CENTRAL COAST SIPPING
California's Central Coast: The Ultimate Winery Guide
by Mira Advani Honeycutt
(Chronicle Books, $22.95)

Reviewed by Nancy Huang

In the foreword to California’s Central Coast: The Ultimate Winery Guide by Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, the Central Coast is described as “always the bridesmaid, never the bride.”  Its perpetual state of always having great potential, but never quite being California’s star (a title almost always certainly endowed to Napa, with Sonoma being a close runner-up), is a poetic setup to this quaint wine travel guide.  Author Mira Advani Honeycutt journeys through a relatively young wine region, diverse in both climate and grape, but with a winemaking history that dates back only to the 1970s.

Honeycutt tours through many wineries from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo, painting an endearing picture of the humble but outstanding winemakers who have established themselves in the area.  Included are noted wineries such as Fess Parker, Eberle, Laetitia, Tablas Creek, Windward, Justin and more.  The photographs by Kirk Irwin are equally enticing, and each winery profile provides directions, contact info and tips on tastings and tours for easy travel reference guides.

The Ultimate Winery Guide is also available for the regions of Napa, Sonoma and the Pacific Northwest.  For more information, visit www.chroniclebooks.com.

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(Updated: 05/08/07 JW)

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