Wine Cottage Staff Goes on a Field Trip

Every month at the Wine Cottage Bistro we have a winemaker of the month. We offer their wines for free tastes and eagerly anticipate their winemaker dinner. In preparation for these activities we go on a field trip to their winery and taste the wines in the place where the winemaker does the work. Yesterday we were privilaged to tour the winemaking facilities of Fiddlehead cellars. Our staff is committed to always improving and learning as much about wine and the local winemakers as they can so to spend an afternoon tasting wine and learning about the techniques that makes Fiddlehead so unique was truly special.

Fiddlehead Cellars only makes 2 varietals, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. This enables them to really focus on making those two, outstanding wines. First Karen told us that the Sauvignon Blanc grape is the Mother of Cabernet Sauvignon. The name alone should have told me that but honestly I had never put 2 and 2 together. That was very interesting. Their version is made in the Bourdeux style and is actually meant to be aged.

Karen who assists Kathy Joseph in winemaking gave us a wonderful tour. She showed us "Fern" their crushing tank and dipples, bad boy, nokia and Norm (named after the winemaker Norm Yost whose tank they are borrowing) the stainless steel tanks used to keep the wine prior to bottling. We saw all the French Oak barrels that are usually filled with wine but now the wine is in the bottles.

Winemaking is not for the faint of heart. Karen says that during crush and bottling they will work 18 hours a day. They pick the finicky Pinot grape in the dead of night to keep it cool and then take it to the winery and begin the process of destemming, crushing and making wine. You also don't take up winemaking because you want the big Chateau and winery. Making wine is expensive, labor intensive and quiet often not very profitable. Winemakers make wine because they have a passion for it. They put their heart and soul into every bottling and when you taste quality wines like Fiddlehead, it shows.

After tasting wine we were all ready for some great food. Since the Wine Cottage is closed on Tuesdays we opted for the other restaurant the Dwayne "the wine guy" Holmdahl recommends when he isn't recommending WCB and that is Sissy's in Lompoc. We all had an excellent meal, the soup of the day was a chicken noodle that was awesome and the special was buffalo chicken sandwich with blue cheese.

All in all, aside from the football game at Ryon park, it was a super day. Incidently, we won the football game, 4-2. I am way too old for that. I should have stopped at the wining and dining.

Casa Cassara Winemaker Dinner

Well another truly spectacular winemaker dinner. Yes the food was awesome as usual. Yes, the service was superb. And, yes, of course, the wine was the best. But our winemaker of the month, Brian Freeborn was himself, a doll. We showed up wearing a suit and tie. I especially think men in suits and ties are handsome. He was his charming self, working the crowd and making everyone feel welcome and at ease.

To say it went well, without a hitch would be an understatement. What is remarkable about that was that we had sold out, actually according to my Chef Matt, I had oversold the dinner by about 6 people. How was he going to orchestrate getting 44 plates out and not have someone upset or disappointed he wondered. Although he was amongst friends, his family, his best friend, his wife and his ex-high school principal, Matt was a bit nervous. He so rose to the occasion, getting all the plates out in a timely fashion, filet cooked to perfection melting in your mouth perfect.


It was touching to see two best friends from grade school reunited in such a special evening. One chef the other winemaker but both unassuming and charming. Only in Old Orcutt can you see the community come together and witness their own making a name for themselves.

Aimee and I are proud of them both. Brian is a special person not just a great winemaker. We are proud to know him.

Tomorrow's blog: The Wine Cottage Staff goes on a Field Trip.

