Whether you are a lover or hater of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, there’s no denying that the movers and shakers of the food and wine industry are taking over the four-block area by storm.
It seems like there is a new “something” popping up in the burgeoning neighborhood just about every other month, and each new place is as different as the next — each owner having his or her own fantastical stories of inspiration behind their brands.
And in that respect, DV8 Cellars is no different.
Owners Marc and Dominique Simon are lovers of the Formula One races hosted round the world.
However, after visiting Monaco for another dizzying fast-paced race and wine tour, the Simons became entranced by the Rhone varietal that is popular in the southern regions of France.
As like grew to love, they decided to create their own Rhone varietal with a Central California Coastal twist, to produce robust wines to mimic their memories of wine tasting in the south of France.
The tasting room is apropos of the neighborhood style, but the wines and the stories behind them are unique and worth the trek.
Since summer, and the heat that usually follows, has come so quickly this year, I recommend tasting their lighter wines, like the 2012 Viognier “Turn One.” The heavenly scented tropical bouquet will waft out of the glass as you bring it to your lips for a sip of the bright, floral, stone fruit varietal with just a hint of key lime.
Next, I recommend their popular rosé, Grenache “G-Force.” Sourced from Alamo Creek Vineyard and the ever-popular Saarloos Vineyard, this rosé veers from the usual delicate pink wines that have been cropping up in the other tasting rooms around town.
This rosé is very fruit-forward with a distinct strawberry and watermelon profile and a long rewarding finish.
The tasting room is located at 28 Anacapa St., Unit C in Santa Barbara. Hours of operations are noon to 6 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Sunday and noon to 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Click here for more information.
— Tara Jones leads Eat This, Shoot That! and welcomes reader tips and ideas for future columns. She can be reached at tara@eatthisshootthat.com. Click here for previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.