{"id":7169,"date":"2015-07-10T20:47:12","date_gmt":"2015-07-11T03:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=7169"},"modified":"2015-07-10T11:50:14","modified_gmt":"2015-07-10T18:50:14","slug":"cocktail-corner-california-wine-festival-bacon-and-barrels-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=7169","title":{"rendered":"Cocktail Corner: California Wine Festival, Bacon and Barrels & More!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"California

California Wine Festival, courtesy photo<\/p><\/div>\n

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

California Wine Festival<\/strong> returns to\u00a0Santa Barbara this week (July 16-18), bringing the opportunity to sip and savor\u00a0nearly 250 wines from\u00a0over 70 wineries and 30 fine dining restaurants and gourmet food purveyors. This festival\u00a0was recently named one of the 2015 Top Culinary Festivals and Wine Events around the U.S. and the World by\u00a0Gayot.<\/i><\/p>\n

The first event is\u00a0\u201cOld Spanish Nights Wine Tasting,” a\u00a0celebration of wines, foods and music true to Santa Barbara\u2019s Spanish roots. Taking place at the historic De La Guerra Adobe Courtyard\u00a0Thursday, July 16, from 6:30-9 p.m., this tasting is a showcase for\u00a0world-class wines accompanied by a spicy array of appetizers\u00a0from top local restaurants\u00a0and\u00a0colorful Flamenco dancers, accompanied by blazing guitars and hot Latin sounds.<\/p>\n

\"Courtesy

Courtesy California Wine Festival<\/p><\/div>\n

Unique to the California Wine Festival this year is a special wine-experience seminar, where 40\u00a0 lucky guests will enjoy a\u00a0Cabernet Clinic and Tasting Seminar conducted by winemakers from the Paso Robles Cab Collective and\u00a0moderated by Matt Kettmann<\/a>. The event takes place on\u00a0Friday, July 17, from 5-6 p.m. at\u00a0Fess Parker\u2019s DoubleTree Resort<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Immediately following, just down the road at\u00a0the charming old-world carousel at Chase Palm Park Plaza\u00a0is the \u201cSunset Rare & Reserve Wine Tasting\u201d where\u00a0California\u2019s best winemakers dust off their rare\u00a0and reserve bottles and let lucky guests sip the good stuff!\u00a0Some of the wines being poured are impossible to buy and are no longer in distribution. Guests are greeted with champagne, then treated to Napa trophy cabs,\u00a0rare bottles from Sonoma, old vine wines from the high Sierras and the best from California\u2019s Central Coast and Santa Barbara County. There are also gourmet appetizers from top local chefs, live music and a silent auction of fine wines, exotic super-sized-wine bottles including dozens of magnums, double magnums and\u00a0special luxury wine trips will raise money for The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County<\/a>. It all takes place on\u00a0<\/i>Friday, July 17, from 6:30-9 p.m. and is\u00a0limited to just 500 ticket holders.<\/p>\n

\"Courtesy

Courtesy California Wine Festival<\/p><\/div>\n

The finale of the festivities is the \u201cBeachside Food & Wine Fest\u201d on\u00a0Saturday, July 18, from 1-4 p.m., when\u00a0thousands of wine lovers pour into Santa Barbara\u2019s sun-splashed beachside location\u00a0for a day of sun, sea, wine, food and music. Hundreds of premium California wines are served up along with the best of the regional microbreweries, local top chefs, food purveyors and vendors of all things related to wine. VIP entry at is at noon, and\u00a0new this year is an expanded\u00a0\u00a0VIP Pavilion sponsored by\u00a0Santa Barbara Public Market<\/a><\/span>\u00a0and features\u00a0public market vendors\u00a0Belcampo Meat<\/a>, Green Star Coffee, Foragers Pantry, I\u2019a Fish Market & Cafe, Crazy Good Bread, Empty Bowl Noodle Bar, Flag Stone Pantry, Il Fustino<\/a> and Rori\u2019s Ice Cream<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Print-at-home tickets are available on the Festival website:\u00a0californiawinefestival.com<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Photo

Bacon and Barrels. Photo by Jeremy Ball\/Bottle Branding<\/p><\/div>\n

Also back in town next weekend is Bacon & Barrels<\/strong>, which moves to Buttonwood Farm<\/a> this year.\u00a0Named \u201cTop Bacon Festival in the U.S.\u201d by A Luxury Blog, and \u201cTop 5 California Festival\u201d by The Huffington Post, the three-day\u00a0event is a must-attend for\u00a0bacon obsessed foodies and those who prefer their drinks from a barrel.<\/p>\n

Attendees will savor creative bacon dishes, and libations surrounded by the farm\u2019s bounty of olives, pomegranates, peaches, herbs, and summer vegetables. The event kicks off with a\u00a0Midsummer Night\u2019s Bacon Dream Dinner at Buttonwood Farm on July 17, where\u00a0attendees are treated to a four-course all pork dinner paired with Buttonwood Farm Wines. \u00a0The Grand Tasting at Buttonwood Farm will take place July 18 and will feature chef and mixologist demonstrations as well as access to tastings featuring leading winemakers, small production distilleries, craft breweries, artisan food purveyors and the sounds of Moonshiner Collective.\u00a0Purchase tickets or get more information at http:\/\/www.baconandbarrels.com\/tickets.<\/a><\/p>\n

Cheers!<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> for more cocktail corner columns. Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine<\/em><\/a> on July 10, 2015.<\/p>\n

\"Leslie<\/a>When she\u2019s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS<\/a>, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg<\/a>\u00a0writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a \u201cgoal-oriented drinker.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

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