A couple of weeks ago, an ex-mormon, an ex-pro snowboarder, a man of mystery known as The Conspirator, and a group of 40 or so of their peers gathered at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Solvang, CA. You may wonder what would bring this diverse cast of characters together under one roof? Wine, of course. [...]
One of my absolute favorite things about the Garagiste Festivals is the opportunity to discover new wines and meet the incredibly gifted people who make them. Even with a few Garagiste Festivals under my belt, I'm always amazed by how much new, little-known wine talent shows up at each event to share the fruits of their labor - some [...]
Oftentimes when I visit a winery, I find that I enjoy meeting the people involved in making the wine just as much as I enjoy the wine itself. Such was the case when I visited Larner Vineyard & Winery in Los Olivos, CA. I'm fascinated by the winemaking process and am always excited when I get [...]
Lovers of artisanal, local food & wine in Santa Barbara recently had their prayers answered with the opening of the Santa Barbara Public Market. From the outside, the large yet unassuming building that houses the Santa Barbara Public Market (a former Vons grocery store) could easily be missed. However, inside lies a bright, clean, modern [...]
One of my favorite new wineries is actually not new at all. Established in 1978, Babcock Winery & Vineyards in Lompoc, CA has a rich history in the Santa Ynez Valley and is one of the best producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir around. Back in 1978, Mona & Walter Babcock purchased a 110 acre property on [...]
In what was once an old, rundown industrial area just west of Santa Barbara's bustling shopping district, the Funk Zone has emerged as a hub of unique art, culture, food & artisan wine. In my opinion, it's one of the best things to happen to Santa Barbara in a long time. With a number of shops, galleries, [...]
Last weekend, some of the finest local, small production wine making talent around gathered at the Veterans Memorial Building in Solvang, CA for the 2nd annual "Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure". This year, a Grand Tasting was held on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon, with a different lineup each day. With 60 wineries pouring over the [...]
As far as wine festivals go, there's nothing quite like the annual Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles. For the last 3 years, super small lot winemakers have descended upon Paso Robles to share the fruits of their labor with crowds of excited wine lovers. These festivals provide a rare opportunity for wine enthusiasts to taste [...]
I've known about the Lompoc Wine Ghetto for ages, but for some reason, I never had a strong desire to visit. I had a preconceived notion that it was an easy access, multiple tasting room destination that catered to those who prefer quantity over quality. After visiting for the first time this weekend, I could [...]
Every time I head up to Los Olivos, CA, I feel like the town just gets better and better. With every trip, I seem to uncover an incredible new wine or a fun, new place to grab a bite. This past weekend was certainly no exception. I decided to try the wines of Presqu'ile and [...]
Wine-ding Road 