New Wines Raise Funds for Montecito Mudslide Relief

by Gabe Saglie, Senior Editor, Travelzoo
story published in the Santa Barbara News-Press on 1/18/18

Bottlest Winery, Bar & Bistro in Buellton has created two limited edition wines aimed directly at fundraising for fire and mudslide victims. The “Rise” wines – a chardonnay and a cabernet sauvignon – sell for $20, with $15 from each sale earmarked for Direct Relief. The well-known Goleta-based aid group with remarkable international reach has had staff on the ground since early December, mobilizing support, providing free vaccines and working alongside the Red Cross and Santa Barbara County’s Public Health and Emergency Services Departments.

 

“We consider all of Santa Barbara County our local community,” says Bart Jones, general manager at Botllest. “We just felt an obligation to do anything we could to help out. And what better way to do that than by doing what we specialize in?”

 

The Bottlest team describes the 2014 chardonnay as medium-bodied, fruity and off-dry, with moderate oak; the 2014 cab is full-bodied, earthy and spicy, with “dark chocolate notes.” Both wines feature a rising Phoenix on their labels to signify Santa Barbara’s inevitable rise from these tragedies. They can be purchased in person (35 Industrial Way in Buellton) or online. The wines went on sale on Sunday, January 14.

 

In October, Bottlest produced a limited run of “California Strong” wines to benefit recovery efforts after the wildfires in Napa and Sonoma. As part of Terravant Wine Company, the largest winemaking facility in Santa Barbara County, Bottlest allows consumers to custom craft their own wine and design their own label; the onsite restaurant provides some of the very best dining in the Santa Ynez Valley.

 

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