Santa Barbara, California – aka the American Riviera – is blessed with year-round sunshine, a surprising shoreline, a foodie paradise, and an array of remarkable native wineries, making the picturesque city a classy vacation spot for wonderful eating and wonderful wine-ing.
Only a brief stroll from the Santa Barbara pier is red-roofed Lodge Californian, https://www.hotelcalifornian.com/ a trendy Moorish oasis with a surprising black-and-white motif by superstar designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, outsized visitor rooms, al fresco lounges, and an impressed meals and wine program that attracts followers from close to and much.
Touring oenophiles and native wine lovers can take pleasure in beautiful wines paired with a four-course meal curated and ready by Lodge Californian Govt Chef Travis Watson. The particular evenings begin with an open-air meet-and-greet reception on the patio, adopted by an indulgent four-course dinner that includes a number of wines from a single vineyard, chosen by the winemaker. Every wine is paired with a neighborhood, sustainable dish, reminiscent of Pinot Braised Octopus with Heirloom Beans, Aerated Burrata, Grilled Stone Fruit, Sous Vide Kobe New York with Recent Corn Polenta, and a dessert of Roasted Apricots, Gulab Jamun Syrup, Rose Scented Meringue, with Lychee-Framboise Rose Sorbet.
The primary winemaker dinner honored Niki Williams of the storied Sonoma vineyard Chateau St. Jean. The night started with an open-air meet-and-greet reception on the patio, adopted by an indulgent four-course dinner. Seated on the middle of a protracted communal desk, Niki regaled visitors with insights about “letting the fruit shine,” she stated. “We work laborious to develop the most effective fruit attainable within the winery, so I strive to not go away my fingerprints everywhere in the grapes.”
This month’s Winemaker Dinner at Blackbird is October 20 that includes Chalk Hill Vineyard hosted by winemaker Sarah Quider, VP of Winemaking for Foley Household Wines. “My objective is to make complicated, intense, and seamless wines which are balanced in each richness and delicacy,” stated Sarah. “Now we have such an amazing range of wineries at Foley Household Wines. Now we have wineries and vineyards situated in numerous appellations, every with distinctive micro-climates, soils, and clones. I really like expressing this range in every of those wines.”
On November 17, visitors will sip world-class wines from Chalone Vineyards whereas mingling with winemaker Greg Freeman, beforehand with Georis/Cowgirl Vineyard in Carmel Valley, California and Messina Hof Vineyard in Bryan, Texas. He joined Chalone Winery in 2021, bringing twenty years of Monterey winemaking expertise as he writes the most recent chapter in Chalone’s storied historical past.
The ultimate Winemakers Dinner of 2022 will probably be held on December 15, hosted by second-generation vintner, Courtney Foley of Foley Household Wines. Sip on a couple of of the Foley household’s favourite wines from throughout their portfolio take pleasure in one more all-new four-course dinner from Govt Chef Travis Watson.
Friends who benefit from the wines featured on the Winemaker Dinners can expertise them once more by visiting The Society: State & Mason, which is now open day by day. Serving as Santa Barbara’s latest refuge for wine aficionados within the bustling Funk Zone neighborhood, the intimate tasting room celebrates the intersection between world-class wines, beautiful delicacies, and immersive, memorable journey experiences.
