An Introduction to Santa Barbara Wine Country | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Santa Barbara Wine Country at SoFI
Inglewood, CA, July 30, 2023
If the 5-billion-dollar stadium is celebrated for being the home of the National Football League (NFL)’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, concerts and other events, its operator Legends along with Local LA Catering & Events by Chef David LeFevre also wants to bring people together around food and wine.
So yesterday, thirty wineries of Santa Barbara Country were showcased on a grand patio in front of one of the suites, paired with cuisine from Chef David LeFevre (M.B. Post, Fishing with Dynamite, The Arthur J). The curated wine list featured more than twenty-one different grape varietals from Santa Barbara Wine Country and its diverse terroir.
Learning about Santa Barbara Wine Country
I got to speak with Alison Laslett, the CEO of Santa Barbara Vintners Association. It was founded in 1983 to promote and protect the Santa Barbara Wine Country industry, representing over 200 wineries and vineyards. One of its missions is to educate and inspire wine enthusiasts about the distinctive qualities of the Santa Barbara Wine Country. So, let’s just listen to Ms. Laslett in the exclusive video below.
The region has two significant mountain ranges that run East-to-West instead of the typical North-to-South. This unusual orientation creates a transverse valley, which opens to the Pacific, allowing the cool ocean air and dense fog to roll deep into the valley. At 44 miles long, this is the longest transverse valley from Alaska to Chile.
The Seven AVAs (American Viticultural Areas)
The cool climes near the ocean foster Burgundian wines, while the Rhône varietals grow mid-valley, and finally, Bordeaux wines flourish in the inland heat.
• Alisos Canyon
• Ballard Canyon
• Happy Canyon
• Los Olivos District
• Santa Maria Valley
• Santa Ynez Valley
• Sta. Rita Hills
Acres of Santa Barbara Wine Country wine grape varietals
From the 2022 SBC Crop Report
| Varietal | Acres |
| Chardonnay | 4,771 |
| Pinot Noir | 3,744 |
| Syrah | 1,040 |
| Sauvignon Blanc | 920 |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 868 |
| Grenache | 490 |
| Mourvèdre | 185 |
| Cabernet Franc | 149 |
| Petite Sirah | 134 |
| Merlot | 164 |
| Pinot Gris | 216 |
| White Riesling | 99 |
| Misc. Reds | 367 |
| Misc. Whites | 310 |
Cheers to next year’s event, as this was the first annual.
> For more information, check out Santa Barbara Vintners | Santa Barbara Wine Country official website.
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