Wine on the Radio - October 13, 2003

Santa Barbara                           Recommendations

Here are three great words for you:   California wine country.  

Hear those and you might automatically think Napa and Sonoma .   But there's some pretty special wine country south of the Golden Gate too.  

And Santa Barbara may just be the capital of that other wine country.   A couple of hours north from LA takes you to Santa Barbara and, further north, San Luis Obispo, for a wine experience that's less bustling than the North country.

Pure Southern California!  

In Santa Barbara , there are east to west running mountains and cool direct ocean air makes for an ideal wine climate and long, warm and dry summers give more hang time for the ripening grapes.  

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and some notable Cabernet, are the big three here but without the big time priciness.   What you'll find are soft and approachable wines that are ready to drink.

We've got some ideas on where you might start below.

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Some Wines of Santa Barbara County . . . All Prices Approximate

2001 Santa Barbara Winery Chardonnay Santa Barbara County $12
WA 87 points, The light gold-colored 2000 Chardonnay exhibits notes of minerals and peaches

Meridian 2001 Santa Barbara Chardonnay $14
Winemaker's Notes
Excellent food pairings with Meridian Vineyards Santa Barbara County Chardonnay include poultry, fish, pork, cream sauces, and mildly spicy foods

Firestone 2000 Merlot $15
Winemaker's Notes
This wine perfectly combines the richness of the grape with the mineral and spicy terroir of our vineyard

2001 Babcock Chardonnay Santa Barbara County $15
WS 87 points, Tilts toward the herbal side of Chardonnay

2001 Cambria Chardonnay "Katherines" Santa Maria Valley $15
WA 90 points, WA 90 points, Medium to full-bodied, hedonistic, sexy, delicious, open-knit, tropical fruit-dominated (jammy peaches and apricots) offering

Firestone 2000 Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $18
Winemaker's Notes
Typically briary and savory with the signature of the Santa Ynez Valley cherry and plum flavors

2000 Fess Parker Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County $20
WA 88 points, It offers abundant quantities of sweet cherry and strawberry fruit intermixed with earth, dried herbs, and smoke

Byron 2000 Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay $22
Winemaker's Notes
Byron Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley is an exceptionally well balanced wine, displaying ripe, vibrant flavors and remarkable silkiness

Byron 2001 Santa Maria Pinot Noir $25
Winemaker's Notes
Byron Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley is a beautiful reflection of this year’s superb vintage conditions

Justin 2001 Paso Robles Zinfandel $25
Winemaker's Notes
Tasting Notes:
It has a deep purple color. The nose has an intense sweet cherry aroma with an earthy note

Justin 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon $25
Winemaker's Notes
Blackcurrant, vanilla, toasted oak and a touch of earthy aromas are present in the nose and on the palate of this approachable, balanced, medium bodied wine

Sanford 2000 Pinot Noir $30
Winemaker's Notes
Very forward, complex, almost floral, slightly herbal nose of spicy, ripe strawberry-black cherry fruit, wild mushrooms and nicely integrated vanillin oak

1999 Steele Pinot Noir "Bien Nacido Vineyard" Santa Barbara County $40
WS 87 points, Appealing, if a touch earthy and herbaceous, with cola, herb, pepper and beefy wild berry flavors that turn spicy