Wine Tours by Appellation - Santa Barbara, California

Angie C.

I was overwhelmed with choices when I was choosing a wine tour from Solvang. I chose Paul because his reviews were excellent and I felt he would be a good guide for my husband and I. When I received questions from Paul about what type of wine we enjoyed and what we wanted from our experience I knew it would be an intimate customized tour. We had high expectations coming in, and with that, Paul’s tour exceeded what we thought we were getting! Thank you Paul for the extraordinary day! If we are back in this region we will book you again for sure!

Heather S.

I brought a corporate group of customers to Ojai, CA and was looking for a memorable experience. There were 21 of us total. I found Paul through a web search, and he was very responsive. As a planner, I did not like that the unveil was part of the planning; however, the two estates we visited were wonderful. The first offered phenomenal views and that’s where we had lunch and the second had our product in it (totally unplanned). Paul brought charcuterie, salads, baguettes, etc. all from a local store in Ojai. I gave him our food allergies and specific water preference and he was able to accommodate. We were picked up from our resort and dropped back off there. We chose to do five hours with travel to two places as we did not want to feel rushed. That’s what also worked for our business session timing and evening dinner. Pual made it work perfectly. He is very knowledgeable with the area and the wine varietals, which added to our experience. Paul created the customized event I was looking for and everyone in our group was wowed by it.

Happy W.

If you want an intimate, knowledgeable, unpretentious experience with winemakers who create amazing wines, this is your place. I stumbled upon it as I wanted to take my daughter who is a student in Santa Barbara wine tasting for her 21st birthday without worrying about driving or figuring out what wines I’ll actually like. Paul has really incredible knowledge and figured out our palate quickly, providing us with a truly unique experience. It really was incredibly wonderful even though it rained most of the time!

joanna T.

My husband and I visited Santa Barbara for the first time and he wanted to do a wine tour. We chanced upon Paul’s website and liked the fact that we were going to be guided by someone who was a sommelier and experienced in the industry. Communication with Paul was such a breeze. Responses were always very prompt and accommodating. The itinerary was supposed to be surprise, just trust the process because it works. When the day came, it was truly magical and beautiful. I am not a wine drinker but i loved sniffing and appreciated the stories and the inspiration behind the wine making. Paul himself did an amazing job in setting up the stage before each visit to the wine facility, my husband loved it. His wonderful personality, passion and knowledge will blow you away. Each wine recommendation that Paul brought us to was super amazing. We had such an amazing time. The cheese platter that Paul served was delicious! This wine tour was a highlight of our time in SB and will def do another tour with Paul when we are ever back in Santa Barbara. A BIG thank you to Paul for creating such ofa beautiful memory in SB for us, you are the best!

Peter S. I.

Paul guided me and my wife on a private tour in June 2024. Our Airbnb host referred us to Appellation Wine Tours. Paul was quick to respond to the initial request with information about his company and a list of questions to help him craft the day for us. He asked about other wine tours and wineries that we had visited in the past as well as our favorite wine varieties. Based on the answers to those questions he created an incredible day for us. He responded immediately to questions that we had prior to the day of the tour. On the tour day he picked us at our Airbnb, the vehicle was comfortable, and Paul was highly informative about the wineries and wine growing in the area. He discussed wine and any questions that we had on the way to the first stop. We had private tastings at 3 wineries; all were great and gave us a good viewpoint of the wine in the area. The lunch that he prepared at the second stop was excellent and the outdoor setting in the vineyard was the perfect place for lunch.
Overall, we enjoyed our day with Paul. He was informative and easy to talk with, the wineries that we visited were perfectly suited to our tastes while also letting us explore new wine. I would recommend him to anyone who is looking for a private wine tour.

Natalie T.

WOW! What a wonderful & educational experience! Paul was the BEST guide and curated a fantastic tour for my husband and I, focusing on wines we love plus showing us some of the most beautiful vineyards SB has to offer. Can’t wait to come back and do it again! 10/10 🙌🏻

Katie C.

I found Appellation Wine Tours online and am so glad I did!

My husband and I were visiting Santa Barbara for our honeymoon and Paul helped give us a very special experience. He responded to my inquiry request very quickly and was upfront about what our wine tours would include and pricing.

After filling out a brief questionnaire, he planned a custom tour of three wineries and selected the wineries off what he knew was the most important to us. Paul picked us up at our hotel and gave us a lot of history of the area on the way. He is super knowledgeable about wine and the vineyards in the area and getting his insight alongside the wineries speeches was so helpful. He has top tier knowledge and could cater a tour to the most skilled collectors but can also easily adjust for those less experienced just looking to enjoy nice scenery and some wine.

Paul also packed us a delicious lunch that we ate at one of the wineries and made sure to have plenty of water on hand. He was also great at making suggestions about what to do while we were in town, and we had some of our best meals at spots he suggested.

I would highly recommend Appellation Wine Tours to anyone looking to explore more than one winery in the area!

Kim S.

Paul is very informative and has very extensive knowledge of the wine country around the Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley.
He used the information from his questionnaire and took us to wonderful winery tasting rooms that totally aligned with our palates. Lunch was amazing and paired well with what we were tasting. It was a very relaxed and friendly experience, and I would definitely reach out for another tour when we return! Thank You, Paul!!