By David Landis, The Gay Gourmet–
For those of us living in San Francisco, “wine country” tends to conjure up thoughts of Napa and Sonoma. Rightfully so. They are internationally-known wine regions, and they’re an easy drive away.
But a bit further south, there’s another lesser-known wine region. It has first-rate wines, wineries, and restaurants—and it’s less of a scene (which also translates into “more affordable”). That area? Paso Robles, Los Olivos, and the surrounding areas around Santa Barbara.
The Gay Gourmet recently visited with his “gay gaggle” and here are some of my top choices for the region:
Paso Robles
Adelaida Vineyards and Winery: Recently, our party had a top-notch wine tasting/food pairing (more than enough for lunch) at this gorgeous property just off the 101 in the hills above Paso Robles. According to the winery, “Adelaida Vineyards is spread over a patchwork of 1,800 acres of land, planted to take advantage of the specific soil, elevation, and climate.” Jeremy Weintraub is the talented winemaker and previously worked at Seavey Vineyard in the Napa Valley. With our welcoming host (and Adelaida’s General Manager) Jude Radeski, we sampled a variety of the vintner’s tasty wines from this lesser-known but quality winery.
We started with an earthy and textural 2018 pinot noir, a less pretentious yet elegant version of some of the more well-known pinots to the north. The pinot was expertly paired with a complex mushroom velouté (soup), topped with pepitas (pumpkin seeds), thyme, and olive oil. Next up was a very smooth 2019 mourvèdre (originally from Spain), paired with a savory shortbread, chèvre (goat cheese), drunken bing cherries, and a prosciutto chip.
Jude then offered us a taste of the dry and clean Provence-style Anna’s estate vineyard rosé from 2022, and it’s a winner. Anna’s 2017 syrah followed, a more delicate and fruitier version, paired with a piquant charcuterie brochette. The full-bodied and muscular blend from 2019 was next, served with a five-spice grilled chicken, lettuce cup, plum sauce, and pickled onions. It’s named after the hilltop where the grapes are grown and is a flavorful blend of syrah, mourvèdre, cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, petit syrah, and Touriga Nacional. The 2017 cabernet sauvignon, a flagship wine, was a star with coffee-rubbed beef tenderloin, whipped feta, parmesan snow, and a chive baton. Before we left, Jude also let us try the non-oaky 2021 chardonnay (mineral-driven and European style) as well as the 2021 picpoul blanc, a delicate white Rhone style wine, also with mineral notes. The winery is spectacular, situated on a hillside with 360-degree views. And the outside areas and decks, landscaped to a T, are even dog-friendly (Gaston and Alphonse approved!).
Thomas Hill Organics: This is a perfect downtown spot for an informal lunch, just off Paso’s beautiful square. It’s a fresh and seasonal restaurant with an outdoor courtyard that’s also pet-friendly. Try the Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, the pork belly tacos, or the fried chicken sandwich with chili, arugula, and basil vinaigrette. The restaurant boasts a varied, quality wine list featuring wines from the local region.
The Restaurant at JUSTIN: Though I haven’t tried it, I’m hearing good things about this sophisticated restaurant overlooking the vineyards at JUSTIN vineyards and winery. This fine dining establishment offers terrific Bordeaux-style wines and award-winning menu. The restaurant recently won both a Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star. It’s only open for dinner Thursdays through Sundays, and it’s a tough reservation—so book early.
Cello Restaurant and Bar at the Allegretto Vineyard Resort: This is an Italian-style restaurant at a popular, large-scale vineyard resort. We went for Sunday brunch and ate on the landscaped patio. On Sundays, you can either sample the all-you-can-eat buffet or order à la carte from the menu (which we did). Great burgers, pizzas, and salads, and the restaurant serves the vineyard’s local wines.
Niner Wine Estates: Located outside of town with a view of a natural heart-shaped grove of trees, this winery restaurant is all class. Food and Wine Magazine has named Niner “one of the best winery restaurants in America.” USA Today has called it “one of the top 10 winery restaurants.” And the Gay Gourmet agrees. Not to miss are the tasty homemade sourdough focaccia bread with miso butter, roasted chicken with sweet corn, and a healthy leafy salad with apple, fennel, red onion, sunflower seeds, and cider dressing.
