Zeno's Bar & Grill

Last weekend we went with some friends to the Santa Ynez wine country and took a new road we’d never tried before (Foxen Canyon). We brought the kids along (this is really common, since most tasting rooms have great outdoor spaces for them to run around). It was absolutely fabulous. The weather was perfect and everything looked so lush and green from all the rain we’ve had lately.

After an ill-fated stop at Fess Parker’s (my husband insisted for some reason), we went to Zaca Mesa, where I found the varietal I’ve been looking for since I first tried it: Roussanne. It’s very rare—only 300 acres are planted in California at present. I scored three bottles. Decadent, wasn’t it? Unfortunately, I didn’t get to taste much more than that, since I was the designated driver.

Then it was on to Foxen, which was featured in the movie Sideways, and is just as charming in person. It’s in a little roadside barn-like building…a far cry from some of the swanky tasting rooms, but even better in my opinion. I especially liked the tee-shirts reading: “If you don’t know Foxen, you don’t know Dick…or Bill” (invoking the owner and winemaker’s names). They seem to be the rebels of the winemaking world, and whatever they’re doing, it’s working. My husband got a bottle of their Syrah.

Finally, we went to Rancho Sisquoc, which is incredible…tucked way off from Foxen Canyon, which itself is just a tiny, winding road. The wine was delicious there, too, according to my spouse. True confession: we got another bottle here (Merlot).

It seemed somewhat miraculous to see all of this undeveloped land in such a prime area for urban development. A deer even ran across the road at one point. I hope it never changes. And, hey, we did our part to support the wine industry, didn’t we?

--Melanie