Get Tickets Now for Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley

Compared to even just 10 years ago, the Santa Ynez Valley is a vibrant culinary destination, sporting restaurants and edible experiences that rival wine countries everywhere.

To toast and amplify this reality, Shelby Sim and his regional marketing team at Visit Santa Ynez Valley launched Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley in 2019, and it quickly became a premiere means of sampling much of what there is to enjoy from Solvang to Los Alamos. Many of its events, especially the collaborative dinners, are also very quick to sell out, which is why we’re telling you about it almost two months in advance, as this year’s version isn’t until the end of September.

“The goal is to show off all that the Santa Ynez Valley has to offer — not in one place, in one day, but in each of our six townships, over four days, to immerse in each community’s vibe, food, and wine,” said Sim, who was hired by the organization in 2014. “It’s a taste, if you will, of this incredible destination where award winning wines and Michelin-rated restaurants are thriving.”

This year’s version is spotlighting the 20th anniversary of the film Sideways, which is what put the Santa Ynez Valley — and pinot noir — on the map for so many wine lovers around the world. One of the film’s stars, Virginia Madsen, will join the celebration, and more names may be added soon.

Among other highlights for the September 26 to 29 celebration are:

• Thursday night’s Santa Maria and Los Alamos wine tastings culminating in a collaboration dinner by Bell’s in the middle of “Little L.A.”
• All day activities on Friday, with horseback-riding, yoga, workshops, vineyard visits, and more, with tastings at the Ballard Inn and in Los Olivos, followed by a collab dinner right in the middle of Grand Avenue.
• More activities, including the new zipline and a “Sideways Set-Jetting” tour, plus the Franc & Blanc Fest at Gainey VIneyard and a collab dinner inside Sunstone’s cave.
• Sunday features vineyard hikes and two big Sideways events: a 20th anniversary midday celebration at Hitching Post 2 in Buellton and then a reception and screening of the Oscar-winning film at the Solvang Festival Theater that evening.

Get your tickets and more information for all these events at tastesyv.com.