Santa Maria Valley in the News and Media

Stay up-to-date on Santa Maria Valley travel, wine, barbecue and outdoor activities in the news.

March 2021

• March 1, MSN Food & Drink, Extreme and out-of-the-ordinary tacos you have to try
• March 17, PureWow, The 6 Best Places to Live in California (Outside of the Bay Area)
• March 17, NBC Nightly News, Inside the California town that pays people to visit

February 2021

• February 1, SFGate, This California town will pay you to visit
• February 1, Visit California, Relax and Recharge in California’s Expansive Outdoor Spaces
• February 3, MSN, California town offering $100 to visitors
• February 3, Food & Wine, This California Wine Destination Will Give Visitors Spending Money Upon Arrival
• February 4, Visit California, Exclusive & Private Places to Spend Valentine’s Day
• February 4, International Business News, Travel Stimulus? This City Is Giving Away Money. Here’s How To Cash In
• February 4, CNN, Hurt by the pandemic, a small town in California will pay tourists to visit
• February 4, KABC, California town offering $100 to visitors
• February 4, Matador Network, Get paid to visit this California region’s wineries, breweries, and beaches
• February 4, KNXV, Small town in Southern California to pay tourists to visit
• February 5, Boing Boing, This part of California will give you $100 in vouchers to come visit
• February 5, New York Post, California town giving overnight visitors $100 to spend during trip
• February 10, Visit California, California Women Making their Mark
• February 21, Forbes, The Top Ten Best Places In America To Travel Right Now And Avoid The Pandemic
• February 26, Condé Nast Traveler Online, The Best Spots for Bird Watching in the U.S.
• February 27, MSN Travel, 8 cool places you didn’t know you could fly on Southwest

January 2021

• January 20, KSBY, Santa Maria restaurants ring in new year with takeout specials
• January 22, KEYT, 10 day restaurant event kicks off in Santa Maria to support local business
• January 24, Wine Enthusiast, 10 Vineyards Behind the World’s Most Famous Wines
• January 28, Forbes, Walking The Rows: Bien Nacido Vineyard In California’s Santa Maria Valley AVA
• January 31, Santa Ynez Valley News Online, Enjoy Los Flores Ranch in Santa Maria anyway you can

December 2020

• December 4, Mashed, The real reason tri-tip steak is associated with California
• December 4, 7×7, Foraging, Wine Tasting, Wildlife + Small-Town Inns
• December 4, Marly Etc., The best 3 things to do in Santa Maria Valley, CA
• December 14, SFGate, 6 simple shareables for small-group holiday celebrations
• December 16, Forbes, Gift Guide: 10 Best Sonoma & Napa Pinot Noirs
• December 20, Wine Enthusiast Online, How to Plan the Perfect Vacation without Leaving Home
• December 31, Live Like It’s The Weekend, 2020 Year in Review: My Highs, Lows and Goals for Next Year
• December 31, San Joaquin Magazine, Winter on the Coast
• December 31, Men’s Journal, The 5 Pillars of Santa Maria-Style BBQ With Chef Anthony Endy

November 2020

• November 1, Yahoo Lifestyle, 5 Restaurant-Quality Foods You Can Get Delivered-and Their Perfect Wine Pairings
• November 2, Rider Online, 2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited
• November 8, Forbes Online, These Are The Best 20 Wines To Serve With Thanksgiving Dinner
• November 8, Mashed Online, The untold truth of tri-tip steak
• November 9, Visit California, Influencers Hit the Road and #RespectCalifornia
• November 16, Yahoo Finance, Challenging 2020 Harvest Season Will Yield High Quality California Wines
• November 19, The Takeout, Pair these Trader Joe’s wines with your Thanksgiving feast
• November 23, Redhead Mom, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Satellite Launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base
• November 23, Wine X Magazine, The Pinot of Santa Barbara County
• November 24, CraveLocal, Comfort & Luxe Gifts Holiday Gift Guide
• November 25, Live Like It’s The Weekend, Road Tripping Through 3 of the Best Wine Regions in California
• November 25, St. Louis Post-Dispatch Online, Last-minute wines for Thanksgiving
• November 25, Visit California, Private Tours and Experiences
• November 30, KVEC-AM – Online, Rodeo Grounds Help Celebrate Season

