The Hitching Post 2
Pinot and fire in Santa Maria country
Buellton · Buellton · American, BBQ · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You walk into a cowboy steakhouse on a California highway and the wine list reads like a greatest-hits of Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir. That's the Hitching Post 2 in a nutshell — unpretentious on the outside, quietly serious about wine on the inside. This is the restaurant that made Sideways pilgrims out of half the country, and it still earns the attention.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 100-150 bottles and doesn't pretend to be something it's not — this is a Central Coast Pinot Noir house, full stop. House-label Hitching Post wines anchor the list, with the Highliner, Pence Ranch, and Hometown bottlings all representing different expressions of Santa Barbara terroir. Neighbours Au Bon Climat, Sanford, and Brewer-Clifton round things out with serious regional credibility. If you came here hoping for a deep Burgundy section or some left-field Jura selection, wrong restaurant — but if you want a focused, thoughtfully curated window into why this corner of California matters for Pinot Noir, this list delivers.
By the Glass
The by-the-glass program runs 10-20 options, which is generous for a BBQ joint and almost certainly leans heavily on the Hitching Post lineup. The Pinks rosé of Pinot Noir makes a strong case as the pour to start with — light enough for the grilled shrimp, interesting enough to hold your attention. Rotation appears limited, but when the house pours are this dialed in, you don't necessarily need a parade of options.
Hitching Post Hometown Pinot Noir — $40
The entry point into the Hitching Post lineup, and it punches well above its price tag. Santa Barbara County fruit, house style, and you're drinking the wine that made this place famous — without paying up for a single-vineyard designation.
Hitching Post Pinks
Most people overlook rosé at a steakhouse, which is exactly why you should order it here. Made from Pinot Noir in the same program as the reds, it's a serious wine dressed in casual clothes — and it's the most versatile pour on the table when you're sharing grilled artichokes and shrimp alongside a tri-tip.
Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir
Brewer-Clifton makes excellent wine, no argument there — but you can find it at a dozen restaurants in the county. When you're sitting at the Hitching Post, you're here for the house bottles. Don't spend your money on something you could order anywhere else.
Hitching Post Pence Ranch Pinot Noir + Oak-grilled Santa Maria style tri-tip
The Pence Ranch bottling has the structure and darker fruit character to stand up to the char and fat of Santa Maria tri-tip cooked over red oak. It's the most local pairing imaginable — Santa Barbara wine, Santa Barbara BBQ tradition, same open fire that's been cooking in this county for generations.
🎲 The Bottom Line
If you're anywhere near the Santa Ynez Valley and you care about Central Coast Pinot Noir, the Hitching Post 2 isn't optional — it's a pilgrimage. The list is focused almost to a fault, but that focus is exactly the point, and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence it's held since 2017 reflects a program that quietly, consistently does its job right.
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