Cimarone Estate Wines, a Santa Ynez Valley winery, announces the grand opening of its tasting room in Los Olivos.

The grand opening party will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. this Thursday, Aug. 30, in conjunction with Cabernet Day. A portion of the proceeds from the party will benefit The Valley Foundation, a local charitable organization.

“Our Three Creek Vineyard was established in 2001 with 26 acres planted to wine grapes,” co-owner Roger Higgins said.

The first Cimarone wine was released in 2008 with the 2006 vintage. Cimarone specializes in Bordeaux-style red blends, Sauvignon Blanc and Sangiovese handcrafted from the estate vineyard. Production is small, about 3,000 cases annually, with premium wines sold under the Cimarone label and more approachable, everyday wines sold under the 3CV label.

“Happy Canyon is the warmest AVA (American Viticultural Area) in the Santa Ynez Valley, and it’s ideally suited for Bordeaux and Rhone varietal wines,” Higgins said. “We’re the first Happy Canyon winery to open a tasting room in Los Olivos.”

“We are delighted to bring our Bordeaux-style wines to Los Olivos and will use the opportunity to donate 10 percent of wines sales from our grand opening to The Valley Foundation, “ co-owner Priscilla Higgins said. “I’ve worked with the organization for years and have seen its positive effects on members of our community first-hand.”

The local nonprofit is dedicated to “… programs that feed the poor, promote health, nurture seniors, challenge our youth and inspire the community to make a difference.”

Scheduling the grand opening on Cabernet Day allows Silicon Valley veterans Roger and Priscilla Higgins to indulge in two of their passions simultaneously: Cabernet-style wines and high-tech. Cabernet Day participants are encouraged to tweet about the Cabernet-based wines they’re enjoying and/or post about them on other social media such as Facebook.

The Cimarone and 3CV Wines tasting room is located at 2982 Grand Ave. in Los Olivos. The grand opening will include wine tasting, new releases and library wines. For more information, call 805.688.8011.

— Julie Farrell represents Cimarone Estate Wines.