SB County Wines Future Tasting Moved to August 10

More than 50 of the hottest local wineries will gather for an exclusive tasting where participants have the rare opportunity to be among the first to taste and purchase the 2012 vintage wines prior to release at a 20% discount off standard retail price. The Santa Barbara County Wine Futures Tasting will shine a light on the emerging local wine area and allow consumers and trade to secure allocations of the most dynamic and relevant producers of the region. To date, participating wineries include Au Bon Climat, Qupe, The Ojai Vineyard, as well as recent standout projects Sandhi and Tyler Winery. The event will follow Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant’s highly anticipated debut in July. Tickets for Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant’s Santa Barbara County Wine Futures Tasting are $70 for General Admission and should be purchased in advance at www.lesmarchands-sb.eventbrite.com or www.lesmarchandswine.com. Event hours are from 11a.m. to 5 p.m.

In years past, the Wine Cask made the Santa Barbara County Wine Futures Tasting one of the premiere tasting events in the country. Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant aims to build upon the foundation that Doug Margerum and his team laid down and continue to grow the event in scope and importance.

The Santa Barbara County Wine Futures Tasting exists to raise awareness of the pedigree and diversity of our local terroir. Santa Barbara County is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting regions in the country to make wine. Prominent figures in the industry from around the world are recognizing the tremendous potential of the inlying appellations: Santa Rita Hills, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Happy Canyon. The unique soil and climatic conditions of this coastal hamlet are inspiring ambitious new wine projects. Les Marchands intends to spotlight the small, hidden gem producers while still paying homage to the pioneering wineries that paved the way.

About Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant

Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant is a labor of love between two sommeliers whose wine trips to Paris and Burgundy have inspired a fresh and dynamic vision for retail, dining, and education. Translated as ‘the merchants’ or ‘the shopkeepers,’ Les Marchands managing partners Brian McClintic and Eric Railsback are eager to create an environment where intimate product knowledge meets intimate guest interaction. The great wine merchants they’ve come across distinguish themselves by seeking out quality-conscious producers, back vintage bottlings, and rare cuvees not typically seen on the open market. Les Marchands’ import selections are Eurocentric, representing the most relevant producers in France, Italy, Austria, Germany, and beyond. On the domestic side, the focus relies heavily on local producers who are shaping and redefining the region.

Les Marchand’s commitment to sourcing out the finest products starts in the cellar and spills over into the kitchen. It is the belief that when quality meets execution the simplest dishes aspire to greatness. Share some mainstays from their cheese and charcuterie program, such as Point Reyes Toma and Jamon Iberico. Customers can drop in and enjoy seasonal offerings including fresh oysters, pickled cornichons, and fennel arugula salad.

About Brian McClintic

Brian brings 15 years of hospitality experience with him to Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant, a career spanning the major restaurant hubs of Los Angeles, Aspen, San Francisco, and now Santa Barbara. McClintic was one of four subjects featured in the acclaimed documentary SOMM, which chronicled his journey to the elusive Master Sommelier title — becoming the 107th individual in the U.S. to attain this honor. SOMM, distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films, opened on June 21, 2013, receiving rave reviews by the public and film critics. In addition to Les Marchands, Brian, and business partner Eric Railsback, have teamed up on a Santa Barbara Syrah project called Vallin, along with local winemaker Justin Willett and fellow Master Sommelier Dustin Wilson.

About Eric Railsback

Eric’s emergence in the wine industry began taking shape in Santa Barbara nearly a decade ago. After stints at the Wine Cask and the Hungry Cat, Railsback furthered his exposure to different regions and producers at Osteria Mozza and running the wine program at Gordon Ramsey in Los Angeles. Eric has a strong connection to the wines of Burgundy. Fluent in French and working harvests all over Europe, Eric brought his talents to Michael Mina’s RN74 – a premiere Burgundy-inspired restaurant in San Francisco. There, he led a team of sommeliers for over three years before bringing it back full circle to Santa Barbara with the opening of Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant.