Sustainable Vine Wine Tours focuses on the small, organic wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley, the region made famous in the movie Sideways. Participants go behind the scenes to learn about the organic wine-making process, traveling over the rolling hills in biodiesel vehicles to meet with vintners in the fields and enjoy an organic picnic lunch. On selected dates during summer and fall, there are vineyard dinners and brunches available for up to 18 people. A portion of the company’s proceeds go toward supporting local environmental organizations.
Meetings Focus California: What is the concept behind Sustainable Vine Wine Tours?
Bryan Hope: Our focus is on education and my background is in environmental studies, so we try and educate people about the process of making organic wine, how it’s different from the usual wine-making process and why it benefits the environment. Our featured wineries produce award-winning wines while engaging in sustainable, organic or biodynamic farming techniques.
MFC: What makes your tours different from most other wine tours?
Hope: We highlight the region’s rich history and cover both sides of modern wine making, from producing the grapes to producing the wine. We don’t just limit our touring to the tasting room, but explore the vineyards as well. Our experience has taught us that wine tasting is enhanced when you slow down the process, making each visit a personal and memorable encounter.
MFC: What can you do for meeting groups?
Hope: We have two nine-passenger vehicles, so if the group is larger than that, we can stagger the tours on different days. We typically leave Santa Barbara mid-morning and visit three or four wineries during the tour. In many cases, people would not have access to these wineries on their own.
