March 9, 2005
Just a month away...23rd Annual Vintners' Festival: A Celebration of Wine Country. Visitors are invited to “Escape to Sideways Country” to experience the scenes behind the movie.
Very good friend of many years, Jim Fiolek, is doing so public relations work for the Vintners’ Association, and Sherrill Duggan of Buttonwood Farm sent me the following information.
Members of the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association have set Saturday, April 9th as the date for the annual Vintners’ Festival, which will be held once again on the beautiful grounds of the Firestone Meadow, outside of Los Olivos.
The Festival will kick off earlier in the week with events commencing on Thursday, April 7th. Thrilled with the attention that Santa Barbara County has received from the critically acclaimed movie Sideways, the wine community is intent on showing visitors the behind the scenes reality of one of the best wine regions in the country. “No matter where you stand on the movie, the focus on Santa Barbara as a premier wine region and the incredibly beautiful cinematography in the film have brought worldwide attention to our county” states Michael Hartmann, President of the Association. “We invite people to come up to the Festival and experience for themselves our great wines, beautiful countryside and welcoming community. We’re looking forward to meeting new friends and old at the festivities throughout the week.” Visitors can enhance their stay by purchasing a Vintners’ Visa, a three-day weekend pass that includes wine tasting fees to many of the tasting rooms in the area. Participating wineries are also enriching the experience by pouring limited edition wines, library wines, sampling new vintages from barrels, hosting celebratory events, and rolling out festival promotions for Visa participants. The Vintners’ Visa is valid at participating wineries Friday, April 8th through Sunday, April 10th.
The Vintners’ Festival kicks off at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 9th at the bucolic Firestone Meadow, on the outskirts of the town of Los Olivos. The more than 70 winery members of the Association will be joined by dozens of local chefs to present a wine and food extravaganza. Local artists will display their creations, wine suppliers will demonstrate their products and winegrape growers will explain the art of viticulture – all serenaded by live music. Bus transportation to and from the festival is available from Santa Maria, Solvang and Santa Barbara.
Tickets for Vintners’ Association sponsored events are available by calling the Association at (805) 688-0881 or online at www.sbcountywines.com. The Vintners’ Visa is only $25.00, and tickets to the Vintners Festival are $65.00 when purchased in advance. A combination Visa/Festival ticket is a bargain at $80.00. Details on the Vintners’ Festival as well as Vintners’ Association Member events during the festival weekend can be found at www.sbcountywines.com .
The Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association is a non-profit trade association, which promotes Santa Barbara County as a premier winegrowing region. There are currently over 100 winery and grower members. For more information, contact the SBCVA at (805) 688-0881 or via email at information@sbcountywines.com
Times wine columnist, Bob Senn, lives in the Los Alamos Valley and owns the Los Olivos Wine & Spirits Emporium.
