Winery News

Santa Barbara County has been named the “most dynamic wine scene in California” by Matt Kettman in the San Francisco Chronicle‘s wine-focused platform, The Press. Notes Matt Kettman in the recent article, “There is no more dynamic of a wine-tasting scene in the world than what can be experienced in Santa Barbara County right now. Thanks to the Transverse Range, the mountains and valleys on this southwestern corner of California run east to west, rather than north to south — it’s the only place on the West Coast of the Americas where this geographic anomaly occurs.” “Viticulturally, the significance is that the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria valleys open directly onto the frigid Pacific Ocean, and then snake inland, where the …

…”To me, “Haley Corridor” rings with enough existing identity and meaning that it might stick, as Haley Street is the dominant cultural hub in those parts, which also include stretches of Salsipuedes and Quarantina streets. But naming the area is the last thing on organizer Ryan Carr’s mind, as he’s just trying to stir up attention for the now-bustling area…” – Matt Kettmann, SB Independent

The Wine Collector’s Room is in the news.  Thanks Food and Home Magazine for including our new space for wine collectors! “A Space for Collectors….A classy place to store your best grape. As you pull open the large rusted steel door of the Wine collector’s Room you are met with a rush of cold air from the dimly lit space. Once inside, the dark wood catches your eye and draws you in. Ryan Carr has created a new space in downtown Santa Barbara for individuals to age, store, and enjoy their wine collections. The space, located within Carr Winery, features just over 40 individual lockers in a climate-controlled building. The lockers range in size to fit your needs. Members can …

Our 2016 Carr Sangiovese was this week’s wine feature in the Santa Barbara Independent. “It’s easy to think that not enough Santa Barbara wineries make Italian varietals when you enjoy this Carr sangio. Or, perhaps just enough make them, as sangiovese makes up less than one percent of all red-wine grapes grown in California. You’re not going to find many straw-covered bottles of chianti here. This Carr is a perfect rainy-night wine (we’re getting those again!), rustic and tannic but with plenty of berries and cherry fruit too. So while it might bite back, it’s just a lover’s nibble. The rustic qualities help it stand up to heartier winter meals, too — braise some beef or lamb, make something stewy, and …

We are honored to be selected as runner-up in the Santa Barbara News-Press Readers’ Choice Awards under two categories: Winery & Wine Tasting Room. Thank you!

“Of all of the tasting rooms I have visited in the area, Carr is the most unique, making you feel extremely immersed in the wine tasting experience.”

“Light-ish garnet with crystal-clear edges and considerable sediment.. A beguiling blend of smoke, motor oil, dust and RIDICULOUS spicy sweet perfume explode out of the nose. Cassis and cold tea with milk. Almost-fat tincture of blueberry and pie-crust are buoyed along with an earthiness and briar I would come far short of calling ‘green’.”

Romance is at the heart of what makes Santa Barbara tick. Lovebirds have been flocking to The American Riviera® for engagements, elopements, weddings, honeymoons and romantic retreats for well over a century. With more than 200 wineries in Santa Barbara County, winery weddings are a particularly delicious option. If an urban winery is more your flavor, check out the barrel room in the Carr Winery tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara.

Medium bodied and garnet colored, this wine gave off different aromas as it breathed the warmth of our home. Vegetables and wet earth on opening, we later experienced dark chocolate and dark berries on the nose. The flavors were pungent spice, black pepper, and chocolate. All very enjoyable…

So you may be thinking, why should I plan my wedding at a Santa Barbara winery? Picture-perfect vineyards, romantic sunsets, spectacular scenery and some of the best wine in the world. Still need convincing? With more than 300 days of sunshine, you can also expect your weddings to be rain-free!

Now you need to narrow down your list of options. With over 100 wineries in Santa Barbara county, the choices are staggering. You can chose a picturesque country setting, a vibrant urban setting and just about everything in between. We wanted to make it a little easier for you. After much research, we narrowed our list down to the five best options.