More than Your Usual Wine Experience
Take a short drive off Hwy 101 and you’ll find the “Windmill Town” of Solvang, a quaint pocket of ambience tucked in the hills just north of Santa Barbara. If wine is what you’re searching for then make way to Vigna Ladonna, a wine bar that just opened. Whether you’re the everyday tourist or a wine connoisseur, owner Rob Gundling promises that Vigna Ladonna will intrigue the palette.
“We wanted to make it unique, not just another tasting room but something that has a personal and intimate feel,” Gundling said, “a place where you can come at the end of the day to relax and laugh with friends.”
Though Vigna Ladonna, named after Gundling’s wife of 10 years, has only been open a short three months, it is already the talk of the town. Its impressive display of superior wines, sweet balsalmics and varying olive oils not only provide as a colorful display but also manages to have a lasting impression even on people who grew up in the wine industry.
“I love their reds,” Kristen Bates, the future manager of Vigna Ladonna, said. “There is always something new to try.”
Besides offering their own variety of wines grown in San Louis Obispo, Vigna Ladonna also carries other selections as well. The store features a wonderfully refreshing 2006 Muscat Canelli and for those looking for a more substantial heartier wine the 2003 Vigna Ladonna Zinfandel is not to be missed. If a Syrah or Cabernet is what your pallet is craving the 2001 Wild Wood Gina’s Vineyard Syrah and Diamond Gem Cabernet Sauvignon will certainly satisfy the taste buds.
“My favorites right now are the 2004 Syrah and Cabs,” Bates said.
The new location is not your average tasting room. Customers can come and have a glass while playing a game of Scrabble, Chess or even the old classic Battleship. For people who are more vocal, the newly added Karaoke machine is a plus.
“I remember when we first got the machine, two girls came in and started belting out Elvis songs,” Bates said, laughing.
Customers can also taste the varying selections of oils and dipping sauces on display. The Vanilla Fig & Balsamic Vinegar is just one of the many favorites with patrons and locals alike, and what would the wine experience be without art? At Vigna Ladonna customers don’t have to find out since local fine art graces the walls of the wine bar, which can be purchased at the customer’s whim.
Vigna Ladonna is an ideal location for a small and intimate formal or informal gathering such as an office soiree or simply hanging with old friends. Customers who are in the military can also take pride in the pastime of enjoying a glass, since Vigna Ladonna offers a 10 percent military discount as its small way of saying thank you to the men and women protecting our country.
So next time you’re looking for a different tasting experience you should make your way to Vigna Ladonna, ease into your evening, breath the bouquet of flowers and relax into one of the many comfy chairs and have a glass or two, or three, or well you get the point. Vigna Ladonna is located at 1608 Copenhagen Dr. #C1 Solvang, CA 93463 For more information call (805) 693-9463.