Nestled between the Santa Ynez River and the Santa Ynez Mountains lies Refugio Ranch - a four hundred and fifteen acre estate surrounded by some of the most spectacular landscapes in Santa Barbara County Wine Country.
On a perfectly clear spring morning, Central Coast Uncorked was treated to an amazing vineyard tour and wine tasting hosted by owners Kevin and Niki Gleason. Atop an oak shaded perch overlooking the entire estate and the Santa Ynez Valley, we tasted the full selection of estate wines offered by Refugio Ranch.
Refugio Ranch Vineyards was planted in 2006 to 26 acres and 9 varietals. Varietals include Malvasia Bianca, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Roussanne, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese, Syrah and Viognier. Each wine label features a silhouette of a member of the Gleason family.
Winemaker Ryan Deovletbrings his winemaking expertise to Refugio Ranch crafting estate wines from this rustic location in the Santa Ynez Valley. Deovlet is a talented winemaker who carefully oversees every step of the winegrowing and winemaking process with minimal intervention.
With glass in hand, we joined the Gleasons on their four-wheel drive utility vehicle for an afternoon vineyard tour. During our jaunt through the vineyards and along the Santa Ynez River, we savored the wine and views, including a glass of 2009 Barbareño and 2012 Agua de Dulce de Refugio. The estate is anchored by a live-in barn where the Gleasons can enjoy an afternoon entertaining or relaxing with family and friends.
The Refugio Ranch tasting room is located at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Highway 154 in Downtown Los Olivos. You can enjoy their selection of wines at the tasting bar or grab a seat outside. Inside, a pair of sliding doors opens into private room with a full-service kitchen for special events. No detail was overlooked in designing the tasting room
As you will soon discover, Refugio Ranch is emblematic of the enduring rustic lifestyle and emerging wine culture of Santa Barbara County.
Refugio Ranch
2990 Grand Avenue, Los Olivos (intersection of Highway 154)
Phone: (805) 688-5400
Email: info@refugioranch.com
Hours: Thursday (11:00 am - 5:00 pm), Friday-Saturday (11:00 am - 6:00 pm) and Sunday-Monday (11:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Facebook: Refugio Ranch
Twitter: @RefugioRanch
If life is about the journey, then Dan and Ellen Kessler picked the right road for this chapter in their lives and the path forward looks very promising. The journey has led them to purchasing prime real estate in the Sta. Rita Hills surrounded by the most acclaimed vineyards in Santa Barbara County and in one of the most picturesque settings anywhere in California.
Kessler-Haak Vineyard is located on Highway 246 in the heart of the Sta. Rita Hills - the Shangri-La of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. K-H counts Clos Pepe, Hilliard Bruce, Huber and Gypsy Canyon as neighbors. Planted in 2005, the 30-acre vineyard features sandy loam soils planted to seven Pinot Noir clones and three Chardonnay clones.
Central Coast Uncorked joined Santa Barbara Wine Talk (Phil Carpenter) on a perfect summer afternoon for a vineyard tour and tasting with owner/winemaker Dan Kessler. If anyone makes you feel at home and a part of the family, it's Dan and Ellen Kessler. After our vineyard tour, we were greeted in the backyard patio with a selection of cheese, salumi and fruit, as well as Kessler-Haak's estate wines.
Kessler-Haak Vineyard and Wines sources Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes to local producers including Liquid Farm, Dragonette Cellars, Carr Winery,andSamsara, among others. But when you have premium grapes, you might as well make premium wine. K-H is producing an estate Chardonnay, two estate Pinot Noir wines, Rose of Pinot Noir, Syrah from Turner Vineyard, and a dry Riesling from Lafond Vineyard.
Due to limited production and distribution, Kessler-Haak wines are available at select stores and wine bars in Santa Barbara County and online. With the increasing acclaim of their wines and that of the producers who source their grapes, Kessler-Haak Vineyard and Wines is sure to be a sought-after label from the Sta. Rita Hills.
On June 3, 2012, the Rhône Rangers welcomed hundreds of Rhône wine enthusiasts to the historic Vibiana for the annual Los Angeles Tasting Event. The nearly sold-out event featured more than 45 wineries pouring over 200 wines from Santa Barbara County, Paso Robles, Monterey County and Washington State.
