malibu vineyards and views

A friend of ours was in town this weekend, so yesterday we went on a drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to a couple of vineyards. I'd heard that there were quite a few wineries in Malibu but we'd never been, so we decided to take a short day trip to explore the area.

It was an absolutely beautiful day to be outdoors, sunny and windy and very autumnal. The vineyards were located off the PCH, and the drive through the mountains on the way there was breathtaking, with stunning views of deep green valleys and winding roads with the blue ocean in the background.

We were especially excited to see a copper-colored geodesic dome perched on top of a ridge. My husband and his friend Matt have always been big fans of this type of building, and it's the first time we've seen such a nice one in person. Additional photos of the house show more of the construction and interiors, which apparently has rooms with ceilings that are two and a half stories high! Amazing. It also has windows all around the house to take advantage of its beautiful view.

Eventually we made our way to Malibu Family Wines, where we did a mixed tasting of their Saddlerock wines. It was a rather unusual place in that most of what you could see were scattered tables and chairs, where guests can relax with a bottle of wine and enjoy live music on the weekends. It was really cold in spite of the outside heaters, however, so we decided to go on to a tasting at Sip Cielo Wine Bar, where we did another tasting. It was a really lovely day, and a wonderful way to spend a fall afternoon.