Cocktail Corner: The Wine Shepherd

Posted on July 7, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

The Wine Shepherd, photo courtesy Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg

Two of Santa Barbara County’s hottest restaurant teams—PICO in Los Alamos and The Black Sheep in Downtown Santa Barbara—have joined forces to create The Wine Shepherd, a new wine bar, tasting room and wine shop located next to The Black Sheep at 30 E. Ortega St., Santa Barbara (at the corner of Ortega and Anacapa Streets, across from Paradise Cafe).

PICO co-owners Will Henry and Kali Kopley have an excellent selection of wine in the retail section of the restaurant and The Wine Shepherd extends those offerings into Santa Barbara’s buzzy Presidio Neighborhood. It also offers an additional tasting room for the well-regarded Lumen Wines, which Henry co-owns with pioneering Santa Barbara County winemaker Lane Tanner.

The Wine Shepherd, photo courtesy Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing.

“We have a 2,000-bottle wine inventory at PICO, available to enjoy at the bar, in the restaurant, or for purchase to take with you…with The Wine Shepherd, we’re simply sharing PICO’s unparalleled wine selection with a greater portion of Santa Barbara County,” states Henry, whose father, Warner Henry, founded The Henry Wine Group import, wholesale and broker empire.

The Wine Shepherd, whose name is a play on words referencing The Black Sheep, offers a wide array of local, domestic and international wines for sale, as well as a carefully-curated list of beer and cider. Housed in the former Seagrass Restaurant space, The Wine Shepherd’s “upcycled chic” ambiance features a tasting bar built by Henry himself, where a selection of 14 or more wines by the glass—plus beer and cider—are available, as well as Lumen Wines tasting flights and excellent cheeses and charcuterie from PICO Chef and Partner Drew Terp. The Wine Shepherd also offers competitive pricing on bottles to go.

The Wine Shepherd, photo courtesy Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing.

With a string of hits in the food and wine world, Kopley is owner-founder of five different establishments in North Lake Tahoe, California: three Uncorked wine bar locations, Soupa restaurant, and Petra, a wine-inspired restaurant in Northstar. As a restaurateur, Kopley was a customer of The Henry Wine Group, which led to her introduction to Will Henry. The two are now married are parents to an adorable little girl.

“The Wine Shepherd marks the seventh wine-related business in which I’ve recently had a hand in launching, and is modeled after some of my Tahoe-area businesses,” says Kopley. “We have such a loyal PICO following…and many of our friends and fans make the drive from Santa Barbara to Los Alamos. The Wine Shepherd will give them just a taste of what PICO has to offer, but closer to home.”

“We will offer a large selection of wines from around the world, as well as a healthy representation of local heroes. As we do at PICO, we will focus on small production, family-owned producers and obscure, hard-to-get wines, plus old vintage rarities and gems,” says Henry.

The Wine Shepherd, photo courtesy Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing.

Henry and Kopley chose The Wine Shepherd’s location after becoming friends with The Black Sheep’s family of owners, Chef Robert Perez and his son, Ruben.

“We have always loved what the Perez family has done with The Black Sheep. Kali was also a patron and huge fan of their former Nevada City restaurant, Citronée,” says Henry. “We intend this to be a partnership with them that will both enhance the wine experience that we’ll offer, and augment The Black Sheep’s existing wine program.”

The Wine Shepherd is open Tuesday through Friday from 3-10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m., with special happy hour prices from 4-6 p.m. daily. For more information, visit WineShepherdSB.com.

Cheers! 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 believes variety is the spice of life. Send your suggestions to Leslie@sbseasons.com.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on July 6, 2018.

Legacies | MOXI: The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation

Posted on July 4, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

MOXI is located at 125 State Street adjacent to the popular Funk Zone neighborhood and just two blocks up from Stearns Wharf and the beach. The building was designed by the late Barry Berkus and AB Design Studio and is LEED Gold Certified. Photo courtesy MOXI.

MOXI Marks Leap Into Year Two With New CEO, Expanded Programs

By Leslie Dinaberg

It has been a really incredible first year for MOXI … and we’ve just gotten started,” says Robin Gose, president and CEO. Gose began her tenure at MOXI late last year, after serving as director of education at the Thinkery in Austin, TX, where she oversaw all programming, exhibits and facilities at what was once Austin Children’s Museum.

