April 6, 2005
It’s Sideways Country!The 23rd Annual Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival takes place this Thursday through Sunday.
The main feature takes place on Saturday, April 9th, in Firestone Meadow, 5017 Zaca Station Road, just north of the photogenic town of Los Olivos. Over 70 wineries headline the Vintners' Festival, with a critically-acclaimed supporting cast of fine restaurants and caterers providing unique regional food pairings. The entertainment Soundtrack takes place by several diverse bands.
Festival tickets are $65 each in advance, or $75 at the door. Please click here to go to our secure online store and place your order. For reservations or more information, call (805) 688-0881.
Vintners' Visa - April 8, 9 and 10
The promotional information says “Take a stroll through the diversity of Santa Barbara Wine Country with our Vintners’ Visa – a weekend pass to ten of your favorite participating wineries. Vintners’ Visa wineries are pulling out all the stops, with barrel, library and special tastings, food pairings, music – you name it. The visa is valid Friday April 8th through Sunday April 10th, and a tremendous value at only $25.”
The Best of Both: Sideways and the festival!
Follow the Sideways trails on Friday, take in the Festival on Saturday and relax with a picnic at your favorite wineries on Sunday with a combination Visa/Festival Ticket. This special combination ticket is $80 and is only available in advance.
Kickoff Barn Dance and Barbecue
The official start to the 2005 Vintners' Festival weekend. Wine Country at its best! Enjoy a festive, lively evening of great food, great wine, great fun all while rubbing elbows with us wine folk in a casual, but beautiful country setting under the pole barn at the Firestone Meadow.
Vintners’ Kitchen BBQ • Olive Oil Tasting • Library Tasting vs. Current Release Tasting from over 30 Wineries • Local Boutique Breweries include Firestone Walker, Santa Maria and Channel Islands. Call the Vintners’ Association for more information.
Friday night winemakers dinners: Bernat & Carhartt, Lucas & Lewellen & Mandolina, Royal Oaks, Consilience, Mosby Winery and Longoria.
Saturday dinners: Buttonwood, Foxen, Jaffurs and Rusack.
Sunday events include the Au Bon Climat, Cold Heaven, Qupe and Verdad wineries. And Flying Goat Cellars will be featured at the Los Olivos Wine & Spirits Emporium along with other small, prominent wineries which are not members of the Vintners’ Association, the likes of Benjamin Silver and Lane Tanner to name a few.
What a difference now from several years ago! The association and the festival itself almost fell into oblivion because of strife and incompetence.. It makes a big difference when you have a competent and caring staff and board. Special recognition should go to Jim Fiolek and board members who take an active role in the decision making process. Jim Fiolek has been involved in our wine scene since the beginning, having worked for such luminary producers as Sanford, Brander and Zaca Mesa.
Times wine columnist, Bob Senn, lives in the Los Alamos Valley and owns the Los Olivos Wine & Spirits Emporium.