October 2020

• October 1, Taste of Home Online, Our Guide to Regional American BBQ Styles
• October 6, Visit California, 8 Places to See Fall Colors in California
• October 11, 2TravelDads, Santa Maria Valley Wine Region: LA’s wine country, traveling and touring during and after COVID
• October 16, Just a Pack, Things to Do in Santa Maria, CA – Exploring Central California
• October 28, Visit California, New AVA in Santa Maria Valley
• October 30, Michelin Guide, On the Side

September 2020

• September 3, KTTV-TV Online, Santa Maria Valley 3-Day Getaway
• September 4, Visalia Lifestyle, Travelers Trek: On Safely Trekking Again…to California’s Santa Maria Valley
• September 15, Food & Wine Online, The Pandemic Is Forcing Us All to Become Better Cooks
• September 16, San Francisco Chronicle Online, Recipes for summer’s bounty: Mains
• September 17, Organic Authority, A (Safe) Wine & Wellness Road Trip Escape Up California’s Central Coast

August 2020

• August 5, SFGate, From Beaches to Bikes to Barbecue – Get Your Outdoor Fix in Santa Maria Valley
• August 7, WCBI-TV, UNCORKED: A little taste of Syrah
• August 12, Chron, Make your BBQ extra tasty with these 7 bean sides
• August 17, Wine Spectator, Alphabetical Guide to California Chardonnay
• August 31, Wine Business Monthly, From California, 10 Cool-Climate Syrahs with Complexity and Depth

July 2020

• July 15, TripSavvy, 10 Foods to Try in Central California
• July 16, BudgetTravel, Here’s how to take a California road trip inspired by the state’s festivals
• July 18, KEYT-TV Online, Santa Maria Valley Tourism makes meals for first responders
• July 31, The Manual, The New California Pinot Noir (and Four to Try)

June 2020

• June 1, Food & Wine, 30 Recipes to Make in June
• June 3, Fodor’s Travel, Santa Barbara From Los Angeles
• June 11, WFMJ-TV Online, Visit Santa Maria Valley Welcomes Visitors Back, Safely and Responsibly
• June 16, Big Seven Travel, The Ultimate California Road Trip Route
• June 19, New York Times, The Summer Without Rodeos
• June 26, Napa Valley Register, A world of sparkling wines

May 2020

• May 1, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Online, Discover Santa Maria Style Barbecue at Home During National Barbecue Month
• May 5, Bored Panda, Pat The Plover Keeps A Bird’s-Eye View On Wine Country, And Naturally, Tweets About It. See What He’s Up To And The Many Hats He Wears.
• May 17, USA Today 10Best, These regional BBQ styles are the unsung heroes of American barbecue
• May 21, Matador Network, 8 of America’s lesser-known barbecue staples
• May 29, KEYT-TV Online, Reflecting on Santa Maria Elks Rodeo and Parade on original start date

April 2020

• April 3, San Francisco Chronicle, The best wines I’ve drunk in my coronavirus quarantine, so far
• April 8, Akron Beacon Journal Online, Essential wines for Easter
• April 10, Santa Barbara Independent Online, Susie Q’s Barbeque Seasonings Deliver Santa Maria to You
• April 28, Wine Spectator, Staying Home: Essential Wine and Food Viewing, Part 2

March 2020

• March 4, California Unpublished, 9 Family-Friendly Destinations in the Santa Maria Valley
• March 4, Red Tricycle, 21 Spring Break Spots That Are Worth the Drive
• March 9, Wine Enthusiast, Hooray for Chardonnay: A Global Guide to the World’s Best Bottles
• March 13, Foster’s Daily Democrat, Let’s Talk Wine: Celebrating International Women’s Day
• March 16, Robb Report, There’s a New Breed of California Chardonnay. Here Are 10 Bottles That Prove It.
• March 26, Napa Valley Register, Please The Palate: Celebrating women winemakers

February 2020

• February 5, Visit California, Meet the Makers of Signature California Products
• February 14, Robb Report, From Sparkling Rosé to Premium Champagne: The 10 Best Bottles of Bubbly for Valentine’s Day
• February 22, Chowhound, 15 Destinations to Get Your Wine Fix on the Central Coast of California
• February 27, San Diego Union Tribune, Carlsbad Flower Fields prepped for spring’s arrival
• February 27, KEYT-TV Online, Agritourism a growing industry on the Central Coast, bringing in visitors and business to local farms
• February 27, Wine Business Monthly, Tickets Now on Sale for 38th Annual Santa Barbara Vintners Festival
• February 28, Jetsetter, Your Travel Horoscope for March 2020 (Get Packing!)

