California S Central Coast The Ultimate Winery Guide

"The winemaking region encompassed by Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties is hot among those in the know -- and with good reason. A huge variety of the finest wines are only a pour away, and the setting is as dazzling as what's in the glass. Yet, despite its recent surge in popular appeal, the coast retains the down-home feel and roll-up-your-sleeves attitude that made it famous. The wineries of the Central Coast offer the perfect mix of elegant hospitality and warm accessibility -- as often as not, the people who pour your wine in the tasting rooms are not only the winemakers, but the winery owners as well, and they are happy to spend time chatting about their passion. Mira Advani Honeycutt's affectionately detailed text is a perfect introduction to this exciting expanse of vineyards. She reveals how the many microclimates of the Santa Ynez, Santa Maria, Arroyo Grande, and Edna Valleys, as well as the area around Paso Robles, have led to the production of an amazing diversity of varietals by an equally varied collection of wineries. Whether you're looking for a lush picnic spot and a glass of bubbly or panoramic views accompanied by a tasting flight of robust Rhône blends, her helpful tips lead the way. In addition, she reveals the distinctive art and architecture that abound in the wineries, while fine cuisine, fresh produce, and eclectic historical sites are never far away."--

In comparative tastings, wines from California's Central Coast rival those from such renowned regions as Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Napa, yet they also offer superb value. This is the first comprehensive guide to one of the world's most dynamic and beautiful wine regions-and the setting for the award-winning movie Sideways. An excellent, one-stop resource for touring and tasting at convenient wineries located from Monterey to Santa Barbara, the guide is organized into county-by-county alphabetical listings for this up-and-coming region. Wines and Wineries of California's Central Coast includes: * Profiles of nearly 300 wineries personally visited by the author * Profiles of individual vintners * 5 maps * Winery ratings, plus author and winemaker recommendations * Visitors' and contact information for each winery * Discussions of regional wine history and terroir * Descriptions of designated American Viticultural Areas and grape varietals

"I have depended on Charles Olken's Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine for more than 35 years. This new Guidebook is a perfect complement. No other book comes close to its thoroughness, accuracy, and usefulness. It is a must for travelers in California's wine country."—Charles L. Sullivan, author of Zinfandel "Olken's perspective on California wines is unmatched: he spans the landscape from the postwar pioneers to the newest garagistes, and wine criticism from before Parker to the age of blogs. This new guidebook is informed by his 35 years of careful, candid, and comprehensive attention to California wine."—John Winthrop Haeger, author of Pacific Pinot Noir

From high-end, cult wineries--whose interiors have rarely been seen--to smaller, more accessible vineyards, this series surveys the legends and lore of various locales. Large-scale photographic essays are complemented by a narrative chronicling various aspects of the wineries including their architecture, art, cuisine, gardens, and history of the sites and what makes each of them unique. Terrific keepsakes for wine aficionados, these guides are also useful in trip planning and as a reference for those who want to become knowledgeable about wine making particular regions. Presenting a taste of California's future, this guide features the hottest new wineries of California, which are sure to capture the world's attention soon. Still young, these vintners are brimming with ambition and possibilities. Brilliant photographs and descriptions bring Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara wine regions, Edna Valley, and Santa Maria to life. Perpetually tempting, robust cabernets, smooth sauvignon blancs and spicy merlots fill the pages--exhibiting the voyage from vineyard to glass.

"Covering boutique tasting rooms, working ranches, warehouse wineries, and intimate, family-owned vineyards, this fully updated, second edition of The California Directory of Fine Wineries is an essential guide to destinations of charm and character. [Includes] profiles of 51 California Central Coast wineries, describing their signature wines, beautiful settings, and picturesque rural architecture, as well as telling the fascinating story of each winery owner; highlights of the wineries' distinctive offerings, from theater performances and concerts, to food-and-wine pairings and outdoor barbecues, to inviting gardens, bocce ball courts, and picnic areas; more than 170 color images by renowned photographer Robert Holmes"--Page 4 of cover.

A comprehensive guide to the must-know wines and producers of California's "new generation," and the story of the iconoclastic young winemakers who have changed the face of California viniculture in recent years. The New California Wine is the untold story of the California wine industry: the young, innovative producers who are rewriting the rules of contemporary winemaking; their quest to express the uniqueness of California terroir; and the continuing battle to move the state away from the overly-technocratic, reactionary practices of its recent past. Jon Bonné writes from the front lines of the California wine revolution, where he has access to the stories, philosophies, and techniques of top producers. In this groundbreaking debut, Bonné paints an unflinching portrait of the current state of the industry: its strengths and shortcomings, its essential wines and those not worth pursuing. Lush full-color photographs, as well as a region-by-region tour of some of California’s lesser-known growing areas, reveal the people and places behind the bottles. Finally, a comprehensive purchasing reference lists all the must-know producers and their best wines, making The New California Wine an essential resource for finding and buying the very best the state has to offer.

Spilling over with spectacular vistas and practical information, Sonoma is the ultimate guide to one of California's premier wine regions. This new edition is fully updated, including five new winery profiles as well as a fresh new cover and interior design. Renowned wine and food writer Heidi H. Cusick-Dickerson reveals which wineries have the best gardens, the most informative tours, and the most magnificent views. She also highlights the best season to visit each site and offers insightful information on winemaking and local history. Sidebars outline directions, visiting hours, and winery highlights, and a detailed map is printed on the inside covers of the book, making for easy navigation. Illustrated with Richard Gillette's stunning, full-color photography, Sonoma: The Ultimate Winery Guide is both a practical guide to the region and a beautiful keepsake.

Unconstrained by tradition or viticultural regulation, California winemakers enjoy a freedom that has resulted in a remarkable range of world-class wines. Beautifully illustrated with original photographs and detailed color maps, this guide introduces California wine by exploring the best that the state has to offer —from lush Sonoma Chardonnay to spicy Santa Barbara Syrah to heady Amador Zinfandel. At the heart of the book, award-winning wine writer Stephen Brook offers 90 intimate profiles of top producers—from Napa and Sonoma to the North and Central coasts, the Sierra foothills, and beyond. Brook also includes general information on California wine history, wine culture, grape varieties, and more. Throughout, he searches for the characteristics that make California wine distinctive despite its tremendous diversity—and finds the answer in the state’s unusual climate, especially the shifting interplay between fog and sun, as well as a lively and constant questioning of received ideas about viticulture, vine age, terroir, and winemaking techniques, all of which have helped winemakers to create complexity,individuality, and nuance in their wines.