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. [...]
I've said it before and will enthusiastically say it again. As far as wine festivals go, nothing compares to the California Garagiste Festivals. From Paso Robles to Solvang to Los Angeles, the Garagiste Festivals have introduced me to some of the best wines I've ever had and have given me an opportunity to meet the [...]
With the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure just around the corner, I thought it was the perfect time to write about one of my favorite new Garagiste winemakers, Cholame Vineyard. Cholame (pronounced "Sho-Lamb") doesn't have a tasting room, so you have to catch them at festivals such as the Garagiste Festival, at local wine events, or [...]
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 [...]
Last time I visited Law Estate Wines, it was more of a construction site than a finished project. This past weekend, I visited the winery again in its completed form and was utterly blown away. From the friendly and personal attention of the staff to the breathtaking architecture to the incredible wines, Law Estate is beyond [...]
I've noticed a trend recently of winemakers using a very minimalist approach to their craft. By selecting the best grapes from specific vineyard sites, using wild yeasts, and remaining as non-interventionist as possible, they're allowing the fruit to express itself in an honest, unique way. An excellent example of this sort of wine making is [...]
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 [...]
Last weekend, some of the finest winemaking talent around gathered in Paso Robles to celebrate the 3rd annual Garagiste Festival. Dedicated solely to showcasing small production wines handcrafted by talented and uber-creative artisan wine makers, the annual Paso Robles Garagiste Festival has become my favorite wine event hands-down. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to [...]
* UPDATE 8/13: CLOSED. The tasting room is now owned by J Dusi Wines I've wanted to try Edward Sellers' wines for years. It was always on my list, however because the tasting room was located in downtown Paso Robles, it usually ended up at the bottom as a last place to visit before dinner. [...]
Wine-ding Road 