July '13 Santa Barbara Trip - The Old New is Old, the New New is Very New

Even though visits to the Santa Barbara wine country are old hat for me now, new was the theme for this trip. We went with new friends, checked out some newly opened wineries, and we experimented with mixing camping and winery-hopping together (what I am trying to brand as "wamping," though without much success).

 Saturday (Los Olivos)

Sandhi Wines ($10 tasting, wines $28-$45)
'11 Chardonnay - Santa Rita Hills, '11 Chardonnay - Rita's Crown, '11 Chardonnay - Sanford & Benedict, '12 Rosè of Pinot Noir - Rita's Crown, '11 Pinot Noir - Santa Rita Hills, '11 Pinot Noir - La Encantada, '11 Pinot Noir - Wenzlau
Sandhi is a rather new winery that's been created by partners Rajat Parr - a super famous sommelier, Charles Banks - owner of Jonata and Screaming Eagle wineries, and the winemaker and all-around badass Sashi Moorman of Piedrasassi, Stolpman, and Evening Land. The tasting room is in a small building in the back of what is now Mattei's Tavern - originally built in 1886 as a hotel for the carriage line that went through the Santa Ynez Valley. Now Mattei's Tavern is hip restaurant serving both traditional and modern local fare. Sandhi moved into the complex in November, and has intentions to expand to making pizzas out on their patio.
It was a bit tricky for us to find the tasting room, it's placed on the far back corner of the property, though it would have been easy enough to drive up to if we had taken the alleyway. We were welcomed into the old made new sleek space. The tasting room attendant was a fun guy to chat with, he was very much on our wavelength.
The wines were all top shelf quality. Acid was well utilized to provide structure, and the alcohol levels were kept low, so the wines were calm and polite. Subtle notes crept in throught the experience of each sip. For the most part, these were wine nerd wines - not something that would be smart to indoctrinate new wine drinkers on. They might find the wines agreeable, but they wouldn't get a deep appreciation for the artistry. Both of the Chardonnays had effective sharpness, balance and length. The Rosè was straight crazy-times. It was led through carbonic maceration during fermentation, which is not a process that I'm familiar with, but is the same process used to make Beaujolais nouveau. It was super interesting - a candied vegital note - definitely something to nerd out on. The Pinots were all light, tart fruit with sprinkles of pepper, serious but fun. The Wenzlau had a bizzare nose of pickles, which thankfully wasn't present in the taste, it was my favorite of the whole lineup.
Experience: B / Wine: B+

Sunday (Highway 246 and Lompoc Wine Ghetto)

Babcock Winery & Vineyards ($15 "Terroir" tasting, wines $14-$60)
'11 White Syrah "Identity Crisis", '11 Chardonnay, '12 Pinot Gris "Naughty Little Hillsides", '11 Pinot Noir "Precocious" - El Camino Ranch, '11 Pinot Noir "Ocean's Ghost", '11 Pinot Noir "Déjà vu" - Rabbit Ridge, '10 Cabernet Sauvignon "Block 15" - Estelle

I've driven by Babcock many times, and have intended on stopping for the past few years, but for whatever reason it never jumped to the top of my list of places to visit. It's on the same route as Melville, Dierberg/Star Lane and Clos Pepe, wineries that I think highly of, so I guess I felt that the other wineries on Highway 246 couldn't be as good, so I should keep on driving. I'm now making a conscious decision to visit places that I'd skipped over before, so it was high time to make a Babcock stop. It's not like I dragged myself there kicking and screaming. The website for the winery touts the numerous accolades for winemaker Bryan Babcock, and a few different people had suggested that I visit there.
Though the winery's been around for a long time (since the early 80's), the tasting room is brand new. It's a big open warehouse building, and it has a hip aesthetic. Apparently Mona Babcock is a top executive at Forever 21, and designed it with goal of creating a "modern mid-century vibe."
There were a few other couples at the counter when we arrived, so we sidled on up like the wine cowboys that we are. The guy behind the counter was cool. He was local and chatted enthusiastically about the area and the local wine.
I respect the wine that we tried, but I didn't love it. Across the board the wines were "too much." The Chardonnay was too pillow-y from too much malolactic fermentation. The Pinot Gris was too boisterous. The "Ocean's Ghost" Pinot Noir was too juicy. The Cabernet had too much garnet. By no means were these bad wines, but a little bit overboard, and because they did show interesting subtleties, it bummed me out a bit with the "too much" aspects. Bryan Babcock is definitely an interesting winemaker. He's making exciting wines - especially Pinots - with a variety of takes. I'd just rather that the wines would be a bit less brash.
Experience: B / Wine: B-

