Key to Wine Country Returns to Santa Barbara

Exclusive wine and food weekend in Santa Barbara County December 5 - 7

BUELLTON, CA – The Santa Barbara Vintners is pleased to announce the dates and schedule of experiences for its winter Key to Wine Country experience weekend December 5 - 7, 2014.  Three days of unlocking exclusive events and offerings at nearly forty wineries and vineyards throughout Santa Barbara’s scenic wine country makes for the perfect wine and food lover’s weekend.  Keys to unlock Santa Barbara’s wine country are valid for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and can be purchased online for $100 per person at www.sbkeytowinecountry.com.


A sampling of vintner experiences includes a wine House Party at the new Buellton Bodegas, Pinot Noir and Chocolate Pairing at Cambria Estate Vineyards & Winery, Sit-down Blending Seminar at Fiddlehead Cellars, Vineyard Walk with Chad Melville, Food and Wine Pairing Experience with Winemaker Dieter Dronje and Local Chef at Presqu’ile, Sparkling Wine Seminar at Riverbench, Cooking Class and Wine Pairing with Pascale Beale, and Wine Tasting at the Wine Collection of El Paseo.

Additional benefits of purchasing a Key includes exclusive discounts at restaurants around Santa Barbara County, including: Avant Tapas & Wine, The Hitching Post II, Bob’s Well Bread, Bell Street Farm, Sama Sama Kitchen, Autostrada Wood Fired Pizza, Isabella Gourmet Foods, Wine Cask, Full of Life Flatbread, and Cecco Ristorante.
The Santa Barbara Vintners is partnering with Breakaway Tours, Jump on the School Bus, and Santa Barbara Classic Wine Tours to provide all-inclusive transportation packages for many of the featured experiences with pick-up and drop-off in Solvang on Saturday and Sunday.

Morgen McLaughlin, executive director of the Santa Barbara Vintners, says “Santa Barbara Wine Country is best explored getting deep into the cellars and vineyards of some of our most esteemed wine properties. Winter is an excellent time to visit; the harvest is over and the winemakers are eager to entertain and educate. With our close proximity to Los Angeles and Southern California, our region provides world-class hospitality, a wide array of outstanding wines, and some of the most beautiful countryside and ocean views of any wine region in the world. ”

Looking Forward:  The Santa Barbara Vintners Spring Weekend April 23-26, 2015
The popular Santa Barbara Vintners Spring Weekend & Festival returns to Santa Barbara Wine Country April 23-26, 2015.  The four day weekend will include wine maker dinners, winery and tasting room open houses, library tastings throughout the region, wine seminar, and the Vintners Spring Festival returning to the River View Park in Buellton.  Tickets are on sale now at www.sbcountywines.com.

About Santa Barbara Vintners
The Santa Barbara Vintners is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 to support and promote Santa Barbara County as a premium wine producing and wine grape growing region. The Association includes winery members, grower/vineyard members and business associations. The Vintners’ Association produces festivals, seminars and tastings and provides information to consumers and the wine and travel media.  Learn more at www.sbcountywines.com.

Media Contact:
Morgen McLaughlin, Executive Director | Santa Barbara Vintnersmorgen@sbcountywines.com | (805) 688-0881