By Raiza Giorgi

Helen Falcone’s favorite time during the winemaking process is being out in the vineyard for pruning, checking on her grapes and harvesting. She enjoys the crisp early mornings among the vines and the late nights bottling.

“I really love what I do,” Falcone said.

Helen Falcone of Falcone Family Vineyards was one of the winemakers featured at the Women Winemakers dinner in March.

She and her husband own and operate Falcone Family Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley, although some of their vineyards are in northern San Luis Obispo county.

She was one of more than a dozen women winemakers who were featured in the Women Winemakers dinner on International Women’s Day at K’Syrah in Solvang. The dinner raised more than $8,000 for the Women’s Fund, according to event organizers.

Some of the winemakers who participated were Karen Steinwachs, Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard; Lane Tanner, Lumen Wines; Laura Roach, Loubud Wines; Marisa Beverly of Bevela Wines; Kat Gaffney, Spear Vineyards & Winery; Sarah Holt Mullins, Rancho Sisquoc Winery; Annie Smith, CNAGY Wines; Brooke Carhartt, Carhartt Vineyard and Winery; Anna Clifford and Jill DelaRiva Russell, Cambria Winery; Brit Zotovich, Dreamcôte Wine Co.; and Adrienne St. John, Rideau Vineyard.

The female winemakers were joined by some of the Santa Ynez Valley’s most inventive female chefs, who created a meal to pair with their winemaker colleagues’ wines.

The four-course feast was prepared by some of the area’s best female chefs, restaurateurs and food crafters, including Chef Brooke Stockwell, K’Syrah Catering & Events; baker Amy Dixon of The Baker’s Table, Santa Ynez; Chef Cynthia Miranda, The Lucky Hen Larder, Santa Ynez; Chef Golzar Barrera of the Santa Ynez Valley’s All Purpose Flower; Chef Louise Smith, Louise’s Kitchen Table and To-Go at The Castle, in Solvang; Theo Stephan, Los Olivos’ Global Gardens; Leyla Williams and the team at Solvang’s Good Seed Coffee Boutique; Lompoc’s Sweet Baking Co.; and Chef Pink, Root 246.

Proceeds from the March 9 event benefit the Women’s Fund of Northern Santa Barbara County, a giving circle in which individuals combine their money and/or time so they can have a bigger impact on causes than they would by donating individually.

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is a volunteer-led organization operating as a “field of interest fund” of the Santa Barbara Foundation. More than $6.6 million has been donated sine 2004, benefiting almost 100,000 local women, children and families.

To learn more about the Women’s Fund, log onto www.womensfundsb.org.