Palmina ($10 tasting, wines $18-$30)
'11 Arneis, '12 Pinot Grigio, '12 Tocai Fruliano, '11 Malvasia Bianca, '12 "Botasea" Rosè (Dolcetto/Barbera/Nebbiolo), '11 Dolcetto, '10 Barbera, '07 Nebbiolo
I thought quite highly of Palmina on my first visit there in April, 2011. I thought that the hospitality was grand and that the wines were made with talent and confidence. It's not that I was off-base with my opinion, nor is Palmina inhospitable with untalented wines, but two years later the wine and experience isn't a standout in the field. It's still a welcoming place to visit.
The gents working there were friendly, though the guy that took could have used some more training. He stated that "not many people have heard of Pinot Grigio," hmmm, not so sure you're right about that buddy. There were snacks to enjoy, breadsticks, cured meats, olive oils, etc. As we were there the place packed up to the point that there was quite a din.
My opinion of their wine has changed pretty dramatically. On this visit I found the wines to be bland and monochromatic. Most had a singular upfront flavor and then fell away dramatically. The Malvasia Bianca was some fun, the nose was very light and sweet and the taste was quite dry, nothing like the nose at all. Of the reds, the Barbera was the most enjoyable, some complexity with pepper and plum notes as well as earthiness.The Nebbiolo, aka the wine of kings, had some nice acid and tannins, but fell away pretty quickly.
I'm more familiar with wines from Italy than from France, due to the fact that there's a wine bar and store down the street from my place that I used to frequent. Outside of Sangioveses and Barberas, I've not encountered really good Italian varietals being made in California. They come off more safe and boring. Perhaps if I knew French wine better I'd feel the same way about French varietals being made in Cali.
Experience: B- / Wine: C

Joseph Blair Wines ($10 tasting, wines $22-$30)
'10 "Ghetto White" Chenin Blanc, '10 Viognier, '10 Gewurztraminer, '09 "Heartbreak" Pinot Noir, '09 "Reveller" (Merlot/Petit Verdot), '10 Cabernet Sauvignon

Image from http://wine-dingroad.com/

Joseph Blair is the alternative label from Mark Cargassachi of Jalama. At Jalama, he's focusing on Rhone wines, whereas at Joseph Blair he's taking a crack at Bordeaux varietals as well as pinots and various whites.
Even though Joseph Blair is a new winery, we've attempted to visit twice before. The first time the doors were locked, and the folks at Jalama told us that Marc had a tractor break down, so we wouldn't be able to taste at the new place. The second time the doors were unlocked, but there was no one around, and after poking around for 10 minutes, we headed to another place. Finally on this visit, we were able check out the wines.
First off, Mark Cagassachi's dog Chester is the coolest dog ever. He's a rat terrier I think. That's it, just had to be said.
The tasting room has rotating art from local artists and a few high tables to sit around as well as a large desk counter where the wine is poured. The woman pouring the wines for us is an enthusiastic fan of Jalama and Joseph Blair, and happily took care of us.
The whites were nicely full-flavored, though all showed a little too much oak. The Viognier showed pretty, fragile flowers, which I always enjoy. The Ghetto Red had some fun notes, two well combined notes, pretty with a kick. The Reveller had a similar profile, but was a bit more convoluted. The Cabernet was really interesting, almost like sweet dirt. It had just been bottled, so it's likely that the wine will get better.
I've visited Jalama a handful of times and think highly of the wines that Mark Cargasacchi creates. That talent is carrying over to his Joseph Blair wines. They are a little bit more vivacious and silly, though not quite as deep. At this point, the prices of these wines are pretty decent, which is always appreciated.
Experience: B / Wine: B

