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Chardonnay is California’s golden girl. With its delicious swirls of rich fruit and brilliant acidity, the grape not only represents the state’s most widely planted and produced varietal, but also the most popular wine in glasses across the United States.
June 29-July 1, SMVWINES presents The Chardonnay Symposium, an insightful weekend of education and exploration designed to enlighten wine consumers, industry professionals, and media on Chardonnay wine-producing regions and wine making styles and their effects on this versatile Burgundian varietal.
Sierra Madre Vineyard Room
Friday, June 29, Sierra Madre Vineyard presents, BYOC BBQ, 6-9:30 pm. Bring a bottle of your favorite Chardonnay from around the world to share, while you enjoy gourmet barbecue, music, wine tasting and Santa Maria style hospitality at the beautiful Sierra Madre Vineyard.
Saturday, June 30, The Chardonnay Symposium’s premiere, full-day event begins at 10:00 am with a morning educational session at Byron Vineyard & Winery featuring a distinguished panel of celebrity and winemaker experts, headed by Wine Enthusiast’s Steve Heimoff. The panel will explore “Chardonnay and Terroir: What’s it all about?” Given that Chardonnay is, by all accounts, a neutral grape, how do you preserve terroir under all that winemaker influence?
Byron Vineyard & Winery
The relaxed environment will provide an ideal time to sip wine and further discuss the nuances of Chardonnay with some of the wine industry’s most respected personalities.
The Grand Chardonnay Tasting takes place from noon-4 pm at Byron Vineyard & Winery’s beautiful facility nestled in the heart of the Santa Maria Valley. This expanded tasting will afford guests the opportunity to sample Chardonnays from over 50 wineries and pair them with gourmet foods provided by local restaurants and caterers. Celebrity Chef’s will demonstrate Chardonnay food pairing secrets! Full day tickets include the morning panel discussion, transportation, admission to the Grand Chardonnay Tasting and a Riedel wine glass. Tickets for the Grand Chardonnay Tasting event are included in the full day cost or may be purchased for separately.
After a day of enjoying the area’s best Chardonnays, follow your nose to Kenneth Volk Vineyards (right next door to the Chardonnay Symposium event site) for a delicious Santa Maria Style Barbeque paired with exotic, heirloom red wine varietals from Kenneth Volk. The historic Hitching Post Restaurant will be firing up their oak pit and the folks at Kenneth Volk will be popping corks, from 4:30-6:30 pm.
Tres Hermanas Winery "Pops in the Vineyard"
Sunday, July 1, Start your winetasting day at 11 am with Sparkling Chardonnay and a scrumptious brunch on a covered patio overlooking Cottonwood Canyon’s beautiful vineyard and Santa Maria Valley countryside. Enjoy bubbles from Cottonwood Canyon and Riverbench Vineyard & Winery. At 2:30, Tres Hermanas Vineyard hosts “Pops in the Vineyard” with the Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra. And Santa Maria Valley winery tasting rooms and restaurants will offer a wide variety of events all throughout the day!
Proceeds from The Chardonnay Symposium will benefit CASA of Santa Barbara County and Blochman Elementary School.
