Santa Barbara: The Thrill of Discovery

A palpable energy and the thrill of discovery accompanied my tastings in Santa Barbara this year. Every day seemed to bring with it new wines, new projects and plenty of the youthful energy that is the heartbeat of one of California’s most exciting appellations.

One of California’s historic winemaking regions, Santa Barbara is extremely diverse, in both its AVAs and the wines that are made here. Readers will find everything from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, to Bordeaux varieties to the full complement of Rhone grapes. In that sense, Santa Barbara is a little universe unto itself.

In Napa Valley, and increasingly Sonoma as well, the barriers to entry are high because fruit is expensive. But in Santa Barbara a young winemaker can get started much more easily. Not surprisingly, Santa Barbara continues to attract top talent. The best wines from the new generation are striking. At the same time, many of the pioneers who established the region’s reputation are still going strong. Winemakers like Jim Clendenen, Adam Tolmach and Bob Lindquist seem to be enjoying a level of visibility they haven’t had in years. The young and the old meld together to form the rich, textured fabric that is Santa Barbara today.

The newly approved Ballard Canyon AVA is another step in distinguishing the diverse set of appellations and microclimates that make up this extraordinary diverse patchwork of vineyards. Lastly, the food scene, one of the areas in which Santa Barbara has lagged other wine producing regions in California, appears to be going through a very positive period with a number of exciting new additions.

In short, there has never been a better time to explore Santa Barbara County and all of its dimensions.

A landscape view of the Sta. Rita Hills

The 2012 Vintage – An Overview