Santa Barbara Wine Week’s Second Vintage

Santa Barbara Wine Week’s
Second Vintage

Seven Days of $10 Glasses from
More than One Dozen Establishments

By Matt Kettmann | May 2, 2024

Whatever the root causes, there’s no denying that it’s pricier than ever to enjoy a night out on the town. Meanwhile, rents are skyrocketing, hotel stays are through the roof, and gas can’t seem to dip below $5 per gallon. 

But one thing remains the same bargain that it was last year: just $10 for a glass of wine during Santa Barbara Wine Week!

In this second annual iteration of our week-long deal, the Santa Barbara Independent enlisted more than one dozen establishments from the Funk Zone to the Santa Ynez Valley to pour a wide range of bottlings from May 2 to 8. That’s not quite the nearly three dozen partners we offered in our inaugural promotion, but it’s still more glasses of wine than most people can handle in a given week.

We detail this year’s offerings below, and also present two additional articles. The first is about the career arc of Chris Hammell at Bien Nacido Vineyard, and what his departure after nearly 25 years there tells us about the greater Santa Barbara County wine business. And the second, which was originally published in my Full Belly Files newsletter last month, is about why now is the time to support Santa Barbara County tasting rooms, as visitation numbers continue to struggle. 

Enjoy your sips!

Who’s Pouring for
Wine Week 2024

Au Bon Climat:
Mondeuse Rosé, Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc, G-15 Valdiguié

One of the most important brands in the history of California wine, Au Bon Climat was created back in 1982 by the late Jim Clendenen and continues to craft a massive range of taste-making wines under both Au Bon Climat and Clendenen Family Wines. Now run by the second generation of Isabelle and Knox Alexander Clendenen, their El Paseo outpost is pouring three wines: the crisp mondeuse rosé; the mineral-driven pinot gris/pinot blanc white blend; and the vibrant, complex, maraschino-cherry-laced G-15 valdiguié. “It’s a curated collection from both of our labels, perfectly suited for the upcoming summer season,” said tasting room manager Wiktoria Marroquin. 

813 Anacapa St., Ste. 5B; aubonclimat.com; @aubonclimat

Dusk Bar:
Buttonwood Rosé 

“Not only is Buttonwood Winery and Vineyard a companion venture to Dusk, it also produces some of the best wine in the Santa Ynez Valley,” said Michael Wiggins of Dusk, the State Street bar on the bottom floor of the Drift Hotel, whose co-owners purchased Buttonwood last year. This 2022 syrah-based rosé is dry and full of summer fruit notes, and it’s great with spicy fare or by itself on the patio. 

524 State St.; drifthotels.co/santabarbara/eat-drink; @duskbarsb

Buttonwood Farm & Vineyards, 1500 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang; buttonwoodwinery.com; @ButtonwoodWinery

Eureka!:
Clayhouse Cab & Tarrica Pinot Gris 

This creative burger joint on the backside of Paseo Nuevo doesn’t just sell craft brews and intriguing bourbons. Wine is always on the menu, and very few things pair better than a juicy burger and a big red. They’re pouring two wines this week: the Clayhouse cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles and the Tarrica pinot gris, also from Paso Robles. Manager Milton Carrillo suggested ordering the Clayhouse with any of their burgers or, for the health-conscious, perhaps the steak salad.

601 Paseo Nuevo; eurekarestaurantgroup.com; @eatdrinkeureka

Fess Parker Winery:
Epiphany Rosé

One of the pioneering properties for Santa Barbara County, Fess Parker Winery makes a lot of wines, from pinot noir and chardonnay grown in the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley to the Rhône wines under the Epiphany label, many of which they grow on their own property. “The grenache for this rosé comes from Rodney’s Vineyard, the estate vineyard on the Fess Parker Home Ranch,” said Greer Shull, the director of marketing. She’s proud that the wine is SIP Certified, which is a third-party designation for “Sustainable in Practice.”

116 E. Yanonali St., Ste. A; fessparker.com; @fessparkerwinery 

Gala:
Alamati Riesling

Santa Barbara native Tara Penke, who opened Gala last year after successfully running restaurants in Barcelona for years, is extremely excited to get Alamati’s “Goldie” dry riesling from the 2021 vintages into people’s hands. “Goldie is lean and aromatic with tasting notes of lemon peel, jasmine, and melon,” explained Penke, who’d pair it with Gala’s halibut crudo, Hope Ranch mussels, or baby kale salad with truffle soy vinaigrette. “We wanted to highlight a small, new, and exciting winery like Alamati.”

705 Anacapa St.; galasb.com; @galarestaurantsb

Good Land Wine Shop:
Field Recordings Rosé 

Doug Trantow opened one of the first new wine shops in years back in 2022 and is hosting a steady series of Tuesday wine tastings that bring celebrated winemakers down to his shop near where Highway 154 runs into State Street. A blend of 95 percent grenache and 5 percent marselan — a French hybrid of grenache and cabernet sauvignon — this “Soft Eyes Rosé” by Field Recordings from the brand’s So Far Out series “is a beautiful organic wine,” said Trantow. “The nose is bursting with the scent of fresh strawberries, and the palate tastes of tangy raspberry and cranberry with a hint of lemon zest.”