Tyler Winery ($15 tasting, wines $36-$60)
'11 Chardonnay, '11 Chardonnay - Clos Pepe, '11 Pinot Noir, '11 Pinot Noir - Bien Nacido, '11 Pinot Noir - Bentrock
Justin Willett of Tyler Winery definitely represents the cutting edge of Santa Barbara wine. He's young, he's got a bunch of different wine projects going, and like Sandhi Wines, is trying to honor the Burgundian style with his wines in the Sta. Rita Hills region.
The winery warehouse that we tasted in was brand new - walls are still being built to create offices. Apparently Ryan Zotovich of Zotovich Cellars owns the big building that houses Tyler, and the plan is to have both wineries in the space, as well as a boutique hotel and an eatery. That would be a huge cultural shift for Lompoc, and definitely speaks to the potential greater trend that's occurring in the area. I've heard that the Lompoc City Council are pretty anti-growth, so perhaps the project won't get off the ground.
The lady that ran the tasting room exuded a hoity-toity vibe. She was very proud of Tyler wines, and was happy to show it off, but she also was a bit dismissive of other winemakers in the area. When I asked er the prices of the Tyler wines, she answered "They're all under $60." as though any decent wine drinker would be happy to buy any bottle as long as it's under $60.
I will say that the wines were incredibly impressive. The Chardonnays were flavorful but respectful, the Clos Pepe maybe a bit too dense in flavor. The Pinots were excellent. Similar profiles, but nicely distinct aspects. The Bentrock was the most impressive. It had a cool blood orange note.
Experience: B- / Wine: A- 

Monday (Foxen Canyon Road and Santa Maria)

Demetria Estate ($10 tasting, wines $22-$45)
'12 Riesling, '11 Chardonnay, '12 Rosè of Grenache, '12 Rosè of Pinot Noir, '11 Pinot Noir - La Encantada, '10 Syrah, '10 "Cuvee Constantine" (Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah), '10 "North Slope" Syrah
The drive up to Demetria off of Foxen Canyon is a long and winding one, but the view from estate makes trip worthwhile. The Tuscan style building and grounds overlook a slight ravine, and the opposing slope is covered with vines, and rolling hills and vines continue on behind for a long distance. There's a peaceful garden and patio with plenty of tables and chairs. There were a few other groups at the same time. Some folks were lunching which we ended up doing after our tasting.
The one drag about this place was the staff person who took care of us. Perhaps he was having a shit day, but I'm guessing that he's generally an ass, because he managed to be a snot, a schlub, and a general doofus as the same time. Right off the bat he gave me guff for asking for tasting notes that I could write on - acting as though he had to go to great lengths to grab me a blank piece of paper. He also was fussy at our friend for wanting to fill up her water bottle. And last be not least he called my wife nosey for overhearing that another patron was being pouring a Rosè that wasn't on the pouring list, and asking if we could try it as well.
Thankfully our severe dislike of that dude was overcome by superb wine. The Riesling and the Chardonnay were just pretty good, and the Rosè of Pinot didn't blow me away, but the rest of the wines were fantastic. My favorites were the Rosè of Grenache (flowers and peaches, quite precious and flavorful), the Pinot Noir (affirmatively against grain for Santa Barbara - earthy and vegital, calm and delicious), and the Estate Syrah (mellow, light, some sweet peppers and green vines).
Experience: B / Wines: A-

