SLO Harvest Celebration 06

Posted by Alan Boehmer Nov 17, 2006

Against a backdrop of azure ocean and sunny skies, the wine growers of south San Luis Obispo County, CA, displayed last season's bounty. (The current harvest is still in barrel.)

If you live within convenient driving distance of a wine growing area whose vintners have formed an alliance, chances are good that there is an annual celebration of harvest open to the public. In California, these events take place regularly in Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Temecula, and San Diego.

These harvest celebrations usually draw hundreds, if not thousands of visitors, who can enjoy several hours of gourmet nibbles and wine tasting for a very reasonable fee.

The SLO (that's local-speak for San Luis Obispo, whose residents like to say that they enjoy the SLO life) Harvest Celebration featured only local wineries (Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande) - 21 of them - and 24 of the finest area restaurants eager to upstage each other with offerings of steamed clams, braised short ribs, tacos, canapés, and cheeses. A local olive oil producer offered comparative tastings of artisan oilive oils.

Auctions, silent and traditional, featured Salmanazars (that's 9.0 liters, in case you didn't know) of a wine specially blended for the occasion by Baileyana Winemaker Christian Roguenant. Other interesting items at auction included a private luncheon and tour at Hearst Castle in San Simeon; a week in Paris for two at the Cristal Luxury Suite; and four days at the Grand Hyatt New York.

Harvest celebrations provide a wonderful way to get to know the food and wines of a particular region.