Winemaker Paul Lato says, “there’s a really big gap between 99 and 100.” The celebrated vintner, a Polish native who was a sommelier in Canada before he moved to the Central Coast in 2002, has earned many coveted scores for wines under his eponymous label, along with a fervent consumer following. But 100 points for […]
Paul Lato is the perfect contender for the Central Coast’s innovative wine offerings. He was a former sommelier at several fine restaurants in Toronto before taking the leap to work with seasoned wine maker Jim Clendenen, of Au Bon Climat in Santa Maria. Lato had several breakthroughs, including several 95+ point ratings from wine critic […]
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Weekends are often highlighted by a great brunch outing. Sitting down with family and friends and leisurely enjoying a bottle of bubbles or mimosas with a late breakfast really does make the days off feel like the weekend. Hugh Davies and the team at Schramsberg craft this Blanc de Blancs, which loosely translates to “white […]
A list of local wineries that will make you forget your summer woes. It’s no surprise that many local wineries are seeing an influx of visitors who cancelled travel plans to wine regions around the globe because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Stop whining and start planning. Santa Barbara is known for its world-class Syrah, Pinot […]
Alisos Canyon Gains AVA, the seventh for Santa Barbara County Santa Barbara vintners are celebrating the feds’ decision last week to designate Alisos Canyon as an American Viticultural Area, the seventh for the county. This new AVA covers 5,774 acres nestled in the Los Alamos Valley, roughly between the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Valleys. […]
Summer season has us firing up the BBQ and safely enjoying spectacular Santa Barbara weather with family and friends. For your enjoyment, I wanted to share a favorite wine of mine from local Santa Barbara producer Jeff Nelson of Liquid Farm Winery. Jeff has made a name for himself crafting incredible Chardonnays from the region […]
Graham Tatomer is winning wine lovers over with his Austrian-inspired Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. The Santa Barbara native began his career in the industry at sixteen at the Santa Barbara Winery. After four years and broad exposure to winemaking he became infatuated with everything viticulture. Graham traveled to Austria and trained under the illustrious Weingut […]
Summertime calls for outdoor picnics, lighter fare, and crisp regional wines. I love a classic Maine Lobster Roll this time of the year; it pairs best with wine from our Santa Ynez neighbor, Sunstone Vineyards, and another Central Coast favorite of ours, DAOU Vineyards in Paso Robles. Belmond El Encanto’s Maine Lobster Roll is dressed […]
I’m hoping you know my wines. I suspect many Montecitans know Marni and I as participating residents. I have been involved in the wine scene as a retailer, restaurateur, and now as a full-time vintner for some 38 years. I am the producer of Margerum and Barden wines and a consultant for many other wineries […]
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The grinding halt wrought by a virus sprinting across the globe has certainly not spared the Santa Barbara wine industry. These are businesses that depend on foot traffic, on one-to-one connections, on personalized experience. Shut that down, as the recent mandate by Governor Newsom (understandably) did, asking all wineries and tasting rooms to temporarily close, […]
It is fitting, of course, that a world-class culinary affair inspired by Julia Child would take place in Santa Barbara. The beloved chef summered on its shores as a child, and it was in the bucolic enclave of Montecito that she chose to spend her final years. Indeed, the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, coming the […]
When Eli Parker launched his pet project, Epiphany Cellars, 20 years ago, his dad had doubts. “He was not thrilled with what he perceived to be a distraction at the time,” says the vintner, referencing Fess Parker, the Disney icon who launched his eponymous wine brand in 1989. Ten years in, the label, anchored on […]
Have you seen all the promos for Restaurant Week? It’s a national phenomenon throughout the winter season, actually: destinations leveraging the appeal of their top chefs (and the allure of value) to entice consumers and beef up foot traffic during a historically slow travel time of the year. Santa Barbara’s Restaurant Week returns February 21 […]
You could call chardonnay Santa Barbara County’s darling grape. There’s more of it growing here than any other wine grape, blanketing more than 7500 acres. Much of it is gobbled up by wine producers in Northern California – the chard here is simply better – while Santa Barbara winemakers aim each year to make Burgundy’s […]
