Oreana Winery: Santa Barbara, CA

Of course, no visit to Santa Barbara would be complete without a visit to some of the local tasting rooms! We weren't entirely sure which ones we wanted to check out but, just by chance, we drove past Oreana on our way back from the old mission and thought it looked awfully cute. So, after an afternoon at the pool, we headed out to see what Santa Barbara wine had to offer.

While often overshadowed by its more famous California brethren, Santa Barbara has been coming on strong as a wine center for the last decade and is known for its variety of terrains and grapes. Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynes/Santa Rafael Mountains, Santa Barbara benefits from this natural design with vineyards able to experience different climates within a relatively small geographical area. For example, the vineyards on the coast experience the full force of the ocean breezes while mountain vineyards benefit from different soil and landscapes.

According to Google, there are over a hundred wineries in Santa Barbara so we were really lucky to stumble onto this gem. Located on Anacapa Street, this tasting room is perfectly located for anyone looking for a pre-dinner treat. Since I'm allergic to red wine, I opted to enjoy a glass of the 2016 Verdelho while Matt went for the full tasting option.

The tasting room itself is much more easy going and relaxed than some of the others we saw, which really helped to make us feel at ease since neither of us would consider ourselves to be wine experts. Also, the staff were so friendly and knowledgeable which we really appreciated.

The other benefit of this tasting room had to be the live music. If any of you know Matt, you know he can't resist a bit of live music so this place was right up his alley. They were such a talented group - I really regret not getting their name! The outside patio was packed with groups enjoying their night out so we lingered in the main tasting space and just enjoyed the overall vibe.

I'm so glad we took the time to visit this tasting room! We had such a nice time that we even popped over after dinner to pick up a bottle of the Verdelho to take home with us. I can't recommend Oreana Winery enough - it's an absolute must for anyone visiting Santa Barbara!