Robert DaFoe Wines

Robert DaFoe Wines in California’s Santa Ynez Valley centers on owner and winemaker Rob DaFoe’s hands-on, minimal-intervention approach. A Santa Barbara native with a background in sponsored snowboarding, DaFoe traces his interest in wine to time spent in France; his winemaking roots in Santa Barbara County date to 2000. His wines range from aromatic whites to fuller-bodied reds, with both single-vineyard bottlings and blends.

The cellar philosophy has concrete limits: minimal oak influence, limited additions, and a preference for moving wine by gravity whenever possible. Vineyard sources include Eberhard Ranch, Tierra Alta Vineyard, White Hawk Vineyard, and Watch Hill Vineyard. For some blends, the grapes and proportions are decided before harvest rather than assembled afterward—a useful glimpse into how deliberately these wines take shape.

Visitors have two distinct options. The winery at Eberhard Ranch & Vineyards offers reservation-only private tastings amid vineyards and mountain views, about ten minutes from both Los Olivos and the town of Santa Ynez. The Los Olivos tasting room at 2901 Grand Avenue, Suite C, takes walk-ins. The choice is straightforward: the ranch suits a planned winery visit; the tasting room fits a less scheduled stop in town.