Celebration of Harvest Festival

Santa Barbara Vintners 
Celebration of Harvest - Grand Tasting

The Grand Tasting at the Old Mission Santa Inés in Solvang on Saturday, October 11th, was the best part of the four day Celebration of Harvest Weekend. Special harvest events took place throughout Santa Barbara County. We went to the Santa Barbara Wine Seminar before the Grand Tasting.

Obligatory shot of a Solvang Windmill.

(Not shown, but more fun is the Solvang Brewing Company next door.)

We stayed at the basic, but convenient, Hamlet Inn nearby in Solvang. It was a very easy walk east on Mission Drive to get to the festival area.  

Mission Drive walk past Eco Wine Furniture.

Industrial Eats

On Friday night we had dinner at Industrial Eats in Buellton and then a Valhalla IPA nightcap across the street at the Solvang Brewing Company. 

Valhalla IPA

Paula's Pancakes

Paula's Pancakes provided a good start on Saturday morning with a filling breakfast. And Saturday night we had a fabulous dinner at the Succulent Café.

The Grand Tasting grounds at the Old Mission Santa Inés provided a nice area for wine & food, music and fun. I targeted 40 wineries to visit out of the 122 wineries pouring wine at the tasting. It's always good to set a goal, but with the added fun conversation, meeting new people, and a nice musical detour I only made it to 20 wineries. And all of them were very good!

Lots of good deals at the Silent Auction.

WINE

Longoria Wines
A Pinot Noir and bordeaux blend--both very good.
2012 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Fe Ciega
2012 Blues Cuvée, Red Wine, Santa Barbara County A red blend with an emphasis on the Cabernet Franc grape plus other Bordeaux grape varietals and some Syrah.

Lafond Winery & Vineyards
It's so good they are tasting it themselves!
2012 Riesling, Sta. Rita Hills
2011 Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills, LaFond Vineyard
2012 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, LaFond Vineyard
2011 Syrah, Sta. Rita Hills

Larner Vineyard & Winery
Excellent wines with impressive geological props.
2012 Rosé, Ballard Canyon
2010 Grenache, Santa Ynez Valley
2009 Elemental GSM
2010 Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley

This Pop Up Seminar by Michael Larner featured more of his great wines.

La Montagne
This was a surprisingly good, new winery to me.  I thought their wines were fantastic! My favorite was the 2012 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Buona Terra Vineyard.
2012 Pinot Blanc, Santa Barbara County, Sierra Madre Vineyard
2013 Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills, Huber Vineyard
2011 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, Sierra Madre, Clone 667
2012 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Buona Terra Vineyard
2012 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, John Sebastiano

Silver Wines
Some of my favorites are from this small production winery. We bought a bottle of the 2009 Pinot Noir.
2010 El Ojo Blanco Cuvée Uno, Santa Barbara County (This stainless Viognier was originally $18, but it was on sale for $10.00, a great deal for Viognier fans!)
2011 Chardonnay
2009 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County
2009 Saviezza (90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon)
2009 Syrah, Santa Barbara County
Silver Fifty Cask Tawny Dessert Wine

Sunstone Vineyards & Winery
This winery was a good one to start off with.  The Grenache Rosé, a style I hadn't tasted much, was surprisingly good! 
2013 Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley
2013 Grenache Rosé, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, El Camino Real Vineyard
2012 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley, Goodchild Vineyard, High Nine Block
2011 Merlot, Santa Ynez Valley

Tantara
Love Tantara Pinot Noir wines!
2012 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley

Tercero Wines
Terecero always seems to be one of the busier wine booths at any festival. I eventually got close enough to taste some of these great wines.
2013 Verbiage Blanc
2013 The Outlier
2013 Mourvedre
2013 Grenache - Larner Vineyard
2013 Syrah - Larner Vineyard

Getting customer feedback...
'Pour Me Your Best Wine'
'Pour Me Your Most Popular Wine'
'I Don’t Enjoy Whites'
'I Don’t Drink Rosé'

