Santa Barbara Wine Tastings & Events
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 Also consult our listings of Santa Barbara Culinary Events
June 2
The 20th Annual Casa Pacifica Angels Wine & Food Festival will bring out some of the best chefs, vintners, bakers and caterers in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. A culinary competition will showcase the work of the region's top chefs, with proceeds going to Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families, the largest non-profit provider of children's mental health services in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. General admission starts at $100. Check online for details at www.cpwineandfoodfestival.com. California State University Channel Islands, 1 University Dr., Camarillo, CA 93012, 805-366-4011.
June 8
Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery in Lompoc will host its annual Celebration of Chardonnay with wine tastings, live music and white-friendly food including oysters with ginger mignonette and ceviche shots. There will be opportunities to meet the winemakers and see what's in their barrels for next year. General admission $75; tickets available online at www.foleywines.com. Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery, 6121 E. Hwy. 246, Lompoc, CA 93436, 805-737-6222.
June 9
The 27th Annual Ojai Wine Festival will showcase more than 60 wineries, along with a 20 premium breweries and a selection of local restaurants. Held on the shore of sparkling Lake Casitas, the event is organized by the Rotary Club of Ojai-West and benefits the club’s many charitable projects. A steady stream of live music maintains a festive atmosphere, while guests enjoy boast rides and bid on silent auction items. For tickets or more information, visit www.ojaiwinefestival.com.
Ongoing
A unique new tour of the Santa Barbara wine country combines wine and cupcakes. And not just any cupcakes. Favorites include chocolate blackberry Syrah and pomegranate mango Chardonnay. Three tasting rooms, six mini cupcakes and a deli-style lunch are included in the guided tour. The cost is $130 per person; discount rates are available for groups. For more information, visit www.sbadventureco.com. Santa Barbara Adventure Company, 720 Bond Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93102, 805-884-9283.
Ongoing
Taste at three premium wineries, plus a local craft brewery on the educational Grapes n' Hops tour of the Santa Ynez Valley. Participants will sample more than 15 different wines, as well as a selection of beers at Figueroa Mountain Brewery. The cost of $105 per person includes door-to-door service (pickups from Ventura through Santa Barbara), a tour guide, lunch and all tastings. Wine Edventures of Santa Barbara, www.welovewines.com.
Wednesdays
Cafe Firenze presents Wednesday Night Wine Tastings every week from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Patrons can enjoy a different winery each time, including local favorites such as Opolo, Cantara Cellars, Rancho Ventavo and Carina Cellars. Italian wines from the restaurant's private wine list are featured on the last Wednesday of the month. Wine flights are $10, and a special "Taste of Firenze" wine bar menu is available in addition to the regular menu. Cafe Firenze, 563 W. Los Angeles Ave., Moorpark, CA 93021, 805-532-0048.
Wednesday
Every Wednesday at Root 246, guests can meet the winemakers and vintners behind some of the region's best and newest wines, and pair their products with fresh, simple dishes from chef Bradley Ogden. Featured wineries change every week. A recent menu, designed for Niner Wines, included an amuse of cocoa-dusted foie gras mousse, followed by a salad with sweet potato crisp, smoked brook trout and an apple-persimmon salad. The entrée featured Rosen Farms rack of lamb, ratatouille, merguez sausage and an olive tapenade. Dessert? A six-layer devil food chocolate cake with malt ice cream sundae. The cost is $45 per person. Root 246, Hotel Corque, 420 Alisal Rd., Solvang, CA 93463, 805-686-8681.
Thursdays
Every Thursday from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. at Corks n' Crowns in Santa Barbara, patrons can pair local wines and craft beers with topnotch gourmet pizzas --- organically made by Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos and baked in house. Corks 'n Crowns, 32 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 805-845-8700.
Saturdays & Sundays
Spend the day visiting tasting rooms and meeting local winemakers. Sounds like Napa or the Santa Ynez Valley, but now Ventura County has its own wine trail. Though most of the grapes are grown elsewhere, the region is home to a number of quality wineries, ranging from small-batch boutique operations to the kosher goliath Herzog Winery. The tour runs every weekend from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., shuttling passengers to four wineries and a farmers' market. Itineraries change depending on the day. The cost is $85 per person. Ventura Visitors Center, Ventura Visitors Center, 101 S. California St., Ventura, CA 93001, 805-648-2075.
Also consult our listings of Santa Barbara Culinary Events
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RECOMMENDED
WINE SHOP
For additional information
on wine events, please contact:
Renegade
Wines
417 Santa Barbara St., Ste. A-6
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-568-1961
www.renegadewines.com
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