When third-generation grape-farmer Louis Lucas and Superior Court judge Royce Lewellen met in 1975, they soon discovered they had at least one thing in common: a love for wine. The duo decided to go into the wine-making business together, and spent the next several decades building the foundations of their estate. Today, that estate encompasses more than 400 acres, and includes three Santa Barbara County vineyards spread across three distinct climates. Though the wine made from these grapes bears three different labels, each falls under the name Lucas & Lewellen.

At Lucas & Lewellen's estate winery, winemaker Megan McGrath Gates relies on state-of-the-art gear to transform locally sourced grapes into a range of wines. After aging and bottling, many of these bold and medium-bodied reds and dry and semi-sweet white wines make their way out to the elegant tasting room in the small European–style town of Solvang. At the bar, knowledgeable staff guide visitors through a tasting of each. Sometimes, Lucas and Lewellen themselves can be found behind the bar, pouring samples and answering mysteries such as what that guy Cabernet did to get all those wines named after him. The tasting room also houses a boutique filled with gourmet foods and wine-related accessories.