Cocktail Corner: Wine & Fire

Courtesy Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Allliance

Courtesy Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Allliance

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

A weekend filled to the brim with world class wines and wood grilled food awaits Aug. 14-16 in Sta. Rita Hills. The Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance is pulling out all the stops for this annual event. It’s actually a series of intimate wine and food experiences, all of which sound amazing.

Wine and FireFirst up, next Friday night, Aug. 14 from 5-8 p.m., is the Kick Off Barn Party at Sanford & Benedict Barn. Set at the historic barn which housed the first winery in the Santa Rita Hills, located just above the iconic Sanford & Benedict vineyard, planted in 1971, winemakers will share their library stash, large format bottles and small production bottlings (all exclusive to this event) to get the party started, along with an assortment of pizzas and antipasti from Bello Forno Wood Fired Cuisine and live music by The Caverns .

Participating wineries (and wines) include: Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards (library selection of Pinot Noirs & 2013 Barrel Select Pinot Noir); Babcock Winery; Bratcher (large format 2112 La Encantada Pinot Noir, 2112 Bentrock Pinot Noir); Brewer-Clifton; Cargasacchi (Cargasacchi Sta. Rita Hills 2012 Pinot Noir); Crawford Family Wines (past vintages of Pinot Noir from magnum); Fiddlehead Cellars (2006 ‘Seven Twenty Eight’ Pinot Noir, Fiddlestix Vineyard SRH – 3 Liter, 2010 ‘Seven Hundred Twenty Eight, Bubbles’ Blanc de Noir, Fiddlestix Vineyard, SRH – 750ml, 2011 ‘Lollapalooza’ Pinot Noir, Fiddlestix Vineyard, SRH – 750ml); Flying Goat Cellars (2010 Flying Goat Cellars Rio Vista Vineyard Clone 667 (MAGNUM); 2005 Flying Goat Cellars Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard; 2012 Goat Bubbles Blanc de Noirs Clos Pepe Vineyard); FOXEN Vineyard & Winery; Gainey Vineyard (Evan’s Ranch 2013 Morgan’s Pinot Noir); Hilliard Bruce (2012 Moon Pinot Noir); Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Wines (Rio Vista Pinot Noir, Perfect Set Pinot Noir, Cargasacchi Pinot Noir); Jalama Wines (2012 Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard); Ken Brown Wines (2004 Clos Pepe, 2005 Sanford & Benedict, 2005 Cargasacchi, 2006 Clos Pepe & 2006 Cargasacchi); and Kessler – Haak (Library 2008, 2010, 2012 Chardonnay, 2009 Pinot Noir, 2010 2A Pinot Noir, 2010 Pommard Pinot Noir).

Additional participating wineries (and wines) include: LaMontagne Winery (Magnum of Kessler – Haak Pinot Noir & 2011 Huber Vineyard Pinot Noir); Liquid Farm (White Hill, Golden Slope, Four); Loring Wine Company (2010 Cargasacchi Pinot Noir, 2010 Clos Pepe Pinot Noir, 2010 Rancho La Vina Pinot Noir); Montemar (2011 large-format Pinot Noirs from La Encantada, Rio Vista, Santa Rita Hills); Pali Wine Co. (Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir Vertical: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011); Rozak (2006 & 2007 Estate Pinot Noir); Sanford Winery & Vineyards (Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Viognier, La Rinconada Vineyard Pinot Noir Magnum); Seagrape Wine Company (2013 Chardonnay & 2012 Pinot Noir Rancho la Vina); Siduri Wines (2013 Siduri Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, 2013 Siduri Cargasacchi Vineyard Pinot Noir); Thorne Wine (2010, 2011 Thorne Pinot Noir, Rio Vista Vineyard, Sta Rita Hills) and Transcendence (2012 Zotovich Chardonnay & 2012 La Encantada Pinot Noir).

Courtesy Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Allliance

Courtesy Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Allliance

The Saturday morning seminar (Aug. 15 from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Sanford & Benedict Barn) pays homage to fire. “And the Secret Ingredient is…. Fire” will spotlight the fire and passion of local chefs and their four unique grilling styles. BBQ Masters Frank Ostini of The Hitching Post II (which specializes in Open Pit Red Oak BBQ, a central coast classic BBQ style that is gaining attention nationwide), Matt Toll of Tollhouse BBQ (a smoking expert for the long slow cook with his dry rub spices and big rig smoker), Argentine BBQ Rodrigo Gimenez (who will demonstrate a technique fashioned by the gauchos for hundreds of years, which has been the traditional method for grilling in Argentina), and wood fired pizza chef extraordinaire Steve Clifton (local expert on everything Italian and noted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producer of Brewer-Clifton) will share some hot grilling tips. Then the chefs will team up with Sta. Rita Hills winemakers to pair wine and delicious BBQ, all accompanied by The Luck, an Americana band from the Lompoc area.