The Rhône Rangers Los Angeles Tasting opened to the trade at noon, followed by a VIP lunch with the winemakers and local food truck favorites, Slammin' Sliders, Border Grill and Coolhaus. At 3:30 p.m., volunteers opened the doors to hundreds of Angelenos for the Consumer Tasting.
With some many wineries present and not enough time to cover half of them, it was wise to set out with a list in hand of wineries to visit and wines to taste. As of late, I have been enjoying more white Rhône blends and single-varietal wines, so there were ample options at each stop. It's summertime!
Earlier this spring, Alta Colinareleased new wines that are destined for stardom including the Marsanne-based 2010 "Claudia Cuvee" and 2009 Mourvedre. Anglim Winery was pouring refreshing wines such as the 2010 Viognier (sourced from Bien Nacido Vineyard) and the 2011 Rosé, which was perfect for the warm weather outside. Speaking of refreshing and succulent, Victor and Jennifer Abascal of Vines on the Marycrest introduced their new white Rhône blend, the 2011 "At Last." This blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc will quench your summer thirst during a hot afternoon in Paso Robles, with perhaps a serving of shellfish or Asian cuisine. Better yet, grab a glass and enjoy a view of the vineyard from the deck of the new tasting room as soon as it opens to the public (fingers-crossed that it's soon!). Ecluse Wines was also pouring quite a few new releases including single-varietal Rhône wines sourced from vineyards in Paso Robles. The 2009 Petite Sirah was showing well and will continue to benefit from additional bottle aging and decanting.
Refugio Ranch made their debut at the Rhône Rangers Los Angeles Tasting with two stellar wines: the 2010 "Ineseño" (Roussanne/Viognier) and 2009 "Barbareño" (Syrah/Petite Sirah). Located on 415 acres in the Santa Ynez Valley, the property is perched on slopping hillsides covered by old oak trees and approximately 25 acre plantings of Rhône and Italian varietals. If you are interested in trying all three estate wines, visit the new tasting room located in Downtown Los Olivos at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Highway 154.
Now, the highlight of this year's tasting was Wrath Wines of Monterey County. Although I moved on from my love affair with Syrah wines to other varietals, Wrath brought back that loving feeling with their lineup of vineyard-designated, Santa Lucia Highlands-sourced Syrah wines. In sum, the 2009 Syrah wines are opulent, layered, well-balanced and ready to enjoy now.
Finally, no Rhône Rangers tasting is complete without the antics of winemaker Larry Schaffer (Tercero Wines). We have lost count as to how many wines Larry now produces, but one thing is certain: he's got a wine for very occasion and every type of cuisine. Tercero Wines is producing a great GSM blend called "Cuvee Christie," along with single-varietal, vineyard-designated wines from renowned vineyards in Santa Barbara County. One of my personal favorites is the 2009 Mourvedre (Camp 4 Vineyard). If you have the patience, decant it over the course of an hour or longer.
Regretfully, I missed out on Maison Bleue Winery, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Ridge Vineyards, and JK Wine Co. I hope you got to try these wines and many more at the Rhône Rangers Los Angeles Tasting Event in Downtown Los Angeles. See you next year or on the road in the Central Coast. Cheers!
If you know anything about Santa Barbara County Wine Country and its colorful characters of winemakers, then you know the name Larry Schaffer. A couple of things come to mind when you hear his name: "eccentric," "mad scientist," "cheerleader for Santa Barbara County wines" and "zany." Perhaps you have your own description, but remember, this is a family-oriented blog.
It all started when Schaffer left a career in the publishing business to pursue a degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis and his dream of becoming a winemaker. With his degree in hand, Larry moved his family from Southern California to the bucolic Santa Ynez Valley to become the enologist for Fess Parker Winery.
During his stint on the winemaking team at Fess Parker, Larry began his quest to produce Rhône varietal wines under his new label, tercero wines. With his winemaking and sales experience, Larry has transformed his Santa Barbara County wine label into a grassroots business built on a solid viral following and word-of-mouth notoriety. Nobody said it was going to be easy to distinguish himself from the other well-established wineries in Santa Barbara County, but Schaffer remains focused on his goal of producing acid driven, Rhône varietal wines.