MOXI’s attendance its first year has far exceeded expectations (175,000 guests versus approximately 120,000 estimated) and Gose says, “Attendance continues to be strong. The feedback that we’re hearing from members of the community, from donors, from tourists that come up, is that everybody is really excited by what they see at the museum.”

MOXI specializes in STEAM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Art-Math) learning through interactive experiences outside the traditional classroom environment. Because of the interactive elements, and individual children’s continued growth and development,

MOXI is designed so that it will be different each time you visit, with new challenges to solve and new discoveries to uncover throughout the 17,000 square-feet of interactive exhibits across three floors (including an incredible 360 degree view rooftop).

The award-winning, LEED gold certified building—which had the design challenge of fitting into the Spanish style neighborhood while creating both a high tech and kid-friendly vibe and was designed by the late Barry Berkus + AB Design Studio—has played an important role in the revitalization of lower State Street as a destination for both tourists and locals.

“We have about 75% local, and 25% non-local visitors,” says Gose, adding that school visits include many students from Santa Barbara County, as well as Ventura County, San Luis Obispo County and beyond. Last year, 10,000 school children visited MOXI on field trips, and nearly 50% were from Title I schools.

Adults are also big fans of the venue. MOXI’s quarterly Afterparty events have all been sell-out affairs, and include live entertainment, demonstrations, games and local food and cocktails. Also popular are the pop- up Twilight Time evening hours for guests 18 and up who want to explore the museum kids-free. These are advertised primarily via social media, Gose says. The theme for 2018 is “Making,” with monthly spotlights on subjects like cardboard engineering and digital creativity.

These themes extend to summer camp activities, as well as new weekly projects in the Innovation Workshop makerspace. Also new are an exhibit design partnership with the Dos Pueblos High School Engineering Academy and Toddler Tuesdays, a volunteer-run program where the youngest guests can have special story time and other activities and explore the exhibits without visiting school groups onsite.

With 44 full and part-time staff and nearly 100 volunteers, ranging in age from 13 to 75 years old, MOXI has quickly become an important part of the community. In fact, earlier this year the museum provided alternative classroom space to Montecito students and teachers displaced by disaster and opened its doors free of charge to Thomas Fire and Montecito mudflow evacuees as well as first responders and their families.

Upcoming fundraising events for the nonprofit museum include an intimate rooftop concert with Jackson Browne on August 10 and the annual gala fundraiser MOXI@Night on September 22. For information or to purchase tickets, email development@moxi.org or call 805/770-5003.

MOXI,125 State St., Santa Barbara, 805/770-5000, moxi.org.

This story was originally published in the 2018 summer issue of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine.

Cocktail Corner: Biltmore Summer Tasting Series

Posted on June 30, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

Photo courtesy Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg

It’s always a treat to visit Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, and this summer’s tasting series offers some particularly fun ways to celebrate the season. Next up, on July 13, is RED, WHITE & BREW, which features a Tequila Bar, as well as ice cold beer from some of Santa Barbara’s award-winning local microbreweries including Topa Topa, Telegraph Brewing, Brass Bear Brewing, Rincon Brewery, Island Brewing Company and Boochcraft.

In addition, guests can make a meal of it and pair their drinks with ceviche, barbecue suckling pig, Ensenada mussels and chorizo, lime coconut black beans and corn avocado salad from the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore’s creative culinary team. RED, WHITE & BREW takes place from 6-9 p.m. and is $55 per person.

Also on the Biltmore’s summer calendar is SUNSET SPRITZ, on August 24, featuring an Apertivo Bar offering Aperol Spritzes, Negroni’s and Italian red and white wines. The offerings also include housemade bites like fried cheese, olives, dalla forma pasta (prepared in Pecorino cheese wheel) and Cichetti Veneziani, aka traditional Venetian fare. SUNSET SPRITZ takes place from 6-9 p.m. and is $65 per person.

The Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore is located at 1260 Chanel Dr., Montecito. To purchase tickets for either event, please call 805/565-8232.

Cheers! Click here for more Cocktail Corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on June 29, 2018.

Wine Country: Roll Out the Barrels

Posted on June 18, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

Roll Out the Barrels photo by Barry Goyette, courtesy SLO Wine Country.

