Santa Barbara County
United States
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Santa Barbara County is located in the southern portion of the Central Coast in the U.S. state of California. The wine region is defined by the coastal Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains’ east-west orientation with direct access to fog and ocean breezes from the Pacific Ocean. The cool temperatures give the grapes an unusually long “hang time,” allowing the fruit to develop distinctive acids, flavors and tannins. The five official AVAs within Santa Barbara County and several other micro-regions reflect the diverse microclimates of the region.
Region
14,927 harvested acres
7 viticulture areas
Production
$844.7 million USD harvest value (2014)
Impact
9,000+ jobs created
$1.7 billion USD contributed to the U.S. economy (2014)
Primary Grape Varietals
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Syrah
Cabernet Sauvignon
Unique Fact
Santa Barbara County’s winemaking history began over two centuries ago during the Mission Era in the late 18th century. Winemaking developed and vineyards grew slowly throughout the 19th and 20th centuries before reaching explosive growth in the 1990s with over 10,000 acres of premium wine grapes.
