Make A Spirited Discovery

From bourbon to Bordeaux, we have you covered.

Where the Land Speaks

Text & Photos by Jay Gulick

A woman with blonde hair in a bun is standing in a large white tank filled with purple grapes, crushing them with her feet. She is wearing a black T-shirt with violet text that says 'patchouli is misunderstood' and denim shorts. The setting appears to be a winery or grape crushing facility.

When our small group arrived on a sunbaked hill in the sweeping Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara County, rancher and winemaker James Ontiveros greeted us with a smile and a refreshing mid-morning glass of his Native9 Pinot Noir.

Wearing rumpled Wranglers, a gleaming, oversized belt buckle and a broad-brimmed cowboy hat, Ontiveros looked every bit the guy who attended Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo thirty years ago on a rodeo scholarship.

The Ontiveros family arrived in California from Sinaloa, Mexico during the American Revolution in 1781, making James the ninth generation to farm this fertile valley. In addition to Native9, Ranchos de Ontiveros produces crisp, neutral oak chardonnays under the Rancho Viñedo label.

After 30 years in the wine business, Ontiveros is certain that the vintages produced in Santa Barbara occupy a unique and distinguished place in the industry. “There is an energy and freshness in these wines, from A to Zed, that you don’t get anywhere else.”

Over three cloudless June days in Santa Barbara, I learned the only thing as vibrant and interesting as the impressive selection of California wines being produced in the region is the passionate and accomplished community of winemakers crafting them—although most of them prefer the focus remains squarely on the wine. “The wine is not about me,” insists Jessica Gasca, founder and winemaker at artisanal winery Story of Soil in Los Olivos. “It’s about the place.”

A man in sunglasses, a plaid shirt, khaki shorts, and hiking shoes stands in a vineyard holding soil, with grapevines and hillside in the background.

Vintage Point

A globetrotting oenophile shares five of her favorite recent pours.

Text & Photos: Vicki Denig

A woman with long brown hair sitting at a wooden table, holding a glass of white wine and looking at the camera in a restaurant with wood-paneled walls.

A red watermelon cocktail in a glass with watermelon and lime slices and a mint sprig. A clear empty glass jug is beside it, on a tray.

Tequila & Sunshine: The Ultimate Summer Margarita Guide

Text: Jennifer Brian

Image: Jessie Kriech Higdon

A New Era for Oregon Bubbly

This past March, a growing coalition of Oregon sparkling wine producers came together to launch Method Oregon, a nonprofit focused on making Oregon known for top-quality traditional-method sparkling wine and sharing the story of the state’s fast-growing bubbles scene.

Method Oregon was created by sparkling winemakers for sparkling winemakers, uniting over 45 wineries from across the state. The group includes both longtime producers and new brands, all dedicated to making outstanding traditional-method sparkling wine. Their goal is to highlight great wines, sustainable farming, and the unique character that sets Oregon sparkling wine apart.