Bien Nacido Vineyards

Byron Winery

Cambria Winery

Tres Hermanas Vineyard

Grand Cru Sponsors

Bello Forno Catering

Far Western Tavern

Cumulus-Santa Barbara
KRUZ FM, KMGQ FM, KHAY FM, KBBY FM, KVYB FM, KVEN AM

Testa’s Bistro

Vin de Pays Sponsors

Mega 97.1

Poor Richard’s Press & San Luis Mailing Service

Touring & Tasting Magazine & Wine Club

Master Sommelier Sponsor

Savor the Central Coast

Sommelier Sponsor

Grape Encounters Radio

Santa Maria Fairpark

SignCraft

Connoisseur Sponsor

D&K Packaging

Farm Supply Company

Panera Bread

Santa Barbara Wine Club

Trader Joe’s

For more information about becoming a sponsor please contact info@thechardonnaysymposium.com.

Adelina’s Bistro
Lunch & Dinner
1645 Trilogy Parkway
Nipomo, California
USA 93444
(805) 343-7500

The Ballard Inn
Dinner, Wed – Sun
5:30 – 9:00 pm
2436 Baseline Avenue
Ballard, CA 93463
(800) 638-2466
(805) 688-7770

Central City Market
Lunch & Dinner
142 Town Center East, B-1
Santa Maria, CA 93454
(805) 925-7766

Doc Bernstein’s Ice Cream Lab
168 West Clark Avenue
Old Orcutt, CA 93455
(805) 474-4068

Far Western Tavern
Lunch, Dinner & Sunday Brunch
Tuesday – Thursday 11 am to 8:30 pm
Friday – Saturday 11 am to 9 pm
Sunday 9 am to 8:30 pm
899 Guadalupe Street
Guadalupe, CA 93434
(805)343-2211

Full of Life Flatbread
Dinner
Friday & Saturday, 5 – 10 pm
Sunday Supper, 4 – 8 pm
225 W. Bell St.
Los Alamos, CA 93440
(805) 344-4400

Panera Bread
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
540 East Betteravia Road
Santa Maria, CA 93454
(805) 349-9800

Rooney’s Irish Pub
Lunch & Dinner
Sun: 10am – 11pm
Mon/Wed/Thu: 11:30am – 11pm
Fri/Sat: 11:30am – 2am
(Closed Tuesdays)
Orcutt Union Plaza
241 South Broadway Street
Old Town Orcutt, CA 93455
(805) 934-3777

Trattoria Uliveto
Closed Mondays
Lunch: Tues. – Fri. 11:30 – 2:30 pm
Sat. & Sun. Closed for Lunch
Dinner: Tues. – Sun. Open 5:00 pm
285 S. Broadway
Old Town Orcutt, CA 93455
(805) 934-4546

Vintner’s Grill Lunch & Dinner
Santa Maria Radisson Hotel
3354 Skyway Drive
Santa Maria, CA 93455
805-928-8000

Wine Country Catering

Bello Forno Wood-Fired Cuisine

Jessica Foster Confections

Testa Catering

Friday, June 29

BYOC BBQ – 6-9:30 pm. $30
Sierra Madre Vineyard presents, BYOC BBQ.  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

Kenneth Volk Vineyards Winemaker Dinner – 4:30-6:30 pm. $45-55
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, “World’s Best Barbeque since 1952” will be firing up their oak pit and we’ll be popping corks!  RSVP to Felicia@volkwines.com by June 15th or call (805) 938-7896. Space is limited – only 45 spots available! 5230 Tepusquet Road, Santa Maria.

Seafood & Chardonnay with Central City Market at Riverbench Vineyard & Winery – 5-7 pm. $35
Something’s fishy about this event!  All aboard for the perfect summer time pairing; Seafood & Chardonnay. For the second event in our series of wine and food pairing classes, Central City Market will be preparing savory seafood bites with your first taste of our four 2010 Chardonnays.  Since our wines focus on a perfect balance between buttery oak and great acidity, you’ll find that seafood and Chardonnay can truly be a match made in Heaven!  Space is limited. Please make your reservation at (805) 937-8340 or email krysta@riverbench.com

Sunday, July 1

Sierra Madre Vineyard Open House – 11 am – 4 pm.  2570 Prell Road, Santa Maria, 93455. 805.922.3100

Cottonwood Canyon Sparkling Chardonnay Brunch – 11 am – 1 pm. $30
Start your winetasting day 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.  Private Cave Tours.

