Lights, Camera, Food and Wine!

We nibbled on tasty treats last night at the "Film Feast" preview reception hosted at the Wine Cask by affable owner Mitchell Sjerven (also proprietor of bouchon santa barbara, read more). The event is a preview of the joint venture between the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission (yes, that's a long title!) and the Santa Barbara Downtown Organization to provide prix fixe bargains at a large number of downtown restaurants during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Top among the food choices: Hotel Mar Monte (now a Hyatt hotel) put out a fabulous butternut squash risotto, The Four Seasons Biltmore offered wild mushroom risotto (their brunch is the best in the Central Coast!), and John Downey from Downey's restaurant composed a beautiful raspberry tart. Carr Vineyards & Winery and Kunin Wines poured samples, the latter pouring a terrific Rhone blend called "Pape Star", which garnered 89 Points in Steven Tanzer's International Wine Cellar,: "Light, vivid red. Musky aromas of red berries, cherry and fresh-turned soil. Juicy, faintly bitter redcurrant and cherry flavors are framed by silky tannins and brightened by a note of blood orange. Very pinot-like in weight and fruit expression, with good finishing cut and repeating bitterness.” Visit our beautiful city, and take advantage of wine tasting and hotel discounts through Film Feast, plus enjoy the International Film Festival with 12 days of intriguing films and filmmaker and actor panels!