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Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival
April Annually
The annual Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival Weekend attracts wine lovers from near and far for an opportunity to meet member vintners, taste their wines, and enjoy great food and music over a long spring weekend. The highlight of the weekend is the Festival itself, where every one of our 110+ member wineries gather to present their wines, often poured by the winemakers themselves. The Festival also presents some of the best local food from restaurants, catering companies and gourmet food creators.
This weekend, wineries also present their own events, ranging from Winemaker's Dinners through library tastings and sales to new wine releases and barrel tastings.
A favorite feature of the weekend is the Vintners' Visa - your passport to ten winery tasting rooms - use the Vintners' Visa to explore new wineries - or revisit old friends.
Celebration of Harvest
October Annually
The annual Celebration of Harvest is held in October each year, when we're in the thick of the winegrape harvest and winery staff take a needed break to showcase their latest wines, many newly bottled!Local restaurants, caterers and specialty food purveyors showcase their talents and the bounty of Santa Barbara County, while live and lively bands fill the air with music. Add to that the silent auction, filled with specialty wines and large format bottles from members of the Vintners’ Association to benefit People Helping People, and we definitely have a reason to Celebrate Harvest!
Be sure to take in the sights, sounds, smells and excitement of harvest by extending your stay for a few days. The Vintners’ Visa is a four-day pass to 12 participating wineries, each of whom are pulling out all the stops just for Vintners’ Visa holders. The Vintners' Visa can be used at participating wineries from can be used Friday through Monday so make it a long weekend! And for the full celebratory mode, (and for a great deal!), order a “combo ticket” which gives you access to the Festival at Rancho Sisquoc and a Vintners’ Visa!
American Riviera Wine Auction & Dinner
Twice Yearly - April and September
Since 2000, the Santa Barbara Vintners' Foundation has held a biennial wine auction to benefit Direct Relief International. The auction has presented the opportunity for one of the region’s fastest growing industries, which is gaining international acclaim for its wines, to rally together to put the “fruits of their success” toward a greater good.
The Vintners’ auctions have raised over $1,000,000 which, leveraged with Direct Relief International’s unique ability to stretch dollars donated, has furnished over $40 million in medical material aid provided to those in need. The mission of Direct Relief International is to improve the health of people by strengthening fragile health systems. DRI provides appropriate ongoing medical assistance to health institutions and projects worldwide which serve the poor and victims of natural and civil disasters without regard to political affiliation, religious belief, ethnic identity or ability to pay. Healthy people. Better World.
More Info and a full listing of wine events in the area check out The Santa Barbara County Vintners' Association here.
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