Heather Cottage: Landmark Santa Barbara Tasting Room for Sale

by Gabe Saglie, Senior Editor, Travelzoo
photos courtesy of Steve Battaglia

The Heather Cottage – a recognizable landmark along Los Olivos’ Grand Avenue – is up for sale.

The Heather Cottage along Grand Avenue in Los Olivos

For more than 15 years, the cozy location has been home to Daniel Gehrs Wines, where thousands have come to taste the handiwork of Dan Gehrs – award-winning cabernet sauvignon, gewürztraminer and port, among others.  The cottage has also featured wine country gifts, many of them procured by Dan’s wife (and recently retired 2^nd grade teacher at Santa Barbara’s Adams School), Robin.  The Gehrs moved their business into Heather Cottage in 2000 and bought the property in 2003.

Heather Cottage was built in 1904 and originally opened as a doctor’s office.  It served as a residence for much of the 1900s.  Set amidst a bevy of Los Olivos’ best wine tasting rooms and boutique shops, the Cottage is currently zoned for commercial use.

Located at 2939 Grand Avenue, Heather Cottage spans about 1000 square feet and sits on a 3500-square foot lot, with a cozy shaded patio in the back.  It’s listed with Steve Battaglia of Battaglia Commercial Real Estate, who’s taking sealed bids through Wednesday, February 24^th.  A handful of bids have already come in.  Mr. Battaglia puts the property’s value in the $1.5-to-$1.75 million range.

The Daniel Gehrs Wines tasting bar

What about the Gehrs’ very popular brand?  There’s a Santa Barbara wine legacy here, after all, with Mr. Gehrs neatly entrenched among this young viticultural area’s most influential players.  Among his greatest hits: a 1993 syrah he crafted while making wine at Zaca Mesa.  It nabbed the #6 spot in Wine Spectator’s coveted Top 100 Wines of the Year list, and it marked the first time a Santa Barbara wine ever made the list.

“We’re definitely keeping that going,” Mr. Gehrs tells me.  He’ll continue to make wines locally at Terravant in Buellton.  But the wholesale side of the business is coming to an end, with sales shifting online, through the wine club and at select local shops and restaurants.   

And other changes are afoot that could well see Gehrs expand his wine focus beyond Santa Barbara County.

More details to come.

For more information on the sale of Heather Cottage, click here.

For more information on Daniel Gehrs Wines, check this out.

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