ONE OF SAN LUIS OBISPO’S WINE COUNTRY’S most exciting summer events kicks off June 21-23 with the 28th Annual Roll Out the Barrels Weekend. The festivities begin on Thursday at Barrels in the Plaza, when more than 50 wineries and local chefs gather for a street party and grand tasting adjacent to the historic Mission in downtown San Luis Obispo. Sip and savor and tap your toes to live music by The Cimo Brothers! Then watch a special demonstration of the art of the barrel by expert cooper Salvador Canchola, who shows the audience the timeless craft of building, shaping and toasting a wine barrel using three-year seasoned oak harvested from the region of Allier in Central France. On Friday and Saturday guests can wind their way through SLO County with a special Passport to Wine Country. With 15 wineries to choose from, guests can walk the vineyards, barrel sample the new vintages, and enjoy open houses, wine tastings and festivities all weekend long. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit slowine.com.

—Leslie Dinaberg

This story was originally published in the 2018 summer issue of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine.

Father’s Day Gift Guide

Posted on June 13, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

By Leslie Dinaberg

Dads are notoriously hard to buy presents for, so here are a few Father’s Day gift suggestions that are sure to make him smile.

Daditude by Chris Erskine.

Daditude

Beloved Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune Columnist Chris Erskine‘s collection of essays about the joys and absurdities of modern fatherhood are sure to make any dad smile. As the promo says, “This handsome book is the perfect gift for the father who would have everything—if he hadn’t given it all to his kids.” Click here for more information.

Jackalope Beer Soap, photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

Jackalope Beer Soap

An intoxicating way for dad to start his day, these Jackalope Beer Soap bars from Little Seed Farm are an all-natural way to give his morning shower a little extra kick! The Bourbon Bar, Bearwalker Beer Bar, Rompo Beer Bar and Thunder Ann Beer Bar are hand-crafted from fresh, raw goat’s milk produced on Little Seed Farm’s own dairy herd, in collaboration with a local distillery and brewery located in Nashville, Tennessee. Spent grains from the brewing process are added to each bar of soap, giving it a nice solid texture he’s sure to enjoy. www.littleseedfarm.com

Broo Shampoo, courtesy @Brooshampoo Instagram.

BRÖÖ Craft Beer Shampoo

Continuing with the beer theme, BRÖÖ Craft Beer harnesses the power of all-malt, freshly-hopped craft beer in the form of a shampoo that dad is sure to enjoy. People have rinsed their hair with beer for ages, and this home-brewed remedy is brimming with B vitamins, proteins, and minerals to make his hair shiny, healthy and strong. broo.com

ZEROWater filter pitcher, courtesy photo.

ZeroWater Filtration Pitcher

Perfect for the environmentally conscious and economically minded dad, eco-friendly ZeroWater filtration devices turn tap water into the equivalent of purified bottled water without the expense or waste of plastic bottles. Available in 8-cup, 10-cup and 20-cup dispensers. www.zerowater.com

DAZI Socks, courtesy photo.

DAZI Socks

Colorful, fun socks are a great way for even the most conservative dad to jazz up his look—and his mood. Whether he’s relaxing on the weekend, going to work, or dressed up for a night out, help him put his best foot forward with DAZI’s fashionable and comfortable men’s socks. This line features unique designs that are fun, but not over-the-top, to wear with almost any look. www.daziusa.com

Bindle Bottle, photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

Bindle Bottle

A clever gift for the dad who likes to travel light. The Bindle Bottle holds 24 ounces of his favorite beverage—keeping drinks hot or cold for hours—along with small necessities such as chapstick, keys and headphones in the bottom stash area. Plus the name is cool: “Bindles” were once used by train hoppers to carry their essentials on their shoulders as they went off on their next adventure—your dad is sure to love this gift as he goes off on his. bindlebottle.com

Happy Father’s Day!

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on June 12, 2018.

Wine Dinner Series at Belmond El Encanto Continues

Posted on June 6, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

Belmond El Encanto. Courtesy photo.

Belmond El Encanto‘s delicious wine dinner series continues this week, with an exclusive dining experience featuring Daou Vineyards and Winery of Paso Robles on Wednesday, June 6.

