Viognier – Page 4

Day Two: 2014 Wine Blogger Conference In Santa Barbara Wine Country

July 12, 2014 by Deborah Mines

So many wines, so little time! Yesterday was an amazing event-filled day at the 2014 Wine Bloggers Conference. The highlight of the day was the evening mystery excursion. WIne Bloggers were loaded on small buses and taken to various undisclosed locations in the Santa Barbara Wine Country.

I was beyond excited to end up at Melville Vineyards, off Highway 246 in Lompoc. Chad Melville personally greeted 40 bloggers and gave us a working knowledge of the terroir of the Santa Rita Hills AVA. I will write a separate blog highlighting this very special evening! [Read more…]

2014 Wine Blogger Conference Opens Today In Santa Barbara Wine Country!

July 11, 2014 by Deborah Mines

Day One of the 2014 Wine Bloggers Conference is finally here! Over 350 wine bloggers will kickstart the conference at the Marriott Hotel in Buellton this morning with Discover Portugal: Influences Around the World, A food and wine pairing brunch hosted by Wines of Portugal.

Keynote speaker, Corbett Barr of Fizzle, will welcome the wine bloggers to the pristine Santa Barbara Wine Country. Other afternoon sessions include a panel of Santa Barbara Country Winemakers, Live Wine Blogging (whites and roses), Wine Discovery breakout sessions featuring Rutherford Hill and Duckhorn Wineries – #MerlotMe, Winebow‘s When The Sum Is Greater Than Its Parts: Wine Blends From Around The World and Jackson Family Wines – How The Pros Taste. [Read more…]

Wine Bloggers Unite in Santa Barbara County July 10-13, 2014

July 9, 2014 by Deborah Mines

The excitement is mounting for the 2014 Wine Bloggers Conference, which will take place in Buellton in the heart of the Santa Barbara County Wine Country this weekend. Thank you to the WBC Scholarship Committee and to the WBC Sponsors for selecting me to participate as a scholarship recipient.

The Santa Barbara AVA is very dear to my heart as the region throws a diverse selection of varietals ~ from Rhone Blends, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and more. And, best of all, it is within easy driving distance! [Read more…]

Santa Maria’s Cambria Estate Vineyards & Winery Is Empowering

June 12, 2014 by Deborah Mines

Approaching Cambria Estate Vineyards & Winery from Santa Maria, it’s easy to miss the turnoff unless you’re watching for their sign. The views are panoramic and open as large tracts of vineyards span the river beds for miles along the east-west valley in Santa Maria Valley AVA.

In 1981, the Santa Maria American Viticulture Area was designated as the third AVA in the United States and the first in Santa Barbara County. This unique microclimate leads to early bud break and a long ripening season for the grapes.

Cambria Estate Vineyards and Winery has been touted for over 25 years as a world-class producer of fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. The winery is also SIP Certified, (Sustainability in Practice), a bio-dynamic farming practice that embraces water conservation and the highest utilization of the land.

What makes Cambria Estate Vineyards and Winery even more unique is that it is woman-owned with a woman winemaker at the helm. Vino-preneur Barbara Banke and her two daughters run the day-to-day operations and Denise Shurtleff is the artisan winemaker. [Read more…]

Melville Vineyards & Winery ~ Santa Rita Hills AVA

June 1, 2014 by Deborah Mines

Head west out Highway 246 toward Lompoc and discover the Santa Rita Hills appellation, one of the newest and fastest-growing AVAs in Santa Barbara County. Home to over 59 vineyards with more than 2,000 acres planted in Pinot Noir, 500 acres of Chardonnay, and over 140 acres planted in Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and other cool climate varietals.

One of Santa Rita Hills’ crowning jewels is Melville Vineyards and Winery, a beautifully appointed Mediterranean-style winery that exclusively produces 100% estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. The unique microclimate of the Santa Rita Hills AVA is characterized by the cool temperatures, coastal winds and early morning fog, and is perfectly suited to growing these Burgundian grape varietals. [Read more…]