Loubud Wines has opened a tasting room in the courtyard of the historic El Paseo in Santa Barbara.
The wine label, founded by winemaker Laura Hughes in 2015 and now co-owned and operated by Hughes’ husband, Paul, focuses on sparkling and rose wines made from grapes sourced from vineyards throughout the Sta. Rita Hills.
The new tasting room, which includes an outdoor patio, can be found in the courtyard of El Paseo. Its neighbors are the tasting rooms for Au Bon Climat, Grassini Family Vineyards, Jamie Slone Wines and Happy Canyon Vineyard.
Loubud plans to hold a grand opening celebration on Sunday.
Paul Hughes crafts handmade puzzles that can be purchased via the tasting room.
Reservations are recommended since seating is limited to 32 seats — 16 inside and 16 on the patio. Click here for more information about Loubud, located at 20 El Paseo in Santa Barbara. The phone number is 805.500.8533, and the hours are noon to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, or by appointment daily.
GM Debra Eagle to Retire From Alma Rosa
Debra Eagle, general manager of Alma Rosa Winery, will retire at year’s end after nearly seven years with the Sta. Rita Hills-based winery and vineyards and more than three decades in the wine industry.
“Debra’s past seven years with Alma Rosa have been game-changing, as she has helped elevate our wines and our brand to the top of our region and among the top wines in California,” said Bob Zorich, owner of Alma Rosa Winery.
Eagle hired winemaker Samra Morris and consulting winemaker Tony Biagi, and expanded the winery’s hospitality program by relocating the winery’s main tasting room to downtown Solvang while also introducing private guided experiences at the winery’s historic El Jabali estate vineyard on Santa Rosa Road.
Before joining Alma Rosa in 2018, Eagle spent more than 25 years directing sales and marketing for both new and iconic wineries in Napa and Sonoma.
She first entered the wine industry in 1994 at Kenwood Vineyards, overseeing international sales and marketing, and from 1997 to 2001 worked as director of marketing for Robert Mondavi Winery, followed by three years doing the same for Sutter Home.
From 2004 to 2008, Eagle worked closely with Bill Harlan and Don Weaver to launch BOND, and from 2009 to 2014 she served as general manager of Hestan Vineyards. She then served as general manager of B.R. Cohn Winery in Sonoma County and director of international business development for its parent company, Vintage Wine Estates.
In retirement, Eagle plans to travel frequently to Europe, where she lived from 1987 to 1993, and spend time with her ever-growing family — six children (three of whom are in the wine industry), their spouses and 10 grandchildren. She also plans to continue her intellectual exploration through courses at her alma mater, UC Berkeley.
Winemaking Memoir Returns with Expanded Second Edition
“The Mad Crush,” a personal testament to making wine from an historic vineyard property, has returned with a second edition that includes 30 additional pages of storytelling and a new forward by writer Sean Weir.
The book, originally released in 2015 and read then by yours truly, became a favorite for its “unvarnished” look at the winemaking process while detailing the story of a century-old vineyard in the Arroyo Grande Valley region of San Luis Obispo County.
“‘The Mad Crush’ is more than a book about winemaking,” Weir said. “It’s an indomitable tale of mentorship, natural history and the countercultural heritage of California. This new edition weaves in additional details, remembrances and anecdotes that make for an even richer reading experience.”
The book is available on Amazon in both print ($14.99) and Kindle e-book ($11.99) formats, and may be purchased on Amazon via TheMadCrush.com.
The story takes place at Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, which was planted in 1880 and restored by Bill Greenough in 1974. When Weir worked the 1995 harvest season at Saucelito Canyon, he unwittingly walked into this larger story that was a century in the making. The events of that improbable harvest season would ultimately shape his own life’s trajectory.
Along the way, his mentor, Greenough, would regale him with tales about the vineyard’s curious history from the late 19th century through Prohibition, as well as Greenough’s own upper-crust childhood in Montecito and his hippie-era winemaking adventures in Santa Barbara’s bohemian Mountain Drive community.
Vina Robles Winery Closes Original Tasting Room, Will Open New Site in 2025
Vina Robles Winery has closed its tasting room at 3700 Mill Road in Paso Robles — the one adjacent to the popular concert venue — and will open a new site early in 2025, according to information from WineBusiness.com.
In a statement to its customers, Vina Robles thanked patrons for their support over the years.
“This space has been home to so many wonderful memories, and we’re deeply grateful for the connections, laughter and shared moments with all of you,” the statement read.
The closure of the tasting room follows the recent purchase of the Vina Robles Vineyards and Winery brand by the CMB Family of Wines. Included in the deal were all of the “Vina Robles” inventory, barrels and intellectual property, noted owner Courtney Benham, according to WineBusiness.com.
The acquisition does not include the Vina Robles Amphitheatre, the estate vineyards or winery, which was founded in the late 1990s by Swiss entrepreneur Hans Nef.
Benham’s team is based in the Russian River Valley and crafts wine under the Martin Ray, Angeline, Synthesis, Foppiano and Courtney Benham labels.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Vina Robles into the fold,” Benham said. “Their dedication to quality and sustainability is a perfect fit for our family of brands.”