Wine & Fire 2025

AUGUST 14-17, 2025

Join us for this four-day weekend celebrating our wineries and vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills.

The weekend kicks off with our annual Barn Party followed by a La Paulée Style dinner honoring our Vintners of the Year, Saturday morning’s Speed Tasting with a Winemaker, Saturday evening’s Grand Tasting at the historic La Purisima Mission and Sunday Funday celebrations hosted by individual wineries.

Barn Party Kickoff
Thursday, August 14
5pm-8pm

Kick off the weekend with our annual "Barn Party". This event, hosted by Peake Ranch, features large format and library wines poured by our winemakers along with Fire-grilled foods. You won't want to miss this opening event of Wine and Fire!

Location: Peake Ranch Winery
7290 Santa Rosa Rd, Buellton, CA 93427

Honoring Flying Goat Cellars

Norm Yost

Our 2025 Vintner of the Year

La Paulée dinner
Friday, August 15
5:30pm-9:30pm

Our La Paulee Dinner will be honoring our Vintner of the Year, Norm Yost and 25 years of Flying Goat Cellars. A sparkling wine reception will start the evening and be followed by a delicious BBQ dinner by High on the Hog catering. Wines for the dinner tables will be hosted by member wineries, but in the spirit of La Paulee guests are encouraged to bring their special bottles to share at their dinner table.

Location: Babcock Winery,
5175 East Hwy 246, Lompoc

Speed Tasting
Saturday AM, August 16
9:30am-12:30pm

Speed Tasting with a Winemaker is an opportunity to talk with the participating winemakers while tasting their wines. The winemakers rotate to a different table every ten minutes giving guests an opportunity to have focused conversations with 8 of our winemakers. A Fire grilled lunch will follow the discussion.

Location: Hitching Post Wines
420 CA-246, Buellton, CA 93427

Grand Tasting
Saturday, August 16
5:00pm-8:00pm

Enjoy a magical evening under the oaks at La Purisima Mission sipping fine Sta. Rita Hills wines, snacking on tasty treats, and mingling with smiling faces! Our members and chefs are excited to welcome you to our favorite tasting event of the year. Tickets are very limited, order now so you don't miss out. As an added bonus your ticket includes a Passport ticket too!

Location: La Purisima Mission
2295 Purisima Road, Lompoc 93436

Sunday Funday - Make it your own! Check with your favorite winery for special events or enjoy the benefits of our weekend passport (Wine and Fire Passport -August 15th - 18th / $40.00).

Visit our participating tasting rooms and enjoy 2-for-1 tasting benefits. A Passport is included in the price of the Weekend combo tickets and Grand Tasting tickets. Plan your visits as days and hours may vary.

Participating Wineries: TBD

Sunday Funday
Sunday, August 17

Wine and Fire Combo Ticket

Our Combo Weekend package includes tickets to all the fun including:

• Thursday night Barn Party

• Friday night La Paulée Dinner at Babcock Winery

• Saturday morning Speed Tasting with a Winemaker

• Saturday evening Grand Tasting at La Purisima Mission

• Complimentary weekend Passport to visit our tasting rooms

$440 Limited Availability

Participating Wineries

Wine & Fire 2024 Gallery

photos by Bottle Branding

2025 Vintner of the Year

Norm yost

FLYING GOAT CELLARS

Norm’s 45-year wine journey began in Northern California until he found his way to Foley Winery in 1998. He has spent 25 years crafting Flying Goat Cellars small-lot Pinot Noirs, Pinot Gris, and méthode champenoise bubbles from the Sta. Rita Hills. Inspired by his pygmy goats, Never and Epernay, Norm launched the label in 2000 and rolled out Goat Bubbles in 2005 — Santa Barbara County’s first sparkling wine program. He continues to be an OG (Old Goat) legend leading the charge for sparkling wines in the Sta. Rita Hills. 

Please join us in celebrating Norm Yost as our 2025 Vintner of the Year.

Past VINTNERS OF THE YEAR

2024 Vintners of the Year

Frank Ostini & Gray Hartley

HITCHING POST WINES
Chef Frank Ostini and commercial fisherman Gray Hartley met in 1977 at the Casmalia Hitching Post. Their chance meeting led to a lifelong winemaking partnership that started in Frank’s garage with a 1979 Merlot from Firestone Vineyards. In 1985 they sourced their first SRH Pinot Noir from Sanford & Benedict vineyard, long before the area was a designated wine region.

2023 Vintner of the Year

Ken Brown

KEN BROWN WINES
Ken began his journey at Zaca Mesa Winery as head winemaker in 1977 and found Byron Vineyard & Winery in 1984. Passionate about Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, he was also the first winemaker to introduce Syrah to the area. In 2004, he launched his namesake label, Ken Brown Wines, focusing on premium vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills to craft beautiful, small-production Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah.

2022 Vintner of the Year

Rick Longoria

LONGORIA WINES
Rick and his wife, Diana, have been an integral part of the Santa Barbara wine community for 40 years. He began his journey in the 1970s and started his eponymous brand, Longoria, in 1982. In 1998, he planted their estate Fe Ciega Vineyard near the cool western end of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. As a pioneer, a mentor and an outstanding vintner, Rick raised the bar for quality wines in the region. 

2021 Vintner of the Year

Bryan Babcock

BABCOCK WINERY
Bryan was instrumental in the creation of our Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Babcock Vineyard was planted in 1979, and Bryan has pushed the limits in farming and production all along the way. Additionally, he has mentored many giving us the next generation of great winemakers. Creative and experimental in all things wine, Bryan is a true leader in our AVA.

2020 Vintner of the Year

Richard Sanford

ALMA ROSA WINERY
Richard Sanford is an icon in the Sta. Rita Hills. The original “Pioneer” he planted the first vineyard on Santa Rosa Road in 1971, Sanford and Benedict, and the rest is history.

2019 Vintner of the Year

Bruce McGuire

LAFOND WINERY
Making wine for Santa Barbara Winery since 1981, Bruce is a legendary winemaker who championed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Sta. Rita Hills. He currently is head winemaker for both Santa Barbara and Lafond wineries.

2018 Vintner of the Year

Kathy Joseph

FIDDLEHEAD CELLARS
Kathy is recognized as a pioneer among women winemakers as she passionately and enthusiastically  creates stylistic Sauvignon Blanc and silky, textural Pinot Noir. At Fiddlehead, she annually produces about 5,000 cases of wine, with personal interest in each grape cluster, each barrel of wine and every bottle that finds its way to your table.