Staff Report
In celebration of International Women’s Day, the third annual Women Winemakers Dinner showcasing the winemaking talents of nearly two dozen Santa Barbara County women winemakers will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, March 8, at K’Syrah Catering & Events in Solvang.
The event benefits the Women’s Fund of Northern Santa Barbara County.
Last year’s sold-out event accommodated a larger number of would-be guests via a wine-tasting tent reception prior to the seated dinner portion of the evening. This year’s event will feature an extended tent reception, in addition to providing different levels of options for participation and support.
International Women’s Day has been celebrated worldwide since 1909, with a focus on working women’s achievements and issues. In a working environment that sees about 10 percent of the global wine industry as female winemakers, Karen Steinwachs, co-founder of the annual Women Winemakers Dinner, said, “Santa Barbara County boasts a much higher percentage of women winemakers than most places in the world, with nearly double the average.”
The event will bring together a solid sampling of the county’s female winemakers in a show of support for each other, and other working women, worldwide, those who toil while honing and elevating their craft in their workplace, while also balancing work lives with family and community service.
More than 20 female winemakers will be joined at the event by some of the Santa Ynez Valley’s leading culinary women, who are collaborating to create a four-course, sit-down dinner to pair with some of their winemaker colleagues’ wines.
In the reception tent, women winemakers will pour tastes of their wines and talk with guests from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. There will be passed appetizers and a cheese table.
Participating winemakers and wineries confirmed to date include Karen Steinwachs, Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard; Alison Thomson, Lepiane Wines; Adrienne St. John, Rideau Vineyard; Angela Soleno, Turiya Wines; Brit Zotovich, Dreamcôte Wine Co.; Helen Falcone, Falcone Family Vineyards; Kat Gaffney, Spear Vineyards & Winery; Sarah Holt Mullins, Rancho Sisquoc Winery; Marisa Matela Beverly, Bevela Wines; Sandra Newman, Cebada Wine; McKenna Giardine, E11even Wines; Gretchen Voelcker, Luna Hart Wines; Anna Clifford and Jill DelaRiva Russell, Cambria Wines.
Tickets for the March 8 event are available at womenwinemakersdinner2019.eventbrite.com. Tasting tent tickets are $50. VIP tickets, which include the tasting tent and the seated, four-course dinner with wine pairings, are $125.
K’Syrah Catering & Events is at 478 4th Place in Solvang.
For more information, contact Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing, at 877-327-2656 or info@stilettomarketing.com.