Cousins by Chance;Friends by Choice

I was right. You can live in Southern California, dine on the Central Coast for lunch and be home before sundown. Saturday night, my cousin Laura said, "Would you be interested in driving up to Santa Maria for lunch tomorrow?" I blink, say, "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" HECK YES!! Not believing this seriously crazy idea, nor wanting to get my hopes up, the next morning, I awaken, rub my eyes, ask Crystal, "Are we still going?" she says, YEAHH!!! So we jumped in the cars and headed up North. The thing is, the idea was NOT crazy. It was actually a necessity. A necessity for me, because I was going thru withdrawals, and a necessity for the other other two in that, they too would be able to experience this one of a kind Bistro. The whole way I am telling Crystal, you got to try the cheese plate and wine flight..no! you have to try the french onion soup...wait!! the chicken ceasar salad is mouth watering...oh geez...maybe for your first time you should try......oh wait! they have gourmet pizza now! One thing I neglected to mention, we were uninvited guests. In fact, early Sunday Morning, I called Aimee, woke her up and said once again, do you have any openings for lunch? Of course!, she says. When we arrive, we find that a special table has been set up for us in the patio, as well as heat lamps to keep us nice and cozy.(we southerners arent used to the perfect 72 degree weather) Crystal and Laura are immediately served two tasters of wine, and since im a bistro regular(in heart) I order the McManis Chardonnay, my favorite. (I would later take another bottle home) I was though a bit saddened to find out it was not Priscillas day at the bistro because she is the one who introduced me to McManis. I graced her bar for, oh, about 11 hours last time I was up. Next time Priscilla! And as if my two cousins had not already bent over backward for us, Rebecca brings a bottle of Champagne for all of us to celebrate our family togetherness. Our waiter, was wonderful as usual. We had him running back and forth, but he just smiled and provided exactly what we needed. In fact, all of the servers at the Bistro are wonderful. One New York waitress who had dined the previous night even commented that she had never seen a staff work so harmonious with each other, nor help their fellow waiters as they do at the Bistro. Thats what makes this place so special. You might have two or three smiling faces waiting on you, just because they want to help! In fact, neither Rebecca nor Aimee were planning on being at the Bistro that day, but when they learned of our arrival, they changed their plans, accomodated us and made our afternoon absolutely spectacular. One highlight, was we got to see some of the dinner crew trickle in. All came in with smiles, were greeted by Nonnie, fellow server,mom/grandmother, and it was evident that they were happy to be there. On the way out, I passed my beloved barstool #7, gave her a pat and whispered, I'll be back ol pal. Stay warm for me. I couldnt leave without a few souveniers: McManis chardonnay, The Big Easy.(yum) and for my hard working husband,who was in louisana helping with katrina relief, a bottle of his favorite syrah, Syratica. Let me tell you one thing, My cousin Laura is not a red wine fan, that is, until I poured her a glass of the Big Easy. She said, "THAT is the best wine I have ever had in my life, and its red!" The Big Easy is from Silverhorse winery in Paso Robles, has a bit of cabernet, a bit of garnacha,a bit of syrah, and one other little treat. You'll have to buy it to find out. They sell it at the Bistro. The winemaker is cute too. I think his wine maker dinner is coming up soon. As my father would say, to make a long story longer, GET TO THE BISTRO!!! It kills me I live 3 hours away, but that didnt stop us. We got home with plenty of time to drink our wine in the spa, and get up for work the next day. Special thanks to Rebecca and Aimee for being themselves. You have to dine there to experience it. We were filled with food, filled with wine(not too much) and filled with laughter and happiness. I love my cousins. And I love that they are my best friends.

The Wine Cottage is on a Roll

A couple of weeks before the Tour of California made it's way down Clark Avenue, the Wine Cottage had a special visitor, a celebrity named Bob Roll. I don't have to explain to the cycling community who Bob Roll is but to the rest of you I will.

Bob Roll is a former professional cyclist turned commentator for OLN during the Tour de France. He is a great guy with great taste in food and wine. Scott, the owner of Main St. cycle called and asked if he could bring Bob over for lunch. He requested after hours service and no press. We were more than happy to accomodate his request and spent a quiet afternoon lunching with Bob and some of his friends. He was so impressed with the Bistro that he came back with 12 friends for dinner. Friday and Saturday nights at the Bistro are very, very busy so imagine our panic when with a full restaurant, Bob Roll walks in and wants to eat. He had to do what anyone else has to do if they want to eat at the Bistro and they didn't call for reservations, WAIT. And wait they did, over an hour. They didn't seem to mind, though, since they ordered a couple bottles of Elevation Sensation from Core wines. Dave Corey a big cycling enthusiast himself, was called in later that evening since we had sold out of all his wine and that was the wine of choice for Bob and his group. Dave was more than happy to wake up poor Fletcher, AKA the Bistro Baby, and bring down a case of wine for Bob. Bob signed a bottle for Dave and Dave reciprocated by signing a bottle for Bob.

It was an awesome evening and he said he would come back. All this being said, I hope you don't think I go on and on about just celebrities. Read through some of my blogs to see that everyone that comes in and supports us at the Bistro is special to us. I write about them all. Come in, meet me and let's talk. Maybe I'll write about you.

A visit from special guests

Many of you already know Dawn, a fellow WCB blogger. She is a big fan of the Bistro and has tirelessly advocated the Bistro in her hometown of Monrovia, CA. Well her constant bragging finally paid off last weekend when her cousins, Laura Sims and Crystal Hernandez wisked her up the coast for a lunchtime treat at the Wine Cottage.

Imagine our excitement when we get a call from Dawn saying that she is on her way up for lunch. (Their husbands were all in Louisiana helping with the rebuilding of the Katrina victims homes and kingdom halls.) So it was a girl's day out. Aimee and I were so excited since these are our cousins too along with our Aunt Roseanne.

Even though the weather was cold and rainy our enclosed, heated patio was perfect for an intimate gathering of 14 family members.

Remember, the Wine Cottage Bistro is the perfect place for a family gathering or a private party. Our enclosed patio holds 40 during the cold, winter and when the weather gets warm it can be opened up to hold 60-70 depending on then event.