Pops in the Vineyard – 2:30 pm.  $15-85
Tres Hermanas Vineyard hosts “Pops in the Vineyard” with the Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra beginning at 2:30 on Sunday.  The program will feature a 50-member orchestra performing pops music with an Americana theme.

 All Weekend

PCPA Theaterfest is a professional conservatory theatre, committed to reflecting and transforming our diverse community with the art of live theatre.  Plan to attend one of their outstanding performances while you are in town for The Chardonnay Symposium!  See The Rivals at the PCPA’s Marian Theater in Santa Maria and Little Women, the Broadway Musical at the Solvang Festival theater.  Click here for tickets and information.

Thinking and drinking with a friend in a vineyard
Back from The Chardonnay Symposium
Oaked and/or unoaked Chardonnay: a symposium
Announcing the First Chardonnay Symposium

Hoot n Annie: Sarah Palin & Robert Parker on The Chardonnay Symposium

Katie Jackson’s Cambria Estate Blog: The Chardonnay Symposium

Snap Eat Drink: A Body of Chardonnay

Santa Maria Valley BBQ: Chardonnay Symposium Comes to BBQ Country

Wandering Wino: Santa Maria Valley

Unoaked Chardonnay: Road Trip!

Santa Maria, California – June 29-July 1, 2012, Chardonnay, the world’s beloved noble white grape, is once again being celebrated at The Chardonnay Symposium in the Santa Maria Valley appellation of Santa Barbara County.  Internationally recognized producers, new-comers to the craft and pioneering growers will gather in this leading Central Coast appellation to analyze, discuss, and, ultimately, celebrate this versatile, oftentimes profound varietal.

As Chardonnay marks its 100th birthday of growth in the United States, The Chardonnay Symposium remains the only event of its kind devoted solely to the exploration of Chardonnay. With an educational panel session moderated by the Wine Enthusiast’s Senior West Coast Editor and popular Blogger, Steve Heimoff, a gourmet food pavilion, chef-guided wine and food pairings, satellite winemaker dinners, and a grand tasting featuring over 50 producers, the 2012 Chardonnay Symposium promises to be yet another illuminating, thought-provoking and fun celebration of the world’s most celebrated golden grape.

June 30, Saturday’s premier, full-day event begins at Byron Vineyard and Winery with Wine Enthusiast’s Steve Heimoff headlining a distinguished panel of speakers to explore “Chardonnay and Terroir: What’s it all about?”  Joining Heimoff for the discussion are eight winemakers, all of whom craft Chardonnay in California, from regions ranging from Santa Maria to Napa.  Panelists include 2011 Wine Enthusiast Winemaker of the Year, Bob Cabral of Williams Selyem, Jenne Lee Bonaccorsi of Bonaccorsi Wine Company, Dieter Cronje of Presqu’ile Winery, James Hall of Patz & Hall, Eric Johnson of Talley Vineyards, Heidi von der Mehden of Arrowood Vineyards & Winery, Foxen Winery’s Bill Wathan and Graham Weerts of Stonestreet in Alexander Valley.

Directly following the panel session, The Grand Chardonnay Tasting takes place from 12:00 to 4:00 pm, also at Byron.  This expanded tasting will afford guests the opportunity to sample a variety of Chardonnays from over 50 wineries, along with foods that pair well with Chardonnay.  Celebrity chefs, including Budi Kazali of The Ballard Inn, Alfonso Curti of Trattoria Uliveto and Ryan Gromfin of Central City Market will reveal Chardonnay food pairing secrets under the demonstration tent.

