‘Toast to Women in Wine and Food’

Female winemakers in Santa Barbara County for sixth annual celebration

In delayed honor of International Women’s Day, which is March 8, the sixth annual Women Winemakers Celebration showcasing the winemaking talents of more than 30 Santa Barbara County women winemakers will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 12 at the newly opened Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection, in Los Olivos. 

“Women Winemakers Celebration: A Toast to Women in Wine and Food” will once again benefit a regional nonprofit, with event proceeds from the 2023 gathering donated to The Rainbow House Inc, the first LGBTQIA+ community resource center in Santa Ynez Valley. Tickets to the event are currently available at 2023womenwinemakers.eventbrite.com. 

“When we launched this celebration in 2017, we never imagined that it would gain ground in the manner that it has. The support that our community displays to our women winemakers through this event is greatly appreciated and so very important. Knowing that we’re all in this together and being able to, in turn, show that support to other causes in the region, is what makes this event so pertinent,” said Karen Steinwachs, Santa Barbara County woman winemaker, part of the all-female Women Winemakers Celebration event production team and co-founder of the annual celebration. 

“Now in our sixth year, the 2023 Women Winemakers Celebration will feature more women winemakers than at any of our past events. We have more than 30 ladies pouring on March 12. We’re also holding the event in a new ‘home,’ a spectacular new hospitality venue, The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection, which has welcomed us all with open arms,” she added stressing that men are also welcome at the event. 

The celebration will once again be a daytime happening, an intimate, alfresco wine tasting reception complete with elevated hors d’oeuvres.

The three-hour wine and food tasting reception will boast the largest number of female winemakers that this event has featured to date, all of whom will be on-hand to pour tastes of their wines and talk with event guests.

Passed and stationary appetizers will be offered by their female counterparts in the Santa Barbara County food world, while live music by Arwen Lewis will add to the event’s convivial ambience.

Also returning to this year’s event will be the popular “Estrogen Collection” wine bottle opportunity drawing. 

“International Women’s Day has been celebrated worldwide since 1909 with a focus on working women’s achievements and issues. In a working environment which sees about 10% of the global wine industry as female- lead winemakers, Santa Barbara County continues to see a much higher percentage of women winemakers than most regions in the world with nearly double the average and growing each year,” said Ms. Steinwachs, owner of Seagrape Wine Co.

Participating winemakers and wineries include Lane Tanner, Lumen Wines; Kathy Joseph, Fiddlehead Cellars; Brooke Carhartt, Carhartt Family Wines; Brit Zotovich, Dreamcôte Wine Co.; Sonja Magdevski, Casa Dumetz Wines; Clementine Carter, The Feminist Party; Alecia Moore, Two Wolves Wine; Alison Thomson, Lepiane Wines; Mireia Taribó and Tara Gomez, Camins 2 Dreams; Sandra Newman, Cebada Wine; Gretchen Voelcker, Piazza Family Wines and Luna Hart Wines.

Other are Laura Roach, Loubud Wines; Dana Volk, Dana V. Wines; Jessica Gasca, Story of Soil; Angela Osborne, A Tribute To Grace Wine Company; Wynne Solomon, Peake Ranch Winery; Rachel DeAscentiis, Say When Wine; Samra Morris, Alma Rosa Winery; Alice Anderson, âmevive; Magan Eng, Kunin Wines; Megan McGrath Gates, Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards; Kristin Bryden, Zaca Mesa Winery; Amy Christine, Holus Bolus and The Joy Fantastic. 

Also participating are Gretchen Rogers, Amiga de la Vina; Emmy Fjerstad, Forsu Wine Company; Claire Wilson, Provignage; Sunny Doench Stricker, Future Perfect Wine; Allyson Bycraft, Babcock Winery and Vineyards; Marlen Porter, Amplify Wines; Roxie Ward, Butternut Wines (Miller Family Wine Company); Anna Clifford, Cambria Wines, Nielson Wines, Final Girl Wines; and Jill DelaRiva Russell, Cambria Winery.

The women winemakers will be side by side at the event with some of Santa Barbara County’s leading culinary ladies, who will also be present to chat with guests and showcase their edible contributions to complement their colleagues’ wines. 

Culinary talent for this year’s event will be organized by Brooke Stockwell, executive chef at Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café, and will include Rhoda Magbitang, executive chef at The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern; Erica Velazquez, co-chef/co-owner of Solvang’s Ramen Kotori; Golzar Barrera, owner of Santa Ynez Valley’s All Purpose Flower Fine Catering & Events; Janelle Norman, owner and cheesemonger at Solvang’s Cailloux Cheese Shop; and Sarah Price, owner/operator of Lompoc-based Sassafras Mobile Food Truck and Restaurant.

Other are Melissa Scrymgeour, chef/co-owner, Clean Slate Wine Bar; Laura Newman, co-owner of Los Olivos’ Lefty’s Coffee Co.; Kimberly Zimmerman, owner, The Juicy Life; Lisa Thompson, chef at Global Gardens; Tracy Fleming, owner/baker, The Bakery Farmstand; Shanté Norwood, owner/baker at Té’Stees Cupcakes; and treats- and truffle-maker Jessica Foster of Jessica Foster Confections.

Foodie donations will be made by Theo Stephan, owner of Global Gardens, and Shawnda Marmorstein, owner, Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café and Café Farm. Additional event chefs and participating food businesses will be announced over the next few weeks. 

Tickets are $99 for the event, which is sponsored in part by Visit the Santa Ynez Valley and The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection, are available at www.2023womenwinemakers.eventbrite.com. 

email: mmcmahon@newspress.com

FYI 
The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection, is located at 2350 Railway Ave. in Los Olivos. Event parking information will be distributed to all ticketed guests before the event date. For more information, contact Anna Ferguson-Sparks at 877-327-2656 or info@stilettomarketing.com.