The winery opened in 1962 and this was one of our first ‘crushes’. The grapes were Zinfandel from a small vineyard in San Luis Obispo, at that time the closest source.
These were excellent grapes and, except for a few little known varieties, the only grapes grown in SLO.
The first vineyard in Santa Barbara County was planted that year, in Santa Maria by DeMattei and Nielson.
The quality was so good that from the first harvest, in 1968, the grapes were scooped up by large wineries in Napa and Sonoma.
Their gamble had succeeded, other vineyards followed and a whole new industry was created.
Click image to enlarge.
It’s here!
Santa Barbara Winery and Lafond Wine Club Members are invited to join us for one of our favorite and heavily attended events of the year on Saturday August 7 from 1-4pm. Our Annual Wine Club BBQ will be held at Lafond Vineyard, and we will enjoy fabulous food from Pierre Lafond Bistro and wine (including barrel samples and new releases from Lafond Vineyard). Winemaker Bruce McGuire will be there to answer questions about the wines and this year’s harvest (Pinot Noir clusters are looking good!). It’s a great opportunity to enjoy the vineyard, the summer sunshine, and meet fellow club members and winery staff.
Saturday August 7, 1-4pm
50.00 per person, exclusive for club members
For reservations call the Santa Barbara Winery at 805-963-3633 or Lafond Vineyards at 805-688-7921
Lafond Vineyard (located in the Sta. Rita Hills between Buellton and Lompoc), 6855 Santa Rosa Rd. Buellton, CA 93427
Ventura & Carpinteria Wine Companies present Wine and Wishes
Sunday, June 27, 2010
2-5pm at the Ventura Wine Company (4435 McGrath St. #301 Ventura, CA 93003)
This is a grand Wine Tasting event held at The Cave inside Ventura
Wine Company. The tasting will feature over 100 of our favorite wines
(many Nick’s Picks and Nikki’s Choices) and small bites prepared by
The Cave’s Chef Gary Daniel.
There will be live entertainment from 2-4pm and then a giant check presentation at
4:30pm. Stick around to find out how much money you helped raise for
the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Tri-Counties.
Visit the Henry Wine Group table to taste current Santa Barbara Winery and Lafond releases.
This weekend… Don’t miss one of the most beautiful venues for wine tasting in Santa Barbara (although it’s very difficult to go wrong), the 23rd Annual Santa Barbara Wine Festival, held at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History on the outside grounds woven through creeks, fallen leaves, and Central Coast foliage.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
2:00–5:00 PM
SWIRL, SIP, & SAVOR…
…more than 75 Central Coast wineries complemented with savory and sweet delectable delights. A must-do summertime favorite and the wine festival you cannot miss.
TICKETS:
Save up to $35 when you purchase tickets
by Friday, June 25, 2010 at 5:00 PM.
~ Members $60/person
~ Non-members $85/person
> If the festival is not sold out, available tickets will be sold at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. The at-the-door price will be $95/person (no member discount).
Proceeds benefit the Museum’s exhibits and education programs.
Space is limited. Buy your tickets today.
Three easy ways to buy tickets:
- Via Phone: 805-682-4711 ext. 443
- Via Email: mmoore@sbnature2.org
- Via Internet: www.sbnature.org/tickets
Where to find the best Cabernet Sauvignon in California?
For Cabernet in California, let’s first consider district. The grape needs moderate to full warmth to ripen. Plant it too close to the coast, and the thick-skinned grapes will never mature. The resulting wine will have a green character, of the sort. On the other hand, if you plant Cabernet in too warm an area the grapes will lack sufficient acidity, and also the bunches will likely contain some raisined fruit, which will give the wine a pruny taste.
So you need something in the middle.
Draw a diagonal line, running northwest to southeast, starting from Lake County and parallel to the coast. You’ll see how it goes through Napa Valley, then hits a little piece of Solano County and slices through Livermore Valley. After that, the line crosses the southeastern tip of Monterey County, crosses the eastern part of San Luis Obispo County, and trails off in the far eastern part of Santa Barbara County, where the coast turns inland in the Transverse Range…
…Finally, the Cabernet line crosses that eastern part of Santa Barbara County, the region that just got its own AVA, Happy Canyon. The people promoting it are making a huge deal about its Cabernet potential, and I will admit I’ve had a couple of really good Cabernets from down there. They’re not as rich as Napa, more like a Graves, with a certain blackcurrant, mineral and herb essence…
Click Here for the rest of the article, and one of my favorite places to read about current wine trends, Steve Heimoff’s blog.
2007 Santa Barbara Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Grassini Vineyard Happy Canyon $25.00
The winery opened in 1962 and this was one of our first ‘crushes’. The grapes were Zinfandel from a small vineyard in San Luis Obispo, at that time the closest source.
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