Cimarone and 3CV wines are handcrafted from estate grapes. Three Creek is part of the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbar AVA, a recently approved "American Viticulture Area" which is getting great reviews and attention for it's Bordeaux and Rhone varietals. Cimarone is the first, and only Happy Canyon winery to open a tasting room in the charming town of Los Olivos
Andrew Murray fell in love with the emerging Rhône varieties, Syrah and Viognier, in the late 1980’s while traveling through France’s Rhône Valley. Leaving his UC Berkeley paleontology studies behind, he pursued his new mistress, Syrah, with an internship in Australia. His three-month tryst evolved into a 15-month romance with the famed Australian Shiraz. Returning to the states, he earned a bachelor’s degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis’ renowned wine program, then founded his eponymous Santa Ynez winery and vineyard.
Cold Heaven Cellars was founded in 1996 by owner/winemaker Morgan Clendenen who pioneered the cool-climate viognier style that the winery has become famous for producing. Using fruit from top-quality vineyards from three separate appellations in Santa Barbara County, Cold Heaven highlights viognier from the Le Bon Climat Vineyard, a Clendenen family-owned property that is farmed organically and the historic Sanford and Benedict Vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills.
Ken Brown Wines focus is on very small lots of Pinot Noir from the finest vineyards of Sta. Rita Hills. The wines are produced at the Ken Brown winery in Buellton at the gateway to the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, and most lots consist of 250 cases or less. Total annual production is only about 2,000 cases. Ken work with growers, many of whom he has known for years, to hand select vineyard blocks for our program. Some of the remarkable vineyards we work with include Cargasacchi, Clos Pepe, Rio Vista and Sanford & Benedict. Ken Brown Wines also produce limited bottlings of Chardonnay and Syrah.
Rusack was established in 1995 by Geoff Rusack and Alison Wrigley Rusack with a commitment to creating world-class wines. In the years since then, this dedication to quality has meant some dramatic changes at the winery.
The most visible change is in the vineyard. Following the 2001 harvest, many of the original vines were pulled out and replanted. Utilizing cutting edge technology and taking advantage of Ballard Canyon’s unique terroir, varieties to be grown were carefully chosen and limited to those clones best suited to the microclimate. Syrah, Sangiovese, and Sauvignon Blanc have been planted, along with smaller lots of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot to be blended into the renowned "Anacapa."
Lino Garcia established CLEB Wines in 2005, producing only 200 cases. In 2007 CLEB grew to 500 cases of fine Rhone-style wines under the watchful eye of Joey Tensley, one of the leading wine makers in North America. CLEB stands for Cenaida, Lino, Everardo and Berenice.
In 2006 Evelyn was born so rather than changing the name of his label, Lino named his finest Syrah "Evelyn".
Margerum Wine Company is committed to creating handcrafted wines using only the highest quality grapes so that we can make wines that are indicative of the place where they are grown. We strive to make wines naturally, to make wines that have individual characteristics and to make wines with personality. The scale of production is kept at a level where we can touch and know the wine as it is raised to the bottle – the antithesis of mass production. Margerum Wine Company make wines they personally enjoy – some to drink young, all for the table, and others for long aging in cool cellars for later enjoyment.
Jim Clendenen graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with High Honors in Pre-Law in 1976. It was during his "junior year abroad" in 1974, while turning 21 in France, that he discovered life beyond tacos.In 1982, Clendenen decided, along with now ex-partner Adam Tolmach, to start his own winery in leased quarters. Au Bon Climat (which means "a well exposed vineyard") has grown over its history to over 30,000 cases through careful re-investment from its own production.
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.
BADEN is Doug Margerum's dream to make the ultimate ezperssion of grapes that are grown in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Winemakers Dough Margerum and Michael Miroballi produce Pinot Noir, Vin Gris of Pinot Noir, white blend called onte, with more varietals yet to come.
