Tag archives: wine

I enjoyed a lovely rosé wine over the weekend. It was refreshing, with a pretty light pink hue, a delicate fizz on the tongue and yummy flavors of red berries and citrus. The finish was especially quenching – dry, perky, and clean. There was one thing about this wine that was especially remarkable, though: it […]

When the boundaries for the Santa Maria Valley AVA were drawn, they excluded a thousand-acre plot of land so far west, it was considered too cold to grow grapes. An AVA, or American Viticultural Area, is a carefully outlined ag area that’s been determined by the federal government, through myriad considerations like topography and climate, […]

Friendship Adult Day Care Center (FADCC) just held its ninth annual Wine Down and Big Heart Awards. It’s such a lovely facility anyway with its open courtyard, but it’s especially pretty when dressed up for this fête. Guests arrived and picked up a wine glass from which to savor wines, spirits, and coffee: Buttonwood Farm […]

The rotunda at the Hilton was jammed when the 38th Taste of the Town threw its 10th annual Connoisseurs’ Circle gala, co-chaired by Lori Farnsworth and John O’Neill, for 213 foodies and wine lovers 48 hours before its popular Riviera epicurean festival with a tidal wave of restaurateurs, caterers, winemakers, and breweries serving samples of […]

Over the last few years, Coast Village Road has seen the arrival of more than a handful of new eateries, offering Montecito’s lower village an array of exciting dining options, the majority of which are locally owned and operated. In an effort to showcase its burgeoning restaurant scene, the Coast Village Association presents the inaugural […]

Little known fact about the 2004 cult film Sideways: if George Clooney and Brad Pitt had gotten their way, the heartthrob pair would have seen their own names on the movie’s marquee. Director Alexander Payne turned them down, though, opting instead to cast lesser known names that wouldn’t steal the spotlight from the story or […]

Friendship Center’s 9th Annual Wine Down & Big Heart Awards will be Thursday, September 5 from 4 to 7 pm. Featuring tastings of wine, beer, spirits, and coffee from 10+ local businesses, this is a fun and festive event to support the adult day care facility.  Participating beverage purveyors include Buttonwood Farm Winery, Draughtsmen Aleworks, […]

The pinot noir you buy at the local shop is, almost always, that winery’s latest release, and usually its youngest wine. A younger pinot – from the 2017 vintage, for example – usually delivers exactly what we pinot lovers want: it’s fruity and fresh, soft and supple, luscious and delicious. Vibrancy and flavor make a […]

Montecito actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ critically acclaimed HBO series Veep went on hiatus while she underwent treatment for breast cancer. Now Julia, 58, has opened up to the celebrity glossy, Vanity Fair, about her cancer diagnosis and returning to work after a life-threatening illness. On the cover of the Conde Nast monthly Julia wears a diaphanous […]

Social gridlock reigned at the East Haley Street wine bar Uncorked when Santa Barbara TV game-show host Rebecca Brand marked the 18th anniversary of her 40th. Rebecca, who turned a small business hosting dinner parties and teaching French impressionist oil painting at her home into a culinary and travel TV show empire, has just returned […]

A rose by any other name may still be a rose. But when it comes to wine grapes, nomenclature matters. Just ask anyone who makes wine in the Sta. Rita Hills. The 10 square-mile ag region nestled in the westernmost reaches of the Santa Ynez Valley – where Buellton gives way to Lompoc and where […]

Coast Village Road’s Liquor & Wine Grotto owners Jason Herrick and Brian Brunello will mark 10 years of ownership this Saturday, August 3. While the store has been in existence since 1976, Herrick and Brunello have spent the last ten years perfecting the shop, and forming connections with loyal clientele. “We appreciate them more than […]

Thirsty? May I suggest the “Storm Cellar” at Finch & Fork? After all, every sip helps! The mixology team at the popular restaurant and bar at Santa Barbara’s Kimpton Canary Hotel launched a unique charity drive this summer – Cocktails for a Cause. A new mixed drink is introduced each month and proceeds from the […]

The folks at Fess Parker Winery are already in the holiday spirit! The winemaking team at the sprawling winery in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley sent out a notice last week highlighting “Wines for the Holiday Table.” They hand-picked three wines that they feel “could help create a fun-filled holiday,” according to a […]

Lotus lovers were out in force as Lotusland, the delightful botanical paradise, celebrated its annual LotusFest! in idyllic weather. More than 20 wineries and breweries poured their products for more than 300 guests, as they explored the late opera singer Ganna Walska’s 37-acre floral nirvana. Among those having a blooming good time were Tom and […]

The Stonehouse, the San Ysidro Ranch’s award winning eatery, has added another accolade to its long list. Under the direction of Todd Smith, wine director, the restaurant’s robust collection has just earned the Wine Spectator Grand Award for the fifth consecutive year. The underground wine cellar houses nearly 12,000 bottles of the most premium and […]

The shattering effects of last year’s Woolsey Fire are not immediately obvious when you stroll through Saddlerock Ranch. The 1,100-acre property along Mulholland Highway, home to the Semler family, is looking beautiful these days, especially after the bloom of spring, with its cavalcade of flowers and trees and a sweeping, undulating landscape of dramatic rock […]

The popular food and wine festival at the socially gridlocked Museum of Natural History was a sold-out affair. The 32nd annual fest, which had 1,173 guests and raised in excess of $115,000 for the museum’s programs, featured more than 70 premier Central Coast wineries and 30 food vendors on the 11-acre oak-shaded Mission Creek campus. […]

Eight months after celebrating its first anniversary with a boffo bash at the Hotel Californian, Epicurean Santa Barbara was back at the tony hostelry for a Wine Down Wednesday at the Djinn cocktail bar in the Library Lounge. The third wine-oriented fest on the program, after events at the Rosewood Miramar and Mizza Pizza on […]

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 […]