2024 Santa Ynez Valley Tours
LET’S EXPLORE
Heritage Farmland & Flavors of Santa Ynez Valley, CA
Spring, Summer, Autumn 2024 Tours
HERITAGE FARMLAND™ & FLAVORS OF SANTA YNEZ VALLEY: SIGNATURE TOUR
Explore one-of-a-kind heritage sites on our Heritage Farmland™ Signature Tour
Going beyond, we will take our time to immerse you in the history of farming and wine unique to this region, featuring livestock, nut orchards, wine tastings, and artisan shopping.
Three locations and lunch with wine are included in this bespoke tour: Livestock ranch, orchard, and heritage vineyard with lunch, tasting, and wine.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL FARMS, RANCHES and WINERIES
Santa Ynez Valley: A landscape of mountains, rangeland, ranches and vineyards
LANDSCAPE: Much like the wines grown in the region, there’s a real depth and character to this historic part of the Central Coast worth exploring and revisiting often.
The area is home to the native Chumash tribe, who recognized the land’s bounty, characterized by undulating hills, gnarled oak trees, and electric fields of grasslands and wildflowers. Following the arrival of Spanish and Danish colonies, ranching and generational viticulture took hold in this corner of Santa Barbara County, and over time, the Valley became a vortex for ranching, winemaking, and beyond.
Orchards: Heritage Tree Groves
TREES: Santa Ynez Valley is known for wineries and beautiful tree-crop farms, such as olive and walnut farms. We will visit a fourth-generation small boutique farm that grows delicious Chandler walnuts for Diamond Walnuts. This walnut grove is nestled in the village of Ballard, in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley.
Ranches: Heritage Livestock
RANCHES: There are hundreds of ranch holdings in Santa Ynez Valley. You will visit some of the most authentic and charming. We will drive up into the mountains to visit one of the last grand rancheros granted by the Mexican Government, which comprises 1,600 acres of many livestock breeds. Rediscover your sense of adventure as you explore various livestock breeds, including cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens, and alpacas.
Vineyards: Generational Wineries
VINEYARDS: Nestled up against the majestic San Rafael Mountains, Foxen Canyon Road snakes its way through a wild, untouched region. The native Chumash revered this site, naming it “Zaca,” meaning “restful place.” After surveying the land in 1972, this beautiful open space appeared destined for greatness and was planted with grapevines in 1973. Having produced many vintages, this Vineyard is celebrated for producing unforgettable Rhône-style wines with elegant and distinctive personalities.
Santa Ynez Valley History
Santa Ynez Valley features five towns established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: Ballard (1881), Santa Ynez (1882), Los Olivos (1887), Solvang (1911), and Buellton (1920).
The valley has always enjoyed a strong agricultural base. In the late 1800s, cattle and sheep reigned, followed by crops such as olives, peaches, walnuts, prunes, apples, cherries, and quinces. The dairy industry rose and fell in the mid-1900s. Today, the countryside is dominated by wineries (more than 50), cattle ranches, and horse ranches that specialize in thoroughbreds.
The stagecoach played an important role in settling the Santa Ynez Valley. From 1858 to 1889, it ran from San Francisco to Yuma, Arizona, stopping near Ballard.
The Pacific Coast narrow-gauge railroad came to Los Olivos in 1887. In addition to transporting people up and down California, it made the shipment of farm products cheaper and more convenient.
