Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Get Yourself to Santa Barbara

The wines of Santa Barbara are only getting better and better. The winemakers are figuring out the best sites for the right grapes and they are developing a deft hand on the production side of things. There are more interesting places to eat and the region itself is spectacular (much like most wine country).

This past trip we discovered some great new wines but we also cemented our opinion on some favorites. At the top of the heap, we very much enjoy Brewer-Clifton and Arcadian. Come the end of the day, those are the wines you will find in my personal cellar. They age nicely... well, for newish standards, meaning 10+ years. And they are some of the most balanced wines you will find. Graceful and fruitful but also brimming with acidity and structure.

Some other favorites from this visit include Samsara, Piedrasassi, Demetria, Bratcher and Ojai (not quite Santa Barbara but visited on this trip). Expect to see more of these wines in the shop soon.

By way of food, we highly recommend Brothers Restaurant at Mattei's Tavern in Los Olivos and Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos. Both excellent quality.

Demetria Winery
2006 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir
Full of Life Flatbread

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