Just north of Santa Barbara on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, lies the appropriately named town of Summerland. In that town, Summerland Winery produces a vastly diverse range of premium wines focusing on the rich vineyard resources available to them, which stretch from Santa Barbara to Monterey. Founded in 2002 by Nebil Zarif, Summerland Winery is dedicated to showcasing excellent fruit quality combined with strong regional character in all their wines.
Focusing on Pinot Noir production, Summerland Winery was inspired by the relaxed, friendly lifestyle that California’s coastal towns are known for. Opening a tasting room in the Summerland Winery Boutique in 2004, Mr. Zarif invites visitors to sample his award-winning wines in a lovely setting overlooking the town, as well as the Pacific Ocean.
Nebil Zarif
Raised in Iskenderun, Turkey, Nebil Zarif was introduced to fine wine at a young age, which developed into a lifelong passion. His schooling brought him to Paris, France where he became well-versed in the regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhone Valley. Zarif later came to the U.S. where he further educated himself on the prestigious wineries of Napa Valley. Acquiring 30 acres of land in the Cuyama Valley, in Santa Barbara County, Zarif eventually expanded his Barnwood Vineyards to include more than 2,000 acres. The wine connoisseur, along with a partner, also purchased the renowned Maison Deutz winery in San Luis Obispo County, renaming it Laetitia Vineyard & Winery. Zarif would eventually sell his interest in Barnwood/Laetitia in order to pursue other interests, which included Summerland Winery.
Summerland Wine Production
Taking place in Santa Maria, California, Summerland’s production takes advantage of the rich vineyard sources throughout the region. Winemaker, Etienne Terlinden processes the fruit through state of the art equipment ideal for Pino Noir production, yet, vinification and cellaring is conducted with minimal intervention and traditional winemaking in mind. With a commitment to small lot production, the wines are hand-crafted during each step of the process, which ranges from 125 to 800 cases.
The Wines
Summerland Winery was founded with the intention of producing a diverse range of Central Coast wines. Their current portfolio includes:
*Sauvignon Blanc
*Pinot Gris
*Viognier
*Chardonnay
*Muscat
*Pinot Noir
*Syrah
*Petite Sirah
*Merlot
*Cabernet Sauvignon
Each wine is offered in two distinctive tiers:
*The Central Coast Collection are blended in a fruit forward style great for food pairing, as they reflect the category of everyday enjoyment and offer good varietal character with a regional flavor profile.
*The Single Vineyard Collection, or the Summerland reserve tier are dedicated to single-vineyard bottlings from top vineyards in the region and express the distinct terroir of the vineyard selected. This collection is crafted using the most traditional winemaking techniques.
The Vineyards
Bien Nacido may be Summerland’s core vineyard for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir programs, but they also utilize Fiddlestix and Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyards in Santa Rita Hills appellation, Chamisal Vineyard and Odyssey-Thurlestone Vineyards in Edna Valley and Solomon Hills Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley for additional Pinot Noir sources
Awards
Summerland wines received 29 medals in their first year, including two Gold Medal Best of Class awards for Pinot Noir and recognition in numerous publications. Their 2003 Chardonnay also received Best of Show White in the 2005 Santa Barbara County Fair Wine Competition, which was judged by their peers.
Experience Summerland Wine First Hand
Located at 2330 Lillie Avenue in Summerland, CA, the Summerland Winery Boutique invites guests to their tasting room where they can sample all of Summerland’s wines, as well as purchase exquisite gift baskets. Their doors are open from 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Tuesday – Thursday and 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday – Sunday.
The winery is also happy to provide their amazing space for guests to hold parties and invite wine lovers to join their wine club where members will receive discounts, special mailings, complementary wine tastings and preferred invitations to all of their exclusive parties and special events.
For more information on Summerland Winery visit www.summerlandwine.com or call (805) 565-9463.
