Foxen Canyon Wine Trail

The Foxen Canyon Wine Trail winds through rolling hills north of Santa Maria, passing dozens of small wineries and tasting rooms in one of California's most distinctive wine-growing regions. The valley floor is planted predominantly with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with some Syrah on the hillsides — the cool maritime climate and marine sedimentary soils produce wines unlike anything grown in warmer California regions.

The trail takes its name from Rancho Tinaquaic, a Mexican land grant held by Benjamin Foxen, an English sailor who stayed and whose descendants still ranch in the area. Bien Nacido Vineyard, near the northern end of the trail, is one of the most consistently well-regarded wine-growing sites in California. Weekend afternoons see a steady stream of visitors; weekday mornings are quieter and tasting room staff have more time. Bring a designated driver.

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A story
The Santa Maria Valley was largely unknown to wine drinkers until the 1980s, when a series of blind tastings in Los Angeles began routing bottles from here above established Napa and Sonoma producers. The valley's unusual transverse orientation — running east-west rather than north-south — allows cold Pacific air to funnel in from the ocean every afternoon, creating growing conditions that produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a distinctive minerality.