Cocktail Corner: SB County Women Winemakers Dinner

Posted on February 9, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

Santa Barbara County Women Winemakers Dinner is March 8.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

International Women’s Day is coming up on March 8, and I can’t think of a better way to toast the occasion than by attending the second annual Santa Barbara County Women Winemakers Dinner.

Last year’s festivities were, quite simply, amazing, delicious and fun, with a great spirit of collaboration and mutual admiration among the winemakers and chefs taking part. Because the inaugural event—which was planned, executed and sold out within the space of a few weeks—was so popular, the event’s organizers have expanded this year’s dinner to accommodate more guests and to provide different levels of options for participation and support.

I can’t wait!

The charitable event, which runs in its entirety from 5:30-9 p.m. at K’Syrah Catering & Events (478 4th Place, Solvang, www.kscateringandevents.com) will, for the second year, benefit the Women’s Fund of Northern Santa Barbara County. Tickets to the March 8 event are currently on sale, at womenswinemakerdinner.eventbrite.com.

Last year’s Women Winemakers Dinner, photos by Leslie Dinaberg.

More than 20 female winemakers will be joined at the March 8 event by some of the Santa Ynez Valley’s leading culinary ladies, the latter of which are collaborating to create a four-course, sit-down dinner to pair with some of their winemaker colleagues’ wines. In addition to the seated dinner portion of the evening, this year’s event features a tent on a closed-to-traffic street in front of K’Syrah’s downtown Solvang venue. Housed inside the tent is a pre-dinner tasting reception (available as a separate ticket), where more than 20 women winemakers will be on-hand to pour tastes of their wines and talk with event guests from 5:30-7 p.m. The tent festivities also include passed appetizers and a cheese table from local female cheesemonger Janelle McAtamney of Solvang’s Cailloux Cheese Shop.

Participating winemakers and wineries confirmed include: Karen Steinwachs, Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard; Sonja Magdevski, Casa Dumetz Wines; Brooke Carhartt, Carhartt Vineyard & Winery; Alison Thomson, Lepiane Wines; Lane Tanner, Lumen Wines; Adrienne St. John, Rideau Vineyard; Gretchen Voelcker, Moon Unit Wines; Jessica Gasca, Story of Soil; Tara Gomez, Kitá Wines; Angela Osborne, A Tribute To Grace; and Kimberly Smith, LaMontagne Winery, with more to be announced soon.

Chef Brooke Stockwell, Executive Chef at K’Syrah Catering & Events, will be joined in the kitchen by baker Amy Dixon, of The Baker’s Table in Santa Ynez; Theo Stephan, owner of Los Olivos’ Global Gardens; and additional Santa Ynez Valley chefs and food crafters, to be announced as the event nears.

VIP-level tickets for this year’s event will include both the tasting tent and the seated dinner, where guests will be treated to wine pairings by, and conversation with, an exclusive selection of some of Santa Barbara County’s female winemakers, who will also be announced in the coming weeks. A dessert reception will follow the seated dinner, where guests may continue to mingle with the winemakers.

International Women’s Day has been celebrated worldwide since 1909, with a focus on working women’s achievements and issues. In a working environment that sees about 10% of the global wine industry as female winemakers, Santa Barbara County boasts a much higher percentage of women winemakers than most places in the world, with nearly double the average. The March 8 event will bring together a good portion of the County’s female winemakers in a show of support for each other, and other working women, world-wide; those who toil and labor while honing and elevating their craft in their workplace, while also balancing work-lives with family and community service.

It’s going to be a wonderful evening. Hope to see some of you there! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

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 February 9, 2018.

Cocktail Corner: Southern Exposure Garagiste Wine Festival

Posted on January 20, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

Southern Exposure Garagiste Wine Festival returns to Solvang Feb. 9-11, featuring just about every varietal of small production wines. Courtesy photo.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

The Garagiste Festival is back in Solvang next month and I am so excited to taste what they have in store for us this year.

A fun and very unique wine festival celebrating small production wines and their makers (who are usually there to pour and talk about all things vino), Garagistes (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to put down renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything not a chateau), who refused to follow the rules, and has now become a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world.

