published in the Santa Barbara News-Press on 1/1/15
Good news, fellow wine drinkers: 2015 looks to be another dynamic year for the Santa Barbara wine industry. Ours remains one of the best areas in the world for wine innovation, continuing to draw fresh talent and to inspire high quality at affordable prices. We are lucky to live at its threshold.
Here are four trends to look for as we raise our wine
glasses in 2015.
Small is Big

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Norm Yost and his Goat Bubbles (Bob Dickey photo) |
You have probably noticed it by now: Santa Barbara’s
sparkling wine industry is on fire. A
handful of pioneers have long been dabbling in bubbles, including Norm Yost and
the late, great Chris Whitcraft. But there
is a surging number of producers making bubbly now, some even going as far as
bringing the laborious, intensive, hands-on production process in house. Many are also pushing the envelope, going
beyond chardonnay and pinot noir as standard ingredients and making bubbles
with grapes like syrah and grenache.
We’re entering 2015 with more than 30 local producers making sparkling
wine, and that number will likely grow, especially as consumer awareness grows,
too.
Snazzy Events
The annual Celebration of Harvest event that I attended this
October was one of the best ever. The
new venue – Mission Santa Ines in Solvang – infused a fresh, approachable feel
to the annual event that, for decades, has been produced by Santa Barbara Vintners. It was also just one of a brand new batch of
interesting and oft-intimate happenings in 2014 – some designed for consumers, others for media and trade – that
effectively heightened interest in local wines. Kudos to Releve Unlimited, the local
destination management company that’s partnered with the local wine industry to
give it a shot in the arm with one simple premise: build it and they will come. Next up: the Vintners Spring Weekend in
April.
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Santa Barbara's 2014 Celebration of Harvest took place at Mission Santa Ines in Solvang |
Vintage 2015

Happy New Year!
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You are so right about the sparkling wines. Sea Smoke Sea Spray is excellent!
ReplyDeleteGreat piece as usual, my friend! But many challenges continue to lie ahead for SBC - most notably marketing from within. As an industry, we have so much to gain by 'pushing' SBC anywhere and everywhere we go - above and beyond our own brand. Our 'challenge' is not to make better wines - yes, we can always 'improve' but the majority of wines made in SBC are truly world class. It is to educate both consumers and the trade about what we have here - right in the back yard of those South of us. And make no mistake - we will not 'succeed' in doing this without working at it . . .
ReplyDeleteI'll work with you Larry. :)
ReplyDelete