Regionally inspired cuisine from Executive Chef Johan Denizot is paired with a fantastic selection of wines. A welcome reception begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by a multi-course tasting menu with wine pairings. For a peek at the menu, click here.

The series continues on August 23, featuring Santa Barbara County’s own Au Bon Climat.

On September 20, it’s Venetian Night: Evolution of Amarone (In Italian, the name Amarone literally means “the Great Bitter,” and is a typically rich Italian dry red wine made from the partially dried grapes of the Corvina , Rondinella and other approved red grape varieties).

Finally, Ridge Vineyards, featuring wines from Sonoma County and the Santa Cruz Mountains, is spotlighted on November 1.

The Daou dinner on Wednesday, June 6 is $120 per person. For reservations, call 805/770-3530.

Belmond El Encanto is located at 800 Alvarado Pl., Santa Barbara. For more information about the resort, click here.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Cocktail Corner: Santa Barbara Wine and Food Festival

Posted on June 4, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival 2018, courtesy photo.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg

One of the very best wine fests—the 31st Annual Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival—returns to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History on Saturday, June 30.

The Museum is a beautiful place to indulge in delicious wines paired with excellent bites along the shaded banks of Mission Creek. And you can feel good about going to this event because all net proceeds from the festival support the Museum’s nature and science education programs. I have fond memories of field trips to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History back when I was in elementary school, as well as many more recent trips with my son.

It’s definitely a festival with a LOCAL feeling. Perhaps because of that, the Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival is also one of the few events that the winemakers themselves attend and pour their favorite vintages. “This is one of the very best tastings that we attend throughout the year,” says Richard Sanford of Alma Rosa.

“This is the most beautiful tasting, the most beautiful setting that I do anywhere in the country.” says Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat.

Jamie Slone at Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival, courtesy photo.

More than 50 Central Coast wineries will be at the festival, including:

• Alexander & Wayne

• Alma Rosa

Marni Margerum at Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival, courtesy photo.

• Andrew Murray Vineyards

• Area 5.1

• Arthur Earl Winery

• Au Bon Climat

• Babcock Winery

• Beckmen Vineyards

• Bedford Winery

• Blair Fox

• Brander Vineyard

• Brewer-Clifton

• Buttonwood

• Cambria

• Carr Vineyards and Winery

• Casa Dumetz

• Cebada

• Consilience

• CORE

• De Paola

• Feliz Noche

• Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard

Tim Snider and Brad Thomas at Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival, courtesy photo.

• Fiddlehead Cellars

• Flying Goat Cellars

• Foxen

• Gainey Vineyards

• Grassini Family Vineyards

• Jaffurs Wine Cellars

• Jamie Slone

• Kalyra

• Kaena Wine

• Ken Brown Wines

• Kenneth Volk Vineyards

• Koehler Winery

• LaFond Winery

• Larner Wines

Fred Brander at Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival, courtesy photo.

• Longoria

• Lumen

• Mail Road Winery

• Margerum Wine Company

• Melville

• Mosby Winery & Vineyard

• Municipal Winemakers

• Notary Public

• Nielson

• Oreana

• Palmina

• Potek

Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival 2018, courtesy photo.

• Qupé

• Rancho Sisquoc Winery

• Rideau

• Sagebrush Annie’s

• Sandhi Wines

• Santa Barbara Winery

• Savoy Wines

• Silver Wines

• Storm Wines

• Sunstone Winery

• Tablas Creek

• Tatomer

• Tercero Wines

• Transcendence Wines

• Whitcraft Winery

• Zaca Mesa

Courtesy Santa Barbara Wine and Food Festival.

Ian Cutler at Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival, courtesy photo.

Also available are sweet and savory delectable delights from more than 40 of Santa Barbara County’s finest eateries and caterers, including:

• Barbareño

• Benchmark

• Black Bow Sweets

• Blue Water Grill

• Bob’s Well Bread

Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival 2018, courtesy photo.

• Bottlest Bistro

• Brophy Bros.

• Ca’ Dario

• Corazon Cocina

• Country Catering

Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival 2018, courtesy photo.