Cass Winery: This is a casual, rustic destination outside of town where you can dine al fresco with a view of the vineyards underneath a towering, old-growth California live oak tree. You can sample wood-fired pizzas, charcuterie and cheese boards, sandwiches, and salads—and their signature 100% estate-grown French-style mourvèdre or grenache wines.
Los Olivos
About a half hour north of Santa Barbara, this quaint town is filled with shops, restaurants, tasting rooms, and more. It’s a great way to occupy a day trip out of town.
Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Café: This is a relaxed lunch spot smack dab in town, where you can grab a great salad, sample a well-curated wine list (their own winery, Bernat Wines, is known for sangiovese, syrah, cabernet, and nebbiolo), and enjoy the sunny courtyard. The wines are available at take-home pricing, which is a big plus!
Bar Le Côte: This charming café is housed in an historic building on the main drag. The proprietors describe it as “a stylish seafood tavern (that) prepares thoughtful maritime fare in a casual, social atmosphere.” Standouts include the daily selection of oysters, along with a great shrimp salad, crispy branzino, and yellowtail crudo.
Liquid Farm Tasting Room: Also located in an attractive cottage downtown, this tasting room has both a lounge-y living room and a buzzier bar space to sip their delicious wines. The owners describe their approach as one that “reflects an Old-World style while embracing the local Santa Barbara County viticulture and climate.” They’re known for their chardonnay and pinot noir, but we loved their rosé of mourvèdre as well.
Santa Barbara
The Gay Gourmet and our troupe tried a couple of new haunts that I recommend in one of my favorite California coastal towns.
Rare Society is a retro/modern steakhouse in the Funk Zone. The eatery boasts a sophisticated and luxe décor, with a comfy outdoor patio. Standouts included Parker House rolls, filet mignon (perfectly charred and cooked), creamed spinach, and an attentive, fun waitstaff.
The Good Lion is a contemporary, swanky cocktail bar on State Street, offering some of the best craft cocktails in the city (and live jazz on select nights). They are the first cocktail bar on the Central Coast to be certified Green Business by the California Green Business program. The mixologists here know their game and create innovative as well as sustainable cocktails seasonally. We loved the Lima Raspberry Drop, with pisco, raspberry, lemon, blanc vermouth, and rhum agricole. We also sampled the Coast Negroni, with gin mare, cap corse blanc, amaro angeleno, and anise (yummy!). And, of course, the true test for a great bar is a straight-up Botanist gin martini, which they executed to a T.
Bits and Bites
Priority Wine Pass: I’ve just been introduced to this new company, where you can buy a 3-day, 30-day, or one-year pass. The membership program provides discounts at more than 350 wineries, hotels, and restaurants in California, Washington, and Oregon—as well as personalized wine-tasting recommendations.
It’s curtains for one of the Gay Gourmet’s favorite North Beach restaurants: the longstanding North Beach Restaurant, an authentic Italian mainstay with a knockout art collection. So sad. They’ll be around until the end of December, so book now before it’s “Arrivederci!”
I recently tried out a new gin from Washington state called Kur Gin. Made by Wildwood Spirits Company in the London Dry style with heirloom red winter wheat, this gin’s flavor profile embraces juniper, Seville orange, Douglas fir and—surprisingly—Braeburn apples! It’s clean, potent, and worth a try!
Adelaida Vineyards and Winery: https://www.adelaida.com/
Thomas Hill Organics: https://www.thomashillorganics.com/
The Restaurant at JUSTIN: https://tinyurl.com/2vc7e8bc
Cello Restaurant at Allegretto Vineyard Resort: https://tinyurl.com/4cx7667x
Niner Wine Estates: https://www.ninerwine.com/
Cass Winery: https://www.casswines.com/
Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Café: https://www.winemerchantcafe.com/
Bar Le Côte: https://www.barlecote.com/
Liquid Farm Tasting Room: https://www.liquidfarm.com/
Rare Society: https://raresociety.com/santa-barbara
The Good Lion: https://www.goodlioncocktails.com/
Priority Wine Pass: https://tinyurl.com/33k7fxmj
North Beach Restaurant: https://www.northbeachrestaurant.com/
Kur Gin: https://tinyurl.com/3k5frjfp
Visit Santa Barbara: https://tinyurl.com/yc8h5fw5
David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com
The Gay Gourmet
Published on November 2, 2023
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