Sevtap Winery
Really, really wanna zigazig ah? Then try the cab! 
Both were very good.
2012 Pillow Talk Petit Verdot
2012 Zig-a-zig-ah Cabernet Sauvignon

Byron
All great, but I liked the Pinot Noir best.
2012 Pinot Blanc, Santa Maria Valley
2012 Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley
2011 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley

Casa Dumetz
Great white wines and a nice GSM from Sonja Magdevski.
2013 Roussanne, Santa Ynez Valley, La Presa Vineyard
2013 Viognier, Santa Ynez Valley
2013 GSM, Santa Ynez Valley

Margerum Wine Company
This booth was so popular I had to use the drone to get close! How about some M5, Doug?
Barden Pinot Noir
Amaro Fortified Wine

Palmina
2013 Malvasia Bianca, Santa Ynez Valley

Brewer - Clifton
2012 Machado Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills

Dierberg & Star Lane Winery
2013 Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc
2011 Dierberg Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley 
2011 Dierberg Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Drum Canyon Vineyard
2009 Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignonl, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
2010 Star Lane Astral, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara

Grassini Family Vineyards
My favorites are the Cabernet Sauvignon and the "Articondo" blend.
2011 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 "Articondo" Bordeaux Blend
2013 Estate "Happy Canyon" Sauvignon Blanc

Cinque Stelle Winery
The Rosé of Syrah and Pinot Noir were my favorites.
2012 Rosé of Syrah (Named after the winemaker's dog "TUG")
2012 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Burning Creek Vineyard
2012 Pinot Grigio, Santa Ynez Valley, C5 Vineyard 

Which way did they go? A TUG fan demonstrating the decorative doggy pour-spout.

Whitcraft Winery 
I really liked both Pinot Noir wines.
2013 Pence Ranch Chardonnay
2013 Presqu'ile Vineyard Chardonnay
2013 Pence Ranch "Pommard Clone" Pinot Noir
2013 Pence Ranch "Mt Eden Clone" Pinot Noir (pictured above)
2012 Clover Creek Syrah

Cottonwood Canyon
A real classic!
2009 Bistro Classic Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley

Cold Heaven Cellars
I'm a fan of this Pinot!
2010 Makepeace Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County

 Ice Cold Heaven Cellars!

& FOOD

New West Catering/Industrial Eats served a decorative polenta plate. My plate was especially light!

The Willows served an excellent Tuna Tartare.

The Tuna Tartare had sashimi grade tuna, mango, grapefruit, avocado, chili oil, wonton chip and cilantro micro greens.

The Willows chef was happy!

Pasión Comida Mexicana from Orcutt served a very tasty Crab Fideo. That they recommended with the Margerum Sauvignon Blanc (D Sauvignon Blanc or Sybarite?).

Starting Gate Restaurant at Santa Ynez Valley Marriott served some awesome looking carne asada and chicken tacos. This one looks like a custom plate.

MUSIC

Donna Greene, known for her feisty blues, smokey jazz and down and dirty R&B, entertained the crowd along with The Roadhouse Daddies.  Watch the video of Donna singing “A Girl’s Gotta Have a Little Pleasure” by CLICKING HERE (plus a surprise appearance of a well-known Santa Barabara wine photographer at 01:14).

 PLUS FUN

Byron fans.

Wine expert and technology evangelist dynamic duo.

A girl's gotta have a little pleasure!  A girl's gotta have a little fun!

A great place to have a bachelorette party!

For a small donation I picked up a Petit Verdot 02FG / 5BB grapevine (Vintage Nurseries) from this student in the Allan Hancock College Agribusiness program.

The people in the bright green shirts, like Erik Siering, made it happen!

AND PURCHASES

It was great that 24 wineries offered their wines for sale at the festival! I can understand the value in buying something you've just sampled that may not be distributed elsewhere. Now all I need is one of those Costco-sized shopping carts!  (With a wineglass holder.)

CHEERS!

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