ABOUT HITCHING POST WINES

Overview

Led by Frank Ostini (owner of the Hitching Post 2 Restaurant) and Gray Hartley, Hitching Post Wines looks forward to its 40th vintage in its ongoing quest to create some of the best wines of Santa Barbara County. The emphasis is to make intriguing, age worthy Pinot Noirs featuring Santa Barbara County’s two iconic appellations, the Santa Maria Valley and the Sta. Rita Hills. With Frank Ostini as Chef Winemaker since its inception, these are food friendly, traditionally styled wines of balance and finesse that express the essence of the great vineyards of the Santa Barbara region. Moving forward, the next generation of Hartleys - Emily (DTC Manager) and Weston (Winemaker) – have joined the team and are doing much of the heavy lifting as Hitching Post Wines.

In the beginning…

The Hitching Post wine journey began when Gray Hartley, a former Alaskan salmon fisherman and Frank Ostini, chef and owner of the famed Hitching Post 2 Restaurant in Buellton, were brought together by their love of wine and winemaking. The two long-time friends started making wines in 1979. In a Sideways twist, the first wine they made in Frank’s garage was a Merlot! A few years later, in 1981, Gray and Frank discovered the wonders of Santa Barbara Pinot Noir which led to their first official Hitching Post wine release, a Pinot, in 1985. These two wine pioneers are among a small, elite set of local winemakers that first put Santa Barbara wines on the map, particularly Pinot Noir.

This was long before Hollywood discovered Santa Barbara County as a winemaking landmark with excellent wines. In 2004 the movie Sideways was released with a reception that had a profound influence on the wine industry. The Academy Award® winning film follows two men in their forties who take a week-long road trip to Santa Barbara wine country in which Hitching Post 2 and Hitching Post Wines were prominently featured. With the success of the film, it sparked a dramatic increase in tourism for the wine region along with soaring sales of Pinot Noir, a varietal touted by one of the characters in the film while denigrating Merlot. Consequently, since the exposure in the movie, Hitching Post wines have gained in popularity.

And Now

To date, up to ten different Pinot Noirs are produced annually at Hitching Post, many vineyard designated and sourced from highly acclaimed, local vineyards including Sanford & Benedict, Fiddlestix, and Bien Nacido. Their flagship wine is the Hitching Post Highliner. It features their finest lots from all the Pinots produced that vintage. The term “Highliner” refers to the best fishermen in the fleet, and this name honors the great men of the Alaskan Salmon Fishery alongside whom Gray Hartley worked for 28 years. A special wine, Highliner is meant to be the “best of their fleet” of Pinot Noirs. The winery is not just about Pinot Noir. Intrigued by other varietals and styles, HP Wines also makes barrel fermented Dry Rose, Chenin Blanc, Syrah, and interesting red blends.