“Diatom has been very positively disruptive in the marketplace since its inception,” says winemaker Greg Brewer, “because it blurs the lines with regards to style and grape variety.” Indeed, ‘diatom’ (capitalization rule ignored by design), a limited-production chardonnay-only label that Brewer launched in 2005, has always been a fan favorite. Describing its fan base as […]

This summer it’s time to take advantage of one of the easiest, most refreshing cocktails you can find. Endlessly versatile, and easy to adjust to your tastes, a smash is a cocktail that will make everyone happy. Best of all, they are dead simple to make. Read on to see how to make your summer […]

Oenophiles and gourmands were out in force at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History when, after a two-year pandemic hiatus, it hosted the region’s premier wine and food event, attracting 1,000 supporters to the beautiful 17-acre Mission Creek campus and raising more than $200,000 for the museum’s programs and exhibits. Around 200 VIP tickets, […]

The Fourth of July this week has many of us thinking about one thing: the grill. Okay, two things: the grill and wine. For those who are lovers of all things fired and grilled, another major event is on the calendar this month. It’s a barbecue-inspired affair for wine lovers that is years in the […]

Michael Brughelli’s 2019 wines – out just last week – are more than just the second release of his eponymous label. They feel a lot like a rousing encore performance. The Brughelli wines received critical acclaim early. His inaugural launch, a 2018 pinot noir and a 2018 chardonnay, saw scores high in the 90+ stratosphere […]

Two of our favorite pastimes have plenty to offer on their own. Drinking great wine enhances everything from consumption to conversation. Listening to music we love can lift our spirits and set the mood. Both also make us feel good. But what about putting these two actions together? And I’m talking about beyond just turning […]

Coupe, Collins, Nick and Nora, highball, rocks, double old fashioned, julep, and the list goes on. Have you ever wondered why there are so many glasses for cocktails? What is each style used for? What’s the difference between an old fashioned, rocks, and lowball? Sometimes glasses are generic and used for many different drinks (e.g. […]

I’ve discovered the perfect afternoon sipper – Rusack Vineyards just released its 2021 Boundless Mission ($28), a wine that is, quite literally, history in a bottle. The mission grape was brought over to the Americas in the 1700s by Spanish Catholic missionaries who didn’t want to go without table and sacramental wine along the way. […]

It’s all about skin contact! An apropos start of a story about Valentine’s Day, I guess. But we’re talking wine here, and those pink sippers that look and smell and taste so pretty, they’re sure to be our go-to thirst quenchers this Valentine’s Day. That seductive hue is, indeed, the product of calculated contact between […]

One of the things I love about Montecito this time of year is the incredible scents that start filling the air. Each week something new is wafting in the breeze. Today, as I walk out the door, a wall of jasmine greets me. Next, it will soon give way to the intoxicating aroma of orange […]