The Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Café announced their next featured winemaker, Jessica Gascar of ITER Wines in the 2016 “Friday Night Winemakers” series on Friday, June 24. Gascar will be chatting with guests and offering samples of her wines, those which she feels would pair perfectly with the meal, during the dinner hours of 5 – 9 p.m.
Her love for wine making began in 2009 when Gascar interned at the Santa Maria Gold Coast Vineyard. Her first harvest, she arose before the sun came up and worked for hours with freezing fingers picking and sorting the Pinot Noir grapes. She listened through the morning to the theories behind the growth and life of the vine, and felt inspired by the connection to the earth. ITER is latin for “the journey”.
“Wine is a living entity, a story in a bottle that is as real as anything we can imagine and, like every great journey, it begins at the source,” Gascar said.
Gascar spent the next three and a half years apprenticing at Sanguis, each task helping her to grow her understanding and appreciation for meticulous dedication to detail and style. Learning to work with “intention” to produce great wine.
She saved her money and eventually bought her own fruit, making her first vintage in 2012. Today Gascar brings her intuition and great palate to the wine making process, and is grateful for being able to do what she does in the Santa Barbara county. Jessica feels that wine is about sharing with friends, and she is looking forward to this Friday Night Winemaker event to share the ITER wines with guests of the Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Café.
Be sure to ask your knowledgeable waiter about the specials for the evening as Chef Chris Joslyn will be pairing them with ITER’s wine. The informal and friendly atmosphere at the Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Café is the perfect place to learn more about this special winemaker while enjoying the fresh local dishes from the Los Olivos Café’s menu. The experience and tastes are only for guests who are dining at the Café. No reservations or cost are required to taste the ITER wines. However, dinner reservations are strongly recommended so that diners can be sure to enjoy the full experience. For more information or reservations: 805-688-7265 or www.losolivoscafe.com.