• Deux Bakery

• Enterprise Fish Company

• Farmer Boy

• Finch and Fork Restaurant

• Gelson’s Market – Santa Barbara

• Helena Avenue Bakery

• Hitching Post

• il Fustino

• Industrial Eats

• Jessica Foster Confections

• Les Marchands

• Loquita

• Michael’s Catering

• Oat Bakery

• Outpost at Goodland

• Pacific Pickle Works

• Pico

Guests enjoy Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival, courtesy photo.

• Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro

• Santa Barbara Popcorn Co.

• Savoy Cafe and Deli

• Scarlett Begonia

• Solvang Bakery

• The Bear and Star

• The Lark

• Tondi Gelato

• Via Maestra 42

Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival tickets cost $75 for Museum members and $100 for non-members. VIP tickets, including access to the VIP Lounge, early entry at 1 p.m. (the regular festival runs from 2–5 p.m.), six exclusive tastings and food pairings with winemakers, chair massages, and more are $125 for Museum members and $150 for non-members.

Designated drivers are free to enter as long as they accompany a paid guest. Designated drivers can sign up by emailing Sarah at sclement@sbnature2.org and giving the names of their passenger(s).

The Museum is located at 2559 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara. For more information, please visit www.sbnature.org/winefestival.

I hope to see some of you there. Cheers! Click here for more Cocktail Corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on June 3, 2018.

Cocktail Corner: Experiencing the Vineyard at Zaca Mesa

Posted on May 29, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

A drone view of Zaca Mesa Vineyard, courtesy Zaca Mesa.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg

Venturing into Santa Barbara County wine country is always a treat, but if you want something extra special, the Vineyard Experience at Zaca Mesa is a must-see. My husband and I recently took the tour and had such a lovely day.

First of all, the sustainable estate winery and vineyard is gorgeous, with sweeping views as far as the eye can see. In his air-conditioned vehicle, Garrett Black, who is the company’s Brand Ambassador | Special Events, as well as a Certified Sommelier, CMS, took us through the history of the renowned 750-acre property, which was planted in 1973 and only the third winery in Santa Barbara County at that time.

Zaca Mesa Vineyard, photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

As an added and very clever part of the tour, as we stopped at various points in the vineyard and tasted wines among the very vines that they came from. Believe me when I say that Zaca Mesa’s famous Black Bear Block Syrah—the oldest Syrah block in the Central Coast—is even more delicious when you’re sipping among the vines!

Zaca Mesa served as the training ground for many great winemakers. Ken Brown was Zaca Mesa’s first winemaker (he later started Byron in Santa Maria Valley). Adam Tolmach, Jim Clendenen and Bob Lindquist worked at Zaca Mesa before venturing out on their own to start Ojai Vineyard, Au Bon Climat and Qupé, respectively. The current team produces excellent Syrah, Viognier, and other Rhône varieties and includes Director of Vineyard and Winery Operations Eric Mohseni and Winemaker Kristin Bryden.

Zaca Mesa Winemaker Kristin Bryden, courtesy photo.

Our experience (2+ hours) included an in-depth tour of the vineyard and production facility, personalized tours of the crush pad, tank rooms and barrel rooms, and a delicious wine country picnic lunch (ours was delicious and from Industrial Eats) with a guided tasting of current releases.

It was so much fun. The Vineyard Experience is $100 per person, and is available only to groups of 4-13 people. If that’s not quite in your budget, or time constraints, Zaca Mesa also offers a Winery Tour & Tasting, where guests can enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the winery and production facility in an hour-long experience that spotlights Zaca Mesa’s history and the winery’s annual journey from vine to bottle. The Winery Tour & Tasting is $30 per person and includes a sampling of current releases.

Some snippets from our tour of Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyard, photos by Zak Klobucher.

Both tours are available by reservation. Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyard is located at 6905 Foxen Canyon Rd., Los Olivos, 805/688-9339. For more information about tastings and tours click here.

Cheers! Click here for more Cocktail Corner columns.

Zaca Mesa Vineyard, photo by George Rose, courtesy Zaca Mesa.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on May 25, 2018.

Cocktail Corner: Canary Hotel’s Rooftop Sip and Swirl Series

Posted on May 22, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

Canary Hotel’s Summer Sip and Swirl series, courtesy photo.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg

Get ready to enjoy one of the best views in town when Finch & Fork and the Canary Hotel kick off a sun-filled summer with the return of their popular wine tasting series, Sip & Swirl. Both locals and guests are invited to taste some of the region’s best wines and enjoy the stunning views from downtown’s premier rooftop terrace.

