The tasting bar is open on weekends from 12-5, serving a selection of wines from boutique producers. There are usually two different flights of 5 wines each to choose from. $8 per tasting.
Unlike some tasting rooms, the Ballard Inn doesn't feel like you're at a party. The party is in your mouth. Friends often ask me for recommendations of where to go wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley. If they're looking for spots with wine that's just plain good, I always point them to the Ballard Inn. It's NOT a winery. It's a hotel and restaurant, but on weekends, just around the corner to the left of the reception desk, is a small bar with … more