Please The Palate |

S.Y. Kitchen in Santa Ynez

With all of the amazing wines coming out of the Santa Ynez Valley, it is only fitting that good restaurants follow. And probably the hottest destination right now, after a day of wine tasting, is S.Y. Kitchen in the town of Santa Ynez.

For Los Angelenos, there may be some recognizable faces. Mike and Kathie Gordon who own Toscana restaurant and Bar Toscana in Brentwood are the proprietors. Chef Luca Crestanelli, formerly at Bar Toscana, created the California-Italian menu. And you will also find his brother Francesco, who is the Sous/Pastry Chef in the open kitchen.

19 September, 2014

A Dream Comes True: Introducing Lavender Oak Vineyard

Owning a winery is a dream. To have a home that overlooks the vineyards, waking up everyday to watch the grapes grow and making wine, it all sounds so romantic and something that if you love wine, you probably fantasize about whenever you go wine tasting.

For Los Angelenos Dean Heck, a commercial real estate agent, and Christi Heck, a neurologist, the dream is their reality as they are the owners of Lavender Oak Vineyard in Buellton, CA.

04 June, 2014

Event Recap: Santa Barbara Vintners Spring Festival Weekend 2014

When I received an invitation to the Santa Barbara Vintners Festival Grand Tasting, it was the prefect excuse for a weekend getaway. The Spring Weekend Festival takes place over 4 days with the Festival Grand Tasting as the main event of the weekend.

We drove up early Saturday morning to the River View Park in Buellton. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the temperatures were moderate with a lovely cool breeze. With over 100 wineries pouring wine, along with food and music, we strolled from tent to tent to taste some of the best wines in the region.

21 May, 2014