Santa Barbara wine country
Explore Wines organizes top-quality wine tours to California’s wine regions. The day is yours: seated tastings at boutique wineries, stories on the drive, and a picnic in the vines. No snooty wine pretensions — a warm day that feels like going with a friend.
The flight
Most requested
Up to 7 hours · 2 to 6 guests
A personalized day to private and boutique wineries, hosted by a certified advanced sommelier. Seated tastings, a vineyard picnic, and time behind the scenes.
From $235 per person
Book the Reserve tour
Three wineries
Up to 6 hours · 2 to 6 guests
Three handpicked wineries that welcome seated tastings, an artisan picnic, and a viticulture or production tour. A 6-hour day through Santa Barbara wine country.
From $185 per person
Book the Classic tour
Hourly, your itinerary
Minimum 4 hours · Up to 6 guests
You set the hours and the stops. Pay your own tasting fees. A dedicated driver for wineries, lunch, shopping, downtown tasting rooms, or Los Olivos.
Starting at $425
Book your own itineraryThe day
1
Pickup
We collect you at your home or hotel and head toward wine country.
2
The drive
Wine history, places of interest along the route, and a chance to smell “Le Nez du Vin” essences before the first glass.
3
Seated tastings
Boutique and appointment-only rooms when the Reserve day is yours. Three welcoming wineries on the Classic day.
4
Picnic in the vines
An artisan sandwich lunch in a vineyard setting, with cold bottled water all day.
Your host
WSET Certified Advanced (Level 3). Two-time USA Blind Wine Tasting Champion.
Wine is not just a drink. It is a gateway to stories, history, and craftsmanship. Lisa hosts the day: boutique wineries, the people who make the wine, and a tasting that is seated so you can actually taste.
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
Service area includes Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Solvang, Goleta, Santa Rita Hills, Ventura, Oxnard, Ojai, Oak View, Carpinteria, and Camarillo. Each tour lists the cities it covers. There is no storefront — the day starts at your door.
