Whether it’s a reining competition, a wine festival or a bit of news on the various projects of Nancy or Michael, there’s always something going on “back at the ranch”.

Upcoming Events

Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival
April 17th, 1-4 p.m.
River Park, Lompoc

Join us and the 100+ members of the Vintners' Association as we celebrate Spring and the beginnings of the 2009 vintage! We'll all be pouring our latest wine releases, and will be joined by local chefs preparing wine country appetizers and live and lively bands. A grand afternoon of great wines, superb foods and Santa Barbara Wine Country camaraderie.

Click here for more information and to order tickets.

News

The Great Oaks Ranch Vineyard Windmill Hill Cuvée will do just the trick. Its aromas of cassis, herbs, black licorice, plum and brown sugar are backed by flavors of ripe raspberry, more licorice, clove and tobacco, as well as a long finish. This 60-40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is made from the Ranch's best lots of these varieties, all of which happen to be located on steep slopes under the shadow of a working windmill.

One of the favorites from the Oscars tastings was....GREAT OAKS RANCH!! This full-bodied California Sauvignon Blanc shows pretty notes of cream, butter, meadow grass and white flowers on the nose, before notes of pear and tropical fruits (including banana) come through on the palate. The finish is creamy, reflecting the time the wine spent sur-lie in neutral French barrels following fermentation. The energetic couple who runs the ranch and vineyard has a magical touch indeed, for they also raise award-winning Romagnola Cattle, American quarter horses and lavender at their ranch. To complement their outstanding creation, try shellfish or pasta in a light cream sauce.

Renowned wine critic Robert Parker recently reviewed some of the wines produced from Great Oaks Ranch grapes. The Consilience 2002 Syrah received a 92-point rating, while the 2003 Margerum Syrah was granted a 91. We are very pleased that Great Oak Ranch wine grapes are receiving such accolades.
Click here to read the full reviews.

Great Oaks Ranch Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc, 2003
April 22, 2005

In creating this, winemaker Andrew Murray says he was aiming for a balance between what he terms the “zingy, zippy, grassy Sauvignon Blanc's from New Zealand and the lean, mineral-laden, citrusy examples from the Loire Valley in France.” He’s accomplished just that, deferring much of the credit to the world-renowned Musque clone of sauvignon blanc vines and the deep, gravelly soil of the Great Oaks Ranch vineyard. This wine definitely rests at the elegant end of the Sauvignon Blanc spectrum, with its aromas of fresh grass, grapefruit and a touch of tropical fruit, and flavors of honeysuckle, grapefruit and a wonderful herbaceousness. It does offer a faint touch of oak, in spite of the fact that it rested in only neutral oak barrels. In my tasting notes, I summed up my impression in a single word: “Yum!” Only 150 cases were produced, so its distribution is limited.
Michael O’Shea

“Like Music to His Ears”
January 7, 2004

Record Producer Michael Lippman lives out his childhood dream of cowboyhood at Great Oaks Ranch.
Click here for the complete article.