Day 3

Another good breakfast here at the Ballard Inn and then off to explore Solvang and Buellton. Both are nice little towns but Solvang is a tourist Mecca. This town is built to look like a Danish village and offers much European flair. There is a wine tasting room about every 50 ft or so. We opted to taste at the source, however.

First was Kalyra. They make Australian style wines from some estate and some off-estate grapes. Most notable was their syrah port and setting for a "Sideways" scene in which Jack first meets Stephanie.

Sunstone was next and we opted for the "reserve" tasting which gave us access to better wine and a tour of the facility. Their whites and rose were average. Their merlot and cabernet franc were very good. Two merlots of note are worth buying (my first ever). Both the Milestone and Reserve are winners with good structure and tannin. We chose the Milestone as they were selling at half-price as they were down to their last three cases.

Mosby does obscure Italian varietals but I didn't find anything I liked. The grounds are a bit dated as well.

Sanford is a

treat! This vineyard is first-class and their wines show great effort. The chardonnay La Rinconada became our lunch choice. The Sanford and Benedict Vineyard pinot noir was outstanding. We received a private tour of the grounds and learned much about their process. Sanford is a must-see for anyone coming to this area.

Melville was the last of the day and the biggest surprise. Known for pinot noir, they make it very nicely. The hit fo

r me was the viognier. They are quite proud of it and rightfully so. This will go down as one of my top ten whites as it is large! I had to buy one and will be getting more of this shipped at some point. The grounds here are also top-shelf. Great building and grounds for picnicking. Melville is also a must-see!

On to Paso Robles after breakfast.