Do you remember the movie Sideways, the comedy film set in Santa Ynez? Memorable for wine lovers was the time the two despicable pals spent wine tasting at the Hitching Post…and things changed forever. Fast forward to today, last week in fact, when Eddie and I spent the day in the Danish-themed town of Solvang, culminating in wine tasting and lunch at the famous Hitching Post 2.
We checked in at the tasting room and were then sent over to the back patio, a lively spot with umbrellas and many guests enjoying themselves. A bit too warm for us that day, so we opted for an adjacent indoor building for the tasting and lunch.
The Wine
Because it was so hot where we had our tasting we opted for their “White & Pinks Tasting” which were both surprising in their fresh fruit flavors and their approachable pricing.
2024 Pinks, Dry Rose, $22: Notes of raspberry and a bit of bruised apple, this Rose of Pinot Noir was definitely a great start.
2024 Pinks Parté(a nod to a Party), Sparkling Rose, $26: Very tasty, tangy and refreshing. Both pinks we want to order when it cools off for shipping. Order both Pinks here.
2018 Forerunner, Chenin Blanc, $26: This one missed the mark for us. Too much bruised fruit and a funky nose that did not blow off.
2021 Daisy Riesling, $29: A semi-dry Riesling – meaning not too sweet – with very nice fruit. Another we would purchase. Order the Daisy here.
2017 White Dahlia, White Blend, $29: A blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, this wine was a lovely palate cleanser with its refreshing taste and good fruit. I couldn’t find the White Dahlia on the website; older Pinots are available but not this older white.
The Food
While we didn’t come for the food and knew that the main restaurant was closed for lunch, we were happy to discover a yummy menu of “HP2 YOU Lunch Specials”, more offerings on their “HP2 YOU MENU” and wine by the glass and bottle. We enjoyed:
The “Pulled Pork Sandwich” and fries for Eddie was delish. He couldn’t finish the tender pork or the crispy fries, even with my help. I had the “Oak Grilled Shrimp Louie – With Brad’s bacon bits with tomato and egg” salad – the shrimp was seasoned and grilled perfectly, the bacon was thick cut, the tomato was definitely farm fresh and the egg was a nice add-on. Definitely enjoyed this salad with the wines. Serving sizes were plentiful.
Know Before You Go
We ended up visiting HP on a day of record heat, it was 99 degrees in their outdoor dining room and on the very pretty outdoor tasting areas. We would’ve definitely tasted the Pinot Noirs they are famous for but the heat did us in and affected our ability to really review their wines properly. I would suggest tasting in the 70-degree tasting room and then having lunch outside with a cool glass of whatever white or pink wine you would like.
From the website
Long before Hollywood (notably in Sideways) discovered the glories of Santa Barbara Wine Country, Frank Ostini and Gray Hartley were busy crafting wines at home while holding down full time jobs. Gray was a commercial fisherman, and Frank was chef (with his brother Bill) of the Hitching Post. Frank and Gray made their first wine at home in 1979, and their first Pinot Noir in 1981. The first Hitching Post wines were created at Byron Winery (1984-89). The brand moved to Au Bon Climat/Qupe Winery (1991-2000), Central Coast Wine Services in Santa Maria (2001-07). Frank and Gray produce their wine at the facilities of Au Bon Climat at Bien Nacido Vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley AVA.
Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2025
https://www.instagram.com/hitchingpost2
https://hpwines.com/tastingroom.html
420 E Highway 246 – Buellton, CA. (805) 688-0676
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.