Presqu'ile Winery ($20 tasting, wines $18-$55)
'12 Sauvignon Blanc, '11 Chardonnay, '12 Rosè of Pinot Noir, '11 Pinot Noir, '10 Pinot Noir - Rim Rock, '10 Estate Pinot Noir
Our traveling companions had visited Presqu'ile's tasting room in Los Olivos a few months prior and had spoken quite highly of the wines, so we decided to check them out and to have a look at their brand new winery complex out in Santa Maria. The grounds are gorgeous. The airy main building incorporates posh elements that are rare in the region, such as a member's only tasting room, and a wine cave that is only granted to higher level members.
The wines were impressive - it justified the highbrow atmosphere of the space. All were low alcohol compared to the region, between 12.9% and 13.6%. The Pinots were nicely varied - the Santa Maria Valley was peppery and meaty, the Rim Rock was circumspect (first time I've used that adjective in my tasting notes - check out the big brain on Brad!), and the estate was light with a cute little kick.
As much as we enjoyed the wines, I was a bit thrown by the exclusivity vibe at Presqu'ile. Members receive no discount on the wine - as far as I know, no other Santa Barbara area winery does that with their memberships. Members do receive free shipping on purchases, free tastings, and access to parts of the winery that non-member are restricted from - such as the special tasting room and the wine cave. I'll be interested to see if that strategy catches on with other wineries in the region.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B+

Based on the quality of wine being produced at the three very new wineries that we visited - Sandhi, Tyler, and Presqu'ile - it really feels like the Santa Barbara region is gaining momentum. Sure, it's been booming for awhile, catalyzed by "Sideways" and the general notion of wine tourism, but now there seems to be a stronger majority of wineries been created with very talented staff and deep-pocketed backers. I'm hopeful that this trend continues, but somehow without making the region more snooty and pricey.

November '12 Santa Barbara Trip - Near and Far

We decided to answer the siren call of Santa Barbara because we had a pickup party to go to at Ampelos - and because we just really wanted to go, and finally had some free time to do so. We went again with our excellent wine friends, and built a trip around checking out places we hadn't been to, and places we thought our friends should be introduced to.

Saturday (Foxen Canyon Rd. / Los Olivos)

foxen 7200 ($10 tasting, wines $26-$50)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc - Vogelzang, '10 Sangiovese - Williamson-Doré, '10 Cabernet Franc - Tinaquaic, '10 Merlot - Vogelzang, '09 Cabernet Sauvignon - Vogelzang

We made a plan to meet up with friends at foxen 7200. As it turns out, the tasting room is way the hell up Foxen Canyon Road, especially when there's some kind of bicycle race going on along Zaca Station Road. Foxen splits it's wines between two labels - Foxen proper is mostly Pinot, and foxen 7200 is bigger reds. As the winery became more successful, they built a larger tasting room, but decided to keep "The Shack" (which is about a quarter mile up the road from the Foxen facility) to have as a tasting room for the foxen 7200 wines.
The Shack certainly was funky, and there was a nice patio and a cool patio cat. The staff were all very happy and took care of us. Across the board, I didn't dig the wines enough to be able to think about buying any, especially considering how costly the bottles were. They were all single vineyard wines, were 100% made with the label grape, and had quality characteristics, but I wasn't a fan of the flavors. The Sauv and the Sangiovese were too tart, and the Merlot and Cab were too simple. The Cab Franc was interesting, but at $48, way too steep.
Experience: B / Wine: C+

Andrew Murray Vineyards ($15 reserve tasting, wines $16-$36)
'11 "RGB" (Roussane/Grenache Blanc), '10 Syrah "Tous les Jours", '10 "Espérance" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre), '10 Syrah - Watch Hill, '09 "Eleven Red" (Cabernet Sauvingnon/Cabernet Franc/Tempranillo/Saniovese), '10 Grenache - Terra Bella, '10 Syrah - Thompson, '10 Syrah - Stolpman
I'd heard about Andrew Murray for a long time, he has a solid reputation in the area for Rhone-style wines. I've been wanting to visit for awhile - so when I finally was back in Los Olivos I made sure to swing by. Unfortunately, I think we chose a poor day to visit. It was busy as hell. Apparently it was the same day as the member party at the vineyard - so members were swinging through the tasting room to say hello.  The tasting room attendant was by herself tried very hard to take care of everyone, but definitely wasn't able to spend time elaborating on the wines or talking about the winery. The tasting room was very modern and chic. There were lots of things for sale - we noticed that there was a large display featuring scented candles for sale, which seemed quite odd in a wine tasting room.
The wines that we tasted were priced on a more reasonable scale than most Los Olivos tasting rooms, which is a big plus for me. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy their wines very much. They all had an artificial quality, and were too simple. The "Eleven Red" was a pretty fun drink, and at $18, well-priced. The big bummer were two wines on the reserve list - the vineyard designated Grenache and the Stolpman Syrah. The Grenache had typical charactaristics - sweetness and edge, but did not weave together well. The Syrah was big clutter of flavor. I'm well acquainted with Stolpman's 2010 Syrahs, and it's interesting to see how different winemaking practices can come up with completely different products even when starting with very similar materials.
Since our visit was so marred by the crush in the tasting room, I think we should try to swing by in the future - but it'll be on "AMV" to convert me into a believer.
Experience: C- / Wines: C+