January 2020

• January 1, Travel & Leisure, The 10 Most Romantic American Road Trips for Couples
• January 12, KSBY, Fly from Santa Maria to Denver, LA and SFO starting in June
• January 22, SFGate, Classic Pairing: Santa Maria Style Barbecue & Wineries Continue 150 Year Legacy
• January 28, Cooking With Cocktail Rings, California Road Trip: 4 Days in the Central Coast
• January 31, Food & Wine, The 15 Central Coast California Wines to Drink If You Want to Be an Expert

December 2019

• December 9, Forbes, Searching For The Best Tri-Tip BBQ In Paso Robles Wine Country
• December 13, Bloomberg, The Best 50 Wines Under $50, 2019 Edition
• December 16, San Francisco Chronicle Online, The Best 50 Wines Under $50, 2019 Edition
• December 17, The Perfect Spot, Charmed by the Santa Maria Valley
• December 23, Santa Barbara Independent Online, Bubbles to Crush for NYE
• December 25, KFSN, Here’s how you can win a trip around California

November 2019

• November 4, SFGate, Road Trip to Santa Maria Valley for a $500 Wine Country Getaway
• November 18, InsideHook, I Went to BBQ Bootcamp to Learn the Art of the Santa Maria-Style
• November 21, Citizens’ Voice Online, Consider guests’ preferences when picking Thanksgiving wine
• November 24, Forbes, Michelin Guide Becomes Sole Owner Of The Robert Parker Wine Advocate
• November 25, NYC Tech Mommy, California Road Trip Itinerary: Driving LA to San Francisco & Central Coast Stops Not to Miss
• November 28, ABC News, California winemakers are making big changes to your Thanksgiving libations

October 2019

• October 3, Chron, The coolest things to see along the California coast that aren’t beaches
• October 11, Kingston Whig-Standard, Anthony Gismondi: Wines to fill your glasses to give thanks
• October 18, Texas Monthly, BBQ News Roundup: Champagne With Brisket, the Butcher’s Ball, and the World Food Championships
• October 24, Oakland Magazine Online, Charmed by the Santa Maria Valley
• October 24, Los Angeles Magazine Online, For Good Times, Award-Winning Wines, and Authentic Barbecue, Plan a Getaway to the Santa Maria Valley Los Angeles Magazine
• October 30, Business Wire, S&W Leads Bean Innovation with Heirloom Series Launch at Whole Foods Market

September 2019

• September 16, Livability, 5 Must-Visit California Vineyards in Unexpected Places
• September 17, Wanderful, Where to Take Your Girlfriends to Wine Country Beyond Napa
• September 18, KSBY, Santa Maria Valley tourism group unveils interactive wine art machine 
• September 18, KCLU, Central Coast Wine Region Uses Free Online Wine Art Experience To Build Tourism
• September 20, TechRepublic, Raspberry Pi and Arduino powered robot lets users make art from wine
• September 23, Arduino Blog, This interactive machine makes art out of wine
• September 28, Wine Diva Lifestyle, Participate in The Swirl Machine

August 2019

• August 22, Food & Wine, This Man Will Get You So Amped Up About Beans
• August 21, Wine Enthusiast, California Chardonnays to Try for $25 or Less
• August 20, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Recipes for your Labor Day cookout: Grilled Chicken Breasts with Peaches and Santa Maria-Style Tri-Tip Kebabs
• August 20, The Gazette, Wine Guy: Rosé is a favorite summer sipper around the world
• August 14, Maxim, The Best American Pinot Noirs Under $30 To Drink Right Now
• August 14, The Press Democrat, Wine of the Week: Qupé 2017 Bien Nacido Syrah
• August 1, SF Gate, Santa Barbara wine has never been more thrilling — or more complicated
• August 1, Kitchn, 19 Recipes That Show What California Home Cooking Means in 2019
• August 1, Kitchn, Rancho Gordo’s Santa Maria-Style Pinquitos & Tri-Tip Steak
• August 1, Serious Eats, 20 Grilled-Steak Recipes to Conquer Summer
• August 1, Scout Magazine, Cambria Estate Winery, California’s Coastal Pearl

