Chapter 5 - The North American Manufacturing Core

Santa Barbara is widely known for its wonderful wineries and wine trails. Spanish missionaries planted the first wine grapes in the 1800's on the grounds of the Santa Barbara Mission. Many know Santa Barbara as Wine Country, which also extends up north to include places such as Sonoma, CA. Santa Barbara has become a prominent viticultural region (viticulture meaning the study and harvest of grapes). The grapes in this county are are now among the highest priced wines in the state. Santa Barbara is known as an American Viticultural Area (AVA).

Rancho Sisquoc - one of the first wineries in Santa Barbara County.

Santa Barbara county now has more than 115 wineries. Included in the Santa Barbara Central Coast AVA is the Santa Maria Valley AVA, Santa Ynez Valley AVA, Sta. Rita Hills AVA, Los Olivos AVA, Ballard Canyon AVA, and the Happy Canyon AVA.

One of the most widely known wine trails is the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail which includes Foxen Winery and Rancho Sisquoc, among others.

[Sources]

http://www.ranchosisquoc.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara_County,_California

http://www.foxencanyonwinetrail.com/

http://www.santabarbara.com/winecountry/trails/foxenvalleytrail.asp