Santa Barbara Winemakers. May Edition.

Featured video

Preview a taste of Santa Barbara Winemakers. Quicktime is needed with sound on.
To view the current video interviews please go to the Screening Room

May 25
New tasting notes. Playing catch-up with some of the recent bottles. Acronicus, Carina's mourvedre, a Whitcraft pinot and a Foxen cab franc.

May 19
Rain, again, the weather is all over the place. The vines are just flowering and the temperature didn't get above 70 today. I keep hearing the winemakers and vineyard staff say they are hoping for a long growing season. Whatever happens it will be a challenge on the skills this year.

May 13

Grand Tasting at Hospice and other notes from the day. HdR


May 12
Some vineyards are still about 4-6 weeks behind regular growth but now the weather is starting to warm up somewhat. Still lots of humidity though.
Had a blind tasting over at Bridlewood yesterday. I failed miserably, could come up with plenty of excuses, but am going to have to drink more to stay on top of this instead. To pacify myself though, I finally made it over to the new Whitcraft facility, what a treat to drink some of the best wines around. When every wine in the county is as good as this then I may end up handling a pan on Milpas, or will have to find a well paid job just to keep up. The tasting room is over on Cesar Chavez open on Fridays and weekends 12 until 4pm or by appointment. The '04 Santa Barbara County (lot 2) pinot is dinner this evening. Anyone planning to jump off Coldsprings bridge this weekend should swing by on the way up the 154, a taste of this wine may change your mind and give you the will to live.

May 7
Robert Parker was in the area this weekend to take a look at some of the latest offerings. Los Olivos was not loaded with paparazzi like it used to be when the Jesus juice used to be poured freely. This low key event, like a visit from the friendly headmaster, will no doubt furnish some with mid 90's. Tensley and Carina Cellars might be worth investing in, the 04's pouring freely for Mr. Parker should have also have included the Tierra Alta grenache in my mind.

May 6
Sun finally cut through the fog for the first-time this month. Vines are as much as 8 weeks behind in growth. Temps are not in the 80's yet.

May 1
New label in Memory Lane