These International Wine and Surf Destinations Are Off the Hook
Wine and surfing may not seem like the most obvious combination. For starters, you really shouldn’t enjoy the former while doing the latter. But both the beverage and the sport are shaped by the land and the sea, and the same weather that creates swells can impact how grapes grow along the coastline. As a result, there are a lot of great surf destinations that produce world-class wines.
If the sound of catching some waves in the morning and hitting up a tasting room in the afternoon sounds like a dream vacation, consider booking a trip to one of these pro-approved wine country locales with top-notch surfing below.
Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, often referred to as the “American Riviera,” boasts ideal wine-growing weather and dramatic coastlines. The wine region is defined by its distinct transverse mountain range that runs east to west, unlike most other mountain ranges in California, which run north to south. “This unique geography allows cool ocean breezes to flow inland, creating a perfect environment for growing cool-climate varietals,” explains Rob Smits, the director of wine at Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, where guests can take surf lessons and avail themselves of an extraordinary wine cellar.
To hit the waves, Smits suggests paddling out from Miramar Point, a smooth spot popular for longboarders and beginners, just across the road from the hotel. Plus, it’s just a few miles from the Funk Zone, which is part of Santa Barbara’s Urban Wine Trail and home to more than a dozen tasting rooms, like Pali Wine Co. and Margerum Wine Company.
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But the whole Santa Barbara coastline is chock full of incredible breaks, including Hammonds in Montecito, which Smits says has faster, more powerful waves meant for advanced surfers. Closer to downtown, “Sandspit comes alive after winter storms, producing rare, hollow barrels near the Santa Barbara Harbor,” he adds. About 15 miles south, near Carpinteria, “Rincon, the ‘Queen of the Coast,’ stands out with its long, world-class right-hand point break—a true gem of California surfing.”
While Will Henry, co-owner and winemaker at Lumen Wines in the Santa Maria Valley, likes to surf up the coast at Morro Rock in San Luis Obispo County on days when the swell is not too large, he recommends a number of Santa Barbara County spots. “My all-time favorite waves are on the Gaviota coast to the south of us, but these only work on larger swells, so they are rare birds,” he says. He also likes El Cápitan, also on the Gaviota Coast, and, if the conditions are right, he’ll drive further south to Campus Point in Goleta, which he says is “an amazing, long right point break.”
SLO Coast AVA
Central Coast, California
One county north of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo County’s SLO Coast AVA also boasts excellent breaks and complex, coastal wines. Like its neighbor, it boasts “a long growing season, which creates layers of complexity and naturally lower alcohol,” says Mike Sinor, a winemaker and the cofounder of Sinor-LaVallee Estate Wines.
Most of the area’s vineyards are within four to five miles of the Pacific Ocean. “Our friends from Burgundy often visit and wonder how we make world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here,” Sinor adds. “Once they feel that ocean breeze and see the light, they understand.”
He suggests Pismo Beach as a prime surf spot, noting that the north side of Pismo Pier has a classic left break just 40 feet from the surf. Just a little south of it, there is the Oceano/Pismo Dunes area, which he says is more exposed to open ocean, with bigger waves and fewer crowds.
Margaret River
Western Australia
Sinor also lived in and recommends Margaret River in Western Australia, a region that produces less than 3% of the country’s total wine, but accounts for over 20% of its premium wines. “The proximity to both the Indian and Southern oceans moderates temperatures, reduces extremes, and extends the growing season,” he explains. “It’s just a touch warmer than the SLO Coast, making Cabernet Sauvignon a mainstay here.”
Before hitting the area’s iconic tasting rooms, such as Cullen Wines, Vasse Felix, and Pierro, Sinor recommends checking out Surfers Point, which has big, powerful waves and hosts an annual pro event. There’s also the Mouth, a popular surf break where the river meets the ocean. “It can get crowded, but it’s a great hang for the day,” he says.