Tercero Wines offers a range of wines including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, a Rhône blend, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Rosé, and a dry Gewürztraminer. The grapes are sourced from a numerous vineyards in Santa Barbara County including Thompson, Larner, Tierra Alta, Watch Hill, White Hawk, and Camp 4. Be sure to ask Larry what's his favorite wine. He'll ask you which one of your children do you love more. Come on Larry; everyone has a favorite child. They just don't say it front of the other children...
With six vintages under his belt, Schaffer continues to perfect his craft and expand his label with the opening of a new tasting room in Downtown Los Olivos. You can find Schaffer and tercero wines at any of the tasting events held each year by the major wine industry associations such as the Santa Barbara County Vintners' Association, where he serves on the Board as Vice President, Family Winemakers of California, and Rhône Rangers; just look for the guy with the Erlenmeyer flasks. What better (or cheaper) way to decant wines, right?
If there is one thing Larry enjoys most, it's connecting with people and sharing his reasons why Santa Barbara County is the premier grape growing and wine producing region in California. SBC is an amazingly diverse region with numerous AVAs and microclimates that truly produce some of the best wines in the world. But whatever you do, don't loop Santa Barbara County in with the rest of the Central Coast and don't assume one part of Santa Barbara County is the same as all other parts. Schaffer will make sure you leave with the facts. Don't worry Larry; we are quickly learning.
tercero wines
2445 Alamo Pintado Road, Los Olivos (entrance on San Marcos Ave. next to Dragonette Cellars)
(805) 245-9584
Open Friday-Monday, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. or call for an appointment
Facebook: tercero wines
Twitter: @tercerowines
tercero wines line up
tercero wines tasting room
Schaffer pouring at Family Winemakers San Diego Tasting 2012
While the allure of Santa Barbara County Wine Country brings in thousands of visitors annually to the famous towns and appellations of this iconic wine destination, people are quickly discovering the fifteen wineries that line the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trailfrom the scenic coastline to Downtown's Historic Arts District.
Located 90 miles north of Los Angeles, Downtown Santa Barbara is easily becoming a premier wine destination for novice and experienced wine drinkers looking for quality and award winning wines from Santa Barbara County. The Urban Wine Trail's convenient location allows wine tasters to park their cars and walk to many of the tasting rooms that line Anacapa Street just a block or two from Cabrillo Boulevard and Stearns Wharf.
The Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail also features one of the most acclaimed Rhône varietal wine producers in California - Jaffurs Wine Cellars. Jaffurs sources Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne from renowned Santa Barbara County vineyards such as Bien Nacido, Thompson, Ampelos and Verna's. The winemaking team of Craig Jaffurs, Dave Yates and Matt Brady produce stunning wines that represent the finest qualities of Rhône varietals and the terroir of each vineyard.
If you want to stick to the itinerary and enjoy as many tasting rooms as possible, grab a sandwich to go from Panino in Montecito(1014 Coast Village Road, 805-565-0137) or Downtown Santa Barbara(834 Santa Barbara Street, 805-963-3700). After a day of tasting, there are plenty of fine dining options throughout town with exemplary wine lists. Likewise, Santa Barbara has a hotel for every budget and accommodation.
WINERIES
Au Bon Climat, 813 Anacapa St., (805) 966-9463. Open daily 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
This summer, Downtown Los Olivos welcomed one of its newest tasting room featuring three emerging wine labels from two notable winemakers in Santa Barbara County. Alta Maria Vineyards, Native9 and Autonom Wines produce a selection of superbly crafted wines under each label from the flagship Pinot Noir to Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rhône varietal blends.
James Ontiveros and Paul Wilkins honed their skills at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as classmates, as well as in the vineyard and winery over many years working to produce some awarding winning wines from the Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. As if that day job wasn't enough, Ontiveros maintains Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard and serves as Director of Sales and Marketing for Bien Nacido Vineyards. Paul Wilkins served as assistant winemaker for Alban Vineyards for eight years before forming a partnership with Ontiveros on Native9, Alta Maria and Autonom. It should be no surprise that the San Francisco Chronicle hailed the duo as "Winemakers to Watch in 2011."
The Alta Maria Vineyards tasting room is located along Grand Avenue in the heart of Downtown Los Olivos. The location may be familiar to those that frequent Los Olivos because it once housed Consilience Wines, which has since moved in with its sister label, Tre Anelli.
