Now in its 40th year, the annual Santa Barbara Vintners Festival will return to Vega Vineyard & Farm in Buellton from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19.
Wines from more than 50 wineries will be available for tasting, with individual winemakers often in attendance to pour their own wines and chat with guests.
Along with wines — both still and sparkling — the region’s chefs and food purveyors will have small bites, and live music will be provided. The popular Bubble Lounge will return with a seated, relaxing atmosphere and sparkling wines from various producers.
All guest parking (except for ADA) will be off site, with guests shuttled to Vega Vineyard starting at 11 a.m., according to organizers.
Click here for tickets. Prices range from $95 per person (Santa Barbara County residents only) to $175 per person for early admission (noon). General admission is $125 per person, and non-tasters (including children and designated drivers) can attend for just $25 per person.
Tickets are non-refundable, and the festival will be held rain or shine.
Click here for more information.
Pioneering Winemaker Norm Huber Dies
Norm Huber, a pioneering winemaker in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County, has died, according to an official statement from members of the Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance.
Although he was often characterized as “grumpy,” those who really knew Huber understood that was a cover for a heart of gold, a keen sense of humor and an old-world work ethic, said Karen Steinwachs, owner/winemaker of Seagrape Cellars and a member of the SRHWGA board of directors.
Norm and his wife, Traudl, who emigrated from Germany as young adults, first settled in the Long Beach area. He was a master woodworker, and his restoration efforts can be found on the Queen Mary, permanently docked in Long Beach, in the bar at Mattei’s Tavern and in the creation of other tasting room bars in the county, Steinwachs said.
While the Hubers lived in Long Beach, they met the Babcock family, owners of Walt’s Wharf restaurant. Restauranteur and entrepreneur Walt Babcock convinced the Hubers to buy land across Highway 246 from Babcock Winery and plant their own vineyard. (Walt’s son, Bryan, now owns Babcock.)
The Hubers did just that, planting pinot noir and chardonnay in 1986, making Huber Vineyard the third oldest vineyard in what’s now the Sta. Rita Hills AVA.
German friends who visited suggested the Hubers plan a bit “of the old country” and sent them certified Dornfelder vines. The varietal creates an inky, distinctive wine that became Norm Huber’s pride and joy.
“I helped Norm make his wine in the early 2000s, first at Presidio and then at Terravant (now Summerland Winery),” Steinwachs said. “Even through the Sideways’ pinot noir craze, he just loved showcasing that Dornfelder.”
Gleason Family Vineyards Offers Scholarship
Gleason Family Vineyards, owners of Refugio Ranch and Roblar wineries, has created the Viñador Scholarship to award a vineyard worker’s family with funds for higher education.
The scholarship is $5,000 and will contribute directly to the recipient’s tuition costs. The deadline to apply is June 14. The Gleason family is offering the funding in conjunction with the Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation. “Viñador” translates to “winegrower” in Spanish.
The Gleason family’s “Viñador” wines honor the unsung heroes of the wine industry, according to Max Gleason, director of creative and marketing for his family’s labels.
Ten percent from each of the Viñador wines sold will go directly to the scholarship. The current Gleason Family Vineyards’ Viñador vintage is a 2022 white wine, a blend of sauvignon blanc, grenache blanc and Roussanne grapes.
In wine culture and marketing, so much attention is given to the winemakers and vineyard owners, Gleason noted.
“Often overlooked is the fact the wine would not exist at all without the dedicated efforts of our crews in the vineyards,” he said. “The “Viñador” wine was created to shine a spotlight on our vineyard workers, and to make their role in the wine industry more present in the minds of consumers.”
“Peace of Mind” Walk Raises $210,000
Alma Rosa Winery’s annual May fundraising walk and lunch — “Peace of Mind: 10,000 Steps in the Right Direction” — raised $210,000, according to Debra Eagle, the winery’s general manager.
Eagle and Alma Rosa owners Bob and Barb Zorich launched the fundraiser in 2020 to support community services for mental health, and research on the causes, treatment and potential cures for anxiety and depression.
This year’s walk saw 275 participants gather at the base of Alma Rosa’s 628-acre estate to join in the approximately 4.5-mile walk.