Posts Tagged "Santa Barbara"


2011 The Hilt Pinot Noir The Vanguard

2011 The Hilt Pinot Noir The Vanguard


Posted on Jun 10, 2016

The Vanguard2011 The Hilt Pinot Noir The Vanguard

The Hilt is a Santa Barbara County winery created by the people from the highly successful Jonata Winery. They do two Pinots: The Old Guard from older vines and The Vanguard from younger vines. Fruit for this cuvee was sourced from three of the finest vineyards in Santa Barbara County: Solomon Hills, Sanford and Benedict and Bien Nacido. Dark red with little fade at the rim. Very fragrant nose that gives up black cherries, raspberries and brown spices. After some swirling hints of vanilla and cream soda poke through. Definitely a bigger wine, with full body, it retains balance and does not fall into that “Syrah lovers Pinot” style that some from the Central Coast can. Power and elegance combined in the right proportions. The finish is long and spicy with just a bit of tannin. Can drink now or hold for another 5+ years.

Excellent – $64 tax-in at BC Liquor stores. This is particularly good value for the quality. The 2012 release is out and sells for $99

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Casa Dumetz: Wines That Tell a Story

Casa Dumetz: Wines That Tell a Story


Posted on May 25, 2016

Casa Dumetz winesOne of the first things that become apparent when you meet winemaker Sonja Magdevski is her insatiable curiosity. It is this inquisitiveness that brought her into the wine industry and the same eagerness and passion that is put into the wine at Casa Dumetz.

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Santa Barbara Wine country

We often get asked to make winery recommendations to friends or clients visiting various wine country regions throughout the Pacific Northwest. One of the first things we try and find out is whether the person going is looking for the best wine they can find in the area, or are more interested in a destination winery where they can sit and enjoy a glass of wine with a view. Once in a while you find a combination of both that really stand out: Daou Vineyards in Paso Robles, Soter Vineyards in the Willamette Valley and St. Francis Vineyards in Sonoma certainly come to mind. On a recent trip to Santa Barbara’s wine country we added Sunstone Vineyards and Winery to that list.

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SBwinecountrySanta Barbara County is the southern half of California’s Central Coast wine region. It takes in almost 10,000 km2 moving north from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria and then inland from there. It combines stunning beauty, from gorgeous coastlines to beautiful interior rolling hills. And as we recently discovered, it is making some outstanding wines at very fair prices.

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Santa Barbara: The American Riviera

Santa Barbara: The American Riviera


Posted on Apr 19, 2016

SBpalmtreesJust an hour and a half’s drive from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara encompasses a delightful span of California’s central coast that is surprisingly underdeveloped particularly given its location and what it offers visitors: beautiful beaches lined with palm trees, fantastic restaurants, and easy access to a truly unique wine region producing world-class wines.

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