Why you should visit organic Los Alamos wineries
This blog post covers the best wineries in Los Alamos, California.
These four Los Alamos wineries make wine that is organic or biodynamic.
In the vineyard they adhere to a strict set of farming practices. During fermentation and bottling they typically use native yeasts, neutral barrels, and little to no sulfur.
The result? Wine that is vibrant, alive, and downright delicious.
Los Alamos is a small town located in Santa Barbara County in California’s Central Coast region. The town is technically part of the Los Alamos Valley but it’s often associated with the small Santa Ynez Valley wine towns. Los Alamos is very small and its main attractions are antique shopping, wine tasting, and inhaling carbs from Bob’s Well Bread Bakery.
Plenty of people visit the Santa Ynez Valley to try full-bodied California reds. And that’s fine. To each their own. But if you’re open to trying something new I highly suggest you visit one of the following wineries. If you haven’t tried natural wine before then these Los Alamos wineries are a great place to start. And if you’re already a natural wine fan then I bet you’re ready to taste. So let’s get to it!
Oh but one more thing… Natural wine lovers should definitely check out Bodega Los Alamos. This outdoor wine and beer garden has live music, a fire pit, and a bocce ball court. They offer a nice selection of local and imported organic and natural wines plus craft beers.
How to access Los Alamos wineries
Los Alamos is accessible from major California cities
Los Alamos wineries are within easy driving distance of several major cities and towns.
If you already live in Santa Barbara County, then great! You can simply drive to the wineries on this list. But if you live out of state you’ll need to plan ahead. Your best bet is to fly into one of the cities I mention below, rent a car at the airport, and drive from the airport to the wineries on this list. Once you reach the tiny town of Los Alamos you can park your car and walk from one tasting room to the next.
Although Los Alamos does not have its own airport, it is relatively easy to access nearby airports.
The closest commercial airport is Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) located in Santa Maria, CA. It’s about 16 miles from the airport to Los Alamos, which should take you about 20 minutes by car.
The next closest airport is located in Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) is 50 miles from Los Alamos, which should take about 50 minutes by car.
The San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) is also an option. It’s 45 miles from SBP, which should take 45 minutes by car.
The closest major city is Los Angeles. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is 142 miles from Los Alamos. The drive should take less than three hours. But, knowing LA traffic, it could take longer.
Los Alamos is near other Santa Ynez Valley towns
Los Alamos is near several other small towns in Santa Barbara wine country.
- Los Olivos is 11.5 miles, which is 13 minutes by car.
- Buellton is 14 miles away, which is a roughly 15 minute drive.
- Solvang is 17 miles, which should take you 23 minutes by car.
- The town of Santa Ynez is 18.5 miles away, which is about a 21 minute drive.
As you can see, a car is required to make this trip. Like I said, you only need a car in order to reach Los Alamos. Once you reach this small town you can park your car and walk to several of the wine tasting rooms on this list. Most of the organic Los Alamos wineries on this list are located on or near Main Street. They’re very walkable.
The best Los Alamos wineries for organic wine
Clementine Carter Wines (also known as Casa Dumetz)
Sonja Magdevski makes wine that is bright, intense, fierce, and fun.
She’s the winemaker behind three distinct labels: Casa Dumetz, Clementine Carter, and The Feminist Party.
Casa Dumetz Wines is the winery’s original name. Clementine Carter is the winery’s current name. Fun fact: Sonja named Clementine Carter Wines after the heroine in her favorite Western movie.
No matter the name, these wines are made with care. The winemaker employs whole cluster fermentation, neutral French oak barrels, and long cool fermentation periods to achieve her goals.
Magdevski started with Rhône varieties in 2004. Today her Clementine Carter wines feature grapes such as Grenache and Mourvèdre, as well as Graciano. She sources grapes from select vineyards in Ballard Canyon and the Santa Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County within the Santa Ynez Valley.
You can try Clementine Carter Wines at their Los Alamos tasting room on Bell Street. The tasting room is open Thursday through Saturday from 12-7 PM. Sundays they’re open from 12-6 PM. On Monday and Wednesday they’re open from 12-4 PM. Tuesdays they’re closed.
Clementine Carter Wines shares an outdoor patio with their sister business Babi’s Beer Emporium (they sell charcuterie boards and cheese paninis). You can relax on the patio with a glass of wine or you can enjoy a tasting indoors. Your pick. Wine tasting flights cost $40 for six pours.
Lumen Wines
Lumen Wines makes low-intervention wines from organic fruit.
Their wines are vegan, gluten-free, additive-free, and low in sulfur.
Partners Lane Tanner and Will Henry source fruit from nearby vineyards such as Presqu’ile Vineyard (certified organic) and Martian Ranch (certified Biodynamic) in the Santa Maria Valley. The common denominator is that these vineyards must adhere to strict organic practices.
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Grenache, and Chardonnay grapes feature in their wine.
