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The SRH Wine Club will provide the same benefits as our regular Lafond Wine Club, but without limiting membership.
20% discount — low 6.50 shipping — complementary tasting when visiting the winery — a way to keep your wine cellar stocked at great savings.
Membership can be terminated or changed anytime with a call or email.The program is meant to be flexible — you choose the months — the wine — the quantity. With a minimum of 3 bottles prices start under 60.00 which includes shipping but not sales tax. Sales tax is added where applicable.
Wine shipments are limited to the states listed in the drop down State box.
To learn more:
Santa Barbara Winery 2005 Negrette
The 2005 vintage Negrette from Andrew Joughin’s vineyard near Los Olivos is a welcome sight after growing conditions precluded a 2004 vintage from Mr. Joughin’s central Santa Ynez Valley vineyard. A very uncommon varietal in California; we have yet to see another winery bottle this varietal. Negrette traces its origins to the warm climate area north of Toulouse in southwestern France where it is known for its dark color and fragrant berry aroma and flavor.
The warmer climate around Los Olivos combined with a relatively long growing season yields a Negrette with interesting flavor and a touch more complexity than one usually finds with this grape. Winemaker Bruce McGuire sums up this wine with a two word description, “very berry”. Bruce made 12 barrels of this wine utilzing a mix of American and Hungarian oak of which 30% were new barrels.
The barrel aging added a little spice and body to further compliment food. Another easy wine to pair with washed rind cheeses; it would also be a good choice for hearty Mexican cuisine or Bistro style fare. Paring with food is highly recommended to cut the firm acid, bottle aging will probably be rewarded in 2010.
The wine sells for 22.00/750ml. To Order:
An interesting view inside a growth tube. This is Chardonnay planted in 2007 and pruned back to two buds. The tube protects the new vine from the strong winds that blow in the Santa Rita Hills. Once the vine has grown stronger and reached the first wire the tube is removed and can be used again.
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We are preparing and staking about 16 acres of new vines. The first image is of last years planting. The vines have been cut back to two buds and will remain in the protective growth tubes until they reach the first wire on the post.
We are leasing 37 acres from our immediate neighbor, the Burning Creek Ranch, to plant Pinot Noir. Since we plant dormant vines, vines grown in the nursery for one year, we will not be planting until Spring of 2009. Meanwhile, we are analyzing the soil to best determine the root stock the Pinot Noir will sit on. We have selected six Pinot Noir Clones, all but one that we already grow.
And, finally, the hard work involved in setting up a vineyard.
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March is when the vines begin pushing out. The slide show, except for the first image (Frebruary 28, 2008), is from last year. Our plan is to follow the growth cycle again this year. The photos can be enlarged by clicking, unfortunately it does not work on all computers. To see date of photo keep cursor on the image.
It is a regular fixture on our website which can be reached by clicking winery then vineyard. website
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Santa Barbara Winery
Santa Ynez Valley 2007 Riesling 1.7
The nobel grape Riesling is enjoying a well earned resurgence of popularity in America as increasing numbers of writers and chefs become enamored with the wine’s flavors and suitability for pairing with a wide range of foods.
Peer through the fog of history and remember Riesling was really one of the first grapes that showed the promise of the Santa Ynez Valley for fine wine growing back in the middle 1970’s. Pierre Lafond planted the first block of Riesling in our Lafond Vineyard in 1972 and winemaker Bruce McGuire has crafted several styles of this wine since his arrival to finish the 1981 harvest.
Recognizing that residual sugar (r.s.) marks the style of each Riesling we produce, either the word “dry” or a number representing the amount of r.s. in the wine appears on the label under the AVA designation.
The amount of r.s. in each style may vary slightly from year to year as Bruce balances this sweetness with the natural acid level that a particlar vintage achieved. The “1.7″ style happens to be the most versatile style of Riesling we make.
Very good for sipping by itself on a warm day (though we would have a plate of light cheeses and nectarines handy) it is also a great choice for Pacific Rim cusine featuring spicy curry, much of the cuisine from India, and pork sausages, especially when served with a German sensibility.
Because of the firm acidity, our Riesling also rewards ten years of aging to gain that special “aged character” good Riesling attains.
Suggested retail 18.00/750ml
To order:
The Amgen Bike Tour went through the wine country. We caught up to them in Montecito. This picture was taken by Kelly Petersen outside Wendy Foster Clothing in Montecito. Click to enlarge.
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