Santa Barbara wine country
Explore Santa Barbara Wine Country privately with Lisa, a WSET Level III wine professional and two-time USA Blind Wine Tasting Champion. Your day is tailored to your group, with carefully selected wineries, seated tastings, a relaxed vineyard lunch and plenty of time to enjoy the wine, scenery and stories along the way.
WSET Level III · Two-Time USA Blind Wine Tasting Champion
Choose your private wine day
Most requested
Up to 7 hours · 2 to 6 guests
A personalized day built around boutique wineries, private estates and experiences that may not be available to the general public. Seated tastings, a vineyard picnic and time behind the scenes with the people and places that make Santa Barbara Wine Country special.
From $235 per person
Book the Reserve tour
Three wineries
Up to 6 hours · 2 to 6 guests
Three carefully selected wineries, chosen for the wines, setting and experience. Enjoy seated tastings, an artisan vineyard picnic and, when available, a viticulture or production experience. A relaxed six-hour day in Santa Barbara Wine Country.
From $185 per person
Book the Classic tour
Hourly, your itinerary
Minimum 4 hours · Up to 6 guests
Already know where you want to go? You choose the hours and stops, and Lisa handles the driving. Build a private day around wineries, lunch, downtown tasting rooms, Los Olivos, shopping or your own wine-country plans.
Starting at $425
Book your own itineraryThe day
1
Pickup
We pick you up at your home, hotel or vacation rental and head toward Santa Barbara Wine Country.
2
The drive
Wine history, places of interest along the route, and a chance to explore “Le Nez du Vin” aromas before the first glass.
3
Seated tastings
Reserve brings you to boutique, private and/or appointment-only experiences when available. Classic features three carefully selected wineries with seated tastings.
4
Picnic in the vines
An artisan sandwich lunch in a vineyard setting, with cold bottled water all day.
Your host
WSET Level III · Two-Time USA Blind Wine Tasting Champion
Wine is a gateway to stories, history and craftsmanship. Lisa brings her wine knowledge to the day without turning it into a lecture. She'll introduce you to the wines, people and places that make Santa Barbara Wine Country distinctive, while tailoring the experience to what your group actually enjoys.
About LisaGuest notes
Quotes as published. Ratings and counts from the listing pages — not combined, not invented.
“Lisa was a gracious and knowledgeable tour guide and tailored our vinyard visits to exactly what we wanted. It was by far our favorite day in California. A must do !!! We will be coming back for another day with Lisa soon.”
eyectoes · Tripadvisor, Mar 2023
“I nailed it with Lisa at Explore Wines Tour. Lisa's knowledge, flexibility and patience blended well with her passion for wine and winemaking. That was our day with Lisa in wine wonderland. Unforgettable.”
Ondrej Franek · Tripadvisor, Aug 2021
“Lisa is a Sommelier and a Blind Wine Tasting Champion. She is fun, entertaining and incredibly down to earth. The perfect teacher for us "porch pounders." The whole day swept our hearts away. Will You Go Back?? Absolutely!!!!!!”
Tina Ash · Tripadvisor, Aug 2019
“Lisa was extraordinary! Asked and listened to our likes and dislikes and set the tour perfectly. Each tasting was right on target. We have done at least 10 guided tours and this was for sure a level above.”
frequenttraveller218 · Tripadvisor, Dec 2018
“We LOVED Explore Wines Tour! Our day was everything we hoped it would be and so much more. Tour guide, Lisa, was so sweet. She was accommodating, informative, and so fun to be around all day. The van was large and clean. The food was AMAZING.”
Jillian L. · Yelp
Explore Wines is based in Ventura County and serves guests throughout Santa Barbara Wine Country, Ojai and surrounding areas. Pickup is available from homes, hotels and vacation rentals in the cities covered by each tour.
