Santa Barbara Wines Ready To Impress

A recent wine tasting trip to Southern California yielded some unexpected favorites. After several tastings, and over a hundred wines from all around the world, the most impressive were not from Bordeaux or Napa, but from Santa Barbara County. Several exuberant wines like Domaine De La Cote Bloom's Field 2012, and Sandhi Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 2012 stood out from their competition. It is easy to see why winemaker and master sommelier Brian McClintic said, "Santa Barbara has unlimited potential." 

The wines tasted include 2012 Bordeaux and out of the mainstream Italians tried at large events, plus smaller producer tastings and numerous wines by the glass. Along with the wine itself, there were conversations with some of the top wine professionals and one of the foremost advocates of food trucks in the United States. I will share more about my tastings and best experiences in posts over the next few weeks.