What is a "Garagiste?" It is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate the renegade small-lot winemakers, who often work from their garages and refused to follow the rules. While the French may frown upon the "garagistes," a group of dedicated wine enthusiasts and artisan winemakers are resurrecting the term to describe the growing number of small-lot producers from California's famed wine producing regions. Make no mistake: these wineries are producing some of the finest wines you may never have heard of. But now is your chance to savor the Garagiste wines of California's Central Coast.
The Garagiste Festivalwill bring together 40 wineries from Paso Robles and Santa Barbara County for this inaugural event at Windfall Farms, located in the rolling hillsides of Eastside Paso Robles.
The Garagiste Festival will also feature two informative seminars with several of the most renowned winemakers in California's Central Coast - Justin Smith (Saxum), Neil Collins (Tablas Creek and Lone Madrone), and Terry Culton (Adelaida Cellars).
"Paso Rocks the World" Seminar: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
"The Ultimate Barrel Tasting-Oak Flavors Tasted & Explained Seminar: 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Consumer Tasting: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Winemaker After Party: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tickets are now available for the Festival by clicking here.
Tickets for the Consumer Tasting cost $55. The All-Access Pass costs
$100 and includes admission to the 2 seminars, consumer tasting and
winemaker after party.
Want to find out more about what is a "Garagiste" and the venue for this year's inaugural Garagiste Festival? Check out the videos below!
Rhône fever is hitting Los Angeles on Saturday, August 7th when the Rhône Rangers roll into town. There's no better way to quench your summer thirst than with the finest Rhône wines at the Rhône Rangers Los Angeles Tasting at Pier 59 Studios West in Santa Monica.
This widely attended event will feature over 40 wineries pouring single-varietal and Rhône blend wines from renowned wine producing regions in California, including Paso Robles and Santa Barbara County.
Participating wineries include: Adelaida, Alta Colina, Andrew Murray, Anglim, Bonny Doon, Calcareous, Caliza, Clavo, Conway Family Wines, Cornerstone Cellars, Curtis Winery, Cypher, Derby Wine Estates, Donelan, Eberle, Ecluse, Edward Sellers, Epiphany, Fess Parker, Frick, Halter Ranch, Holly's Hills, J. Lohr, Jada, JK Wine Co-Katin & Arada, Kaleidos, Maison Bleue, Michael-David, Nine Wine Estates, Ortman Family Vineyards, Pomar Junction, Qupe, Stolpman, Tablas Creek, Tercero, Treana, Venteux Vineyards, Vina Robles, Waterbrook, Wind Gap, Zaca Mesa.
So, enjoy a little of Hollywood and savor California's Central Coast at the Rhône Rangers Los Angeles Tasting on August 7, 2011 at Pier 59 Studios West.
Rhône Rangers Los Angeles Tasting
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Pier 59 Studios West, 2415 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica
2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. General Admission, $45
12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. VIP Admission, $75
Let the judging begin! Over a dozen judges from the wine industry assembled inside the Paso Robles Event Center on June 16th to swirl, smell, sip and spit nearly 600 wines in 37 divisions and classes from boutique wineries and major wine producers within the Central Coast AVA, including Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. The Central Coast Wine Competition is the largest wine evaluation event that recognizes wines produced exclusively from the wine producing regions of California's Central Coast. Few get the opportunity to judge the dozens of regional, statewide, national and international wine competitions that take place annually. So it was with great surprise that I received an email a couple months ago from Chief Judge Bob Foster inviting me to participate in the Central Coast Wine Competition as a guest judge.
Wine competitions enable wineries to submit their wines to a reputable competition where a panel judges score the wines blindly and award various medals (i.e. Sweepstakes Winner, Best of Class, Gold, Silver and Bronze). Wineries pin their hopes of winning gold on the palates of a small panel of judges. On the upside, wineries can benefit from the marketing potential of winning a Gold Medal or Best of Class for their wines from a notable wine competition. These wines are marketed to consumers as "award winning wines" through various marketing materials, tasting notes and social media. On the downside, a winery may submit all of their wines and receive no medals. Yet, small wineries have an incentive to submit their wines in the competition in order to create buzz among consumers and critics if their wines are selected as premier wines in their class.
