Elite Traveler November-December 2018

INSPIRE GIFT EXPERIENCES

THE NEW WINE COUNTRY SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, USA If you’ve visited Napa more times than you can remember (we’ve found it’s rather easy to forget things in wine country), then take a visit to Santa Barbara. A more under-the-radar choice with 60 different varieties of grape (Napa has 20), the Californian city is home to the Santa Ynez Valley Wine Trail, which has the largest concentration of wineries in Santa Barbara. Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara has a charming package where you can experience the best of this beautiful region while creating something truly special to leave with. Setting off from the resort, a luxury vehicle will take you along the Santa Ynez Valley Wine Trail so you can soak up the quaint vineyard scenery. You’ll arrive at the Sunstone Vineyards &Winery Estate to meet with Bion Rice, CEO and winemaker, who will lead you on a tour of the vineyards and 8,500-sq-ft villa. Built from reclaimed French limestone and surrounded by fragrant gardens of rosemary and lavender, it’s a hint of things to come — the tasting rooms and wine caves are classic Provençal style, and the location for your private wine tasting. The Rice family produces Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Mourvedre and Viognier grapes on their organic vineyard, which they transformed from a former horse ranch. The land is ideal for excellent grape growing thanks to the microclimate of early- morning fog, warm afternoons and cool evenings. You’ll discover this when you create your very own custom blend of wine. Rice will share his expertise with you as you create your wine. It will then be barrelled, bottled, corked, labeled and sent to you after your visit. Winemaking tour from $22,000; Ty Warner Bungalow from $7,000 per night. Contact Aaron Ide, resort manager, reservations.sab@fourseasons.com, +1 805 969 2261, fourseasons.com

Photo Peter Malinowski/InSite