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MAY
04
0

April Showers Bring May Flowers- Even in Southern California!

 
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Here in the 805, we can’t always count on prolific April showers to bring May flowers. Sure, we did receive a few sprinkles this year, and there are colorful spots of wildflowers visible on our hills. But in a month known for its abundant blooms, we’re turning elsewhere to get our floral fix. We are looking at wine!
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  2130 Hits
2130 Hits
APR
17
0

Rain or Shine: Wine for Whatever the Weather

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Spring in Southern CA is an unpredictable adventure. The sun could shine heartily, or it could hide behind a cloud cover of gloom. You might need a sweater, or you might enjoy days of sunshine on your shoulders. And true to the rhyme about April showers, you may even spot a bit of rain falling from the sky. With so many ups and downs and varying degrees each day, it’s reassuring to find a constant in wine.
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  2112 Hits
2112 Hits
NOV
22
0

Dierberg Estate Vineyards, setting the standard

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Like with all California wine regions, there are scores of smaller family owned operations and a handful of larger corporate wineries. The Central Coast, with its unique cool climatic conditions, maritime breezes and sunny days, is no exception. One of the bigger players in this area, with two vineyards totaling approximately 230 acres, is Dierberg Estate Vineyards owned by Jim and Mary Dierberg located north of Santa Barbara.
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  2803 Hits
2803 Hits
OCT
25
0

A Sweet Tasting Room!

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Reposted  from  June 2011, due to a crash a few years ago we lost a great deal of articles & images.  Please enjoy again.
Cantara Cellars a family tradition!
Its summer time! For California wine lovers it’s the time to get out in sun, do some exploring and visit some of the wonderful wine regions scattered throughout this great state.    One such area is the Central Coast and Cantara Cellars is one place worth exploring!  Located in Camarillo and the heart of Ventura County, Cantara Cellars is a local winery and tasting room producing a wide selection of award-winning red and white wines.
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  3864 Hits
3864 Hits
MAY
14
0

California's Central Coast Wine

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Throughout California, there are many wine appellations or AVA's. Each is broken down by distinctions like climate and soil that produce both growing and wine differentiation's. The French word terroir will not be used because I do not speak French and, well, mainly for fear of civil unrest among the hard-core. Many of the regions are known to produce and specialize in different wines. The Central Coast includes over 30 different AVA's (American Viticulture Areas). Having some familiarity with these regions, there are key distinctions that often can be blanketed with the term "Central Coast."
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  5125 Hits
5125 Hits
MAY
01
0

The Unknown Santa Barbara

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The movie "Sideways" seems to be a beaten dead horse amongst the wine industry, so much so, it could be called the "S-word." They say perception is reality and many people's knowledge base sometimes falls on a simple movie. As exasperated as the discussions might be, the impact has been a lasting one. A well known winemaker called it the "Sideways bump." The Santa Barbara region was heavily blessed with a lot of wine travelers seeking the much talked about Pinot Noir with cash in hand. While Santa Barbara county may produce some of the best Pinot Noir in the country, that I consume by the barrel, there is much more to the area than Pinot Noir.

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  4451 Hits
4451 Hits
MAR
05
0

Discover The Undiscovered - Cimarone

 

Discover The Undiscovered - Cimarone
If you've had the pleasure of touring Santa Barbara's wine country, you’ve likely visited some combination of the Santa Maria Valley, the Foxen Trail, Los Olivos, the Sta Rita Hills, the downtown "funk-zone," or the Santa Ynez Valley. These fantastic wine trails are posted clearly on most wine maps. But not all of the great spots are included on the maps for mainstream wine travelers to visit, and not all spots are open to the public. Santa Barbara’s wine business has grown and evolved over the years, and now includes some recent discoveries and new AVA's. One of the younger AVA's in California, and more specifically Santa Barbara County, is Happy Canyon, which officially earned its AVA designation in 2009.
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  9523 Hits
9523 Hits