Sunday (Highway 246 / Los Olivos)

Clos Pepe Vineyards (tour $0, wines $23-$59)
'10 Estate Chardonnay "Hommage to Chablis", '10 Estate Chardonnay "Barrel Fermented", Axis Mundi '10 Grenache/Syrah - Windmill, '09 Estate Pinot Noir, '10 Estate Pinot Noir
Holy fuck - this is a fantastic tour. Wes Hagen is a superb host. I've heard very positive reviews of the Clos Pepe tour for quite a while - and had even looked into booking one last year, but found out that Wes had put the tours on hiatus. A few days prior to heading up for this trip, I thought it might be worth a shot to check and see if the tours were back online. Thankfully they were, and Wes did indeed have an opening for the Sunday of our visit. Here's how Wes described the tour in an email to me:
"Tour usually lasts until around noon or 12:30 - very geeky, very complete. You will learn more about wine in two hours than in your previous lifetime, guaranteed." 
Perhaps not everyone gets stoked about a tour like that - but I sure as hell do!
As advertised the tour was very exhaustive. Wes is extremely knowledgeable about wine and other things - and puts tons of energy in delivering that knowledge in a conversational and entertaining way. He discussed the history of wine, the unique geology of the region, farming techniques, wine making techniques, and lots lots more. At the end of the walk we were taken up to the "big house" where the owners of the winery live. Wes had set up a tasting for us with great cheeses and fresh breads. While he poured the wine samples, we had a great chat about food, politics, and of course wine.
After such an amazing tour and hosting, it would have been a shame if the wines weren't good - but they lived up to the caliber of the day. The two Chardonnays were very well balanced and were top notch quality. It was fun to compare the steel vs. oaked Chard. The steel aka "Hommage to Chablis" was easily more in my wheelhouse and indeed fantastic, but the oaked was built as a different wine and was a star in its own right. The Axis Mundi Grenache/Syrah blend was a neat everyday drinker. Wes actually served it chilled - which while odd - was a solid choice. An easy drinker chilled or not. The Pinots were what we came for and they were hype-worthy. The '09 was a more formal and classy specimen, and the '10 was a bit more audacious. Wes, in great detail, explained that there was a big difference in the weather for those two years. '09 was a great year for wine making in the area, especially for Pinots. '10 was a lot more difficult with a huge heat spike just before harvest. So the '10 was a more plushy and bold than it's predecessor. That being said the '10 was delicious as well, though I preferred the '09 hands down.
After finishing up the tour and tasting, Wes encouraged us to picnic by the pond on the edge of the property, among the willows and ducks. It was a peaceful end to an outstanding experience.
Experience: A+ / Wines: A