The Wine and Fire Grand Tasting at La Purisima Mission is Saturday evening’s highlight (Aug. 15, 5-8 p.m.), where more than 40 member wineries and sizzling local chefs and farmers will be on hand for an evening of chillin’ and grillin’. Avant, Babe Farms, Campbell Farms, Central Coast Specialty Foods, Homegrown Cowboy, The Hitching Post II, Los Amigos BBQ, RGC Argentine BBQ, Tollhouse BBQ, Scratch Kitchen and the Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers will be serving up an amazing selection of local food favorites. Father-daughter duo Country Heart will play live music throughout the evening.

Courtesy Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Allliance

Courtesy Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Allliance

Participating wineries include: Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards; Babcock; Bratcher; Brewer-Clifton; Cargasacchi; Carr Winery; Clos Pepe Estate; Crawford Family Wines; Dierberg and Star Lane Vineyards; Dragonette Cellars; Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard; Fiddlehead Cellars; Flying Goat Cellars; Foley Winery; FOXEN; Gainey; Hilliard Bruce; Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Wines; Huber Cellars; Jalama Wines; Ken Brown Wines; Kessler – Haak and Kita.

Additional participating wineries include: Lafond Winery; LaMontagne Winery; Liquid Farm; Longoria; Loring Wine Company; Lutum; Montemar; Pali Wine Co; Paul Lato Wines; Rozak; Sanford Winery & Vineyards; Seagrape Wine Company; Sea Smoke; Siduri Wines; Transcendence; Wan Fiore Project and Zotovich Cellars.

In addition to these ticketed events, many of the Sta. Rita Hills wineries will be hosting special open house events over the weekend. Visit http://www.staritahills.com/wine-fire for more details and to purchase tickets.

Hope to see you there. Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on August 7, 2015.

 

Cocktail Corner: Rosés are in Bloom

Mark Pfeiffer, wine specialist/buyer for Whole Foods Market, shows off the Rosé Garden. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg

Mark Pfeiffer, wine specialist/buyer for Whole Foods Market, shows off the Rosé Garden. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

I took some time to stop and smell the rosés this week when Whole Foods Market wine specialist/buyer Mark Pfeiffer took me on walk through his wine garden of delights. (I know … it’s  a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!) Rosés are in full bloom these days, turning what used to be a warm weather seasonal go-to into a year-round favorite blend.

It’s been happening over the last three  years, explains Pfeiffer. “We’re getting a lot more dry rosés and more people are experimenting with rosés. More sommeliers are really excited about the food pairings with high acid rosés and we’ve been fortunate to partner with some local producers who have been producing excellent quality roses for our One line of wine, which have been delightful as well.” Continue reading

Cocktail Corner: Thirsty Birds Flock to the Canary for Wine Tasting

View from the Rooftop Fireplace at the Canary (courtesy photo)

View from the Rooftop Fireplace at the Canary (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

One of the most exquisite—and exclusive—360-degree views of Santa Barbara is from the rooftop at the Canary, and it’s also a great place to taste local wines this summer.

Quite frankly, the scenery alone is enough to make me leap at any invitation to visit the roof, add in some terrific wines and nibbles and there’s no reason not to start your work week with a smile. You can sip and swirl at the Rooftop Perch at the Canary Hotel every Monday night from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. through mid-October.

Beckmen Vineyards (courtesy photo)

Beckmen Vineyards (courtesy photo)

Up this Monday (June 10) is Dragonette Cellars, whose delicious 2012 Rosé, Happy Canyon will most definitely put a bloom in your cheeks; followed by our friends from Beckmen Vineyards (June 17), whose innovative biodynamic practices we wrote about in SEASONS back in spring 2012 (From Biodynamic Vineyard to Brilliance in a Glass).

In addition to wine tasting, guests can also sample yummy bites from new executive chef James Siao of Finch & Fork restaurant downstairs. Tickets for the tastings can be purchased in advance or the evening of at Finch & Fork, and frequent tasters can bring back their reusable glass for a discount.

The rest of the winery lineup includes:

June 24: Semler

July 1: Fess Parker- Epiphany

July 8: Sanford

July 15: Carr

July 22: Kessler-Haak & Flying Goat

July 29: Jaffurs and Presqu’ile

August 5: Stolpman

August 12: Summerland Wine

August 19: Zaca Mesa & Palmina

August 26: Verdad

September 9: Demetria

September 16: Deep Sea-Conway

September 23: Margerum

September 30: Melville

October 7: Andrew Murray

And October 14 is the Grand Finale, featuring some of the favorite wines from throughout the season.

Sounds like Monday’s going to be Fun-day after all. The address is 31 W. Carrillo St., and FYI, now you can finally enter the building at the corner of Carrillo and Chapala Streets. For more information, call 805/879-9100 or click here.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on June 7, 2013.