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KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOSAlice Anderson, owner of Amevive Wine, pours a glass during a Women Winemakers Celebration event at the Roblar Farm in Santa Ynez on Sunday.
On Sunday, the Women Winemakers Celebration returned in-person after having to convert to virtual in March of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The celebration showcases the talents of Santa Barbara County female winemakers, and is held at the Roblar Farm in Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country.
The event was originally founded six years ago by Karen Steinwachs of Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard and Seagrape Wine Company, Brooke Stockwell, Executive Chef at the Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café, Danielle Thurston of Thurston Rivera Luxury Travel and Anna Ferguson-Sparks of Stiletto Marketing. Ms. Ferguson-Sparks was in charge of public relations and marketing for the event and Ms. Thurston was in charge of operations and logistics for the event.
People partake in the Women Winemakers Celebration event at the Roblar Farm in Santa Ynez on Sunday.The event included 21 female winemakers and more than a dozen female culinary participants.
The event was a fundraiser which raised more than $10,000 for Community Health Centers of the Central Coast (CHC), through Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation, with funds earmarked specifically for women’s health needs in medically underserved families of Northern Santa Barbara County.
“It was fantastic, this event is sold out in advance every year. This year we sold out a week before the event. People really rally behind the women winemakers and the cause. Every year, a large portion of the donation money comes from the opportunity drawing,” said Ms. Ferguson-Sparks. All event proceeds go towards the cause, and all time is volunteered. There were 190 tickets sold and over 250 participants including staff.
The March 2020 celebration took place just days before the initial Covid-19 shutdowns began, making it one of the last in-person events of its kind. “Our being able to safely gather in-person, once again, is so symbolic of the triumph over what we’ve endured during the past two years,” said Ms. Steinwachs.
The event was an intimate, alfresco wine tasting reception complete with hors d’oeuvres. The three-hour reception boasted female winemakers who poured tastes of their wines and talked with event guests as appetizers were offered by female counterparts in the Santa Barbara County food world.
Live music by Arwen Lewis was provided as well as an interactive food and wine trivia challenge and the popular “estrogen collection” wine case opportunity drawing. The opportunity drawing was won by Jessica Foster of Jessica Foster Confections.
“The highlight of the day was getting people together, for the first time in over two years since March 8th, 2020, literally just days before the world shut down. It was a symbolic return to what we hope is going to be normal. I think it was so symbolic because it was the last event where everyone saw each other,” said Ms. Ferguson-Sparks.
Participating winemakers included: Ms. Steinwachs; Lane Tanner of Lumen Wines; Brooke Carhartt of Carhartt Family Wines and Kathy Joseph of Fiddlehead Cellars.
Other winemakers included: Sonja Magdevski of Casa Dumetz Wines; Clementine Carter of The Feminist Party; Alison Thomson of Lepiane Wines; Brit Zotovich of Dreamcôte Wine Co.; Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribó of Camins 2 Dreams; Gretchen Voelcker of Piazza Family Wines and Luna Hart Wine; Laura Roach of Loubud Wines; Jessica Gasca of Story of Soil; Wynne Solomon of Peake Ranch Winery, Samra Morris of Alma Rosa Winery; Alice Anderson of âmevive; Anna Clifford of Cambria Wines, Nielson Wines, and Final Girl Wines; Angela Soleno of Turiya Wines; and Magan Eng of Kunin Wines.
“This was the highest participation rate as far as chefs at one of these events, which reflects the fact that the food scene is booming and there are more and more women getting into the culinary side,” said Ms. Ferguson-Sparks.
Brooke Stockwell, Executive Chef at the Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café, will be joined “on the farm” by other female culinary talent including: sourdough bread baker Leyla Williams, co-owner of Solvang’s Good Seed Coffee Boutique; Janelle Norman, owner and cheesemonger at Solvang’s Cailloux Cheese Shop; Chef Golzar Barrera of Santa Ynez Valley’s All Purpose Flower; and Sarah Price, owner and operator of Lompoc-based Sassafras Mobile Food Truck and Restaurant.
Other culinary participants included Chef Louise Smith of Louise’s Kitchen Table, Joy Culley, co-owner at Solvang Spice Merchant, Olive Silver from Lompoc’s Tutti Frutti Farms, Shanté Norwood, owner/baker at Té’Stees Cupcakes, and treats- and truffle-maker Jessica Foster of Jessica Foster Confections.
“We owe a huge thank you to Gleason Family Vineyards, who own Roblar Farm and Winery and donated the event space,” said Ms. Ferguson-Sparks.
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
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