Cold water, iced tea, and protein bars weren’t the only refreshments awaiting hikers at the summit of their uphill journey through Alma Rosa Winery’s 628-acre property, during the estate’s second annual fundraiser hike—Peace of Mind: 10,000 Steps in the Right Direction.
While participants had wine tastings to look forward to at both the halfway point and the end of their 4.5-mile trek, they were cautioned that the event wouldn’t be “a walk in the park,” said the winery’s general manager, Debra Eagle.
“We had to communicate that clearly with people, it wasn’t going to be flatland. They’d have to come and have some physical stamina,” Eagle said. “You’re not just walking around an oval at a high school track or something.
“There’s literally a lot of ground to cover, but I think people were really excited,” added Eagle, before commenting on the unique, panoramic views of the property, which is situated on the north-facing slopes of the Santa Rosa Hills.
“Those views aren’t generally available if you drive down the road and visit other wineries—the tasting rooms are on the valley floor, you’re not getting up into the hills the way you can from our property,” Eagle said. “Our furthest vineyard’s about 800 feet in elevation.”
Sweeping views and sparkling wine (Alma Rosa’s 2018 estate sparkling brut, to be precise) aside, the real incentive for hikers to take part in the 2021 Peace of Mind fundraiser was the chance to hike for a great cause—or two. Proceeds of this year’s event, which took place at the end of July, were dispersed between two beneficiaries—One Mind and the Mental Wellness Center—in support of both organizations’ dedication to mental health awareness.
“The funds raised from the event will make a significant difference in the fight against anxiety and depression in our local community and beyond,” Alma Rosa Winery’s co-owner, Bob Zorich, said in press materials.
Of the $177,896 in proceeds raised during this year’s event, $70,000 came from matching funds contributed by Zorich and his wife and winery co-owner, Barb.
“Bob’s work is very involved in supporting mental health organizations around the country,” Eagle said of Zorich, who currently serves as the chairman of the Hope and Healing Center and Institute in Houston.
Zorich and his wife have been Alma Rosa’s owners since 2014, about a decade after the estate was founded by its original owner, Richard Sanford, aka “the godfather of Santa Barbara pinot noir.”
Sanford’s name alone was one of the big draws for Eagle, who moved from the Napa Valley to the Central Coast in 2018 to join the Alma Rosa team as its general manager.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work for two very well-known pioneers in the industry—Robert Mondavi and Bill Harlan. And Richard Sanford is one of the last remaining California wine pioneers,” Eagle said.
Although he’s no longer the estate’s owner, Sanford, widely known as the first vintner to plant pinot noir in the Sta. Rita Hills in 1971, was present during the Peace of Mind fundraiser’s closing reception, where he casually chatted with participants who had just returned from the hike.
The reception took place at Alma Rosa Winery’s historic ranch house, where winemaker Samra Morris was on hand treating guests to pours of her latest releases, including grenache rosé and chardonnay. Near the end of August, Morris released a new line of 2019 pinot noir, which is available to taste at the Alma Rosa tasting room on Industrial Way in Buellton.
Come October though, the tasting room is moving to a brand new location on Mission Drive in downtown Solvang.
“It hasn’t been an easy decision. We have a beautiful tasting room on Industrial Way. But we wanted to get into an area with high traffic,” Eagle said. “We’ll be in the heart of Solvang.”
No matter which urban street the tasting room moves to though, guests aren’t likely to find the same kind of foot traffic they might have encountered at Alma Rosa’s estate, where the big hike took place, Eagle explained.
“There is a fair amount of wildlife on our property. We’ve got at least three bobcats, and one mountain lion, and snakes,” said Eagle, who recommended that hikers not wander far from the trail during the fundraiser. “I didn’t want to be responsible for somebody running into a mountain lion, or a boar.”
Stay on track with Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 26 – Sep 2, 2021.