The 2018 Southern Exposure Garagiste Wine Festival, which features more than 30 of California’s best micro-production wineries, takes place on Feb. 9-11 at the Veterans’ Memorial Hall in Solvang (1745 Mission Dr.).

New this year, the festival’s sixth in Santa Barbara County, is a seminar series that pays tribute to the “Original Garagistes,” featuring a Q&A and wine tasting with Central Coast winemaking pioneer, Bob Lindquist of Qupé. An original Rhône Ranger (America’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines) and recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award, Lindquist was one of the first in the wine industry to advocate American-made Syrah and other Rhône varietals. His winery Qupé has been named one of the Wineries of the Year for Wine & Spirits Magazine every year since 1999.

“A true original garagiste, Bob is an inspiration to micro-production winemakers everywhere and epitomizes everything that the American Garagiste movement is about—handcrafting stunning wines from under-appreciated grapes, ignoring established rules, innovating and taking risks and generously sharing knowledge with peers,” says Garagiste Festival Co-founder Doug Minnick. “There would be no Garagiste movement, no Rhone Rangers—and the Central Coast would still be a blip on the way to Napa—without visionary winemakers like Bob.”

Southern Exposure Garagiste Wine Festival returns to Solvang Feb. 9-11, for its sixth annual festival. Courtesy photo.

The weekend’s fun kicks off on Friday night, Feb. 9, with a “No Repeats, Rare and Reserve” tasting and BBQ, featuring food from local favorite Neighbor Tim’s BBQ (6480 Calle Real, Goleta). The “Original Garagiste” event with Lindquist takes place on Saturday, Feb. 10, immediately preceding the Grand Tasting, at Veterans Memorial Hall. Sunday, Feb. 11 marks the return of Passport Day, which offers special deals at participating local wineries for Garagiste Festival ticket holders who want to further explore the area.

Winemakers already scheduled to pour include:

Ann Albert Wines, Santa Barbara County

Ascension Cellars, Paso Robles

Bevela Wines, Central Coast

Courtesy photo.

Bradley Family Winery, Santa Ynez Valley

Buscador Wine, Buellton

Byron Blatty Wines, Los Angeles

Caliza Winery, Paso Robles

Camlow Cellars, Russian River Valley

Cavaletti Vineyards, Southern California

Cholame Vineyard, Buellton

Cloak & Dagger Wines, Paso Robles

Clos de Amis Winery, Ventura County

Cordon Wine, Santa Barbara County

D. Volk Wines, Santa Ynez Valley

Courtesy Garagiste Festival.

Diablo Paso, Paso Robles

Dunites Wine Co., San Luis Obispo County

Dusty Nabor Wines, Westlake Village

El Lugar Wines, San Luis Obispo

Elwood Wines, Santa Maria Valley

Golden Triangle, Paso Robles

Ground Truth Wine, Santa Barbara County

Hoi Polloi Wines, Central Coast

Kimsey Vineyards, Santa Barbara County

Luna Hart Wines, Buellton

March Wines, Napa Valley

Marin’s Vineyard, Lockwood

Courtesy Garagiste Festival

MCV Wines, Morro Bay

Metrick Wines, throughout California

Mollie Wines, Santa Barbara County

Montagne Russe, Mill Valley

Montemar Winery, Lompoc

Ryan Cochrane Wines, Santa Barbara County

Serrano Wine, Paso Robles

Sycamore Ranch Winery, Crestline

TLO Wines, Paso Robles

Torch Cellars, Paso Robles

TW Fermentation Co., Paso Robles

Velvet Bee Wine, Santa Ynez Valley

Vino Vargas, San Miguel

Volatus Wines, Paso Robles

Weatherborne Wine Co., Santa Barbara County

Called “wildly exuberant and fun,” “wine tasting Nirvana” and “not-to-be missed’ by the Los Angeles Times, Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure has showcased hundreds of micro-production winemakers from Santa Barbara/Santa Ynez area, many of who poured their first vintage at the festival and have gone on to greater renown.