At the Central Coast Wine Competition, judges were divided into five panels of 3-4 panelists plus a guest judge. Our panel featured three judges with years of experience judging many prestigious wine competitions. The panel was responsible for judging 120 wines in the following wine classes: Zinfandel, Syrah Based Blends, Grenache Based Blends, Sangiovese Based Blends, Pink, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio, No Oak Chardonnay, Vioginer and Gewurztraminer. Each wine was identified by an entry number to reference on the final judging sheet. Before the judges started with their flight, one judge on our panel swirled and smelled each pour to determine if any wines were corked and required a re-pour. Our panel encountered one or more corked/flawed wines in almost each flight.
When the judging commenced, each judge completed their flight at a moderate pace with few revisits unless there was a disagreement within the panel about whether a particular wine exhibited certain qualities so as to shift one judge's individual award to the consensus position among the other members of the panel. When the judges are finished judging each wine, they will call out the wine number to tally the votes. Judges offered votes ranging from gold to no medal. So let's say one judge awarded a wine with a bronze medal, while the other two awarded the wine with silver medals. The group would award the wine a silver medal.
When all three judges awarded different medals (i.e. gold, silver and bronze), the group would revisit the wine to determine if a judge would score the wine higher for the purposes of coming to consensus on a single medal. The judges would tradeoff on medals based on another judge's inclination to move from Bronze+ to Silver or Silver+ to Gold. Ultimately, the panel of judges focused not only on a criteria based on the positive varietal characteristics, but also on the interests of the consumer. While the judges were tallying their scores, I was keeping my own tally and comments on each wine to compare notes with each judge. Even though my recommendations did not factor into the group award, I found myself disagreeing with the individual and group awards in every class. In some cases, however, one judge would award one wine a gold medal while another would award the same wine no medal. This is the best example of how our individual palates and personal preferences play into the competition. When all is said and done, three to four judges decide which wines make the cut for the prestigious medals from the Central Coast Wine Competition - but they judge these wines blindly as opposed to other critical reviews. Still, judges can be influenced by one another based on their feedback during the flight tally.
On the day after the competition, wineries were invited to attend the Industry Tasting at the Paso Robles Event Center to find out who won gold and to taste the broad selection of wines that were entered into the competition. The wines were divided into their classes on rows of tables, while all the gold medal winners were assembled on a separate table. With my list in hand, I tasted a few of the wines in the classes that our group was responsible for judging. In some instances, it was surprising to see what was or wasn't awarded a medal simply by label. It is quite remarkable how much of a difference it makes when you taste blind and have few if any details about the wine other than an entry number, vintage, varietal and blend. It would be far more interesting if some of the most notable wineries in the region entered their wines into these competitions or if someone threw in a few ringers. Would the judges award these 90+ point wines gold medals?
One final note: After perusing through recent scores for two wine competitions from this past week, it was intriguing to see that one particular wine received a gold medal in the San Francisco International Wine Competition and no medal in the Central Coast Wine Competition. What was so different about this wine for the panel of judges in each competition? It just goes to show that even the most refined palates can be the most discriminate. To find out the how your favorite wineries performed, go to the Central Coast Wine Competition for the full results.
So what do you think?
Do wine competitions provide any meaningful benefit to wineries in marketing their wines to consumers?
Although these competitions are judged blindly by a diverse panel of judges, how are the judges influenced by factors other than the label when awarding medals?
Is there more prestige or merit to judging a competition blindly versus a critical review from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, The Wine Advocate or International Wine Cellars?
What factors contribute to two panels of judges in two separate competitions awarding no medal and a gold medal for the same wine?
I would like to thank Chief Judge, Bob Foster, Robin Nagele and all the other organizers and volunteers for giving me a unique opportunity to experience and participate in the Central Coast Wine Competition 2011. I would also like to thank my panel of judges - Robert Whitley, William Bloxsom-Carter and Ann Littlefield - for their insight and commentary on judging a wine competition. Check out some clips of the judging from this year's competition in the video below.
The Foxen Canyon Wine Trail features over a dozen wineries along a scenic and winding roadway stretching from Los Olivos to Santa Maria. Along the Trail, Santa Barbara County wine enthusiasts can enjoy a diverse selection of award-winning Rhône, Bordeaux and Burgundy varietal wines from cool and warm climate vineyards.
From the south, the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail winds through oak-studded hillsides and canyons before emerging in the Santa Maria Valley and the sweeping vistas of the Santa Maria Bench, which includes some of the largest vineyards in Santa Barbara County, as well as the sprawling agricultural fields that produce a range of fruits and vegetables. In the south, daily temperatures can range from the upper 90s during peak summer months to the low 50s in the evening. In the north, daily temperatures can average 64 degrees due to the onshore flow that sweeps in from the Pacific Ocean eastward into the Santa Maria Valley.