Lumen Wines offers two tasting experiences. You can taste Lumen Wines at Pico Los Alamos, which is located on Bell Street. Look for the building with the large Los Alamos “General Store” sign. Tastings start at $20 per person.
But, be careful about their business hours. According to the winery website, the Los Alamos tasting room is open Wednesday through Sunday from 3-8 PM. However, according to Google, the Los Alamos tasting room is open from 11 AM to 7 PM Wednesday through Saturday and open on Sunday from 12-5 PM. The Pico Los Alamos Tock profile allows guests to make reservations between 3 PM and 8:45 PM. So I’m inclined to believe you can taste Lumen Wines between 3-8 PM Wednesday to Sunday.
But wait – there’s another option! You can also book the “Lumen Vineyard Experience” (also known as “Lumen Estate Tour & Tasting”) for $125 per person. This tour will guide you through Lumen’s vineyards and winemaking process. You can book the tour via the Pico Los Alamos Tock profile. You can schedule the tour to start between 3-4 PM.
Lo-Fi Wines
Lo-Fi wines are approachable and vibrant.
Founders Mike and Craig are lifelong friends. Together they create handcrafted minimal intervention wines that adhere to a “nothing added, nothing taken away” philosophy.
Lo-Fi uses neutral barrels, native yeasts, and very little sulfur (or none). The winery works with grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Trousseau, Malbec, Albariño, Pinot Gris, and Chenin Blanc.
The Lo-Fi Wines tasting room in Los Alamos is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 12-6 PM.
Martian Ranch & Vineyard
Martian Ranch is a biodynamically farmed vineyard.
Proprietor Nan Helgeland named her winery after her sons Martin and Ian. The word “Martian” is a combination of their two names.
The Martian Ranch & Vineyard is located in the recently established Alisos Canyon AVA in Los Alamos, California. This Alisos Canyon property enjoys warm days and very cold nights. It’s 10 degrees cooler than the Santa Ynez Valley and 10 degrees warmer than Santa Maria.
Great care goes into these vineyards. The property has practiced biodynamic farming since 2007 and they’ve been Demeter Certified Biodynamic since 2010.
Unfortunately Martian Ranch permanently closed their tasting room. But they continue to make high-quality wines featuring Rhône varieties such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Viognier, and Clairette. Seek them out if you can.
Other American wine regions to visit
California wine country towns in the Santa Ynez Valley
Los Alamos is less than 15 minutes by car from Los Olivos. We’ve compiled a list of six Los Olivos, California wineries that make wonderful organic wine.
Solvang is about 23 minutes by car from Los Alamos. This “Danish capital of America” has traditional windmills and charming Danish-style buildings with thatched roofs. It could not be cuter! Here are six Solvang wineries to make your visit even more delicious.
Buellton is a small town roughly 15 minutes by car from Los Alamos. These four wineries in Buellton utilize sustainably farmed grapes. As a result their wines are fresh, interesting, and good for the earth.
The town of Santa Ynez is situated within the Santa Ynez Valley (makes sense, right?). Our lis includes five Santa Ynez wineries that range from big ranches to Tuscan-style estates to small family run operations. These wineries are as beautiful as they are special.
Organic wineries to visit in the United States
If you’re interested in organic wine and natural wine I’ve got some more suggestions for you.
The Russian River Valley is another California wine country destination. The valley is known for its world-class Pinot Noir. We discuss four Russian River wineries that farm organically or biodynamically. These organic wine producers adhere to strict farming practices.
Hood River is a small town in the beautiful Columbia Gorge. We’ve compiled a list of the best Hood River wineries that make organic or biodynamic wine. If you’ve ever wanted to visit Oregon State then now’s the time! Columbia Gorge wineries are wonderful.
California wine country destinations worth a trip
The Los Alamos Valley borders the Santa Maria Valley. Santa Maria is known for its excellent cool-climate Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay. These six Santa Maria wineries showcase the region’s spectacular wines.
Los Alamos is within easy driving distance of Los Angeles. But did you know that LA has its own set of wonderful wineries? These six amazing Los Angeles wineries offer a range of styles. Some craft fresh natural wines while others make big bold reds.
Malibu is a short drive up the coast from Los Angeles. We cover several Malibu wineries and wine bars nestled in the Malibu hills and perched near the Pacific Ocean.
While Southern California wineries can be good, Northern California wine country is better known. And the most popular destinations are Napa, Yountville, and Healdsburg.
Our list of the best boutique Napa wineries and the best downtown Napa wineries in the Napa Valley offers a solid starting point. We also cover the best Healdsburg wineries and a dozen Yountville wineries that merit a visit.
Northern California has plenty of smaller (less glitzy) wine towns. Morgan Hill wineries are within driving distance of San Francisco and San Jose yet feel like a true wine country escape.
Lincoln, California is a short 35 minute drive from Sacramento. But the best wineries in Lincoln CA feel a world away.