Garagiste Festivals Inc. is a nonprofit organization and benefits the Garagiste Scholarship at Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture Department, so not only can you drink great wine and meeting interesting winemakers, your ticket also gives back to local youth.

For more information, visit californiagaragistes.com. Hope to see some of you there. Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons

on January 19, 2018.

A Day Away: The Charms  of Carmel

Posted on January 8, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

The glorious view from California Market at Pacific’s Edge at Hyatt Carmel Highlands. Courtesy photo.

The peaceful s eas ide charms  of Carmel are an eas y four-hour drive from Santa Barbara.

Where to Stay

Vendange Carmel Inn & Suites (24815 Carpenter St., Carmel, 831/624-6400, vendangecarmel.com) is  a charming wine-themed inn with the homey vibe of a bed & breakfas t. Jus t minutes  away from res taurants , s hops , galleries  and tas ting rooms , this  boutique inn’s  intimate gardens  offer a lovely s etting to enjoy a glas s  of wine or a cozy cup of tea. We stayed in the delightful Twisted Roots room. Other partnered wineries  and themed rooms  include: Blair Estate Wines, Cima Collina Winery, Dawn’s Dream Winery, Galante Vineyards, Holman Ranch Wines, Joullian Vineyards, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Manzoni Cellars, McIntyre Vineyards, Tudor Wines and Ventana Vineyards.

Nes tled upon a s cenic clifftop overlooking the s tunning Big Sur coas t and celebrating its  100th annivers ary in 2017, Hyatt Carmel Highlands (120 Highlands  Dr., Carmel, 831/620-1234) offers  spectacular views  in an amazing s etting. The legendary inn’s  impeccable s ervice was  evident from the moment we arrived and were greeted with flutes  of Pros ecco to the umbrellas  that magically appeared when raindrops  s tarted to threaten our departure. The gorgeous  s liding glas s  door views  and wood-burning fireplace in our room made it hard to leave this  relaxing, romantic getaway.

Where to Eat

At Whaling Station (763 Wave St., Monterey, 831/373-3778) in nearby Monterey, an old-s chool s teakhous e with on-s ite dry-age room, diners  choos e their own prime cuts  of beef. As  you s elect your USDA Prime cut of aged beef from a s ilver tray, then watch them s lice Prime Rib from an antique s ilver carving trolley, it’s  eas y to s ee why Whaling Station has  been voted the county’s  #1 s teakhous e for 40 years  in a row.

California Market at Pacific’s Edge at Hyatt Carmel Highlands  (120 Highlands  Dr., Carmel, 831/622-5450) has  a newly remodeled 1,200-square-foot deck, featuring louvered roof and glas s -panel walls  with dramatic views  of the Pacific Ocean and the Big Sur coas t. The food is  jus t as  impres s ive as  the views , and the extens ive menu features  the wares  of local producers  s uch as  Bellwether Farms  Creamery in Sonoma, Swank Farms  in Hollis ter and Monterey Abalone Company in Monterey.

Twisted Roots Winery in Carmel Valley offers a lovely tasting room in an art gallery setting.

Things to Do

Wine tasting in Carmel Valley is  a great way to s pend an afternoon, with 24 wineries  and tas ting rooms  to choos e from. Be s ure to s top and s ay hello to Jos h & Julie Ruiz of Twisted Roots Winery & Vineyard (located in Lyons Head Art Gallery, 12 Del Fino Pl., Carmel Valley, 831/594-8282), whos e warm hos pitality at this  family-owned tas ting room is  jus t as  delicious  as  their old-vine wines . We als o enjoyed s ipping on the patio at Joyce Vineyards Tasting Room (1 E. Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley, 831/659-2885). Golfers  love Pebble Beach, and the famous  17-Mile Drive is  a s cenic treat. Big Sur and Monterey Bay Aquarium are jus t a s hort drive away as  well, offering more than enough entertainment for the entire family.

—Leslie Dinaberg

This story was originally published in the Winter 2017-18 issue of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine.

A Day Away: A Grape Escape

Posted on December 22, 2017 by lesliedinaberg

Allegretto Vineyard Resort evokes an Italian Estate, with views overlooking grape vines and olive trees. Photo courtesy Allegretto.

