Recommended: Santa Barbara Wines

OK, you’ve seen Sideways; you understand why it got nominated for all those Academy Awards (and won one); and you’ve learned how to heap ridicule on Merlot and worship Pinot Noir. But have you had any Santa Barbara wines lately?

Jim Meyers, at Wine Thieves in Lafayette and Clayton, always has a number of Santa Barbara entries around. "It’s one of the fastest-growing regions in the state," he says. Known for Pinot, Chardonnay, and Syrah, Santa Barbara wines are almost always made in an accessible, fruit-forward, ready-to-drink style. Try these while planning your next road trip.

A Steal

2003 Hangtime Cellars Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir; about $11

Full of black cherry fruit from start to finish, with a touch of earth and a little toasty oak.

A Deal

2003 Qupé Bien Nacido Vineyard Y Block Chardonnay; about $18

Plenty of ripe, tropical Chardonnay fruit, but in a leaner style, with good balance and a clean finish—"not a big butterball." The kind of Chardonnay that craves food, rather than standing alone as a cocktail wine.

Unreal

2001 Au Bon Climat Nuits-Blanches au Bouge "Harmony" Chardonnay; about $32

On the other hand, if you want buttery and creamy, Meyers has just the thing: big, rich, ripe pears and nectarines, and toasty oak. The kind of Chardonnay that gets the Wine Spectator’s attention—and 91 points.

(As always, Thieves has some other nifty Santa Barbara bottles it would rather not advertise, since the producers might get … well, sideways if word got out about how deeply the wines are discounted.)