July 2019

• July 29, Alcohol Professor, A Foolproof Guide to Pairing Wine With Regional BBQ
• July 14, Living Mi Vida Loca, Santa Maria Valley road trip stops
• July 9, USA Today, Great American Bites BBQ road trip: The country’s best regional barbecue joints
• July 4, Chowhound, 7 Reasons Why Ti-Tip is a Steak Worth Knowing

June 2019

• June 29, Washington Post, Five myths about barbecue
• June 27, USA Today, Cooking over open flame: These are some of our favorite restaurants that use fire
• June 26, Reno Gazette-Journal, The best California wine region you’ve never heard of
• June 18, SF Gate, Discover New Regional Grilling Techniques this Fourth of July
• June 11, Honolulu Star Advisor, Quickbites: Hard Rock Cafe, Pai Honolulu, Musubi Cafe Iyasume and more
• June 8, NOLA, 26 – and counting – summer 2019 dining deals in New Orleans
• June 5, Joe’s Daily, Santa Maria Valley: Wineries, Places to Eat, and Other Things to Do

May 2019

• May 30, Food & Wine, 30 Recipes to Make in June
• May 27, The Roanoke Times, Family travel five: Enlightenment through cultural celebrations
• May 18, Food & Wine, 22 Memorial Day Recipes for a Perfect Cookout
• May 17, Food & Wine, What I Learned at BBQ Bootcamp
• May 10, Red Tricycle, Santa Maria Valley Is Your Next Central California Vacation Destination
• May 8, Travel Latina, Santa Maria Valley – On the coast of somewhere beautiful
• May 8, Forbes, Santa Barbara Chardonnay And Pinot Noir Are Made By The Ocean
• May 6, Wine Enthusiast, California’s White Wines Still Reign Supreme
• May 2, The Daily Meal, Every Regional Barbecue Style, Explained
• May 2, KNSD, Savor BBQ Month in the Santa Maria Valley
• May 1, KNBC, Cheers, It’s the Santa Barbara Vintners Festival
• May 1, KPTV, On the Go with Joe for National Barbecue Month
• May 1, 2 Travel Dads, California Agritourism in the Santa Maria Valley: a new way to explore

April 2019

• April 23, Barbecue Bible, Underappreciated Beef: New Cuts To Try On Your Grill
• April 21, Forbes, Best BBQ Ever – Your Ultimate Grilling Guide 2019
• April 19, Christina’s Cucina, 5 Reasons to Visit Santa Maria Valley
• April 17, California Unpublished, The Secret to Santa Maria Style Grilling at Home
• April 12, California Unpublished, Best Restaurants to Experience Traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue
• April 11, Pasadena Now, Santa Maria Valley Brings the Sizzle to National Barbecue Month
• April 8, Mother Earth News, Understanding Clean Wine Designations
• April 8, Houston Chronicle, Ibiza chef-owner Charles Clark’s passion for rosé
• April 4, Napa Valley Register, Childhood dreams become reality
• April 1, The Outbound Collective, A Solo Woman’s Escape to Santa Maria Valley
• April 1, Forbes, Talking Natural, Biodynamic Wine With Santa Barbara Pioneer Steve Beckmen

March 2019

• March 28, Red Tricycle, 20 Spring Break Spots That Are Worth the Drive
• March 26, Foodista, California Wines Come to Vancouver British Columbia
• March 23, KQED, Santa Maria Barbecue, It’s Not Just Tri-Tip
• March 21, SF Gate, Tasting notes: California’s translucent red wines
• March 18, Texas Monthly, TEXSOM International Wine Awards 2019
• March 15, Matador Network, Best Places to Travel in May
• March 14, Wine Enthusiast, Wineries that Let You Drink for Good
• March 10, Visit CA, California Restaurant Month 2019 Reaches an All-Time High with 40 Destinations
• March 9, Fresno Bee, Pinot fans love Anderson Valley
• March 4, Monterey County Now, Morsels: New in Oldtown, living Fat, throwing down and plenty more
• March 4, Chelsea Pearl, A Weekend Getaway to Santa Maria Valley
• March 2, Forbes, Wines of the Week: Suprising Bubbly And Old-Vines Cabernet
• March 1, Paper Blog England, Jed Steel on Steele Wines

