2009-04-23

Trip to Santa Barbara

After the stop last Saturday at the Payne Foundation I headed up the coast with Juli. Our destination was the Andrew Murray Vineyards annual open house.



The invitation didn't come with a request for RSVP nor with directions. Google Maps is unable to accurately locate the route to the winery, but those in the inner circle know that you bypass Firestone Vineyards and head down a single lane road into the vineyard towards "Area 51".

Andy was tasting 12 wines and serving heavy hors d'oeuvres. We spent an hour or more tasting and eating and ended up liking his Viognier (Juli and me), the Sanglier (me and Juli a bit), and some of the bigger Syrahs (all me).













The oak trees were picturesque, the vineyards idyllic.




The hills all around had large amounts of lupine growing on them. This looks similar to lupinus nanus which I have growing and blooming in my yard.








This looks like Quercus lobata (California White Oak), but the leaves don't seem quite up to type. Perhaps it's Quercus ×macdonaldii or some other.

On the way back home we met up with my parents and son and joined them for a meal outside Santa Barbara at the Hollister Brewing Company.

Photo credit: Juli.

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