Tag archives: wine tasting

Doug Margerum, a fixture on the Santa Barbara wine and restaurant scene for 35 years, was in party mode when he opened his eponymous tasting room at the Hotel Californian. The 3,000 sq. ft. two-level outlet, described as modern farmhouse meets couture boutique, was designed by Doug’s wife, Marni, with an expansive bar made of […]

Last year’s departure of the Chase Palm Park carousel after being ensconced in the prime location directly across the street from the ocean and just two blocks from Stearns Wharf for decades was a rude shock to families and others who delighted in taking a turn on the classy merry-go-round. But for others, it’s nothing […]

Back in the late 1970s, Bob Lindquist of Qupé Winery was the leader of the local Les Amis du Vin group. He organized wine-tasting lunches with guest winemakers at the University Club of Santa Barbara or Mattei’s Tavern. Bob invited me to help him bottle his first vintage. We worked with an early bottling truck, […]

I became intrigued and enamored with fine wine once upon a time, long ago in my early 20s when a friend brought a bottle of Montevina White Cabernet Sauvignon to our table. I liked it so much better with our lunch than my usual soda pop or milk. I envisioned wine to be a giant […]

The oenophiles we’re out in force when Grassini vineyards opened its new 1,400-sq.-ft. tasting room at the historic El Paseo. The 104-acre vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley was planted in 2002 and mayor Cathy Murillo cut a ribbon to mark the new opening. Among the guests quaffing the vino and noshing on the bounteous […]