Santa Barbara County’s Women Winemakers & Culinarians Foundation announced the results of its 2025 Pink Wines for the Pink Ribbon campaign during September and October.

The fundraiser netted $2,500 for Santa Barbara’s Breast Cancer Resource Center to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and united the county’s women winemakers to honor and uplift those affected by breast cancer.

Members of the foundation donated more than seven dozen bottles of rose wine to raise both awareness and money for community resources. Proceeds from the event will help BCRC to provide its free, comprehensive support services for women navigating breast cancer.

Among those services are individual counseling, educational programs, wellness classes and support groups to empower clients and their families through the stages of diagnosis, treatment and recovery, according to Armando Martinez, BCRC’s director of donor engagement.

The BCRC was founded in 1997 and each year serves hundreds of women throughout Santa Barbara County.

Santa Barbara County is home to one of the highest percentages of women winemakers per capita, nearly double the global industry average, according to founders of the Women Winemakers & Culinarians.

The region’s women vintners continue to demonstrate leadership, generosity and community spirit both in their craft and in their commitment to supporting women’s health initiatives.

Through Pink Wines for the Pink Ribbon, the foundation highlighted how Santa Barbara’s winemaking community extends its values of collaboration and care beyond the vineyard, raising awareness, sharing hope, and making a lasting impact on local women and families.

Cheers to the women winemakers who donated wines. They are from Zaca Mesa, Wine Slut, The Valley Project, Two Wolves, Story of Soil, Solminer, Seagrape, Riverbench, Rideau, Piazza, Peake, Mi Casa, Marbeso, Luna Hart, Lucas & Lewellen, Loubud, Lincourt, Lepiane, Lavender Oak, Kunin, Jaffurs, Holus Bolus, Future Perfect, Foley, Final Girl, Dreamcote, Cote of Paint, Clementine Carter, Carhartt, Camins 2 Dreams, Cambria, Babcock, Amevive, Amber Rose, Alma Rosa and A Tribute to Grace!

Local Authors’ ‘Ferd and the Magic Hat’ Celebrates Solvang Christmas

Santa Ynez Valley residents Adam and Kate McHugh are toasting the release of their book, “Ferd and the Magic Hat,” whimsically illustrated by Allie Daigle.

I purchased a book earlier this year and have relished both the story and design after Adam McHugh delivered my copy weeks back. The McHughs and Daigle marry a sweet holiday tale with picture-perfect art.

If we’re friendly, you know I adore cats, and a pretty little calico shares a starring role in “Ferd.”

The McHughs have announced signings — and one reading — for December.

The events:

• Thursday, Dec. 4: Reading and book signing at Santa Ynez Country Christmas, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 5: Book signing at Solvang’s Book Loft, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 13: Story time at Paseo Nuevo in a partnership with All Booked Up, 1 p.m.

Alma Rosa’s Samra Morris Nominated for One Honor, Wins Another

Winemaker Samra Morris of Alma Rosa, a native of Bosnia, was one of five nominees for Wine Enthusiast’s Winemaker of the Year by the editorial staff the magazine for its 2025 Wine Star Awards.

While she didn’t land that initial honor, she quickly scored another — Wine Business Monthly named her November Winemaker of the Month.

Morris, reflecting on the recognition, said: “I find Wine Business Monthly to be a great resource for both practical and inspiring information. It’s especially helpful for connecting with harvest interns each season, as well as staying current on wine technology, sustainability, packaging innovation and marketing trends.’’

Under Morris’ direction, Alma Rosa produces 5,000 cases annually, with a focus on cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay, grenache and syrah. The estate vineyard on Santa Rosa Road is planted to 47 acres.

Morris completed her bachelor’s degree in food science in 2008 and a master’s degree in food quality and control in 2010 at the University of Sarajevo.

“It was during a beer brewing internship that I discovered my fascination with fermentation, which ultimately led me to focus on enology during my graduate studies and pursue a career in the wine industry,” she said.

Morris started her U.S. wine journey in Napa Valley, first in the tasting room at Hestan Vineyards, which led to a viticulture internship at St. Supery during the 2014 harvest. She then worked in the cellar at Mending Wall under the tutelage of the legendary Thomas Rivers Brown.

In 2019, she was hired as Alma Rosa’s winemaker.

As an immigrant, Morris said, “I’ve faced several challenges that come along with living and working in a foreign country, especially the language barrier as a non-native English speaker. Being the first Bosnian winemaker in the United States is something I am very proud of and grateful for.”

Margerum’s SB Tasting Room Named to Newsweek’s ‘Top 10’ List

Pioneering vintner Doug Margerum’s Santa Barbara tasting room has been named to Newsweek’s “Top 10 U.S. Tasting Rooms,” according to a social media post by the winery.

Margerum, the post noted, offers a tasting room with “stylish, inviting design,” where guests can sample the producer’s small-lot, estate-grown wines, which are predominantly chardonnay, syrah and Rhone-style blends, along with a food menu.

The site is located in the heart of the Funk Zone at 19 E. Mason St., and is open daily.

Melville Winery’s Sta. Rita Hills’ tasting room was a finalist, according to the
post.

SB Vintners Foundation Spreads Holiday Cheer to Vineyard Workers

The Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation is proud to announce the success of its Holiday Hope program, which has offered warmth and cheer to the hardworking vineyard crews who make the county’s wine industry thrive.

The foundation is grateful for the “generous support” of AgWest Farm Credit and Farm Supply, both of which offered it the opportunity to provide essential cold-weather items, including jackets, boots, socks, hats and backpacks to vineyard workers across the region.

Additional support came from individual donors, Sketchers, the Julia Child Foundation and Direct Relief. Each recipient received a gift card to personalize their holiday.

Under the banner of Holiday Hope, the initiative was founded to give back to the vineyard teams whose dedication and care “are the foundation of every bottle produced in Santa Barbara County.”

“Our vineyard workers are the unsung heroes of our industry,” said Karen Steinwachs, board member of the Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation. “Holiday Hope is our way of showing appreciation for the people whose skill and hard work make Santa Barbara wines possible. We’re deeply grateful to our partners for helping us extend this warmth and gratitude.

The Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation is the charitable arm of the Santa Barbara Vintners Association, and supports local and global organizations that improve health and quality of life in winegrowing communities.

Longtime Chef Jake Francis Changes Company to Les Fêtes

If you’re like me, you’ve licked plates from Jake Francis’ Valley Piggery culinary delights, so read on.

Francis and his team of equally talented chefs have morphed into Les Fêtes, French for “the parties,” because a party is what Francis brings to the table. His initial website directs users to send queries for his current site to hello@lesfetesevents.com.

Why the name change?

“While we love and are proud or our piggery roots, it’s become apparent that our company is so much more than that,” Francis noted on his new site. “We are local, small scale, regenerative ranching. But, we’ve discovered that we love going out and partying with you all, and cooking delicious meals that speak to both our clients’ taste and our ideals. As a full-service catering company, we create culinary innovations for party people, and that’s why we’ve evolved into Les Fetes.”