Just a few blocks from Santa Barbara’s downtown core, is the home of the oldest winery in the region. Its popular tasting room can be a good party with plenty of wines to taste and people to mingle with.

Santa Barbara Winery was started in 1962 by Pierre Lafond. The winery has prospered and outgrown its downtown facility. In 2001 it started a new venture in the bucolic Santa Rita Hills, some 30 miles north, simple named Lafond Winery. It is here that the red wines are produced for both labels, with the whites being made in Santa Barbara.

The Santa Barbara tasting room has a pleasant patio out in front with an oasis of tropical plantings with tables and chairs for those nice warm days. The Inside is a lively place with a great gift shop and provides the opportunity to taste a number of wines. Chardonnay is their flagship offering but be sure to try their Rieslings, and the extensive list of red wines, including their Pinot Noir, Syrah, and their unique Zinfandel blend. They also have sweet late harvest Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. VIP tasting programs can be arranged.