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First Class Fare: California’s 5 Must-Visit Wine Regions

From north to south

Author

Nickolaus Hines
May 16th, 2025

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an image of 4 wine bottles and glasses
Nickolaus Hines - Nickolaus Hines is the managing editor at Matador Network. He’s spent the past decade writing and editing stories about food, drinks, and the bites and bottles you book a trip for.

California’s 5 Must-Visit Wine Regions

Welcome to First Class Fare, Matador Network’s dispatch for travelers who know the first thing they want to eat, the drink they'll order first, and the reservation that sets the tone for the rest of the trip before they even book a flight.

I didn’t really fall in love with California wine until I moved to New York City — nearly 3,000 miles from the small Central Coast town of Lompoc where I grew up. I’ve scrambled to make up for lost time since then by visiting wineries, seeking out bottles, and joining wine clubs up and down California. The best way to get a taste of what the state has to offer, though, is a road trip from north to south through five key wine regions.

Also in this week’s dispatch:

Nickolaus Hines, managing editor

T O - D O

grapevines amid a vineyard and mountains in California

Book it: San Luis Obispo

This college town (simply called SLO by locals) is about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Sure, there’s plenty of world-class wine in SLO and elsewhere in the county like neighboring Paso Robles, but there’s also seemingly endless opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreation and the arts. It’s also home to the Shabang, a music festival that feels like the early days of Coachella.

picture of food and wine

Photo: Ember

Eat

SLO Public Market for a variety of options, or make the worthwhile drive to Arroyo Grande for classic wood-fired Central Coast dishes at Ember.

a person holding a cocktail from Rod & Hammer

Photo: Rod & Hammer

Drink

Rod & Hammer distillery for California whiskey and cocktails in a beautiful space, or There Does Not Exist for craft beer.

a sitting area with two glasses and a wine bottle

Stay

Petit Soleil, the first “bed and beverage” hotel, or the iconically quirky Madonna Inn.

Bishop Peak mountain range

Get Outside

Hike the local-favorite Bishop Peak, a moderately challenging out-and-back trail.

G U I D E

The Best Food Festivals

Cheese Curd Festival box filled with cheese curds from a festival

You can keep it elegant with a weekend in Aspen, or embrace the Midwestern spirit by participating in a cheese curd-eating contest in Wisconsin. Pack your sweatpants and book your Airbnb — these are the 11 best US food festivals worth traveling for in 2025 and beyond.

R E V I E W

The World’s Oldest Restaurant

an image of people walking into a restaurant - Restaurante Sobrino de Botin Horno de Asar

Step inside this 430-year-old building for a master class in Spanish gastronomy, beloved by locals for centuries. If you’re lucky, you might even catch Spain’s king stopping in for lunch.

SAVED ON MAP

Central America

Matador spoke with chefs and influencers from around the region, combined with the experience of team members, to identify the top dishes beyond arroz con pollo (chicken with rice) to try and excellent vendors who prepare them, from the markets to the street corners. Here are the best street food in Central America.

someone making chicken on the grill

I N T E R V I E W

The Best Uni

a woman holding sea urchin

The uni from Santa Barbara, California, is often considered among the best in the world. Michael Motamedi and Vanessa Salas of the No Fixed Address podcast spoke with Stephanie Mutz, California’s only female commercial sea urchin diver, to learn more about it.

Travel Well

The Matador Editorial Team

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