February 2019

• February 22, Via, 10 Best Places to Stop Along Highway 101
• February 22, Aspen Daily News, Stofflet: Fragrantly snared
• February 22, Vancouver Sun, Salut!: Best of the Vancouver International Wine Festival
• February 6, Santa Maria Times, Santa Maria Elks kick off 76th annual Rodeo and Parade season
• February 5, Food & Wine, The Secrets of Airline Sommeliers
• February 5, KSBY-TV, Organizers excited for 2019 Santa Maria Elks Rodeo
• February 1, Atlas Obscura, Monarch Butterfly Grove
• February 1, KUSI-TV, Travel Advice with Ashley Colburn

January 2019

• January 31, DesertUSA, Exploring Yucca Valley – Pioneertown, The Integraton, and Boulder Gardens
• January 25, Wine Spectator, A Day in the Life: Chris Cannon Remakes a New Jersey Landmark—and Himself
• January 22, Latino Foodie, Let Santa Maria Valley Capture your Palate and Recharge Your Soul #SantaMariaStyle
• January 21, Medium, Exploring the old town of Guadalupe, California
• January 16, WYPR 88.1FM, Cambria Signature Series
• January 16, Go Nomad, Guadalupe, Gateway to the Dunes
• January 15 – Capital Gazette, Wine, etc.: Cold weather is perfect for cognac and port
• January 14 – Culture Map Fort Worth, These are the 5 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week
• January 11 – The Daily Meal, America’s 50 Best Steakhouses
• January 10 – Summit Daily, Wine Ink: Anniversary, sunshine in a bottle: Foxen comes to Snowmass
• January 2 – D Magazine, What To Drink Now: California Wines

December 2018

• December 26 – Seven Fifty Daily, The 20 Breakout Bottles of 2018
• December 22 – Jetsetting Fashionista, Interview with Qupe Winemaker Bob Lindquist
• December 19 – Wine Enthusiast, California’s Standout 2016 Vintage of Pinot Noir
• December 18 – PUNCH: The 25 Essential Wines of 2018
• December 14 – Santa Barbara Season Blog, Cocktail Corner: Wine World News & Happenings
• December 12 – Wine Enthusiast, Your Guide to Must-Have Sparkling Wines from Around the World
• December 11 – Wine Oh TV, Santa Maria Style Barbecue at its Best
• December 6 – Seven Fifty Daily, 8 New California AVAs on the Horizon
• December 6 – Eat This, Not That!, The 25 Best Wines to Gift—And They’re All Under $25
• December 5 – Wine Oh TV, Discover Santa Maria Valley Wine Country
• December 3 – Wine Enthusiast, Your Guide to Must-Have Sparkling Wines from Around the World
• December 1 – SoCal Pulse, San Diego’s Best Barbecue: Make a Pit Stop at These Hotspots

November 2018

• November 28 – WTOP, Wine of the week: Julia Jackson’s Cambria Estate Wines
• November 26 – Texas Monthly, Where to Find the State’s Top Wine Lists
• November 23 – Chelsea Pearl, 10 Brands to Shop this Small Business Saturday
• November 23 – The Tribune News, Paso Robles chef Brian Stein on boosting barbecue with wine
• November 20 – Wine Enthusiast, Time to Take a Deep Look at Santa Barbara’s World-Class Wines
• November 14 – Elite Daily, These Cheap Wines From Trader Joe’s For Thanksgiving 2018 Are What I’m Thankful For This Year
• November 14 – Newsday, Thanksgiving drinks: What Long Island drink enthusiasts are uncorking this year
• November 14 – The Gazette, 10 wines worth sharing for Thanksgiving
• November 12 – Wine Institute, Fifty Masters of Wine Tour California Regions & Wines: A Photo Review
• November 5 – Tucson Saddle Bag Notes, Wine Vacation
• November 5 – IntoWine, Smackdown Pinot Noir: Santa Maria Valley -v- Santa Lucia Highlands
• November 3 – Robb Report, An Award-Winning Somm’s Guide to Dining in Santa Barbara
• November 2 – NBC Los Angeles, Travel Fans: Santa Barbara County Popping Up in Glendale
• November 1 – Brit + Co, How to Celebrate Sustainably this Holiday Season