Qupé Wines (tasting $10, wines $18-$45)
Verdad '11 Grenache Rosé - Sawyer Lindquist, '11 Chenin Blanc, '11 Viognier - Ibarra-Young, '10 Grenache - Sawyer Lindquist, Verdad '09 Tempranillo - Sawyer Lindquist, Ethan '09 Sangiovese - Alisos, '09 Syrah - Sawyer Lindquist, '07 Syrah - Alisos
There's plenty of discussion around the idea that people's tastes for wines change over time. What once was thought to be a great wine can years later be considered okay. I'm not sure if that explains the shift in my feelings toward Qupé,  but it may have something to do with it. Not that I hated or even disliked the wines this time around, but I wasn't blown away by it as I was on my first visit, this time around it was more pedestrian.
The tasting room was pretty calm during this visit, mid-afternoon on a warm Sunday. The staff person was nice. Lots of stuff for sale on the walls.
The wines varied for me from decent to pretty good. I didn't find the Rosé or the Viognier to be very appealing. The Chenin Blanc was a nice drinker - well balanced citrus with cream. As on our first visit, I enjoyed the Tempranillo, which is normally a wine that I dislike quite a bit. Both Syrahs were pretty good - though the '09 was preferable. The wine prices were reasonably set for the area.
Not sure what exactly fell off for me with Qupé. Certainly I've done a look more wine tasting in the last year and a half - but I can't think that my tastes have changed that much. Perhaps its a case of too high expectations. It's no longer one of my top places to visit, but still a very solid joint.
Experience: B / Wines: B-

Dragonette Cellars (tasting $10, wines $25-$58)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley), '11 Sauvignon Blanc (Happy Canyon), '11 Sauvignon Blanc - Grassini, '10 "Seven" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre/Viognier), '10 "MJM" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre/Viognier)
Perhaps it's on odd numbered visits that I really enjoy wineries. My above Qupé visit was my second, and I was underwhelmed. With Dragonette, I was a huge fan the first time, not as enamored the second time, and now on the third visit - quite impressed. Hopefully I'm not that arbitrary, and and justly reviewing these places.
I'm pretty sure that the thing that bugged me about Dragonette on my last visit, was that it was extremely busy, and the staff was running around frenetically. This time, we had the tasting room to ourselves, and the staff person was awesome and knowledgeable. Dragonette is a very young winery, and it appears to me that they are doing quite well. They were all sold out of their Rosé, their Pinot, and their regular GSM blend.
The wines that we did taste were artfully built. The three Sauvs were quite good, my preference was the Happy Canyon. It had the same brightness of the Santa Ynez, but also showed some minerality, which I'm always a sucker for. The Seven didn't blow me away, but it had qualities that it exhibited that bragged that it was a well built wine. The MJM - the Dragonette flagship wine - was a rockstar, super smooth. In my notes I labeled it as a "classy fellow." Dragonette's prices for their wines is a bit steep, but after tasting the wines the costs seem pretty just.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-

Aside from the long ass drive up to Foxen while slaloming around the bicyclists, this was a banging trip. On Saturday, we got to see some great countryside, lounged at Stolpman at the end of the day, enjoyed the Ampelos pickup party, and checked out a solid Thai place in Lompoc - Herb Home. Sunday we were treated to the fantastic Clos Pepe, enjoyed a serene picnic, and ended our trip at Dragonette.
I am a bit concerned that I'm developing a bias against older wineries in Santa Barbara. I seem to be a fan of the young, upstart wineries, such as: Samsara, Peidrasassi, Ampelos, and Dragonette. And I have not enjoyed a number of established wineries: Andrew Murray, Zaca Mesa,  Au Bon Climat, to name a few. I'm wondering if it's because I'm buying into the "startup" narrative, or if the established wineries are not making wines that are exciting to me - but for a different audience. I guess I'll have to drink more wine to find out.
According to one tasting room employee, the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving is an excellent time to visit, because so many people avoid traveling at that time. It was super mellow throughout the area during our visit, so I'll plan on trying to swing back through during this time again next year.

April '11 Santa Barbara County Trip - Wine Ghetto!!!

After having such a great time on our first Santa Barbara trip, we decided to head back with some wino friends. This time we went with better research, and a long list of places to check out.