The monthly wine series kicks off on Tuesday May 22 with wines from Cambria Estate Winery, Casa Dumetz Wines (winemaker Sonja Magdevski will pour), J. Wilkes (winemaker Wes Hagen will pour), Carr Winery and its sister brand, CrossHatch (co-owner Jessica Carr will pour), Stolpman Vineyards, Jaffurs Wine Cellars and Rancho Sisquoc.

Held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (perfect for sunset views) all summer long, Sip & Swirl features a rotating collection of local wineries who will showcase their best vintages. November and December Sip & Swirls will take a festive turn, highlighting bourbons, cabs, and bubbly. Dates for the series are May 22, June 26, August 28, October 23, November 13 (Bourbons and Cabs) and December 11 (Bubbles).

Tickets are $35, which includes tastings of all the wines and cheeses. Visit NightOut.com, or purchase at the door.

The Canary Hotel is located at 31 W Carrillo St., in downtown Santa Barbara.

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on May 21, 2018.

Cocktail Corner: Spring Cocktails From The Bear and Star

Posted on May 19, 2018 by lesliedinaberg

The Bear and Star’s The Greens, with muddled mint, cucumber, thyme sprig, green chartreuse, white rum, sparkling wine & lime juice. Courtesy photo.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg

The Bear and Star in Los Olivos not only showcases excellent refined ranch cuisine, created primarily with ingredients from the 714-acre Fess Parker Ranch that’s just a few miles away, but the heirloom fruits, vegetables herbs and wildflowers have also inspired a creative new cocktail menu for spring.

The Bear and Star’s Herb Gin ‘n Tonic, with Cutler’s artisan gin, lime juice, simple syrup, quinine powder & seasonal fresh herbs from the garden. Courtesy photo.

The Spring Shandy is made with vodka, blonde beer, lemonade & lime juice.

The Herb Gin ‘n Tonic has Cutler’s Artisan Gin, lime juice, simple syrup, quinine powder & seasonal fresh herbs from the garden.

The Bear and Star’s The Revive, with yellow chartreuse, aperol, kumquat shrub, muddled strawberry & white wine. Courtesy photo.

The Revive is made with yellow chartreuse, aperol, kumquat shrub, muddled strawberries & white wine.

The Greens features muddled mint, cucumber, thyme sprig, green chartreuse, white rum, sparkling wine & lime juice.

Each of these hand-crafted cocktails are priced at $12 and available throughout the season.

The Bear and Star’s Spring Shandy, with vodka, blonde beer, lemonade & lime juice. Courtesy photo.

“The bar at The Bear and Star focuses on crafting variations classic cocktails using the best seasonal ingredient available, many of which come from our farm just six miles away,” says General Manager Robert Williams. “And collaborating with our farmers is by far the most exciting aspect of what our bar program has to offer. We have only just begun.”

The Bear and Star is located at 2860 Grand Ave., Los Olivos at the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn.

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on May 18, 2018.

LeslieDinaberg.com

Leslie Dinaberg Editor & Writer

Tag Archives: Seasons Publishing Group

Cocktail Corner: The Wine Shepherd

Legacies | MOXI: The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation

MOXI Marks Leap Into Year Two With New CEO, Expanded Programs

Cocktail Corner: Biltmore Summer Tasting Series

Wine Country: Roll Out the Barrels

Father’s Day Gift Guide

Daditude

Jackalope Beer Soap

BRÖÖ Craft Beer Shampoo

ZeroWater Filtration Pitcher

DAZI Socks

Bindle Bottle

Wine Dinner Series at Belmond El Encanto Continues

Cocktail Corner: Santa Barbara Wine and Food Festival

Cocktail Corner: Experiencing the Vineyard at Zaca Mesa

Cocktail Corner: Canary Hotel’s Rooftop Sip and Swirl Series

Cocktail Corner: Spring Cocktails From The Bear and Star

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MOXI Marks Leap Into Year Two With New CEO, Expanded Programs

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Daditude

Jackalope Beer Soap

BRÖÖ Craft Beer Shampoo

ZeroWater Filtration Pitcher

DAZI Socks

Bindle Bottle

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