A sip of Santa Ynez: North of Santa Barbara, find superb food, charming small towns-and some grand wines.(Santa Ynez Valley, California) From: Sunset | Date: April 1, 2002| Author: Jaffe, Matthew | COPYRIGHT 2002 Sunset Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Near the baptismal font at Old Mission Santa Ines, a small landscape painting portrays a valley that looks much as the Santa Ynez Valley would have when this mission was built some 200 years ago. Lines of mountains drop down to rolling foothills. A bright sun lights a river shimmering gold. The painting seems to mirror the classic California landscape that endures in this valley just over the mountains from Santa Barbara. Or, to a modern visitor, it could easily be a wine label, in...