Samsara is a Sanskrit word meaning the eternal cycle of life. The world we live in now. One of passion, oneness and harmony. This idea is key to the philosophy of Chad and Mary Melville’s Samsara wines. Chad and Mary produce limited releases of Pinot Noir and Syrah from micro-sites within carefully selected vineyards.
Don Dascomb and his sons went to work planting a vineyard. Over the years the vineyard produced quality fruit which was purchased by a few of the well-known local wineries. Due to market trends, by 1999 most Cabernet vineyards in Santa Barbara County were replaced by other varietals. Don and his son Dave were not so easily swayed and believed the climate and soil were right for Cabernet Sauvignon. Dave felt the key to producing a premium Cabernet from the region was to allow the fruit to fully mature, reach peak ripeness. As a result, the Estate vineyard, East Valley Vineyard, is one of the oldest Cabernet Vineyards in Santa Barbara County!
The name “Prodigal” stems from the career paths that Stephen Russell has taken. As an early (1960) graduate of the UC Davis Enology program, but not a member of a wine family, he was the first formally-trained enologist to be hired by the Gallo's. After discovering that corporate winemaking didn’t offer the future he had envisioned, and after attempting unsuccessfully to raise the money to purchase Freemark Abbey, with a twenty-something’s wisdom he decided to leave the industry. After returning to school and an academic career in cancer research, he and his wife, Mary, returned to California to found Quinta Santa Rosa Vineyard / Prodigal Wines in 2001. The ‘prodigal son’ had returned!
Tasting room was being relocated at time of entry.
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Rideau Vineyard was founded in 1997 by New Orleans native, Iris Rideau. Early on in the winery’s inception, Iris Rideau decided to dedicate her estate vineyard entirely to Rhône varietals. She felt that Rhône wines were not only ideally suited to the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, but also instinctively felt that they were best suited to the Creole cuisine of her childhood.
Roblar Winery wines reflect the diversity of Santa Ynez Valley, with an east-west transverse range that allows the Pacific Ocean a significant influence with near-daily fog and crisp ocean breezes. This cooler climate leads to wines with firm structure, plenty of secondary flavors, and great potential for aging.
Mosby winery is committed to producing award-winning Cal-Italian wines. Bill and Jeri Mosby purchased the old de la Vega land in the early 1970s, and the first thing Bill did was plant vines. The Mosby’s first commercial wines were bottled under the Vega label, named after the old Spanish California land grant. Bill’s wine began to gain industry attention, and a following of Mosby wine enthusiasts continued to develop. In 1986, at his family’s insistence, Bill changed the Vega label to reflect the Mosby name and winemaking philosophy.
A long-standing member of the Santa Barbara winemaking community, Whitcraft Winery is obsessed with producing the highest quality wines. Their signature varietals are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah, but also produce a variety of other unique, hand-crafted varietals.
Pierre Lafond opened Santa Barbara Winery in 1962. Lafond Vineyard first planted in 1971 and Lafond Winery opened in 2001. Bruce McGuire: winemaker David Lafond: General Manager.Bruce's winemaking philosophy begins in the vineyard. He believes the quality and integrity of the wine is extricably linked to what happens in the field, from pruning in winter, to the harvest in autumn.
Impressed by the well manicured grounds, Ron Melville and of course, the wines were very nice. Their syrah had a nice finish and the two pinot noirs tasted said a lot about their expertise in growing grapes. Very impressed with the attention to detail and their very personable service. Could have sat all day there enjoying a glass of wine with the view of the vineyards.
The current Rio Vista Vineyard property was settled in the late 1800’s by Portuguese immigrants, many from the Azores.The farmhouse, recently restored, was built around the turn of the century. There have been a number of visits from early occupants who were born or grew up on the property. Their stories describe an original vineyard that was in the same location as block 7 of the present Rio Vista Vineyard.