With more than 40,000 vineyard acres  and more than 200 wineries  in the region, Pas o Robles  is  a perfect weekend destination for a wine lover’s  getaway.

By Les lie Dinaberg

CAB is definitely king in Pas o Robles  wine country, and rich, velvety, complex cabernet s auvignon makes  up almos t half of all the grapes  grown acros s  Pas o Robles .

The offerings  range from boutique wineries  to high-production facilities , and with s ome as s is tance from the Pas o Robles  CAB Collective, we did our bes t to s ample as  many CABs  as  we could.

Ancient Peaks Margarita Vineyard, photo by Matt Wallace, courtesy Ancient Peaks.

Where to Sip

Five dis tinct s oil types  are the key to the unique wines  of Ancient Peaks Winery, whos e es tate Margarita Vineyard is the only one in Santa Margarita Ranch AVA. Originally planted by the Robert Mondavi family, the current ranch owners —the Filipponi, Ros s i and Witts trom families —took control of the vineyard in 2005. In addition to a charming tas ting room and the delicious  food at Ancient Peaks Café, the winery offers  pers onally guided vineyard tours  Wed.-Sun. mornings, followed by a private tas ting and chees e and charcuterie (reservations  required). ancientpeaks.com

Hope Family Wines has  a dis tinctive lounge-s tyle tas ting room pouring five unique labels : Liberty School, Aus tin Hope, Treana, Candor and Troublemaker. Try the big, intens e Treana red, a clas s ic Pas o Robles  blend of cabernet, s auvignon and s yrah. hopefamilywines.com

By appointment only (and worth it) is  a vis it to Hoyt Family Vineyards, where you can bring a picnic and feed the goats  and chickens  as  you s ip on s ome amazing wine. Try the sophisticated 2012 cabernet s auvignon, which won Bes t of Clas s in the San Francisco Wine Chronicle. hoytfamilyvineyards.com

Another lovely s pot to s ip is Brecon Estate, a boutique s us tainably farmed es tate winery producing an old-vine cabernet s auvignon. Brecon’s  award-winning s mall batches  of premium wines  s ell out quickly and cannot be purchas ed anywhere els e. breconestate.com

DAOU Vineyards, photo by Zak Klobucher.

One of the lovelies t views , in a region that’s  full of them, is DAOU Vineyards and Winery. Brothers  Georges  and Daniel Daou s earched all around the s tate to find an unrivaled terroir for producing cabernet sauvignon, a ques t that eventually led them to the gorgeous  DAOU Mountain in the Adelaida Dis trict. Res ervations  are recommended to sip excellent wine while overlooking the vineyards , with panoramic views  from 2,200 feet. daouvineyards.com

Where to Eat

Opolo Winery offers  pairings  on the patio, as  well as  delicious  homemade s aus age and charcuterie, pizzas , s alads  and s uch. Idyllic vineyard tours  are als o available, which include the tas ting room, distillery, Inn at Opolo, a walnut orchard and more than 70 acres  of vines . opolo.com

Offering excellent wine-country cuis ine in a beautiful s etting, Cello Ristorante & Bar features  creative but acces s ible dis hes  made from regionally farmed and foraged ingredients , alongs ide an extensive wine list. allegrettovineyardresort.com/dining

A long-s tanding farm-to-table favorite, Thomas Hill Organics s ources  a wide variety of ingredients  from local purveyors  to offer a dynamic array of bold, imaginative dis hes . thomashillorganics.com

Where to Stay

Nes tled among 20 acres  that include wine grapes  and olive and fruit trees , the eclectically elegant Allegretto Vineyard Resort brings  owner Doug Ayres ’ s ingular vis ion to life. The impres s ive property evokes  an Italian vineyard es tate, with 171 gues t rooms  and suites, a wine bar featuring the res ort’s  own private wine label, a s pa, a pool and cabanas , manicured gardens , a beautiful Abbey, hundreds  of antiques , a 12,000-s quare-foot piazza, and art and artifacts everywhere the eye can s ee. Allegrettoresort.com

This story was originally published in the Winter 2017-18 issue of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine.