Additional winery and culinary events round out a full weekend of Chardonnay celebration in the Santa Maria Valley beginning with the BYOC BBQ at the historic Sierra Madre Vineyard on Friday, June 29, from 6:00-9:30 pm.  Guests are invited to bring their own bottle of Chardonnay to share while enjoying a gourmet barbecue, music, dancing, wine tasting and Santa Maria style hospitality at their beautiful Vineyard Room.

The weekend will culminate with a “Pops in the Vineyard” concert by the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society on Sunday, July 1 at 2:30 pm at Tres Hermanas Vineyard & Winery.   Saturday winemaker dinners and Sunday tasting room events will be announced soon at www.thechardonnaysymposium.com.

To purchase tickets or get more information, including a detailed event schedule, visit www.thechardonnaysymposium.com or email info@thechardonnaysymposium.com.

# # #

TCS2012PressRelease.Final PDF

Byron Winery & Vineyard:

Steve Heimoff, West Coast Editor, Wine Enthusiast

The Chardonnay Symposium Poster

Where Can I Purchase Tickets? Tickets are not yet available. 

What’s on the menu for lunch? The Grand Chardonnay Tasting includes food tastings from area’s finest restaurants and caterers.

I just purchased full day tickets.  Do I have to use the provided transportation? Yes.  We require all attendees to use the provided transportation to and from the Radisson Hotel Santa Maria.  The one lane road to Byron is narrow and parking at the site is limited.  We encourage Grand Tasting attendees to also arrange for a designated driver to and from the Radisson.   Discounted tickets are available for designated drivers.

What should I wear? We recommend dressing in layers and bringing plenty of sun protection.  While we will do our best to provide shade for you during the day, there will be moments when you will be in the sun.  Please wear sunscreen and feel free to bring a hat.  During the summer the winds can come through during the afternoon requiring a light jacket.  It’s always best to come well prepared.

Where should we stay and eat while visiting? Please visit www.smvwines.com for a list of hotels and restaurants in the area.  You can also find out more information about hotels by visiting “Where to Stay” on this website.

My company is interested in becoming a sponsor of this event.  Where I can find out more information? Please contact info@thechardonnaysymposium.com for detailed information about sponsorships.  We appreciate your support.

Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast

The Chardonnay Symposium brings together one of the foremost wine experts in the industry, Wine Enthusiast West Coast Editor Steve Heimoff, and a distinguished panel of winemakers to explore the complexity and diversity of Chardonnay production throughout the world.  Saturday, June 30, the panel will host representatives from the trade industry, media and tech-savvy consumers, from 10-11:30 am at Byron Vineyard & Winery.

Chardonnay and Terroir: What’s it all about?

Both Full Day and Grand Chardonnay Tasting reservations include transportation to and from the Radisson Hotel Santa Maria at 3455 Skyway Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93455.  Bus transportation to the morning panel session begins at 9:30 am.  Afternoon Grand Chardonnay Tasting transportation begins at the Radisson at 11:30.

A single lane driveway leads to Byron Winery where parking is limited and only pre-paid VIP parking is allowed on site.

We highly encourage guests to hire a transportation company to transport you between your hotel or house and the CalPortland parking lot so that you can safely travel to and from the event. Here are a few of our recommendations:

Breakaway Tours & Event Planning

We do not endorse the following companies but we have provided these contacts as a courtesy to attendees who may be interested in hiring transportation to and from the Grand Tasting. Designated drivers are highly encouraged.

Yellow Taxi Cab of Santa Maria
(805) 347-0000
124 W Main St, Santa Maria, CA

Santa Maria Yellow Cab Company
(805) 937-7121
1125 E Clark Ave, Santa Maria, CA

Nipomo Taxi
(805) 929-5504
Nipomo, CA

234 Taxi
(805) 489-4987
1425 25th St, Oceano, CA

Photo by Jeremy Ball

LEARN
Wine Intro.com breaks it down by meal.

FLAVOR PROFILE
Good overview and flavor profile by WinePros.org

RECIPES
Halibut en Papillote and More Recipes from Riverbench Vineyard & Winery
Thyme Scented Seared Scallops with Morels and Saffron Red Snapper from Cambria Winery
Mango Salsa from Cottonwood Canyon Winery