A taste of what’s coming at two Paso Robles wine venues
Two notable wine-industry projects are in the works in the Paso Robles area, one from a veteran winemaker and another from relative newcomers. Stephan Asseo, who began making wine in France in 1982 and established L’Aventure on Paso’s west side in 1998, expects to begin work this month on wine caves and a new, Read More →
Funding farming’s future: USDA tags Tri-Counties for program
A $10 billion federal fund from the U.S. Department of Agriculture could provide much-needed assistance for developing water systems and other infrastructure in the Tri-Counties, where the region’s agriculture industry has suffered tremendous losses from the drought. The USDA has designated Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties as “drought disaster counties” as Read More →
Crop values hit $4.4B as drought parches strawberries
Drought conditions sapped 12 percent of the value of strawberry production in Ventura County while wine grapes surged for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties to help boost the region’s crop values to $4.4 billion, according to reports on last year’s crops.
Chumash winemaker brings European training to tribe’s new enterprise
The nation’s only Native American winemaker is a young woman from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians who was ready for the challenge when the tribe entered the wine business.
New tasting room opens wider window into Ojai vintner’s craft
The first thing you would likely notice upon entering the new, expanded Ojai Vineyard tasting room in downtown Ojai is an impressive wine library in a cooled, glass-fronted space that dominates the rear wall.
Visitors pour in to Tri-Counties for wine tourism
Tourism visitor spending in the coastal region that includes the Tri-Counties jumped from $6.7 billion to $7 billion between 2012 and 2013 as part of a 23 percent increase since 2009 that is expected to continue this summer.
‘Sideways’ and up: Santa Ynez Valley readies for film’s 10th anniversary
“I woke up and everything was different,” said Frank Ostini, owner of The Hitching Post II. “Reservation requests at the restaurant literally tripled and we’ve never looked back.”