The Foxen Canyon Wine Trail is divided between the Santa Maria Valley AVA and the Santa Ynez Valley AVA and features many prominent vineyards, including Rodney's Vineyard, Demetria Estate Vineyard, Tinaquaic Vineyard, Riverbench Vineyards, Dierberg Vineyard, Bien Nacido Vineyards, Julia's Vineyard and Colson Canyon Vineyard, among others.
From an area once dotted by historic land grants, the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail has evolved into a renowned wine producing region between the bucolic town of Los Olivos and the tract home developments and shopping centers in Santa Maria. Visitors will be treated to some exceptional Rhône and Burgundy varietal wines at several wineries along the wine trail, including Andrew Murray, Demetria, Foxen, Riverbench Kenneth Volk and Costa de Oro, as well as contrasting climates and vistas at the northern and southern end of the wine trail.
Since there are no restaurants or markets along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, you should consider putting together a delectable spread for a picnic in the vineyard, especially if you want to maximize your tour of Los Olivos and the Santa Maria Valley. There are a few places in Los Olivos where you can pick up a sandwich and other sides before hitting the wine trail, including Panino and Los Olivos Grocery.
Visitors to Santa Barbara County should dedicate a day of wine tasting along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. The wine region is accessible from the north in Santa Maria on E. Betteravia Road and the 101 Freeway and the south from either Highway 154 and Zaca Station Road or Highway 154 and Foxen Canyon Road, closer to the town of Los Olivos.
The Last Word: Remember to "Share the Road" with bicyclists, tractors and wildlife on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail and taste responsibly! FOXEN CANYON WINE TRAIL
Firestone Vineyard
5000 Zaca Station Road, Los Olivos (805) 688-3940
Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tasting Fee: $10
Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling
Curtis Winery
5249 Foxen Canyon Road, Los Olivos (805) 686-8999
Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tasting Fee: $10
Wines: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Roussanne, Rhône blends
Andrew Murray Vineyards
5095 Zaca Station Road, Los Olivos (entrance to Firestone Vineyard) (805) 686-9604
Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Wines: Syrah, Grenache, Rhône blends
Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard
6200 Foxen Canyon Road, Los Olivos (805) 688-1545
Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tasting Fee: $10
Wines: Syrah, Pinot Noir, Viognier, Chardonnay, Riesling
Demetria Estate
6701 Foxen Canyon Road, Los Olivos (805) 686-2345
Tasting by appointment only
Wines: Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rhône blends
Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards
6905 Foxen Canyon Road, Los Olivos (805) 688-9339
Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tasting Fee: $10
Wines: Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne, Rhône blends
Tres Hermanas Winery & Vineyard
9660 Foxen Canyon Road, Santa Maria (805) 937-8451
Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tasting Fee: $10
Wines: Bordeaux and Rhône varietal wines and blends
Foxen Winery
7600 Foxen Canyon Road (new winery), Santa Maria (805) 937-4251
7200 Foxen Canyon Road (the shack), Santa Maria (805) 937-4251
Open daily 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tasting Fee: $10-$12
Wines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Bordeaux and Italian varietal wines
Rancho Sisquoc Winery
6600 Foxen Canyon Road, Santa Maria (805) 934-4332
Mon-Thurs, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Fri-Sun, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tasting Fee: $8
Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux varietal wines
Riverbench Vineyard & Winery
6020 Foxen Canyon Road, Santa Maria (805) 937-8340
Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tasting Fee: $10
Wines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Kenneth Volk Vineyards
5230 Tepusquet Road, Santa Maria (805) 938-7896
Open daily 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wines: Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhône varietal wines and "Heirloom" wines
Cambria Winery
5475 Chardonnay Lane, Santa Maria (805) 938-7318
Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Wines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Viognier, Syrah
Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard & Winery
3940 Dominion Road, Santa Maria (805) 937-8418
Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Wines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Bordeaux blends
Costa de Oro Winery
1331 S. Nicholson Avenue, Santa Maria (805) 922-1468
Open daily 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tasting Fee: $7-$10
Wines: Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
"In the Ghetto" was made famous by Elvis Presley in 1969. Nearly thirty years later, Rick Longoria moved his winery operation to an industrial complex at the eastern edge of Lompoc (pronounced "Lom-Poke"), which years later became affectionately known as the "Lompoc Wine Ghetto."