Friday (Lompoc Wine Ghetto)
Road Music: Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs Vols. 1-3 (all weekend)


Flying Goat Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $36-$44)
'08 "Goat Bubbles" Blanc de Blancs, '08 Pinot Noir - Dierberg Vineyard, '07 Pinot Noir - Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard, '07 Pinot Noir - Rio Vista Vineyard Clone 2A, '06 "Dijon" Pinot Noir - Rio Vista Vineyard.
None of the wine knocked our socks off. Though the Clone 2A was easily the best. Nice space, cool dogs. The tasting room attendants were fine, though not engaging. 
Experience: B- / Wine: C+


Palmina Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$32)
'09 Tocai Friulano, '09 Arneis, '09 Dolcetto, '06 Nebbiolo, '08 Lagrein, '10 Botasea.
A very welcoming and relaxed environment. Palmina exhibits talent and confidence in making Italian-style wine while keeping prices in a reasonable range. The staff were all very friendly. One of the most fun tasting rooms that we have visited. 
Experience: A- / Wine: B+


Samsara Wines ($10 tasting, wines $18-$44)
'10 Pinot Noir Rosé, '09 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills, '07 Pinot Noir - Ampelos Vineyard, '07 Syrah - Melville Vineyards. 
Samsara is experimental, skilled, and not worried about catering to the mainstream. The tasting room is a no frills warehouse. The gentleman at the tasting room was very informative about the Samsara process. Each wine was unique and had solid characteristics. The Rosé was superb. 
Experience: B / Wine: B+


Taste of Sta. Rita Hills ($10 tasting, wines $17-$80)
'10 Moretti Bianchetto, '09 Hilliard Bruce Chardonnay, '07 Ken Brown Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills Cuvee, '08 Hilliard Bruce Pinot Noir, '09 Moretti Syrah. 
We didn't originally intend on stopping at Taste of Sta. Rita Hills, but we were drawn in by the list of wineries that were featured there (specifically Ken Brown and Seasmoke). Taste of Sta. Rita Hills is a tasting room for wineries that do not have their own tasting rooms. Antonio is an enchanted and gracious  host. He serves complimentary snacks that fit the wines very well. Moretti is Antonio's label. His wines are reasonably priced and solid. Ken Brown is a regional institution - and makes superb Pinots. Hilliard Bruce is a new winery that is putting together a roster of high-quality, high-end wines.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B


Jalama Wines ($10 tasting, wines $28-$36)
'08 Joseph Blair Pinot Noir "Heartbreak" - Cargasacchi/Jalama Vineyard, '08 Pinot Noir - Cargasacchi/Jalama Vineyard, '07 Syrah - Paradise Road Vineyard, '07 Syrah - La Presa Vineyard, '07 El Capitan (red blend).
Our local wine store carried Jalama wines up until recently, so we were familiar with Jalama, and are big fans. So we knew that Jalama was one place that we had to stop at for a tasting. The wines were all fantastic, especially enjoyed the Paradise Road Syrah. The person at the tasting room was helpful and insightful. While there, we found out that Jalama no longer distributes their wine to dealers, so we'll have to revisit the Wine Ghetto when we run out of the wine that we bought there.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-


Ampelos Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $25-$45)
Chein '09 Grüner Veltliner, '06 "Rho" Pinot Noir, '07 "Lambda" Pinot Noir, '08 Pinot Noir - Fiddlestix Vineyard, '07 "Syrache" Syrah/Grenache, '07 "Gamma" Syrah, '07 "Delta" Grenache.
Our visit to Ampelos was awesome. We were able to chat with the owner Peter Work at length. He is a great dude, and a wealth of knowledge. I was glad to learn in-depth about their sustainable/organic/bio-dynamic process. Ampelos goes to great effort to be an environmental leader in the wine industry, and I think that it makes a difference in the quality of their product. Their wine is fantastic. Great Syrah, Pinot, and Grenache. It was my favorite stop during our trip.
Experience: A / Wines: A-


Saturday (Foxen Canyon Road & Los Olivos)


Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $16-$42)
'10 Z Gris, '09 Viognier, '07 Roussanne, '08 Z-Blanc (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne), '07 Z-Cuvee (Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah), '07 Syrah, '06 Z-Three (Syrah/Mourvedre/Grenache).
In my limited experience, there is a spectrum of wineries in Santa Barbara County. One end of the spectrum are wineries that we constantly pushing to experiment and develop a unique system. One the other end are wineries that play it safe so that visitors that come to their wineries are reasonably or moderately pleased with their experience, and perhaps buy wine. Zaca Mesa is a "playing it safe" winery. Their wine tastes fine. Their tasting room is nicely decorated. Their staff are perfectly nice. But at no point while I was there did I feel that I was experiencing anything unique. Considering that Zaca Mesa seems to be doing very well there's definitely an audience that appreciate that safeness, but I'd rather explore other avenues.  
Experience: C / Wines: C+


Koehler Winery ($10 tasting, wines $14-$30)
'09 Chardonnay, '08 Grenache, '08 Sangiovese, '07 Syrah, '07 Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Riesling.
Koehler, like Zaca Mesa, has their tasting room on their estate. They have a nice picnic area, and a cool winery cat. Mid-day Saturday seems to be a pretty popular time - it was pretty busy though we were still taken c. The wine was pretty good, but nothing very exciting. I enjoyed their Syrah and Cab most.
Experience: B- / Wines: B-


Carhartt Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $21-$35)
'09 Grenache Blanc, '10 Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Rosé, '09 Sangiovese, '05 Merlot, '07 Syrah.
Carhartt is a fun and relaxing stop in Los Olivos. When we arrived the tiny tasting room was packed with four other folks, so we found seats on the back patio. The attendants will bring the wine out to you for the tasting. You certainly can't hate on hanging outside on a nice shaded patio on a perfect Saturday afternoon while tasting quality wine. Carhartt wine is varies from fine to pretty good. The Syrah was quite nice. 
Experience: B+ / Wines: B-


Stolpman Vineyards ($15 tasting, wines $25-$66)
'09 La Coppa Blanc (Roussanne/Viognier), '09 "L'Avoin" Roussanne, '09 La Cuadrilla (Syrah/Grenache), '07 Sangiovese, '09 "Originals" Syrah, '08 "Hilltops" Syrah, '09 "Angeli" Syrah, '08 "La Croce" Syrah, '08 Grenache.
The couple that we joined for this trip are Stolpman members, and were insistent that we must go. They were not wrong. Their wine were fantastic. Each wine that we tried was high caliber and has its own unique approach. The tasting room was busy, but the staff were very capable of taking care of many people at once. All of the Syrahs were excellent and the Grenache was great. 
Experience: A- / Wines: A-


Tensley Wines ($10 tasting, wines $28-$38)
'10 Camp 4 Vineyard Blanc (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne), Lea '10 Chardonnay, Lea '09 Pinot Noir, '09 Colson Canyon Syrah.
On our second trip to Tensley we were once again please with the quality of their wine. This time around we were very disappointed with the person who attended to us. She seemed put off by our presence. Thankfully the wine is good, so we weren't affected by her demeanor. The Lea Pinot Noir was the most outstanding wine that we tried. 
Experience: C- / Wines: A-


Dragonette ($15 for reserve flight tasting, wines ($18-$54)
'10 Rosé of Pinot Noir, '09 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Pinot Noir, '09 Pinot Noir - Presidio Vineyard, '08 Syrah, '08 MJM (red blend).
Our first Dragonette trip was so great, we were really looking forward to visiting them again. Sadly, it wasn't nearly as enjoyable. The tasting room was packed and the staff were exasperated. Just the same, Dragonette makes very good wine, especially the Sauvignon Blanc and the Presidio Vineyard Pinot.
Experience: C+ / Wines: B+


Sunday (Highway 246)


Foley Estates
I seem to have misplaced my notes from our Foley stop. I can recall the overall experience though. Foley is bland. None of their wine stands out. The tasting room is attractive, but seems soul-less. The tasting room attendants are competent, but did not exhibit a passion for the wine. The spirit of corporatism emanates from each aspect of Foley's presentation. Since Foley owns other wineries in the area, you can get free tastings at Lincourt and Firestone with a receipt of your tasting from Foley. 
Experience: C / Wines: C