4177 State St.; goodlandwineshop.com; @good_land_wine_shop

La Lieff Wines:
Alamo Creek Ranch Rosé 

Gretchen Lieff is proudly elevating the status of women in the wine industry at her tasting room in the Funk Zone. She’s pouring this grenache-based rosé from the 2020 vintage grown on her remote property off of Highway 166 just north of the county line in San Luis Obispo County. “This is a beautiful and fun rosé perfect for the springtime and summer,” said General Manager Torrey English. “It has wonderful notes of ripe strawberry, tropical flowers, and banana nectar.” 

210 Gray Ave.; lalieffwines.com; @lalieffwines 

Longoria:
Lovely Rita Pinot Noir, Matinee Rosé

This historic winery founded in 1982 by legend Richard Longoria was purchased two years ago by Brooke and Lindsey Christian, who promptly expanded to a stylish tasting room on State Street. They’re pouring the 2022 edition of Lovely Rita, the brand’s Sta. Rita Hills pinot noir. “The name is an homage to our home and favorite place on Earth for Pinot Noir,” said General Manager Brent Wilson. “It is also a wink toward our music aficionados, as it shares a name with a song by one of the most iconic bands of all time.” They’re also pouring their 2022 Matinee Rosé.

732 State St.; longoriawines.com; @longoriawines

Marriott S.Y.V.’s 555 Lounge & Bar:
Buttonwood Rosé 

One of the most recognizable, largest, and longest-standing hotels in the heart of Santa Barbara County wine country, the Marriott Santa Ynez Valley sits right off the 101 in Buellton. The 555 Lounge & Bar occupies the lobby area of the hotel and serves a variety of foods that can be prepared in five, 10, or 20 minutes. They’re pouring the Buttonwood Winery & Vineyard’s 2022 rosé, which smells of Red Delicious apple and strawberry and flavors of watermelon and nectarine with an appealing, food-friendly acidity.

One glass per person. 555 McMurray Rd., Buellton; marriott.com/sbasy; @syvmarriott

Margerum Wine Company:
Trois Blondes Rhône White

Doug Margerum’s Funk Zone–adjacent tasting room and mini-restaurant is actually serving four different glasses of $10 wine this week but wanted to focus on this 2021 Rhône white blend from the Los Olivos District. “This is a first-time bottling from our estate vineyard,” said tasting room manager Lisa Delanty. “It’s a direct result of how compelling a marsanne-dominant wine is when combined with roussanne and viognier. There is a potent combination matching the rich, vibrant textures of these grapes with aromatic delight.” She suggests pairing Trois Blondes with their salmon-on-cucumber appetizer or smoked salmon salad. Additionally, the tasting room will be pouring $10 glasses of 2021 Fonte, a blend of chardonnay, pinot gris, and pinot blanc; the 2022 Santa Barbara County grenache; and the 2022 Santa Barbara County syrah.

19 E. Mason St.; margerumwines.com; @margerumwines

Opal Restaurant & Bar:
Talley Estate Chardonnay 2021

This ever-popular restaurant next to the Arlington Theatre sports the most New York City bistro vibes out of any place in town. They’re serving this 2021 chardonnay from Talley Vineyards, a seminal property in the Arroyo Grande Valley. “This wine is a perennial favorite of many of our regular guests,” said owner Richard Yates. “Although it usually lacks any obvious or showy oak note in its taste profile, it has no lack of richness.” Because of that, he suggests it with Opal’s chicken piccata pasta, basil fettuccine with sauteed tiger shrimp in smoked mozzarella pesto cream sauce, seafood salads, and fish special of the night. 

Must be ordered with food. 1325 State St.; opalrestaurantandbar.com; @opal_sb

Pali Wine Co.:
Charm Acres Chardonnay 

Though Santa Barbara County is the focus — from its Lompoc winery to its longtime presence in the Funk Zone — Pali Wine Co. has always sourced grapes from elsewhere, including this 2018 chardonnay from Northern California. “This is a very bright wine,” said Marketing Manager Madison Steinberg. “Our Charm Acres is crafted from chardonnay grapes grown on premium vineyards on the Sonoma Coast in Sonoma County. It’s a very bright wine with Granny Smith apple, honeysuckle, white peach, and beeswax flavors as well as a touch of brioche.”

205 Anacapa St.; paliwineco.com; @paliwineco and @paliwineco_funkzone 

Tower 15:
Gamay Noir

Originally from the Beaujolais region of France, gamay noir is one of the hottest grapes right now. This 2022 Santa Barbara County bottling blends the Sta. Rita Hills estate vineyard of Pali Wine Co., which owns Tower 15, and Nolan Vineyard in Alisos Canyon. “Bold and nuanced, this vintage showcases the full potential of this grape varietal,” said Marketing Manager Madison Steinberg, noting that 20 percent was made in a carbonic style that brings a freshness to the wine. “Intense aromas of dark cherries, blackcurrants, and ripe strawberries are complemented by subtle hints of black pepper and clove.”

205 Anacapa St.; paliwineco.com; @paliwineco and @paliwineco_funkzone 

We Want the Funk

We Want the Funk’s owner Ted Ellis, who opened this Funk Zone space for shellfish, flatbread, and good vibes with his wife, Greer, in late 2022, comes from a wine background, so he’s got the pulse on the bottle scene from near and far. 

210 Gray Ave.; (805) 837-8584; wewantthefunksb.com

Yona Redz:
Red Wine Sangria

Jonathan “Yona” Estrada turned his Westside birria pop-up into this always bustling spot for quesabirria tacos, birria ramen, vampiros, mulitas, and much more Mexican cuisine on a nightclub-heavy block of State Street. He’s suggesting that guests use this red wine sangria to wash down their birria. 

532 State St.; yonaredz.com; @yona_redz