When the boundaries for the Santa Maria Valley AVA were drawn, they excluded a thousand-acre plot of land so far west, it was considered too cold to grow grapes. An AVA, or American Viticultural Area, is a carefully outlined ag area that’s been determined by the federal government, through myriad considerations like topography and climate, […]
The pinot noir you buy at the local shop is, almost always, that winery’s latest release, and usually its youngest wine. A younger pinot – from the 2017 vintage, for example – usually delivers exactly what we pinot lovers want: it’s fruity and fresh, soft and supple, luscious and delicious. Vibrancy and flavor make a […]
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Montecito actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ critically acclaimed HBO series Veep went on hiatus while she underwent treatment for breast cancer. Now Julia, 58, has opened up to the celebrity glossy, Vanity Fair, about her cancer diagnosis and returning to work after a life-threatening illness. On the cover of the Conde Nast monthly Julia wears a diaphanous […]
Social gridlock reigned at the East Haley Street wine bar Uncorked when Santa Barbara TV game-show host Rebecca Brand marked the 18th anniversary of her 40th. Rebecca, who turned a small business hosting dinner parties and teaching French impressionist oil painting at her home into a culinary and travel TV show empire, has just returned […]
A rose by any other name may still be a rose. But when it comes to wine grapes, nomenclature matters. Just ask anyone who makes wine in the Sta. Rita Hills. The 10 square-mile ag region nestled in the westernmost reaches of the Santa Ynez Valley – where Buellton gives way to Lompoc and where […]
Thirsty? May I suggest the “Storm Cellar” at Finch & Fork? After all, every sip helps! The mixology team at the popular restaurant and bar at Santa Barbara’s Kimpton Canary Hotel launched a unique charity drive this summer – Cocktails for a Cause. A new mixed drink is introduced each month and proceeds from the […]
The folks at Fess Parker Winery are already in the holiday spirit! The winemaking team at the sprawling winery in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley sent out a notice last week highlighting “Wines for the Holiday Table.” They hand-picked three wines that they feel “could help create a fun-filled holiday,” according to a […]
The Stonehouse, the San Ysidro Ranch’s award winning eatery, has added another accolade to its long list. Under the direction of Todd Smith, wine director, the restaurant’s robust collection has just earned the Wine Spectator Grand Award for the fifth consecutive year. The underground wine cellar houses nearly 12,000 bottles of the most premium and […]
Doug Margerum, a fixture on the Santa Barbara wine and restaurant scene for 35 years, was in party mode when he opened his eponymous tasting room at the Hotel Californian. The 3,000 sq. ft. two-level outlet, described as modern farmhouse meets couture boutique, was designed by Doug’s wife, Marni, with an expansive bar made of […]
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For these five bartenders, this was a tall order, indeed: create a mixed drink that encapsulates the essence, the beauty, and the charm of Santa Barbara. They shook and muddled and stirred, and at the end of this annual bartender contest, The Lark came out on top. Their “Sticky Fingers,” a gin- and mezcal-based cocktail […]
Gourmands and oenophiles were out in force at the Wine Shepherd when the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum threw an intimate bash to mark the 38th year of its popular wine and food festival in June, which is expected to raise $130,000 for educational programs. The fest on the 14-acre campus along the shaded banks […]
As usual, there are all sorts of options for ringing in the New Year in Santa Barbara, including a brand new event in the increasingly trendy Funk Zone centered around the new Hotel Californian. Just about the entire neighborhood is involved, with events starting at 10 am with the preliminary rounds of the first annual […]
Restaurateurs Doug Margerum and Mitchell Sjerven have sold their interest in the historic Santa Barbara eatery The Wine Cask. Doug, also a noted winemaker, is also opening a new Margerum tasting room in the Hotel Californian next year, he tells me. “It will be a spectacular space with 22-foot-high ceilings, a kitchen, heated patio, and […]
It’s not every day you see a crowd of hungry revelers enjoying local food and wine while dressed in togas. Yet, that’s exactly what you’ll find at the “Feast of Apicius” event on Saturday, October 20, at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. Held from 2 to 5 pm in Fleischmann Auditorium, this delicious wine […]