Neatly tucked behind the Home Depot and Lompoc Valley Medical Center at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Highway 1 lies a nondescript collection of single-story, corrugated metal buildings that has been transformed into a growing wine destination in Santa Barbara County. There's no shortage of wineries and wine tasting rooms in this renowned grape growing and wine producing region in California's Central Coast. On the flip side, you have to travel miles from one winery to another in order to experience the depth of wines being produced throughout Santa Barbara County. So, what if you could park your car and taste award-winning wines from a dozen wineries all within walking distance?
Pinot Noir. Chardonnay. Syrah. Viognier. It's all here at the Lompoc Wine Ghetto. For years, many Sta. Rita Hills wineries quietly crafted their wines with little fanfare in this industrial complex at the western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills in the historic agricultural town of Lompoc. With the surge of interest in Santa Barbara County wines, wineries have raced to open new tasting rooms in their production facilities to pour their highly acclaimed wines for Central Coast wine enthusiasts. Compared to the ornate wineries and tasting rooms lining Highway 246 and other major wine trails, the Lompoc Wine Ghetto is the equivalent of a dive bar "where everyone knows your name" and the places feels like a throwback to the past when the wine region was in its infancy.
Recently, the Lompoc Wine Ghetto launched a new website and Facebook page to promote the dozen wineries that pour award-winning wines from Santa Barbara County. The Lompoc Wine Ghetto has also produced a helpful map to help guide visitors through the maze of tasting rooms. There are future plans to bring eateries to the Ghetto since there are few if any restaurants in the area. With the newfound interest in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, as well as the recent launching of multiple online and social media tools to promote this newly discovered wine destination, it appears that the rising stars in Santa Barbara Wine Country are making a name for themselves "In the Ghetto."
Under relatively clear skies and with a cool ocean breeze to their backs, the team at Jaffurs Wine Cellars, along with dedicated wine club members and volunteers, got to work bottling hundreds of cases of Santa Barbara County Syrah, Grenache and Pinot Noir.
The Mission Bottling truck was set up in the driveway of the winery while volunteers were busy loading and packaging thousands of bottles of Jaffurs' reserve wines, including the 2009 vintage of the widely popular and award-winning Upslope, Thompson Vineyard Syrah, Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah, Ampelos Vineyard Syrah and Santa Barbara County Grenache, as well as a Jaffurs side project from Dave Yates called "Mistress," which is exclusively Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County.
Jaffurs Wine Cellars is one of the most acclaimed wineries and Rhône varietal wine producers in Santa Barbara County. Under the helm of Craig Jaffurs, Dave Yates and Matt Brady, Jaffurs Wine Cellars continues to impress wine critics, wine enthusiasts and wine novices with their handcrafted wines using grapes from the finest vineyards in Santa Barbara County including Ampelos Vineyard, Thompson Vineyard, Bien Nacido Vineyard, and Larner Vineyard. Jaffurs produces a range of single-varietal Rhône wines such as Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.
Check out the video below for all the action that goes into bottling the 2009 vintage. Thanks to Craig, Dave, and Matt for allowing me to film and photograph all the activities and to Phil C. for giving me a good excuse to visit Downtown Santa Barbara. Cheers!
IF YOU GO
Jaffurs Wine Cellars 819 E. Montecito St., Santa Barbara (west of N. Milpas St.)
(805) 962-7003
Friday-Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Open daily during summer months). Tasting Fee: $10
Facebook:Jaffurs Wine Cellars
Dave Yates loading bottles
Bottles lining up to be filled with the '09 Grenache
Jaffurs' volunteers hustling to load and package bottles
Matt Brady (left) and Craig Jaffurs (right) sampling the '09 Grenache
Family Winemakers of California headed south on March 13 and 15 to pour 500 wines from over 200 wineries at two tastings in San Diego and Pasadena. Southern California welcomed the attention from notable and award-winning wineries representing Santa Barbara County, Paso Robles, Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Cruz Mountains, Sonoma County, and Napa Valley, among other appellations. Over 2,000 people attended the San Diego Tasting at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and hundreds more at the Pasadena Convention Center for the exclusive trade tasting.
