My wine touring weekend earlier this month in Santa Barbara County was fun, though significantly more sedate than previous trips to California. We started from LA and after a scenic drive through the sage and chaparral covered Santa Ynez mountains arrived at the first winery on our itinerary, Lafond. After a lovely tasting experience with their knowledgeable staff, we invited one of them to join us for a picnic outside and were delighted to discover he's the owner, David Lafond. Besides being handsome, David was a delight to converse with, showing a lot of patience for our myriad questions on growing wine in the region and life in a rural environment. (Given the remoteness of the location its not a surprise that he chooses to live with his family in Santa Barbara). As David was about to depart he handed us a beautiful and totally unexpected poem...
Spring
Home I find the sparkling sea. A 3D landscape surreal in its trio of depths. The view cascades into a salvo of green explosions. Bright flashes from the shimmering trees. Leaves spinning like fishing lures to attract the eye of the hungry. A time when life on the surface exposes the hard work that the denizens of the soil have unleashed.
Two pair of transient wings, styled from the tropic.
Visitors on a journey north, to a familiar place, more intimate relations.
It can be felt by all.
The newness of the soul.
The possibilities...
Happiness boldness, kindness, hope, compassion, sorrow...Joy!
Spring
We subsequently made a beeline for Los Olivos, to try to catch some tasting rooms still open and found only one, Carhartt Vineyard. We were delighted to meet not only the owner, Mike Carhartt, and also the legendary winemaker, Billy Wathen, of Foxen (a great boutique winery we had planned to visit later). Carhartt makes a nice rose, Foxen is known for its Pinot and Billy shared some of their lovely Pinot (94 points by Wine Spectator! Which unfortunately isn't available for tasting at the winery)
Los Olivos, is a quaint, western style town... more to come on it...
Titlting at windmills in Solvang
Solvang is a Disneylandish version of a Danish town, that we all kind of liked <blush>. It had cute stores, a great clothing boutique, and numerous tasting rooms. It also had the only somewhat lively bar in the region, with all of approximately 15 people. The live band was great and we succeeded in closing them down with no bar brawls, making it back to our nearby comfortable and kitschy hotel, The Royal Scandanavian Inn, without incident.
Sunday morning after a gorgeous run from Solvang to the Alisal Ranch and back, Catherine and I were astonished to come across a wine tasting half marathon. Yes, wine tasting after running 13 miles. We crashed the tasting, fitting in I think relatively well, given our running gear and sweat (though we only went 5 miles!) and had an absolute blast. Held in the Solvang town square, the 1st annual Santa Barbara half marathon ended with a live band, about two dozen wineries pouring, and a couple hundred people enjoying the wine, music and sunshine. Only in California! Catherine and I have decided to make this our first half marathon next year. What could be a better motivator for finishing?
We then headed north towards Santa Maria in search of Foxen... More to come on this...
Favorite wines from the weekend:
- Lafond Vineyard Syrah, 2004 - big rich nose, paired well with the goat cheese
- Foxen Chenin Blanc, 2004 - crisp, fresh
- Foxen Foothills Reserve, 2002 - lovely Bordeaux style blend, with big black cherry
- Gainey Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2005
- Gainey Syrah 2004
Favorite wines rom the Barrel Tasting:
- Brander 30th Anniversary Cuvee Sauvignon Blanc
- Presidio Vineyard and Winery Pinot Noir Estate 2006
- Blair Fox Cellars Viognier 2006
- Longoria Evidence 2005 - Bordeaux style blend
More detailed tasting notes to come...
We ended the whirlwind weekend at an historic establishment, Coldspring Tavern, whose patrons are an odd mix of bikers and tourists. In keeping with the ambiance, we switched to local beer and buffalo burgers, both of which I recommend after indulging on food and wine for the previous 48 hours.
That looks like a couple of great trips! I don't want to sidetrack everything, but I don't know how else to get in touch with you. Please let us know how you are doing! Caroline and I miss you!
Courtney
Posted by: Courtney | May 30, 2007 at 08:54 PM
Hi Courtney,
It would be lovely to see you and Caroline. Come visit! I'll try calling you this weekend :)
Love,
Lori
Posted by: Lori Lynn | June 13, 2007 at 05:53 PM