Mark at Old Town Market
In the Santa Maria Valley, our wines are renowned for offering remarkable quality. In fact, three local wines were named to the top ten slots of the Wine Enthusiast’s most recent list of Top 100 wines worldwide. Better yet, they valley is particularly celebrated for its Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, two varietals that are excellent accompaniments to traditional holiday fare.
We asked some of our friends in the Santa Maria Valley wine country for their recommendations, and here’s what they had to say…
According to Sherrill O’Neill of Wine Country Orcutt, “Many wines pair well with holiday meals because there are a variety of foods on the table. Sparkling wine, like Goat Bubbles from Flying Goat, adds a festive note to any meal; our wonderful Santa Maria Valley Chardonnays, such as Sierra Madre Estate Chardonnay, add elegance to a meals featuring poultry; or one of our many local Pinot Noirs make excellent food pairing partners with everything from turkey to prime rib. For dessert, consider a late harvest Viognier with pumpkin pie or a Port with Pecan Pie.”
Mark Steller of Old Town Market in Orcutt chimed in, recommending Rancho Sisquoc Sylvaner or Riesling, Costa de Oro Pinot Noir, and Byron Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir as excellent choices for the holiday dinner table.
Liz Addamo of Addamo Estate Vineyards added, “Riesling is a delicious wine to serve with your turkey dinner!”
Colleen Thompson at Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards suggested the 2009 Lucas & Lewellen Pinot Noir Rose or 2008 Lucas & Lewellen Brut Sparkling Wine with dinner, and the 2010 Lucas & Lewellen Nectar de Viognier with dessert.
And Gary Burk, proprietor and winemaker at Costa de Oro Winery, recommended his 2009 Estate Pinot Noir from Gold Coast Vineyard, adding, “Pinot Noir is great with a variety of things on the plate. And, at Thanksgiving, there are a lot of things on the plate!”
So head out to a local winery or one of the aforementioned markets today or before Christmas to add a little local flavor to your culinary festivities!
