Ron recently discovered a new winery in the Santa Rita Hills. Pictured above is the Peake Ranch Winery entrance to the tasting room, nestled into the perfect spot in the hills. It is easy to get to in Buelton, just off the freeway for four miles. The Santa Rita Hills is an AVA, An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States, providing an official appellation for the mutual benefit of wineries and consumers. Wikipedia
I refer to the setting as "perfect" because it catches the ocean breezes, and makes it a pleasant experience even when the temperature is in the 90's.. This past Sunday was 92, but felt like 79.
You can see the constant breeze in the bushes and the olive tree pictured above. This is very important for Pinot Noir grapes who need cool mornings, and goldilocks afternoons, not too hot!
You can sit inside, or outside as we chose to do.... You can also bring a picnic, and dogs are welcome. They have a 5 wine tasting for $25. There are two white Chardonnays, and two Pinot Noir. You can also buy wine by the glass or just buy a bottle.
The last one is a "Porch Pounder"as our server described because it is a blend of several reds and is easy drinking. She attributed the expression Porch Pounder to her friend in Raleigh, N. C., who sits on the porch with friends and enjoys sipping it.
We bought the 4 mentioned above. And thus far we have loved the two we tried. It is a perfect place to take out of town/state visitors. The wine is great as is the setting.
We look forward to another visit, just the two of us, and a picnic lunch. Our server told us we could bring Quincy on a leash...Quincy tell us, he will pass!
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