In May of 2019, I attended a wonderful tasting at The Wine House in Los Angeles.  Stolpman Vineyards was there in full force showcasing some of their world class syrahs.  I purchased four bottles that included the 2011-2014 vintages of Hecho Por Ruben, made by their vineyard manager, Ruben Solorzano.  Tom and Virginia Stolpman purchased their vineyard in 1990 and…

Sunstone Winery is one of my favorite properties, located just southwest of Solvang, in the Santa Ynez Valley.  They have a large portfolio of wines available in an accessible price range.  Just celebrating their 25th anniversary, the winery buildings were designed and built to look like a Tuscan estate.  Since the weather is good most of the year, guests prefer…

Pursuing Pinot has been experiencing creative shut down during the pandemic. However, I have encountered two new wineries that I want to share with you. My daughter, Hilary, and I ventured to Santa Barbara County in June to visit several of our favorite wineries and one new to us, Andrew Murray Vineyards. Lots of new rules were in place such…

Sonja Magdevski, owner and wine maker at Casa Dumetz Wines, held a special event for wine club members, a barrel tasting of some of her 2018 vintage wines. Sonja began her adventure into commercial wine making in 2008, with a focus on Rhone varietals.  She bottles under three labels: Casa Dumetz, Clementine Carter, and The Feminist Party. Sonja does not…

The Wine House, a wonderful wine shop in West Los Angeles, hosted Stolpman Vineyards for a grand tasting earlier this month. I’m a huge fan of The Wine House and they do an exceptional job with their tastings. First of all, events are not oversold, meaning you aren’t endlessly waiting in line at the tables and you can actually chat…

A recent visit to the lovely Central Coast included visits to three wineries new to me. My daughter, Hilary, had previously visited Riverbench and one of my friends recommended Dierberg and Sunstone. Riverbench is situated on the southeastern edge of the Santa Maria Valley, the northernmost AVA in Santa Barbara County. Pinot Noir vines make up the majority of the…

One of the most serendipitous occurrences during our first day in Santa Barbara County was meeting Hilliard Bruce’s new production manager, Sonja Magdevski.  She also makes wine for her own label, Casa Dumetz.  Sonja was busy that Saturday, decked out in rose colored rain boots, managing various tanks of wine.  I called “hello” to her and she was happy to…

Last weekend, my daughter and trusty tasting partner, Hilary, and I headed off for a little getaway to Santa Barbara County for some wine tasting. The day was partly cloudy and the clouds added dimension and interesting lighting as we drove along the Pacific and into the Santa Ynez foothills. Even though California hasn’t seen much rain this season, there…