '07 Viognier

Up next was Brander Vineyards, which is just a few miles from Bridlewood.



It was definitely a smaller winery compared to the 2 we went to before, but they have a very nice tasting room. We left here with a '07 Sauvignon Blanc.

We then headed into Solvang as some of the local winery's have tasting rooms so you don't have to drive everywhere. (A good thing when your tasting wine all day).

But before we stopped at the Chumash Casino for a bit just to have some fun. I won $300 on a "Deal or No Deal" nickel machine. If I had gone all the way to my last case it would have been $750. Oh well.

Our first stop, Presidio


Our Take from Presidio '07 Gewurztraminer (SO GOOD) and '07 Syrah Rose'


We then headed across the street to Winery Row


The Tasting was probably both of our least favorite of the day. They didn't have 'bad' stuff, just nothing we felt like buying. We did get the tasting glass though.

They did have some cool merchandise though:




We then walked up over to the next street and the Stolpman tasting room.


We both REALLY enjoyed the '05 La Coppa Syrah so we got a bottle.

By this time it was about 3:00 and we had gone to 6 different tasting rooms, tried about 35 different wines (we shared at the last few), played at the Casino and not eaten anything but crakers. All in 3 hours.

Wine Tasting, it sure is tiring.

We were going to drive over to Buellton and eat at the Hitching Post (where they ate in the movie Sideways) but they didn't open for dinner until 4:00. We were STARVING and tired.

So we grabbed a snack at Burger King (ick) and then headed home to have dinner at Wood Ranch instead.

The Pacific Ocean at 70mph




Some weird clouds started rolling in as well.




We waved to Barry as we passed La Conchita, stopped for dinner at Wood Ranch and then home.

Overall, I have to say it was as close to a perfect day as you can ever have. Spending the day with your one and only love, tasting some great wine and having it all paid for. Can't ask for more than that.

[belle]

It was a fabulous day.

[Radiobarry]

Gregg - great job! There are some great wineries in the area north of Santa Barbara. And Solvang is especially fun.

Thanks for the wave to our lovely folks in our little seaside hamlet. By the time you passed by, I was in Ventura working. But we still appreciate it.

Again, just another great Clinks TR.

-- Barry

[All4dISNEY]

gr8 TR Clinks!

[snorkeld]

Looks fun, thanks for the great report

[elly]

i'm not much of a wine person, but man i havent' been to Solvang in AGES! glad you were able to have a lovely day together, we all need that with our sig others once in a while

[aashee]

We really liked Solvang, great trip report! Except for that Burger King thing.

[RooBear]

Funny you should post this--we're not drinkers, mind you, but a recent gift of a wine has started us buying others. We've been tasting wines from all over the US now and some from Europe. We're 'gettin' into it, slowly but surely.

So to see this trip report was enticing, thanks for sharing!

Peace?
Roo

[Olympicnut]

MMMMMMMMMMMMm wine.

Glad you guys had a blast.

[Grumpy4]

Glad you guys had a good time.

[Dustysage]

Sounds like a fantastic day trip! Loved the pictures and your happy faces. Wine has a way of relaxing the soul and lifting the spirit.

[yoyoflamingo]

NNL and I went wine tasting yesterday also with a group of friends from work. Unfortunately, due to too much to drink and not enough food, and slipping at the second winery and hitting my head, I wound up spending most of the wine trip in the hospital.

Glad your trip went better than ours.

[belle]

Oh no YoYo!!! Hope you are ok!!! We had no casualties, but if we would have kept up any longer I would have been on the ground. I was a little tipsy by the last one. It was a fun fun day though.

[yoyoflamingo]

Oh no YoYo!!! Hope you are ok!!! We had no casualties, but if we would have kept up any longer I would have been on the ground. I was a little tipsy by the last one. It was a fun fun day though.

I'm ok. Just still a little sore. Problem is that I started off badly, with no food to eat, a mimosa, etc.

Luckily, there's always next year to make it up with my friends, and the wineries are close enough to do with NNL if we want to also.

Great TR though!

[pratt55]

Sounds like a perfect day for a wonderful couple, time for just the two of you, wine tasting, cruising down the highway, winning $$. If you two don't deserve it who does?

Thanks for sharing the trip with us though.