The Santa Maria Valley and the Central Coast are increasingly in the spotlight as the wine region gains global acclaim. 
Orderly grape vines are ubiquitous throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. 
Rice Ranch, a Coastal Community Builders master-planned community south of Orcutt, is finding big demand among new homebuyers. 
Vino et Amici in Old Orcutt owns a wine bar, Naughty Oak Brewing Co., next door.
The Central Coast Wine Region has seen a modern-day gold rush. People are jumping on the bandwagon, and in some cases, “can wagon.”
Wine bars, wineries and breweries are popping up all over Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Talking with owners and wine makers has revealed that this industry has become a long-awaited second career and profitable investment opportunity.
Those in the industry and community stakeholders who are interested in economic vitality are loving it. Let me whet your appetite with a few staggering facts:
More than 200 wineries in Santa Barbara County serve wine made from more than 50 grape varieties that are grown in the county. The economic value of harvested wine grapes was $121 million in 2018, according to the recently released crop report compiled by the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office.
In 2015, Paso Robles AVA and Greater San Luis Obispo County reported 1.56 million tourism visits to wineries. Wine revenue was a whopping $732 million from San Luis Obispo County wine.
Becoming a world-renowned wine region has put the Central Coast in the spotlight, and tourists are flocking to the area to partake in our excellent wine and plethora of things to see and do.
Tourists appreciate the glorious scenery, rolling hills and winding country roads that are blanketed in grape vines and dotted with ranches, old barns and grazing cattle. Multitudes of wineries — from humble abodes to magnificent mansions — await.
I would be remiss not to also mention the stunning mountains and the deep blue Pacific waters that are a big plus for nature lovers and adventure seekers.
Kurt Hixenbaugh of Vino et Amici, at 165 S. Broadway St., Suite 101, in Old Orcutt, owns a wine bar — Naughty Oak Brewing Co. next door — and business is booming. He and his wife, Dawn, are considering opening a second location.
“We only carry local, small production wines like Westerly and El Lugar,” he said. “Several of our labels are winemakers who do side projects.”
As an example, Dieter Cronje, the winemaker of Presqui’le, has his own label, Riding Monkey Wines.
Nuclear Wine Co. in Los Alamos is one of the California wineries that has decided to can its wine. The company currently has two available wines in a can, a white Chardonnay and a Red table wine that is a mixture of Cabernet (44 percent), Merlot (25 percent), Pinot Noir (16 percent) and Syrah (15 percent).
One of my personal favorites to be had on the Central Coast is the Lucas & Lewellen 2012 Estate Vineyards Chardonnay. It is no surprise that Wine Enthusiast ranked it at 91 points. Lucas & Lewellen has a Solvang tasting room at 1645 Copenhagen Drive that locals and visitors love.
Wine continues to be a catalyst for tourism, jobs and economic vitality. The region has enjoyed more and more recognition from sommeliers, the news media and visitors, and coastal wines impressively and consistently win awards at major wine competitions.
In Santa Barbara County, $1.9 billion in revenue came from 7.2 million visitors in 2017. SLO County attracted $1.58 billion in revenue from tourism, and 17,870 people were employed in tourism-related jobs.
It’s no secret that the weather is beautiful year-round and there are boundless activities at every elevation.
Santa Maria’s population was 62,047 in 1997, but census reports show the city had grown to 107,014 by 2017. By 2025, Santa Maria is projected to have a population of nearly 122,000.
To give you an idea of how the community is expanding, Coastal Community Builders has been building new homes on the Central Coast for 30 years, and yet the demand has never been greater. The company’s master-planned developments in Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Nipomo, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, the Santa Maria Valley, Solvang and Templeton all have sold out.
“The response to our Rice Ranch community has been impressive,” said Jennifer Daniels, Coastal Community Builders’ sales and operations manager. “Due to the population growth in northern Santa Barbara County, the homes are being sold and reserved almost as fast as we build them.”
If you’re like me, you’ve probably gone on vacation and picked up a real estate magazine. Visiting — and especially living — on the Central Coast is a gift. So, pop the top on your favorite brew or open that bottle of award-winning wine and celebrate!
— Donna Polizzi is a travel writer and founder of Keys 2 the Coast, a trusted travel resource for the Central Coast and beyond, including sharing favorite places to “Wine, Dine and Explore.” She can be contacted at news@noozhawk.com. Connect with Keys 2 the Coast on Facebook. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.