Wine Along The 101
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    • 2023 Articles >
      • Simply Italian Great Wines US Tour 2022, A Brief Look at the Complex World of Italian Wine
      • A Night of Sicilian Wine, Spotlighting Cambria and Madaudo Wineries
      • Yealands Wines, “Think Boldly, Tread Lightly”, Leading the World Toward Sustainable Winemaking
    • 2022 Articles >
      • Further Defining the Single Vineyard Cru Wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, the Rise of the MGA
      • The Barolo Cru Wines of Beni di Batasiolo
      • Pyros Wines Sparks World-Class Malbec
      • AlloraVino Imports, a Love Affair with Italian Wine
      • Maisons Marques & Domaines Wine Portfolio: Prestige, Glamour and Good Taste for the Holidays
      • The Original Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI, a Condiment and a Culture
      • Rocca delle Macìe, Taking Chianti Classico to New Heights
      • Alluring and Iconic, The World of Chianti Wines
      • Paso Robles Weaves a Thrilling Tapestry of World-Class Wine
      • LXV Wines, The Spice of Paso Robles
      • The Mouthwatering Sauvignon Blancs of Chile
      • The Wines of Portugal, Discover a World of Difference
      • Domaines Albert Bichot, An Exceptional Approach to Burgundian Wine
      • The Wines of Abruzzo Undergo a Renaissance of Quality
      • Ketcham Estate, Exceptional Wines From The Heart of the Russian River Valley
      • La Rioja Alta, S.A., Innovation and Tradition That Stands the Test of Time
      • Vega Sicilia Celebrates 40 Years of Winemaking Excellence
      • Planeta of Sicily Embraces the Past While Reaching For the Future
      • The Spirit of Renaissance is Alive and Well in “South of Somewhere”
      • Gambero Rosso Returns to LA, With the Best of Italian Wines
      • Falanghina and Aglianico del Taburno, Sannio's Ancient Wine Stars
      • Tablas Creek Vineyard Embraces Regenerative Organic Farming
    • 2021 Articles >
      • Make Merry With Domaine Bousquet Sparkling Wines
      • Discover These Enchanting Italian Wines, From the Fog of Piedmont to the Island Breezes of Sardinia
      • Rodney Strong Vineyards and Winery, Revitalizing an Iconic Brand
      • Thanksgiving Tips for the Best Wine and Food Pairing
      • Escape to Paso Robles, a Wine Country Oasis
      • Escape to Paso Robles, a Wonderland of Wine
      • Smith-Madrone Wines, a Napa Valley Pioneer Celebrates Fifty Years of Excellence
      • Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the Land of Pinot Noir
      • Irvine & Roberts Vineyards, Exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Southern Oregon
      • BARRA of Mendocino Wines, an Original Organic Wine Play
      • The Opulent and Thrilling Wines of Denner Vineyards
      • L’Ecole No. 41, Expressive Wines That Pass the Test of Time With Flying Colors
      • France's Loire Valley, a Fairytale Land of Storybook Castles and Magical Wines
      • Craft Wine, Shining the Spotlight on America’s Small Wine Producers
    • 2020 Articles >
      • Margerum Wine Company, the Nexus of Sublime Santa Barbara County Wines
      • Catena Zapata, Malbec on High
      • Long Meadow Ranch, the Circle of Life in a Glass of Wine
      • Fontanafredda Barolo Forges a New Future
      • Bordeaux Wine 2017, Surprises in a Challenging Vintage
    • 2019 Articles >
      • The Rising Wine Country of Southern Oregon's Rogue Valley
      • Discover Ashland and the Rogue Valley, Southern Oregon's Serenade to the Good Life
      • Napa Valley Grille, New Fall Menu Paired with European Wines
      • Embrace Your Wine Geek with PRIE Winery & Vineyards
      • Castello di Albola, Chianti Classico on High
      • Nicolas-Jay Wines, the Journey of a Lifetime
      • The Expanding Complexity of New Zealand Wine
      • Prosecco DOC, Splendor in the Glass
      • On the Oregon Wine Trail
      • Albariño and Rioja Star in Spain’s Great Match
      • Exciting and Eclectic, the Wines of Alentejo
      • Blaufränkisch Propels the Red Wines of Austria Into the Spotlight
      • Fascinating Greek Wines of the Cava Spiliadis Collection
      • Revolution In Rioja Wine
    • 2018 Articles >
      • Temecula Valley Celebrates 50 Years of Winemaking
      • The Stellar Wines of Sardinia
      • Italian Wines Prescribed by Doctor Wine
      • The Alluring Wines of Tunisia
      • Gambero Rosso’s Top Italian Wines for 2018
      • Velenosi Wines, From Le Marche to the World
      • Sauvignon Blanc, a Rising Star in Napa Valley
      • Frank Family Vineyards Celebrates 25 Years
      • Markus Wine Co., Sleek New Red Wines Up the Ante for Lodi Reds
      • Lodi Wine, Over 100 Varieties Strong
      • Ramona Valley Wine Country, an Up and Coming Wine Region
      • Hertelendy Vineyards, the Pursuit of Excellence
      • Napa Valley Wine, Nirvana in a Bottle
      • Wine Stroll: Explore Downtown Paso Robles Wineries
      • The Beautiful Shades of Lodi Rosé Wines
      • Doubling Down on Gold Medal Wines: The San Francisco International Wine Competition
      • The Exotic Wines of Lebanon
      • Australian Wines, Rediscover the New Frontier
      • New Zealand Wines, Expanding beyond Sauvignon Blanc
      • Visit France in 2018, a Feast of Food, Wine, Culture and History
      • Bordeaux Wine 2015, A Very Good Year
      • Portugal's Treasure Chest of Wines
      • Livermore Valley, California’s Original Wine Country Reborn
