One Grape Town That Earns It
Buellton · Santa Barbara · Steakhouse / Barbecue · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 4, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Hitching Post II’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Twenty labels. That's it. In any other context, we'd call this a red flag — but at the Hitching Post II, it lands differently. This is a restaurant that built its entire identity around a single grape and a single region, and the list reflects exactly that confidence.
Seven expressions of Hitching Post Pinot Noir anchor the bottle list, ranging from the entry-level 'Hometown' at $41 all the way up to the Sanford & Benedict and 'Perfect Set' at $69 — single-vineyard pours that would cost you far more at a tasting room. Beyond the house wines, the supporting cast is genuinely well-curated for Santa Barbara County: Au Bon Climat Chardonnay, Stolpman Sangiovese, Margerum GSM, Ampelos Grenache, and Beckmen Cab round out a list that reads like a who's who of the region's indie producers. The outlier is Crown Point Cabernet 'Relevant' at $175 — a steep jump that feels more like an afterthought for the big spender than a considered addition. There are real gaps here — no aged bottles, no non-California options, virtually no whites to speak of — but within its lane, this list is tighter than most.
Twelve pours by the glass is genuinely impressive for a 20-label list, and running $12–$19 a glass means you can work through several Hitching Post expressions without committing to a bottle — which is exactly what you should do. The rosé, Chenin Blanc, Syrah, and multiple Pinots all appear available by the glass, making this one of the better by-the-glass programs for a single-producer focus we've seen.
Hitching Post Pinot Noir 'Hometown' 2020 — $41
An entry point into the Hitching Post lineup that drinks well above its station. Santa Barbara Pinot Noir from the producer that put this region on the map — for forty-one bucks at a restaurant — is a genuine steal.
Hitching Post Chenin Blanc 'Forerunner' 2019
Everyone comes here for Pinot, which means the Chenin Blanc sits largely ignored. At $45, it's an unusual and genuinely interesting choice from a house better known for red wine — worth ordering before the steaks arrive.
Crown Point Cabernet Sauvignon 'Relevant' 2020
At $175, this bottle sticks out like a tuxedo at a barbecue. It's a fine wine, but the price jump from everything else on this list is jarring, and you can drink extremely well here for a fraction of that.
Hitching Post Pinot Noir 'Highliner' 2020 + Santa Maria-style tri-tip
The 'Highliner' at $59 has enough structure and dark fruit to stand up to the smoke and char on the tri-tip without bulldozing it — this is the exact match the restaurant was basically built around.
The Bottom Line
If you want Pinot Noir from one of the Central Coast's most storied producers, in the actual restaurant attached to the winery, at prices that won't make you wince — this is your spot. It's not a deep list, but it's an honest one.
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Solid Range
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Basic Stemmed
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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Small but Thoughtful
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Basic Stemmed
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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