The annual celebration of Wine & Fire that honors wines and winemakers from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA will return Aug. 17-20 to various locations in the greater Lompoc Valley.
Following Thursday evening’s kickoff “barn party” featuring a library and large format tasting, the weekend’s events will include a sparkling wine seminar Friday morning, the La Paulee dinner to honor Ken and Deborah Brown Friday evening, the Speed Tasting with A Winemaker event Saturday morning, and the grand tasting at La Purisima Mission Saturday afternoon.
More information, tickets and a complete list of winemakers scheduled to participate in all five weekend events is available at https://www.staritahills.com/wine-and-fire.
Ken Brown will join several previous Vintners of the Year, among them Fiddlehead Cellar’s Kathy Joseph, Lafond Winery’s Bruce McGuire, Alma Rosa Winery’s Richard Sanford, Babcock Winery’s Bryan Babcock and Richard Longoria of Longoria Winery.
Pioneering winemaker and viticulturist Brown started his four-plus decade winemaking journey at Zaca Mesa Winery as head winemaker in 1977.
Having studied enology and viticulture at California State University, Fresno, Brown put his ample knowledge to use in both the vineyards and cellar. While he was passionate about pinot noir and chardonnay, he was the first winemaker to introduce syrah, pinot gris and pinot blanc to Santa Barbara County.
In 1984 Ken, Deborah and several partners founded Byron Vineyard & Winery in the Santa Maria Valley. In 1990, Byron was purchased by the Robert Mondavi Family, and Brown remained on as lead winemaker.
With a smaller, handcrafted production in mind, the Browns focused southwest on the Sta. Rita Hills and in 2004, launched their own label, Ken Brown Wines. This year will be his 47th vintage in Santa Barbara County, and Brown continues to source pinot noir, chardonnay and syrah for his label.
Margerum Wine Company Opens Second Tasting Room in Los Olivos
Santa Barbara County’s Margerum Wine Company and its sister label, Barden, have opened a new tasting room in Los Olivos — one that features both wine and food tastings.
Owner/winemaker Douglas Margerum and his team are excited to expand his namesake winery’s presence to the Santa Ynez Valley, which many consider the soul of Santa Barbara County’s wine industry.
Located on Alamo Pintado Avenue, Margerum’s Los Olivos tasting room encourages guests to samples wines complemented by a variety of elevated food pairings.
The site will be the first regional tasting room to offer sushi within a bento box, as well as Kumamoto oysters with sparkling wine pairings.
The tasting room offers both indoor and outdoor seating spaces for guests to sample either still or fortified wines via a Margerum or Barden wines tasting flight, or by the glass or bottle
Cheese and charcuterie, sushi and oysters, as well as Margerum’s estate olive oil, salad dressing and mustards, are available.
Douglas Barden Margerum founded both Margerum Wine Company and Barden, and his involvement in Santa Barbara’s culinary and wine scene encompasses more than four decades.
As the former proprietor of the downtown Santa Barbara Wine Cask restaurant and wine shop, Margerum’s passion for wine led him on his own winemaking journey. In 2001, he founded his Rhône-focused Margerum label, also known for its Loire-inspired sauvignon blanc, followed by his Burgundian varietal label, Barden, in 2012.
Since then, Margerum has earned many accolades for his range of limited-production wines that capture our region’s nuances, including his being nominated as “Winemaker of the Year” in Wine Enthusiast’s coveted 2022 Wine Star Awards.
Margerum Los Olivos is located at 2446 Alamo Pintado Ave. in Los Olivos. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. While reservations for wine tasting are encouraged but not required, all sushi, bento box and oyster pairings must be reserved 36 hours in advance via Tock.com or by calling 805.504.1209. Information/reservations: kristin@margerumwines.com, or www.margerumwines.com.
Paso Robles Wine Country’s Virtual Auction Raises More Than $45,000
The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA) raised more than $45,000 during its annual Wine Country virtual auction, which took place online from March 13-18.
The event supports the PRWCA Foundation, the nonprofit organization that gives back via a scholarship program for high school seniors, and supports the local community with charitable contributions.
Twenty-three auction lots raised the funds, with bids coming in quickly for several items, among them a current allocation of wines from Saxum Vineyards; A French Affair to Remember package, which unites the wine families of Clos Solène, BENOM and L’Aventure for wine tastings and a group dinner at Les Petities Canailles; and the Burning Lamb Party at Alta Colina’s trailer pond — five top Paso producers and 10 guests meet at the vineyard and winery for a soirée and stay in vintage camper trailers.
Since the auction, the PRWCA Foundation gifted nearly $45,000 to graduating seniors from five area schools: Atascadero, Mission Prep, Paso Robles, Shandon and Templeton. The seniors were offered scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $4,000 to help further their education.
“This is one of our favorite projects to work on each year because it directly benefits our local community,” said Joel Peterson, executive director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. “Our organization is dedicated to giving back and supporting students who have demonstrated academic achievement, community involvement and a passion to learn more.”
The auction, now in its third year, saw bidders and winners from across the United States.
Information: Paso Robles Wine Country is California’s third-largest wine region, with more than 40,000 vineyard acres and 200 wineries.