Wine Tour : A Calendar of Santa Barbara County Events

Going to Santa Barbara is much easier than going north to the Napa Valley--and every bit as much fun. The area offers an amazing array of wine festivals, winemaker dinners, seminars, crush parties and barbecues. Here is a sampling of local events.

The Santa Barbara Vintners Festival, inaugurated in 1983, has grown into a sold-out two-day production, held each spring on the grounds of the Flag Is Up Farms in Solvang. On Oct. 26, the Vintners Assn. will introduce a fall party, “A Celebration of Harvest,” from 1 to 4 p.m., showcasing regional foods and wines. The site for this $40-a-ticket event is Rancho Sisquoc, a working ranch and winery where cattle graze within eyesight of the tasting room. For ticket information, call the association at (805) 688-0881.

In connection with the Celebration of Harvest, there will be open houses and other events at many wineries. These include:

Mosby Winery, Oct. 26--Harvest dinner at the adobe, 6:30 p.m., $45. Call (805) 688-2415.

Santa Ynez Winery, Oct. 26--Winemaker dinner at Los Olivos Grand Hotel, 7 p.m., $65. Call (805) 688-7788. On Oct. 5, from noon to 5 p.m., the winery will hold its annual harvest party, featuring a barbecue and grape stomp; $25. Call (805) 688-8381.

The Fess Parker winery is under construction, but on Oct. 26 a hoedown dinner dance hosted by five wineries (Parker, Rancho Sisquoc, Foxen, Zaca Mesa and Firestone) will take place on the site. The five wineries will each add red wine to a massive blend that will be poured at the party. The event starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person, $25 per couple. Call Zaca Mesa Winery at (805) 688-9339.

Au Bon Climat and Qupe, Oct. 27--Open house 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with lunch of grilled sausage sandwiches and exotic salads at noon; $5 for open house, $5 for lunch. Call (805) 937-9801.

Santa Barbara’s Bach Camerata will perform an all-Mozart program at the Gainey Vineyard Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m., $24. Call (805) 688-0558.

Fred Brander of the Brander Vineyard holds an annual bouillabaisse festival, usually the first Sunday in June. Next year’s date has not yet been established. Call (805) 688-2455 for information.

The next Santa Barbara Vintner’s Festival will take place April 25 and 26, 1992.