Kunde Family Estate 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

One of my many day trips while I was in L.A. was Santa Barbara. About 90 minutes north of Los Angeles (less than 100 miles) it is worth the trip, especially if you take the scenic route, highway 1 and/or the Pacific Coast HWY, with breathtaking views of the ocean on your left and the mountains on your right for most of the drive. There were so many places along the way that I wanted to stop and explore or hike. Great national parks abound with some of the best hiking trails along highway 1. Santa Barbara is also a great get away from the hustle, bustle, noise and pollution of LA and it is right in the back yard.

A day trip doesn’t even scratch the surface of what is to discover and explore in Santa Barbara. From the beautiful Sterns Wharf landmark, to the vast shopping and dining establishments in downtown Santa Barbara to my most favorite, the wineries and tasting rooms, there is something here for everyone. It is a place I would either live or visit often for long weekends. A day visit didn’t even wet my whistle.

Since I’m from the windy city and it is freezing, cold, dismal and full of snow the beach is the first thing I sought out in Santa Barbara. The sun was in full blaze and the beach was calling my name. My little feet were screaming with excitement when they hit the beach. Together, my feet and I, walked for over an hour on the beach. Listening to the waves crash against shore, the seagulls squall, watching people sail–can you believe they sail all year round–I felt right at home.

After my walk, I jumped back into my car and did a quick zip through town to get a feel of the lay of the land. Once parked, I walked up and down State Street to find some seafood soup. When I say there are a lot of fine dining choices, I am not kidding. On a 2 mile stretch there were almost three Starbucks and three Subway’s to give you an idea on how seriously they are about making sure people find what they are looking for, either that or people just don’t want to walk!

What was really fascinating was the mission style architecture that prevailed through the entire town and provided visual cohesiveness. It truly is a beautiful town.

After searching for about twenty minutes and on choice overload, I stopped at Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood and asked if they had seafood soup.  They had a seafood soup they called Cioppino but unfortunately for me they were on the lunch menu and that was only served on the dinner menu, not to mention that the portion size was massive. I could have shared it with four people! I was so disappointed because I had a a strong craving for seafood soup and the chef must have noticed it in my face because he quickly took stock of his kitchen and agreed with the waitress to make a half order–still huge–and threw something together for me and added some big yummy shrimp! It was finger licken good and I mean that literally. There was no pretty way to eat this meal. There I was in the middle of Santa Barbara with a huge smile on my face living the life! If that isn’t customer service I don’t know what is!

Cioppino: One half Maine lobster, calamari, clams, mussels and fish of the day served in a spicy tomato sauce with roasted crostini. $38.00

My waitress Karly followed her boyfriend to Santa Barbara from Oregon…I think. They are both attending The University of California and she was very excited about being in Santa Barbara. Different scene from Oregon I’m sure. Bright, funny and optimistic she was interesting to talk to. I asked her what wine she thought would contemplate my Cioppino. She suggested a few, I tasted a few but didn’t really like any and then she brought out one that just nailed it!

A 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon by Kunde Family Estate. The aromas of raspberry and sage combine with a mouthful of chocolate richness this wine has made it’s way into my life and onto my top pick list. Made in Sonoma Valley the varietal mix is: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 2% Syrah, 1% Petit Verdot

Interesting Fact about Kunde Family Estate Winemaking:
Wine Aging Caves – In 1989, our family undertook an enormous commitment to ensure the quality of our estate wines—the development of extensive aging caves deep in the hillside behind the winery. More than 32,000 square feet of tunnels with a storage capacity for 5,500 barrels run through the five million year old volcanic lava flows that are the bedrock of our vineyards. These geologic formations are ideal for aging wines, with year-round temperatures a constant 62 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity 90-95%. At the furthest reaches of the aging caves, a VIP dining room lies 175 feet below the surface of our Kinneybrook Syrah vineyards.

I highly recommend Santa Barbara, Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood and this gorgeous 2006  Cabernet Sauvignon.

On my way home, I accidentally ended up on the 405 instead of highway 1  or the Pacific Coast HWY. Realizing halfway back to LA what had happened I quickly jumped off the 405 and headed west. My Garmin got the picture real quick–I LOVE my Garmin! This detour turned out to be the highlight of that day because I ended up on  Kanan – Dume Road which takes you through the Santa Monica Mountains and the Zuma/Trancas Canyons. It was absolutely breathtaking. I was overcome with emotion as I caught the sunset falling into the ocean at the peak of the mountains. This scene made me realize just how amazing life is and how the God that created these mountains, valleys, this ocean I was looking at, and the big ball of fire that was setting and does so day in and day out, is pretty damn extraordinary. Also check out

I stopped at a little place in Malibu on highway 1 called Beach Combers Cafe to wait out traffic. It’s located on the ocean and is a really cute establishment. It’s a real fooler from the outside but don’t let the tacky sign or the white stucco appearance throw you off–I drove by it twice thinking it was a dive bar–because the inside is elegant with a great outdoor patio right on the ocean! It was happy hour so I had some beef sliders and a nice glass of wine and talked to the staff. The people were incredibly friendly and fantastic.

Next Post: Viva La Santa Monica – Part 1!