Pinot Noir Trail in Los Olivos

Updated July 2023

Pinot Noir is one of the most popular red wine grapes in the world for a reason: it can be elegant, nuanced, smoky, earthy, fruity, velvety, smooth, light, brightly acidic and so much more. And it pairs well with a large range of dishes and meals. In our charming town of Los Olivos, you’ll find lots of Pinot Noir from 12 wineries right here in town and 2 wineries on Foxen Canyon.

1. Alexander & Wayne Winery

Alexander & Wayner is a boutique winery specializing in emerging popular varieties. While many small wineries specialize in just a few varieties, producing them in significant quantities, the Arthur Earl philosophy lends itself to producing small lots of many different varieties and blends. At any given time, we will have as many as 10 different wines to sample and purchase in our tasting room.

2. Brewer-Clifton

At Brewer-Clifton, we strive to be singular and true to our region as we follow our pursuit. We have espoused ourselves to our appellation and will continue to do everything in our powers to display and celebrate it in as honest and impactful manner possible.

Brewer-Clifton is the most concentrated Pinot Noir producer in Los Olivos, and currently has 9 bottlings of Pinot Noir for purchase.

3. Dragonette Cellars

Brothers John and Steve Dragonette and close friend Brandon Sparks-Gillis founded Dragonette Cellars in 2005 after having worked together at a renowned wine shop in Los Angeles. Their shared passion for great wine brought them to wild, windy and remote northern Santa Barbara County where they spent the next several years seeking out extraordinary, cool-climate vineyards and dedicating themselves to careful, patient, minimalist winemaking.

4. E11even Wines by Andrew Murray

Andrew Murray presents E11even Wine. This is a special project for Andrew. All of the wines are Estate Grown and crafted with the utmost care and precision. They truly represent the best that we can do here, on the Curtis Estate in the heart of Los Olivos and at the Gravel Pit Estate in Santa Maria.

5. Evan’s Ranch Wines

Evan’s Ranch is located in the renowned Santa Rita Hills appellation of western Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County. It was established during the 1990s by the Gainey family, who have farmed in Santa Ynez Valley for four generations and were searching for an ideal site on which to cultivate the classic cool-climate varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah.

6. Future Perfect

Future Perfect Wine is made from hand-gathered fruit, hand crafted in our winery from brilliant vineyards right here in Santa Barbara County, California by female winemaker/owner, Sunny Doench Stricker.

With our vastly different microclimates, Santa Barbara County has the ability to grow almost any varietal in the world. This boutique winery makes 335 cases per year, including Pinot Noir from The Joy Fantastic Vineyard (owned by Holus Bolus Wines).

7. Holus Bolus

We are a family owned and operated winery founded in 2003 in Santa Barbara County. Each year we grow and produce exceptional Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay from our 5 acre estate vineyard, The Joy Fantastic. The vineyard site is located at the western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County. We developed and planted this certified organic vineyard in 2014. Try our 2 Pinot Noirs for purchase in Los Olivos.

8. Liquid Farm

Often said, but very true, all great wine starts in the vineyard. Liquid Farm‘s name reflects our strong belief in that philosophy. It is truly all about place in combination with the highest quality fruit and letting the varietal and regional typicity of the wine shine through from vineyard to glass…Liquid from Farming. We allow the wines to develop on their own with little intervention, minimal or no new oak and use no additives or machines to manipulate the wines inherent personality.

9. Los Olivos Tasting Room

The Los Olivos Tasting Room & Wine Shop was established in 1987 as California’s first independent tasting room specializing in Santa Barbara and Central Coast Pinot Noirs.  We also carry the fine handcrafted wines produced by the smaller, local winemakers and wineries that for the most part do not have their own tasting room or have limited days they are open. 

10. Margerum Wines/Barden 

Margerum Wine Company produces limited quantities of wines made from grapes grown both our Estate Vineyard and grapes purchased from other top vineyards from in and around Santa Barbara County. The 18 acre Estate Vineyard is planted exclusively to Rhône grape varietals.

Barden Wines produces limited quantity, boutique wines made from grapes solely sourced from the world-renowned Sta. Rita Hills. We carefully select the vineyards with meticulous attention to detail in all factors influencing the ultimate quality of the wines, including pruning, soil, climate, and farming methods. 
Our valleys, which run east to west, are ideally situated to grow grapes that produce a higher acid wine with lower alcohols, fine textures, deep concentration and the capacity to age. With a total of 2,700 acres of vineyards, all with coastal influence from the west, Sta. Rita Hills creates the perfect setting for bold, earthy Pinot Noirs and complex, rich Chardonnays.

11. Saarloos + Sons Winery

Saarloos & Sons wines were never meant to be available to the public. We started with a small 17-acre farm in hills of Los Olivos, on the only south-facing hill, let alone terraced, on Ballard Canyon. Larry woke one morning to see a cool layer of fog filling the canyon, he felt the midday sun on his neck, he listened to the wind turn the windmill blades each day coming from the same direction, and then he did what every good farmer does. He waited, he watched, he felt, and he listened. Day after day, week after week, year after year. Then like a great farmer, he picked up his shovel and got to work. And get to work he did…

12. SAMsARA Wine Co.

SAMsARA produces limited releases of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache and Chardonnay from carefully selected micro-sites within Sta. Rita Hill’s most distinctive vineyards. Our wines showcase the distinctive natural elements at play on each vineyard, harnessed through a low intervention winemaking style.

Further Afield

And just a further out from Los Olivos, you can find quality Pinot Noir at these 2 wineries.

13. Fess Parker Winery on Foxen Canyon

Fess Parker‘s home ranch vineyard has earned a great reputation for the quality of its Rhône varietals, while long term contracts with some of the finest vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA are the fruit sources for the winery’s Burgundian offerings. In recent years the winery has sharpened its focus toward production of more small lot, vineyard designated and clonal selection Rhône and Burgundian varietals.

14. Foxen Winery

Located outside Los Olivos on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail at 7200 & 7600 Foxen Canyon, The Foxen Boys (aka Bill Wathen and Dick Doré) have been making wine together since 1985, when they founded Foxen Winery & Vineyard at the historic Rancho Tinaquaic on Foxen Canyon Road. There are currently 9 different bottlings of Pinot Noir now! And, you can taste again at the historic shack at 7200 Foxen Canyon, as well as the main, newer tasting room/winery next door.