The Honea Vineyards are located in the beautiful Los Olivos District American Viticultural Area, part of the Santa Ynez AVA. The vineyard is managed with a lot of heart by the Honea Family and farmed by the best in the business, Coastal Vineyard Care Associates. Honea Vineyards, in partnership with Margerum Wine Company, provides them with 10 different Rhône varietals to make up their estate vintages.
Exploration and research of the wine region begins
Purchase of the 40-acre property that would become Honea Vineyards
Harvest of premium Italian grape varietals, including Arneis, Moscato, Pinot Grigio, Tocai Friulano, Barbera, Dolcetto, Lagrein, Merlot, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese
Milt Honea served as President of the Santa Barbara County Vintners Association, helped grow the Vintner’s Festival and initiated the creation of the Los Olvios AVA
Transformed the 18-acre vineyard to specialize exclusively in Rhône grape varietals, with the goal of becoming the premier grower of these varietals in Santa Barbara County
First harvest, resulting in the 2017 M5 White, 2017 M5 Red, 2017 Viognier and 2017 Syrah
The Honea Vineyards is a family vineyard founded by Milt and Marilyn Honea and managed with the help of their three children and ten grandchildren.
Established in 2002, the entire family was involved in helping to transform the 40-acre property from a horse farm into the gorgeous vineyard that it is today.
The most iconic and beautiful feature of the vineyard is the hills. The three prominent hills are made-up of unique soils and stones that have helped feed and create the kind of premium grapes Honea Vineyards is known to grow. This includes limestone, alluvium, sandstone and shale. From Italian to Rhône varietals, these hills have been home to some of the best grapes in the Los Olivos District American Viticultural Area.
The property is managed and farmed by Coastal Vineyard Care Associates which maintains and manages the 10 different Rhône varietals that make up the vineyard today.