Before the American West turned notoriously wild, Franciscan padres from Spain set up shop on some of the region’s finest real estate. In addition to building dams and irrigation ditches, they planted vast vegetable gardens, olive groves, and, of course, hundreds of acres of grapevines for making both sacramental and everyday wine.
These so-called mission grapes (actually Listan Prieto, an obscure Spanish variety used for making sherry) arrived in North America around 1695 when a Jesuit priest planted them at the San Javier mission in Baja California. In 1769, Father Junipero Serra, a Franciscan, stuck a batch of cuttings into the ground at the mission in San Diego, and proceeded to establish vineyards at eight more missions along the California coast.
These hardy, pink-skinned grapes reached San Luis Obispo in 1772, Santa Barbara in 1786, and Lompoc’s La Purisima mission one year later. In 1804, Father Tapis dedicated the mission Santa Ines, planted grapevines, and inadvertently launched the industry that distinguishes the Santa Ynez Valley today.
The mission denizens raised oxen and draft horses to help turn grist mills and plow fields. For transportation and to haul goods over rough trails, they relied upon horse-drawn stagecoaches and freight wagons, sturdy vehicles that carried everything from people to potatoes to precious casks of wine.
Celebrating the rich local history of both wagons and wine, the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum presents “A Bit of the West that Was” from April 2 to 5, featuring a series of symposia, demonstrations, and evening receptions. Speakers share their knowledge of and enthusiasm for the rugged, horse-drawn vehicles that powered the growth of the American West.
On April 4, the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum hosts a gala Western-style dinner and dance in the museum’s courtyard. Here, among an amazing collection of 35 different vintage carts, carriages, wagons, and stagecoaches, twinkle lights and long tables set the mood for a memorable evening.
“The meal is an upscale western barbecue,” said Chris Bashforth, executive director of the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum, “and we’re featuring local wines from the members of Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country.”
Red wines on the roster include Sunstone Vineyards Merlot and Arthur Earl Zinfandel, as well as Grenache, Syrah, and Chardonnay from Bridlewood Winery. White wine lovers can sip Rideau Winery Lagniappe (a Rhone blend with a touch of Chardonnay) or Sauvignon Blanc from Buttonwood Farm Winery.
“This is a fundraiser for the Parks-Janeway Carriage House,” Bashforth explained, “so we’ll be selling wine by the glass.
“For the dance,” she added, “we have the band Last Call. They’re a country western band, but they do a lot of crossover, too, and they’re really fun to dance to!”
John Aspra, proprietor of Epicurean Cowboy Catering, will provide a mouthwatering spread of what he calls “soul food of the great outdoors.”
“I think ‘fine-dining barbecue’ is an oxymoron,” Aspra laughed, “but we’re not a tri-tip-and-chicken company. We try to separate ourselves from that. We try to use locally grown vegetables, fresh herbs, and grass-fed California beef.
“We grill over mesquite,” he continued. “I love red oak, but it’s too oily and you need a truckload to get the heat. Plus, I feel bad about burning majestic red oaks. Mesquite is easy to get, burns fast and hot, and has a completely different flavor.”
On the menu for Saturday night are appetizers, such as bruscetta topped with Asiago cheese, roma tomatoes, fresh basil, and aged balsamic vinegar, and Cowboy Quesadillas, constructed from homemade tortillas, roasted chiles, chipotle mango, cilantro, and assorted Mexican and Mediterranean cheeses.
“The main course is choice grade, grass-fed, New York strip,” Aspra said, “and cedar planked, wild caught Coho salmon, dry rubbed with brown sugar, dark roast coffee, cumin, and Hawaiian pink salt.
“Salts are hip nowadays,” he added, “and the pink salt has a very distinctive flavor that goes really well with salmon.”
Sides include a medley of roasted, organic root vegetables (from red, white, and blue creamer potatoes to caramelized fennel), grilled purple asparagus, classic Caesar salad, and Aspra’s signature Roman toast: toasted ciabatta bread drizzled with lots of butter.
“For dessert, we do a wonderful chili pecan fudge bar,” Aspra said. “They’re fabulous. You could eat your weight in them. They’re made with honey, and kind of like a hard baklava, and they pair perfectly with a fat, comparable wine, like a big Cabernet.”
On April 5, find out what it was like to travel in a horse-drawn stagecoach as the museum offers rides through the historic Chamberlin Ranch, near Los Olivos. Though the coaches won’t transport any wine, 21st century imbibers will surely appreciate what those early vintages went through, and find new praise for today’s smooth highways and modern suspension. m
K. Reka Badger appreciates what any vintage goes through. E-mail comments or ideas to rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Apr 2-9, 2009.