      • Concannon and Wente Vineyards, California’s Pioneers of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
      • Livermore Valley Wine Country, the Future Looks Bright
    • 2017 Articles >
      • Viña Ardanza Rioja Turns 75, an Enchanting Wine Gets Even Better
      • The VIP Sparkle of Prosecco Superiore
      • Lodi Wine Country, Seriously Good Wine From A to Z
      • Lodi Wine Country, Old Vines and Great Wines
      • Lodi Wine Country, Winegrowers and Winemakers Focused on the Future
      • Lugana White Wine, Better With Age
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip to LA
      • Sweetzer Cellars, a Life Changing Journey of Wine
      • Lugana and Valpolicella, the Yin and Yang of the Veneto
      • Three R’s of Summer Wine, Rosé, Riesling, and Ramato
      • Familia Martínez Bujanda, Wines Without Borders
      • Codorníu Cava, the Ars and Anna Collection
      • New and Exciting Wines from the 2017 Santa Barbara Vintners Spring Weekend Celebration
      • Sensual Delights on Display at Savor Italy Los Angeles
      • Pizza and Franco Pepe, Italy’s Best Comes to LA
      • Montes Wines, Wisdom in Wine From Father to Son
      • Passionate Pinot Noir Lovers Unite at the 2017 World of Pinot
      • Vignalta, Wines of the Highest Order
      • Santa Lucia Highlands Sensational Wines
      • Gambero Rosso’s Top Italian Wines for 2017
      • Law Estate Wines: Quality by Design
      • Taittinger and Calvisius: Champagne and Caviar Dreams
      • Riding High on American Rhone Wines, The Rhone Rangers LA Tasting
      • Discover Monterey Wine Country, wine and so much more
      • Wines of Portugal, the Perfect Dinner Companion
      • Gruet's Enchanting Sparkling Wines
    • 2016 Articles >
      • The Art of Italian Living, SoCal Style
      • Wines of Alsace: Perfect for the Holidays
      • Oso Libre Winery; Vines, Wines, and Angus Beef
      • Best Wines for Thanksgiving
      • Simply Italian Great Wines US Tour Sweeps Through Los Angeles
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip: Chardonnay
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip: Pinot Noir
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip: Rhône Varietals
      • Santa Barbara Winemakers Road Trip: Bordeaux Varietals
      • Achaval-Ferrer, Exceptional Wines from Argentina
      • Celebration of Harvest Grand Tasting 2016 Highlights
      • The Celebrity Sparkle of Ferrari Trento Wines
      • Santa Barbara Wine Country’s Celebration of Harvest 2016
      • The Garagiste Festival, Off the Beaten Path Wines
      • Explore SLO Wine Country, Central California’s Hidden Gem
      • Byron Winery, The Grand Pinot Noir Experiment
      • Crocker & Starr Wines, Organically Elegant
      • Escape to Santa Maria Wine Country
      • The Elegant White Wines of Domäne Wachau
      • Champagne Palmer: The New Champagne on the Block
      • Holman Ranch & Vineyards: Making Memories & Wine at Romantic California Hideaway
      • Luminous Wines of France's Loire Valley
    • Examiner.com Articles >
      • Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards: Wines Without Compromise
      • All Stars of Pinot Noir Rock the 2016 World of Pinot
      • Ampelos Wines' Biodynamic Brilliance
      • Artisan Uprising: Blood Into Wine
      • Bodegas Beronia Rioja: The Magic of Oak
      • Crawford Family Wines: Unlocking Varietal Flavor
      • Dolin Malibu Estate Vineyards' Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs Shine Bright
      • Hahn Family Wines: Santa Lucia Highlands' Sweet Spot
      • Kimmel Vineyards: Good Wine Flows from Challenging Times
      • Larner Vineyard: Sweet Spot for Syrah and Grenache
      • LOCA for Lodi Wine
      • Lompoc Wine Ghetto
      • Sanford Winery & Vineyards, Delicious Wines That Tell a Tale
      • The Diverse and Divine Wines of Santa Barbara County
      • Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail
      • The Stellar Wines of California's Sta. Rita Hills
      • Skinner Vineyards, Destiny and Determination
      • Wines of Portugal, The Art of the Blend
  • Wine Reviews
    • The Dynamic Lavico Etna Wines of Duca di Salaparuta
    • The Sangiovese Stars of San Felice Wines
    • Lucky Rock Wine Co. 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, in Can and Bottle
    • Coen Malbec Reserve 2019, a New World Wine with Old World Sensibilities
    • Sangre de Toro Rosé, A Light and Bright Summer Thirst Quencher
    • Summer and Sauvignon Blanc, Lucky Rock Wine Co. Style
    • Lucky Rock Wine Co. County Cuvée Pinot Noir 2019
    • Monte Velho, Fascinating Wines and Value-Priced
    • Grassl Glasses Add Depth to Wine Enjoyment
    • Domaine Bousquet Sparkling Rosé Brut Makes Everyday a Holiday
    • Festive Ferrari Trento Sparkling Wines For All Occasions
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    • Kosher Wines For the Jewish High Holidays Are Highly Recommended Anytime of Year
    • Oak Farm Vineyards, a Rainbow of Delicious Lodi Wines
    • Lucky Rock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc 2019
    • Ron Rubin Wines, The Dream Series
    • Lucky Rock Wine Co. County Cuvée Pinot Noir 2018
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    • Alternative Sparkling Wines For a Celebration
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    • Spanish Albariño, a Wine For All Seasons
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Celebration of Harvest Grand Tasting 2016 Highlights


Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah, oh my!  So many different wines were freely poured at the Grand Tasting event during this year’s annual Santa Barbara Vintners Celebration of Harvest.  The Grand Tasting is the best opportunity to taste almost 100 producers’ signature wines, in addition to discovering many great local restaurants and specialty food purveyors.  Taking place over an extended four day Columbus Day holiday, this harvest celebration encouraged everyone to spend the weekend, and really explore what the region has to offer.


Santa Barbara Wine Country is really starting to come into its own, defining which varietals thrive in which microclimates.  In fact, at the Grand Tasting, this diversity was celebrated by clarifying these sub-regions.  Instead of producers organized alphabetically, white tents divvied up into eight wine trails really helped the wine lover understand the wines they are drawn to, and perhaps find other wines that are similar in aromas, flavors, and structure.  Are you a Chardonnay or Pinot lover?  Drink along the wine trails of Buellton, Sta. Rita Hills, Lompoc, and Santa Barbara and taste for yourself the differences in these cool climate incarnations.  Like a little spice in your wine, such as the Rhône-styled GSM or Syrah?  Go further inland to the warmer areas, found along the Los Olivos, Foxen Canyon, Solvang, and Santa Ynez Valley trails, and find that the type of soils count as much as the weather.  And some wine producers defy attempts at simple definition, sourcing fruit from different vineyards and expanding their brand.  The Grand Tasting is just a teaser of the bounty of the region, and a reminder that Santa Barbara County is home to some of the best wine in the world, literally in our backyard.  


Here are some of my highlights, and not enough time to do true justice to all the producers who poured their hearts out!
The very accomplished Wes Hagen of J. Wilkes brought four sensational wines to the tasting.  Hagen is one of the most influential winemakers in the area, having worked to define Santa Barbara County wines for over 20 years, he was deeply involved in the creation of three AVAs, Sta. Rita Hills, Happy Canyon, and Ballard Canyon.  J. Wilkes eschews single vineyard designations and looks to AVA expressions of a blend of vineyards.  The Pinot Blanc, which Wes calls “Summer in a glass”, is so fresh and aromatic, with great balance and verve, it has the potential to evolve, with the patina of time, into a complex wine with honey and hazelnut notes.  Keep an eye out for Pinot Blanc in the region, it has the potential to be a rising star, an alternative to Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.  The 2014 J. Wilkes Santa Maria Valley Pinot Blanc sets the bar for excellence, part of a trio of wines that was served in Washington DC at State Department and White House functions.  The award-winning 2013 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir round out this fantastic representation of quality Santa Maria Valley wines. 

