BWW Reviews: California Wine Country

For those who have experienced the Southern California trinity of stars (Hollywood), mouse (Disneyland) and beach (take your pick), there's a reason to return (grape).

A pleasant two-hour drive up the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles brings you to the Santa Ynez Valley, the most bountiful wine country this side of Napa. Tucked between the majestic Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains and a gull's lazy flight from the Pacific Ocean, the region boasts a handful of quaint towns like Buellton, Los Olivos and Solvang (you may recognize it from the 2004 movie "Sideways") and acres and acres of vineyards. More than 75 world-class wineries and tasting rooms offer their unique take on the grape.

Wine country offers visitors a leisurely way to soak up the natural riches of Southern California. Wandering into one of the many tasting rooms of the area's wineries is like dropping by a friend's porch on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Most wineries have a dedicated room for tastings and a bar behind which a proprietor or employee dispenses vineyard lore and history with each pouring.

A stop by the Mosby Winery and Vineyard in Buellton included several rounds of ring pull with an irresistible black lab puppy. A bottle of Sofia, a raspberry-scented dessert wine, also proved impossible to pass up. (All the wineries will ship cases when you are smitten, and you will be.) Mosby produces award-winning Cal-Italian wines from its 45 acres of vineyards.

The wine tasting at Carhartt Vineyard in Los Olivos takes place in a leafy garden behind a Hansel and Gretel hut, touted as "the world's smallest tasting room." A sauvignon blanc was a delightful discovery, as was a zinfandel.

The Santa Ynez Valley's wineries have been heralded worldwide for the growing conditions, usually lush scenery (a faded green now because of drought) and varietals for every taste. In the cool climate of the Santa Rita Hills, Burgundies (pinot noir and chardonnay) flourish. The warmer regions of the Santa Ynez offer Rhone varietals (syrah, grenache, viognier, marsanne and roussane).

In between winery-hopping, you'll find multi-ethnic restaurants and multi-cultural museums featuring Native American, Spanish, Mexican and Danish art. There's also the 1804 Old Mission Santa Inés, a national historic landmark. (The mission's name gave rise to today's Santa Ynez.)

If you make a day of it, indulge in some outdoor activities to take advantage of the typically beautiful weather-you can bike, hike or walk along one of many trails. There's plenty of evening entertainment, including the Chumash Resort Casino.

While some of the wine country spots offer an assortment of lodging, I prefer to stay in a less touristy town altogether, opting for a splash of luxury to wash down the wine excursions. The Four Seasons Westlake Village, on the northern fringe of Los Angeles, offered a splendid break from same-old hotels that populate every tourist town. The Four Seasons delivers what you'd expect from a luxury, five-star resort: a well-equipped 24/7 fitness center, pool and spa among other much-appreciated amenities. You'll find poolside cabanas, an adults-only serenity pool, tennis and golf access to the acclaimed Sherwood Lake Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus.

With views of waterfalls and the Santa Monica Mountains, the Four Seasons won't disappoint. It also houses the California Health and Longevity Institute, whose team of physicians, dietitians, exercise physiologists and lifestyle consultants work together to effect a healthy lifestyle transplant - "a personlized, 360-degree approach to health and well being."

The Four Seasons is known for its outstanding restaurants and is a memorable spot for milestone occasions. On a recent evening, a traditional Indian wedding filled the lobby with lovely women in gorgeous saris. The festivities included the appearance of a baby elephant. Now that's something for the wedding album.