Gisborne Wine Region
New Zealand
Blair Guthrie is the head winemaker at Stewart Cellars in Napa Valley, but he grew up surfing in New Zealand. He recommends Gisborne, a coastal wine region in the northeastern part of the country, as a great spot for surf and wine. “One of New Zealand’s most famous surfers, Maz Quinn, is from Gisborne, and so we all grew up watching him and surfing those same breaks,” says Guthrie. Top surf spots include Waikanae for beginners, Midway Pipe for intermediate riders, and Wainui for more advanced surfers.
“Gisborne is where I got my start in wine, too,” Guthrie says, whose biodynamic approach to viticulture was inspired by James Milton of Milton Vineyards & Winery. “My time in Gisborne was going surfing, then coming home and having a glass of [Milton’s] Chenin Blanc.”
Milton and the Gisborne region in general taught Guthrie that he could pick at lower sugar levels and still make fantastic wine, something he’s taken with him to his current spot in California.
Matawhero Wines, a seven-minute drive away from Milton, is another popular tasting room with a comfortable outdoor space to enjoy a post-surf flight and snacks among the vineyards and olive trees.
Lisboa Wine Region
Portugal
Lisbon’s wine region stretches along Portugal’s Atlantic coast, offering plenty of opportunities to taste and surf. That’s why Antonio de los Santos, a former bartender, cofounded Ride351, a tour operator and travel agency that specializes in wine, surf, and food experiences in the area.
He suggests surfing in Ericeira, a charming old village lined with whitewashed houses that is continental Europe’s only designated World Surfing Reserve. There you can hit world-famous surf spots like Ribeira d’Ilhas and Foz do Lizandro, and then reward yourself with a tasting at nearby wineries. Top picks, which are just a 15 to 25 minute drive away from the surf, include Haja Cortezia Wines and Quinta de San Michel, where you can sample indigenous grape varietals that thrive in the area’s sandy soil and coastal climate.
De Los Santos’s company also offers a “winemaker for a day” experience about 40 minutes inland at Quinta da Folgorosa, a historic estate dating back to 1711. Or plot your own course to visit any of the many wineries across the Lisboa region’s nine DOCs.
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Abruzzo
Italy
Any conversation about Old World wine is bound to include Italy, but surfing there is still largely under the radar. Some of the best surf spots are along the coast of Abruzzo, where wild landscapes contribute to steady waves and fine wines.
“Our family has always felt deeply connected to this land,” says Giulia Sciotti, marketing manager and brand ambassador of Fantini Wines. “From our vineyards in Ortona, you can glimpse the Adriatic and almost hear the waves along the Costa dei Trabocchi—a coastline that still feels like a well-kept secret. Few people know that surfers come here for quiet, uncrowded breaks at Grotta del Saraceno or Punta Penna.”
Grotta del Saraceno is one of the most extraordinary spots in Italy, she says, “and when that southern wind rises, you feel it in the grapes and in the glass.”
After hitting the waves, surfers can adjourn to nearby Borgo Baccile to taste Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or Edizione Cinque Autoctoni, a bold blend of native grapes, or make their way to any of the region’s 250-plus wineries.
Western Cape
South Africa
“South African wine production is synonymous with the cold Atlantic,” says Duncan Savage, founder and winemaker at Savage Wines in Cape Town. “Most of our wine regions are situated close to the ocean, which explains why so many winemakers surf here.”
He notes that swells generated from storms to the south approach a coastline that’s rugged with nooks and crannies, creating all sorts of waves, from point breaks to beach breaks. “Like wines reflect the terroir or place, waves reflect the coastline,” Savage says.
He suggests surfing Llandudno Beach and Sandy Bay, about a 30-minute drive from Cape Town, if you want hard-barrelling beach breaks. They both offer loads of “raw Atlantic power when the conditions are right,” he says.
Muizenberg on the opposite side of the peninsula offers gentler, easier beginner-style waves. Nestled between these two spots is the Constantia Valley, which Savage says “produces wines as fresh as the cold Atlantic.”
Try them out at beautiful wineries like Steenberg, Beau Constantia, and Klein Constantia, all within 20 minutes of the coast.
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