Family Winemakers of California was founded in 1991 to give voice and presence to small, family wineries in the public policy arena. FWC advocates the rights and interests of its members to freely produce, market and sell their products, and is dedicated to preserving the diversity of California wine. Family Winemakers also sponsors three tastings each year in San Diego, Pasadena and San Francisco for its members to market their wines to consumers and the wine buying trade. Follow Family Winemakers of California on Facebook and Twitter.
There seemed to be a dichotomy between my selection of wines at the two tasting events, in favor of acid driven wines ("food friendly" wines) at the San Diego tasting and more fruit forward wines at the Pasadena tasting. Winemaker Larry Schaffer is producing some fantastic Rhône varietal wines including the soon-to-be-released Tercero Wines 2008 Cuvée Christie - an impressive and uniquely expressive Santa Barbara County interpretation of any of the finest CdP wines.
Of all the wineries, Benovia Winery was my overall top selection for their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel wines. As a wine consumer, I know what I like even if it's difficult to describe, and Benovia fits the mold perfectly - superbly crafted wines with expressive fruit characteristics and balanced acidity. Don't worry Central Coasters; I am still a fan of the Rhône and Burgundy varietal wines from Santa Barbara County, Edna Valley and Paso Robles. But I am new convert to the wines of the Russian River Valley, including wines from Fog Crest Vineyard. Below are a few of the most notable wineries and wines from my tasting experience in San Diego and Pasadena.
SAN DIEGO TRADE & CONSUMER TASTING
Costa de Oro Winery (Santa Maria) Appellations: Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County Wine Picks: 2008 Estate Chardonnay, 2009 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County, 2008 Dijon Selection Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley
Dragonette Cellars (Los Olivos) Appellations: Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County Wine Picks: 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Santa Ynez Valley, 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Volgezang Vineyard, 2009 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills, 2009 Pinot Noir Hilliard Bruce Vineyard
Benovia Winery (Santa Rosa) Appellations: Russian River, Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley Wine Picks: 2009 Russian River Valley Chardonnay La Pommeraie, 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 2008 La Pommeraie Pinot Noir, 2008 Sonoma Coast Zinfandel
Fog Crest Vineyard (Sebastopol) Appellations: Russian River Valley Wine Picks: 2007 Estate Chardonnay, 2008 Laguna West Chardonnay, 2008 Laguna West Pinot Noir, 2008 Estate Pinot Noir
Adding to the plethora of wine tasting rooms in Downtown Los Olivos is one of the most well-regarded wineries and winemaking teams in Santa Barbara County. This summer, Dragonette Cellars moved their tasting room from their working winery in Lompoc (co-located with Ampelos Cellars) to Los Olivos in what has become a winning move for this new(ish) venture from a uniquely experienced winemaking team, which includes brothers John and Steve Dragonette and Brandon Sparks-Gillis. The breath of experience among this winemaking trio is evident in every sip of wine. Although it is important to hone your winemaking skills in the winery during harvest, the trio also pays particular attention to the conditions in the vineyards where they source their fruit.
While I enjoy visiting a working winery with a tasting room, especially during harvest, you can't help but applaud this move from Lompoc to Los Olivos. Dragonette Cellars is offering wine enthusiasts in this quaint wine tasting destination some exciting wines with depth and flavor that is elevating the level of winemaking in Santa Barbara County.
2007 MJM
Dragonette Cellars sources fruit from a variety of renowned vineyards in Santa Barbara County including Cargasacchi-Jalama, Fiddlestix, Watch Hill, Demetria Estate, Grassini, Koehler, Stolpman, Thompson and Shadow Canyon in Paso Robles. Wine selections include a Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. You will be hard pressed to leave the tasting room without a bottle or two given the quality and depth of these wines. Wine enthusiasts will enjoy the Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir from Fiddlestix Vineyard, and MJM - a barrel select blend of mostly Syrah. So step up to the handcrafted wine tasting bar and enjoy the fruits of their labor!
Dragonette Cellars
2445 Alamo Pintado Avenue, Los Olivos (map)
(805) 693-0077
Open Thursday-Monday, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tasting Fee: $10 for 4 wines, $15 for 6 wines
Facebook: Dragonette Cellars
Twitter: @Dragonettewines
Dragonette Cellars Tasting Room, Alamo Pintado Ave., Los Olivos
