New leadership is guiding Santa Barbara County’s wine industry into a dynamic direction, and pulling out all the stops to promote the region’s robust winemaking community. The annual Vintners Festival is no longer just a one-day event; this year, it’s been expanded to four days, April 10 through 13. “The vision for the weekend is […]
WENDY THIES SELL
Posted inFood & Drink
The Garagiste Festival in Solvang is ripe with Santa Barbara County’s cutting-edge wines
Much has been written about the joy of discovery. French physiologist Claude Bernard went as far as to say it’s “the liveliest that the mind of man can ever feel.” However, one doesn’t have to discover a new country or unearth a dinosaur fossil to sense that exhilaration. Such a thrill can be felt simply […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Wandering Dog Wine Bar’s ‘Friday Night Wines’ educate and titillate
A good wine is one you like; a bad wine is one you don’t. It’s that simple,” said Wandering Dog Wine Bar’s CT Williams, who has co-owned and operated the wine shop in Solvang with his parents and wife Jody since 2007. They sell boutique wines from the Central Coast and around the world, and […]
Posted inNews
The Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Association disbands
The vintners association that has represented and promoted wineries and vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley for a decade announced earlier this month that it will dissolve. The Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Association made the decision late last year after several roundtable discussions with members. It becomes official at the end of February. The […]
Posted inNews
The Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Association disbands
The vintners association that has represented and promoted wineries and vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley for a decade announced this week it will dissolve. The Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Association made the decision late last year after roundtable discussions with members. It becomes official at the end of February. Former board member Laura […]
Posted inFood & Drink
That’s amore!
For this column, I posed the same question to about a dozen local chefs and restaurateurs: “What is your idea of a romantic meal on Valentine’s Day?” What surprised me was that their answers were quite revealing. These multigenerational chefs are as different as can be, and yet, they have something in common, other than […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Pinot paradise: Bacara Resort & Spa in Goleta welcomes the World of Pinot Noir
For 13 years, pinot-philes have converged on the cliffs overlooking Shell Beach for the annual celebration called World of Pinot Noir—but not this year. That’s because organizers have decided to move the two-day event, held on Feb. 28 and March 1 this year, to coastal Santa Barbara County at the luxurious Bacara Resort & Spa. […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Heard it through the grapevine: The year kicks off with several changes in Santa Barbara County wine country
With the New Year come new partnerships in the Santa Barbara County wine industry. Longtime Santa Ynez Valley winemaker Andrew Murray has started leasing the former Curtis Winery estate vineyard, winery, production facility, and tasting room from the Firestone family. Murray began his winemaking career 24 years ago, focusing primarily on the production of small-lot […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Dinner with the Chefs: A deliciously different experience debuts at Lido restaurant in Pismo Beach
From a culinary point of view, the rest of 2014 has the nearly impossible task of living up to the dinner I enjoyed on the first day of the year—an incredible three-and-a-half hour, 13-course feast. The fine folks at the dazzling Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa in Pismo Beach invited me and my husband, and […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Miró restaurant brings in world-renowned wine and spirits experts for monthly dinner
Bacara Resort and Spa on Santa Barbara County’s Gaviota Coast is debuting an extraordinary new dinner series called “Meet the Masters” the third Thursday of every month. This is a rare opportunity to break bread with, and pick the brains of, true geniuses in the fields of wine and spirits during an exclusive multi-course dinner […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Industrial Eats: Buellton’s newest combines a craft butcher shop and fine food in a chic, utilitarian setting
Locals and tourists-in-the-know looking for craft beer, fine wine, and small-batch bourbon and vodka, head down Industrial Way in Buellton to the industrial park that is home to Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company, Avant Tapas and Wine, and Ascendant Spirits. In mid-December, a new neighbor opened shop, bringing excellent food and a chic space that fits […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Ring in 2014 with Restaurant Month
Dine on special three-course meals in Santa Maria, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo County
January is the most delicious month of the year—it’s California Restaurant Month, a special time to “Splurge, Savor, and Save” in practically every major city in the state. It’s a promotion created by Visit California to support the state’s position as the top culinary destination in the nation. Go to DineinCA.com for a list of […]