The California Wine Festival Winter Wine Classic

Sunday, January 20, 2013

I first went to the Pinot Noir seminar, at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort in Santa Barbara. The San Miguel Room hosted a seminar and tasting called “Exploring Pinot Noir – The Power of Three”. The three winemakers, from three different vineyards, who have produced the three distinct Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noirs were the panelists. To feel and taste these 3 different wines was very enlightening, especially hearing the stories from the wine makers themselves. They explored the trio of California’s most beautiful Pinots and how they express themselves differently. Lots of love and perfection went into these 3 wines, and they were all fantastic. Many elements are at play for these artists, including cooperage, fluctuations of maceration times as well as terroir among others. Really worth exploring and tasting.

Featured Wineries: Flying Goat Cellars, Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery & Melville Winery

After being able to taste the best Pinot’s in the region I am off to the classic, where food and wine are abundant and delicious.

Here are all the participants:
Restaurants & Food Purveyors:
Acqua Panna ~ S. Pellegrino, Blush Restaurant & Lounge, Butler Event Center, Butterfly Brittle, Cabot Creamery, Carlsbad Aquafarm, Casa Blanca Restaurant, Cupcakes in Wonderland, Enterprise Fish Co., Georgia’s Smokehouse, Kerrygold Irish Dairy, Olivos del Mar, Marmalade Cafe & Catering Co., Nan’s Gourmet Good Pastamore, Santa Ynez Olive Oil Company.

Participating Wineries:
Grassini Family Vineyards, HammerSky Vineyards, Honig Vineyards & Winery, Lancaster Estate, LinCourt, Lone Madrone, Madrona Vineyards, Medlock Ames Winery, Melville Winery, Michael-David Winery, Miner Family Winery, Qupé, Roth Estate Winery, Roxo Port Cellars, Saddleback Cellars, Silver Oak Cellars, Somerston Wine Co., Starlane Vineyards, Summit Lake Vineyards, Tablas Creek, Tercero Wines, Three Rivers Winery, Twomey Cellars, Viansa Winery & Marketplace, Ahnfeldt Winery, Ampelos Cellars, Au Bon Climat, Bernardus Winery, Bianchi Winery, Bouchaine Vineyards, Bridlewood Estate Winery, Ceja Vineyards, Chalk Hill, Daou Vineyard, Dierberg Vineyard, Duck Pond Cellars, Epiphany Cellars, Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, Flying Goat Cellars, Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery, Fritz Winery.

The wines were all amazing, and the food went nicely with all of the wines. I might add that some of these wines were very expensive, so it was definitely worth the price of admission. The Fess Parker is a Hilton Resort and a minute away from the beach, so that too is enticing. They also do some other wine events during the year, another in Santa Barbara, and in Dana Point. Really, buy your tickets now and enjoy these tastings, you will be so happy you did!

California Wine Festival – Winter Wine Classic – 2013
californiawinefestival.com/eventschedule.html

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