Resident geologist and winemaker Michael Larner of Larner Vineyards poured his outstanding Syrah and GSM wines from his own Ballard Canyon vines, renowned among many producers for its exceptional fruit.  Larner understands how soils translate into aromas and flavors in wine better than anyone, and has made the most of his “sweet spot” of climate, soils, geology, and geography.  The Rhône varietals of Syrah and Grenache blossom here, and Larner maximizes its potential, selling 80% of his fruit to 23 winemakers, keeping the other 20% for his own label.  The 2012 Elemental GSM and 2011 Reserve Syrah stood out, and for something different, the refreshing white Malvasia Bianca.  And heads up, the Estate Dedication, a Syrah wine made only in the best years, will be making an appearance again this year.


Ken Brown Wines offered a stunning selection of his small lot, single vineyard designate wines.  Brown is one of the pioneers of Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara County, and this years marks his 40th harvest here.  Although Ken didn’t pour the wines at the table, a crowd three deep jostled to taste his phenomenal Pinots, a legacy of single vineyard sensations.  The current releases were poured, from the expressive 2013 La Rinconada Chardonnay, to the profound 2012 Radian Vineyard and luxurious 2013 Rita’s Crown Pinot Noir, and the gorgeous 2012 Thompson Vineyard Syrah.  And a treat to a lucky few, the 2013 Deborah’s Pride, a blend of three vineyards, was sampled from under the table.  These wines really illustrated the distinct voice that a single vineyard can have, despite the vintage year.  Ken Brown’s reputation is well deserved, seek these wines out, they are truly something special.


Brewer-Clifton is dedicated to crafting the best wines from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA.  Founded twenty years ago by Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton, who were enamored with the potential for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from these cool windswept sites, today’s wines are everything they dreamt of making, and more.  Their vision was acknowledged in 2014, when Wine Spectator named the 2012 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir #8 on its Top 100 Wines of the Year list.  So, in continuing their pedigreed Burgundian varietal wines, three wines were poured.  The striking 2014 3D Chardonnay channels citrus in its textured body, the elegant 2014 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir balances savory notes with dark fruit personality, and the vibrant Hapgood Pinot is all dark fruit and spice, critically acclaimed with the highest scores.  Although the partners sold a 70% ownership stake in the winery last year, they are still very hands-on, making some of the finest wines in Santa Barbara County.
Zotovich Vineyards are farmers first, living the motto that “great wine is made in the vineyard”.  Their estate vineyard, located halfway between US-101 and the Pacific Ocean, is coddled and primped, to produce the highest quality wine grapes possible.  Owner Steve Zotovich sells fruit to other producers but holds back enough for his small production label.  Pouring several wines, Zotovich notes, “The pioneers’ work resonates through today’s wines, their influence is felt in the clones and vineyard sites”, referring to their vision of forty years ago, that this valley would produce world-class wine.  The 2014 Estate Viognier is so good, the beautiful citrus and floral aromatics enhances the palate, crisp and mineral, one of the best I’ve tasted from California.  The Chardonnay and Reserve Pinot Noir are dense and textured, and the Syrah is taut, elegant in its mineral, smoked meat, black pepper, and dark fruited beauty.         


Margerum Wine Company produces primarily Rhône varietal wines, along with a Sauvignon Blanc, with fruit coming from its estate and other top vineyards in the area.  Owner/winemaker Doug Margerum came from a restaurant background, Santa Barbara’s esteemed Wine Cask, and jumped all in as a winemaker, focusing on making wines that reflect the diversity of Santa Barbara County.  The M5 is their flagship wine, made in an aromatic white and spiced fruit red version, each from five different Rhône grape varietals.  The Uber Syrah is complex and persistent, made from the best Syrah grapes that Margerum works with, dense and deep, fascinating in its meaty, olive, herbal and spice notes that accent the dark fruit.    


Scratch Kitchen, the new kid on the block, really made a splash, with their superb farm to table food, and delicious 2015 Grenache Blanc.  Augusto Caudillo has been a chef in the area for a decade, and now with his family’s help, is making Lompoc a culinary destination, not just a hot spot for wine.  It’s about time!


The wines of Santa Barbara County are on fire, increasingly recognized as a quality wine cradle, and with lots of experimentation on the ground, it’s an exciting time to visit the region.  The Grand Tasting is only an introduction, happy wine trails await you, in the land of 50 different varietals, there’s a cornucopia of wine, with sides of great food, picturesque towns, and friendly faces!