All it took was one Facebook post to announce that William James Cellars was opening its Orcutt tasting room’s doors on Jan. 23, and the people came flooding in.
Formerly located in Santa Ynez, William James owner Robin Bouge has built up a small following over the years. Prior to moving, she set up shop in Santa Maria for a few months before landing in Orcutt. Although she’s had a tasting room for almost three years, Bouge was constantly keeping her eye out for a space in Orcutt.
“I was waiting for a spot in Orcutt and quickly jumped at the chance to relocate,” Bouge said.
Her tasting room is slightly larger than the one she had in Santa Ynez, but the new one is shaped more like a square than a rectangle and the bar is an L-shape, which Bouge added her own custom-made extension to. At least 21 people can belly up, glass in hand, and there’s the potential for upping that capacity, since Bouge has more bar stools on order.
Bouge describes the interior as “eclectic mission” decorated with Spanish and Western cowgirl prints, varnished wood, and William James-brand wines, of course.
“I think it represents who I am—a little bit of everything,” Bouge said.
And her taste in alcoholic beverages reflects this sentiment as well. Besides pouring wine, Bouge experiments with beer, wine blends, and wine-based cocktails. The menu includes a selection of margaritas and “WineTinis,” like the CumberTini made with sauvignon blanc, white grape juice, cucumber, and thyme. Bouge also has a small refrigerator of sample home-brewed, not-too-hoppy beers—although they’re not for sale—she offers to guests who aren’t fans of wine. She’s exploring the possibility of selling beer, as she’s been a home brewer for longer than she has been a winemaker. She hinted at the possibility of starting her own line of bourbon, too.
For now, though, it’s all about the wine. Bouge has what she considers a nice portfolio of wines representing Santa Barbara County, including sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, grenache, pinot noir, syrah, and sangiovese. Bottle prices range from $16 to $35. The tasting room also offers wines by the glass from $6 to $10 and wine flights at $7 for three wines and $10 for 6 wines. Seasonal pairings cost $12.
Purchasing a bottle of wine may be an experience of itself, but Bouge said the tasting room is where the magic happens.
“Tasting rooms are all about people coming together,” Bouge said.
William James Cellars is located at 130 N. Broadway, Suite A, in Orcutt. The tasting room is open from 12 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 12 to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Call 478-9412 for more information or visit the website at williamjamescellars.com.
Biz Highlights
• CenCal Health, a nonprofit Santa Barbara-based health insurer, announced last week that it selected Lynda Tanner, RN, MSN, as its new board member. Tanner is the president and chief executive officer of Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care. As a board member, she is responsible for planning, coordinating, managing, and directing all of the nonprofit’s programs and activities. For more information, visit cencalhealth.org.
• The Lompoc Family YMCA is hosting the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Bureau Mixer on Feb. 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. The mixer is a networking event open to all members of the chamber. The YMCA in Lompoc is located at 201 West College Ave. To become a chamber member, call the chamber at 736-4567. To learn more about the event, call the Lompoc YMCA at 736-3483.
• The Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society hosts its first annual “Spay” Ghetti Dinner at St. Marks-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church on Friday, Feb. 20, at 5 p.m. The church is located at 2901 Nojoquio Ave. in Los Olivos. Tickets are now available to purchase at the Buellton Chamber of Commerce located at 111 Commerce Drive, or online at www.visitbuellton.com/calendar/. Tickets prices are donation-only. Sales end on Feb. 20. All proceeds benefit the animals staying at the Humane Society.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Feb 5-12, 2015.