This episode of “Wine 101” is sponsored by Edna Valley Vineyard. Santa Barbara is known for its beautiful and plush — like a cozy blanket — fruit-forward Pinot Noir. These wines have a nice richness to them and this wine showcases that in spades.
About 100 miles from downtown L.A. lies Santa Barbara. It’s a county. It’s a city. And it’s a wine region. Not to mention, the weather here is semi-tropical and near perfect. In this region, there are five AVAs, most notably Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, and Sta. Rita Hills.
Today, we’re going to focus mainly on Santa Maria. The Santa Maria River runs down from the Pacific Coast and through the Santa Maria Valley, flowing east between the San Rafael Mountains and the Solomon Hills. In the morning, cooling Pacific Ocean fog rolls through the valley, turning into wind by the afternoon. This phenomenon is called the maritime fringe, and it allows Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to thrive and retain acidity despite little rainfall and a lot of sunlight. Further inland, there are a few more AVAs where canyons block the maritime fringe, making the climate warmer. Here, there’s Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Grenache, and more.
On this episode of “Wine 101,” Keith Beavers breaks down Santa Barbara’s geography and all the grapes that grow here. Tune in for more.
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“Wine 101” was produced, recorded, and edited by yours truly, Keith Beavers, at the VinePair headquarters in New York City. I want to give a big old shout-out to co-founders Adam Teeter and Josh Malin for creating VinePair. Big shout-out to Danielle Grinberg, the art director of VinePair, for creating the most awesome logo for this podcast. Also, Darby Cicci for the theme song. Listen to this. And I want to thank the entire VinePair staff for helping me learn something new every day. See you next week.
E. & J. Gallo Winery is excited to sponsor this episode of VinePair’s “Wine 101.” Gallo always welcomes new friends to wine with an amazingly wide spectrum of favorites, ranging from everyday to luxury and sparkling wine. (Gallo also makes award-winning spirits, but this is a wine podcast.) Whether you are new to wine or an aficionado, Gallo welcomes you to wine. Visit TheBarrelRoom.com today to find your next favorite, where shipping is available.