The California-Rhône Movement Is Alive And Well

The Rhone Rangers will host a regional event on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Santa Barbara, CA. The day will include an evening public wine tasting event with Rhone Rangers from Santa Barbara County, Ojai, San Luis Obispo, and Paso Robles. The Rhone Rangers, who are dedicated to the education and the promotion of domestic Rhone varietals and blends, will highlight the versatility of Rhone wines.

“ As an organization, we are so excited to be back in Santa Barbara for the first time in six years, ” stated Larry Schaffer, owner of Tercero Wines and Vice President of the national Rhone Rangers organization. “ Though this region is not normally thought of for Rhone varieties, we have been growing and producing them now quite successfully for nearly 50 years. From the west (cold climate areas of the Sta Rita Hills) to the east (warmer parts of eastern Santa Ynez and Happy Canyon) to one of the only AVAs in CA devoted to Rhone varieties (Ballard Canyon) and the north (Alisos Canyon and the Santa Maria Valley), Rhone varieties thrive throughout the region .”

The history of Syrah in Santa Barbara County dates back to Zaca Mesa's original winemaker, Ken Brown, running trails and deciding to plant the variety in the Santa Ynez Valley back in 1978. Known as the Black Bear Block , these vines are now the oldest Syrah on the Central Coast, which were planted on their own roots, to a 3.5 acre plot. The winery was established in 1972 and helped kickstart the career of many other formational SBC winemakers, including: Ken Brown (Byron, Ken Brown Wines), Adam Tolmach (The Ojai Vineyard), Jim Clendenen (Au Bon Climat), and Bob Lindquist (Qupe, Sawyer-Lindquist).

The April 9th event will include a selection of 100+ wines from 20 Rhone Rangers wineries representing esoteric varietals such as Clairette Blanche, Picpoul Blanc, Cinsault, and Counoise to the more well- known Rhone varietals Viognier, Grenache, and Syrah. Small bites to accompany the wines will be provided by SOHO Restaurant & Music Club.

The evening public event (5:00-7:00pm) is $45 per person + tax/fees, with tickets available via Eventbrite or by visiting www.rhonerangers.org , where you can also view a complete listing of participating wineries.

About the Rhone Rangers: Founded in 1998, the Rhone Rangers are a group of 120+ wineries throughout the United States dedicated to making wines from the 22 grape varieties originally made famous in France’s Rhône Valley. With a mission to educate and promote American Rhone varietal wines, the organization holds special events and fundraisers throughout the year to raise funds for their educational endeavors and the Rhone Rangers Scholarship Fund, which benefits students studying viticulture, enology, and wine business.

Click here to purchase tickets to the April 9th event