In 1982 the French Champagne house Champagne Deutz came to California in search of a suitable area to produce their Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines. After discovering the Central Coast, they built a state-of-the-art winery and planted 185 acres in the traditional grapes of Champagne, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. The property and winery was sold in 1998, and since then the new owners have expanded both the vineyard and wine offerings.

After taking the turnoff from Highway 101, will you head up through the vineyards to the hilltop winery. The updated winery facility and tasting room look out over the valley, with an expansive ocean view. A bocce ball court and picnic tables are on-site under a giant flagpole, and an old “riddling rack” fashioned into a low table sits on the grass overlooking the vineyard.

Inside the stylish room are multiple tasting bars, a fireplace, and doors opening on to the press room. Laetitia Winery has the only two Conquard Champagne presses in the Western hemisphere; these presses are uniquely suited to gently squeeze the grapes, producing the juice that makes their sparkling wine. At harvest time you can sip a recent vintage and view the operation up close. Gourmet goodies, logo clothes and wooden wine boxes are for sale in the tasting room.

GrapeRadio "The Wines of Laetitia"

The complimentary tasting includes one sparkling wine along with five or six still wines; the $8 tasting includes six sparkling offerings; and the $10 tasting includes the reserve still wines of Laetitia as well as the Bordeaux varietal wines from Barnwood, their sister winery. Laetitia and Barnwood wines include Pinto Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, Bordeaux blends, Muscat, late harvest Riesling, Port and six different sparkling wines.