Cocktail Corner: Sip, Swirl and be Merry at the Canary

Posted on November 27, 2017 by lesliedinaberg

Holidays at the Canary, courtesy photo.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

The rooftop of the Canary will decked in the spirit of the holiday season this December with a special holiday Sip & Swirl Series.

First up is Dec. 7 with Bubbles Sip & Swirl, where guests can enjoy sparkling wine from top labels like Taittinger, Laurent-Perrier, Henriot and Gruet.

The Dec. 19 Sip & Swirl features Bourbons and Cabernets and will showcase cab producers such as DAOU, Freemark Abbey and Grassini, as well as bourbons from local and domestic distillers like Breaker Bourbon Whiskey and Four Roses Bourbon.

Holidays at the Canary, courtesy photo.

Both events feature festive décor, music and cheese pairings, as well as local chocolates for sale, and select wineries taking bottle orders.

The Canary Holiday Sip & Swirl series will be held on Dec. 7 and Dec. 19 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35, and can be purchased at NightOut.com, or at the door. The Canary Hotel is located at 31 W. Carrillo St.

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on November 25, 2017.

Cocktail Corner: Wine & Art Come Together to Support SlingShot Gallery

Posted on October 20, 2017 by lesliedinaberg

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

Wine and art are both close to my heart, so when the two of them come together to support a local nonprofit, it’s sure to be a magical evening!

In this case, Wine & Art, a fundraiser for SlingShot Art Forum, an Alpha Resource of Santa Barbara project, takes place on November 11, from 6-8:30 p.m. at the SlingShot Gallery, 220 W. Cannon Perdido St.

Hosted by acclaimed wine writer and TV personality Gabe Saglie, the event features delicious catering by Scott Wallace of SB Wine Dine Build and wine tasting from Grassini Family Vineyards, The Ojai Vineyard and Windrun Wines, as well as exclusive tastings from Willson Family Vineyard.

Willson Wine bottles of pinot noir, with labels by Slingshot Artists, available at the Wine & Art Fundraiser, photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

Based in Carpinteria, the pinots produced by the Willson Family are bottled with special labels from SlingShot artists—and all of the proceeds benefit the SlingShot art program.

The Willson’s daughter Mylie was born with Down syndrome and received services from Alpha Resource of Santa Barbara, thus inspiring the family to produce their wines so generously, says Sue Dumm, Artist Representative/Community Liaison for SlingShot. In addition to being available for tasting and purchase at the Wine & Art fundraiser, SlingShot is now part of First Thursday festivities in downtown Santa Barbara, where each month the public can come see and buy art on the walls, as well as taste and purchase Willson pinot, says Dumm.

Dumm gave me my first tour of the gallery for this story, but it definitely won’t be my last visit!

Another Willson Wine bottle of pinot noir, with label by a Slingshot Artist, available at the Wine & Art Fundraiser, photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

Just a few steps a way from our office at Santa Barbara Seasons, SlingShot is a working art studio and gallery which supports 34 different Santa Barbara artists. Since 1980, Alpha Resource Center has promoted artists with developmental disabilities through participation in gallery and juried art shows, and this gallery is an expansion of the art studio program. Many of the artists are recognized for their talent and have developed dedicated collectors. SlingShot gives the artists greater visibility and access to the rich local art world. It also gives our community better access to their work. As a working studio, visitors are able to meet the artists and view the art as it is created.

According to the Mission Statement, “Alpha Resource Center is a multi-faceted service center providing support and information for families of children with developmental disabilities of all ages, teen and adult recreation, and life skills training for adults. Today Alpha serves over 2,200 families. Alpha also owns and operates three thrift stores which support our services.”

Tickets for the event are $50, can be purchased online at: http://alphasb.org/events/.

I hope to see you there! Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on October 20, 2017.

Cocktail Corner: Santa Barbara Polo & Wine Festival

Posted on October 9, 2017 by lesliedinaberg

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

This weekend brings the first Santa Barbara Polo & Wine Festival to the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club on Saturday October 7. The festival combines polo, local wine, and music for a unique one-day experience. This unique, full day experience features two polo matches, great music and tastings from some of Santa Barbara’s finest wineries.