October 2018

• October 24 – Drinkhacker, Tasting Fetzer’s New Premium Fringe Collective Wines, 2016 Vintage
• October 22 – The Wanderbug, California Road Trip: Pacific Coast Highway
• October 22 – Roamaroo, What to do in Santa Maria California – a Travel Guide
• October 17 – We3Travel, Cheap Winter Family Vacations in the United States
• October 12 – House of Nash Eats, Grilled Santa Maria Tri-Tip
• October 12 – Modern Hiker, One City, One Hike – Santa Maria’s Point Sal Trail
• October 11 – The Tribune, Get a taste of Santa Maria Valley’s wine scene with these must-try tours

September 2018

• September 26 – Matador Network, The 7 most epic bike tours around the world
• September 20 – Modern Hiker, 36 Hours in the Santa Maria Valley
• September 19 – Visit California, 5 Amazing Things to do in Santa Maria Valley 
• September 18 – Food & Wine, The 30 Pinot Noirs to Drink If You Want to Be a Real Expert
• September 10 – Brides, 10 Best Wedding-Day Rosés, According to Sommeliers
• September 10 – Matador Network, 9 underrated destinations in the US for a blowout girls trip

August 2018

• August 30 – MSN, America’s Melting Pot Cities
• August 29 – Detroit Free Press, 3 recipes for your Labor Day cookout make fine use of peaches, corn and tomatoes
• August 28 – Hyperallergic, 5 Art-Filled Summer Weekend Trips from Los Angeles
• August 24 – LA Weekly, Road Trip: Get Sideways at Hitching Post Wines in Buellton
• August 23 – Forbes, Delicious BBQ And World-Class Wine Are Your Perfect Pairing
• August 23 – House Method, Most Underrated Towns in Every State
• August 17 – News4US, Santa Maria Valley is a Different Kind of Getaway Spot
• August 15 – Serious Eats, 20 Grilled-Steak Recipes to Conquer Summer
• August 9 – PR Newswire, The Peacock Inn Restaurant & Bar Announces New Sommelier

July 2018

• July 31 – Fort Bend Lifestyles & Homes, Seeing Red- Wines to snatch up for fall and winter tasting
• July 31 – Orbitz Travel Blog, The ultimate California wine lover’s road trip
• July 26 – Los Angeles Times, Unearthing the mysteries of ‘Egypt’ in the dunes of the California Coast
• July 26 – South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ernie’s Bar-B-Q site to be reborn as Andy’s Live Fire Grill
• July 24 – Motown India, California’s Iconic Highway 1 Has a Lot to Offer
• July 23 – Jetsetting Fashionista, The Russian River Valley California’s Top 10 Wineries
• July 22 – Ken’s Wine Guide, 2017 Cambria Rose “Julia’s Vineyard Rose of Pinot Noir”
• July 22 – The Outbound Collective, From the Sea to the Sky: Road Tripping California’s Central Coast
• July 21 – Terriorist, Wine Reviews: Summer Sippers
• July 20 – 2 Travel Dads, California Central Coast Road Trip Itinerary: castles, wine and more
• July 18 – San Diego Union Tribune, Five trails added to second hiking challenge
• July 13 – Atlas Obscura, Santa Maria-Style Barbecue
• July 11 – MSN Lifestyle and Eater LA, The Guide to California’s Cowboy Country
• July 8 – Jetsetting Fashionista, Santa Barbara’s Beautiful Presqu’ile Winery
• July 5 – The Daily Meal, Etude Explores & Respects the Essence of Pinot Noir
• July 2 – The Daily Meal, Our top 10 recipes from June 2018
• July 2 – The Growler, Rosé all day not just for wine anymore
• July 1 – Santa Barbara Seasons, Profound and Rare: An Evening Exploring Presqu’ile Winery’s Library
• July 1 – Vino Voyager, A Fresh New Trio of Pinot Noir

News Archives