While not a requirement, organizers encourage attendees to dress as you would for a typical polo game—like the movie Pretty Woman, when they are at the polo match.

The famous “Pretty Women” polo match scene, courtesy photo.

Musicial performances by LP, Nick Waterhouse, Durand Jones & the Indications, Vieux Farka Toure and Macy Gray are on the bill. The Festival also features local food and wineries, including local contemporary California cuisine by Barbareno, Empanadas by Buena Onda and Asian-inflected American plates from The Black Sheep. Local wineries include Happy Canyon Vineyard, Sanford Winery, Standing Sun Wines, Summerland Winery, August Ridge Vineyards and more.

“After attending our first polo match in the summer of 2016, it immediately became clear to us that a combination of polo, wine, and music would create an amazing experience,” organizer Josh Elion says. “It’s a way of bringing three aspects of a community together and introducing people to the game of polo, new local wineries, or incredible musicians. … This is truly a celebration of Santa Barbara and Southern California living, held at one of the most gorgeous venues along the west coast.”

Courtesy Santa Barbara Polo & Wine Festival.

A dollar of every ticket sold will be donated to Notes For Notes, a nonprofit organization that designs, equips, and staffs after-school recording studios inside Boys and Girls Clubs, offering youth the opportunity to explore, create, and record music for free.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit sbpoloandwine.com.

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on October 6, 2017.

Cocktail Corner: Bubblyfest

Posted on October 4, 2017 by lesliedinaberg

Bubblyfest takes place Oct. 5-8 in Avila Beach, courtesy photo.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

Courtesy Bubblyfest.

If you’re looking for a fun weekend getaway, check out this weekend’s Bubblyfest in Avila Beach Oct. 5-8.

BUBBLYFEST 2017 is the fourth annual event featuring more than 60 sparkling wine and champagne producers from around the world there to top off glasses and share insights on the fine world of bubbles. Taking place at the Avila Beach Golf Resort, the weekend’s events include:

Thursday Night: Dinner is slated to be a Fried Chicken & Champagne Dinner with Master Somm Chris Blanchard, one of the Top 200 Somms. Dinner includes four different Champagnes.

Friday Day: Early afternoon includes industry and connoisseur focused seminars with panelists such as Chris Blanchard, Clarissa Nagy of Riverbench, Tawnya Falkner of Le Grand Courtage and Sylvie Tannhauser of Domaine Carneros.

Friday Evening: The very popular “Corks and Cocktails” cocktail party at the Central Coast Aquarium. Attendees come ‘dressed to the nines’ in 1920’s attire, listen to jazz and sip cocktails made with sparkling wines.

Saturday: Grand Tasting will include tasting from 70 labels both international and domestic, as well as more educational panels that are consumer focused. Enjoy light appetizers with Sparkling Wine and Champagne tasting where over 60 wineries invite you to fall in love with their bubbly. Learn from the experts in the Seminar Series, indulge in a Champagne Toast, and relax on one of the sun bed loungers and sofas.

Bubblyfest takes place Oct. 5-8 in Avila Beach, courtesy photo.

The 2017 festival will feature wines of Alsace, J Vineyards, Gloria Ferrar, Voveti and 60 other top sparkling wine and champagne producers from around the world together in one place to mingle with “lovers of the bubbly.”

Tickets for BUBBLYFEST By The Sea include a souvenir glass for each participant, unlimited bubbly tastings, seminars and a variety of light hors d’oeuvres. VIP events will be available on a first come, first served basis. Avila Beach Golf Resort is located at 6464 Ana Bay Rd, Avila Beach.

For more information, visit: bubblyfest.com. Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on October 4, 2017.

Felipe Molina

Posted on October 2, 2017 by lesliedinaberg

Artist Felipe Molina will have his work on view at Standing Sun Wines in Buellton from Sept. 30-Nov. 30. Courtesy photos.

Wine and art make a great pairing when Standing Sun Wines presents new work by artist Felipe Molina, who was recently inducted into the Album Art Hall of Fame for his Counting Crows album covers. The exhibition opens on September 30 at Standing Sun Wines, 92 Second St., D, Buellton, and remains on view through November 30.

For more information, visit www.standingsunwines.com.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on September 29, 2017.

Cocktail Corner: Kings Carey Wines

Posted on September 16, 2017 by lesliedinaberg

Kings Carey’s first wine releases include (L-R) 2014 Grenache, 2015 Grenache and 2016 Rose of Grenache. Courtesy photos.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

No matter how many times I’m reminded that you can’t judge a book by its cover, I’m still a sucker for an interesting wine label, so I was particularly intrigued by the samples I recently received from Kings Carey Wine, the new label by Liquid Farm Winemaker James Sparks.

It turns out the eye-catching labels are by Philadelphia-based illustrator and artist, Hawk Krall.

Kings Carey Grenache 2014 label, designed by Hawk Krall.

James Sparks! Hawk Krall! Do these guys sound like movie character names or what! But they’re also both very talented. Krall’s work was familiar to me from the beloved and vanished foodie mag Lucky Peach, but he’s been working his artistic magic for more than a decade. He’s well known for his food illustration, in particular, as well as his humorous editorial illustration, gallery showings and installations.

Kings Carey Rose 2016 label, designed by Hawk Krall.

In SAVEUR Magazine, another foodie fave, Krall pens and illustrates a recurring series of pieces in the publication, “Hawk’s Illustrated America,” which “follows his journeys through the back roads of the U.S. in search of our country’s most obscure and delicious regional specialties.”

Of course, this wine is more than just a pretty package. We tasted the first three wines—a 2014 Grenache (John Sebastiano Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley AVA); a 2015 Grenache (John Sebastiano Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills AVA); and a 2016 Rosé of Grenache from new Santa Ynez Valley AVA vineyard, Brick Barn—and enjoyed every last drop.

“I’m trying to produce ‘untypical’ wines of typicity,” says Sparks. “It’s not that this region can’t produce these types of wines; it’s just that you don’t see it very often. These are not fruit bombs. These are clean expressions of the fruit at-hand.”

In addition to his private Kings Carey label, Sparks continues to create Liquid Farm’s variety of wines (currently five Chardonnays, a Rosé of Mourvèdre, and two Pinot Noirs).

The Kings Carey winery space is located in Lompoc. Visits and private tastings are by appointment only, and reservations may be made by emailing info@KingsCarey.com.

Kings Carey Wines may currently be found in these locations:

Restaurants & Bars
Cecco Ristorante | 475 First St., Solvang, CA 93463
First & Oak | 409 First St., Solvang, CA 93463
Community Craft | 2446 Alamo Pintado Ave., Los Olivos, CA 93441
Bell Street Farm | 406 Bell St., Los Alamos, CA 93440
Scratch Kitchen | 610 N. H St., Lompoc, CA 93436

Retail
Nielsen’s Market | 608 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang, CA 93463

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on September 15, 2017.

LeslieDinaberg.com

Leslie Dinaberg Editor & Writer

Category Archives: wine

Cocktail Corner: SB County Women Winemakers Dinner

Cocktail Corner: Southern Exposure Garagiste Wine Festival

A Day Away: The Charms  of Carmel

A Day Away: A Grape Escape

With more than 40,000 vineyard acres  and more than 200 wineries  in the region, Pas o Robles  is  a perfect weekend destination for a wine lover’s  getaway.

Cocktail Corner: Sip, Swirl and be Merry at the Canary

Cocktail Corner: Wine & Art Come Together to Support SlingShot Gallery

Cocktail Corner: Santa Barbara Polo & Wine Festival

Cocktail Corner: Bubblyfest

Felipe Molina

Cocktail Corner: Kings Carey Wines

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With more than 40,000 vineyard acres and more than 200 wineries in the region, Pas o Robles is a perfect weekend destination for a wine lover’s getaway.

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With more than 40,000 vineyard acres  and more than 200 wineries  in the region, Pas o Robles  is  a perfect weekend destination for a wine lover’s  getaway.