Riverbench pouring at Taste of Santa Barbara Wine 2024 | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Chef Guidance Moon and her sous chef son, Elishah Barthelemy, from Momma’s Soul Food Fusion | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Pouring at Taste of Santa Barbara Wine 2024 | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Matt Kettmann in a rare break between moderating duties | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Enjoying the festivities are (from left) the Independent’s Brandi Rivera, Victor Bryant, Leslie Dinaberg, and Zak Klobucher | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Elise Magistro from Luretík Olive Oil | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Bites from Gala Restaurant | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Hayden Felice of Trippers & Askers | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Guests enjoying Taste of Santa Barbara Wines event | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
Wine was more than ready for its close-up when nearly 30 wineries and multiple culinary stars gathered on May 18 for Taste of Santa Barbara’s Saturday Wine Experience. The Indy’s very own cellar master Matt Kettmann put together and moderated three noteworthy panels — on the enduring impact of the film Sideways, new grape varieties like mencía and clairette blanche, and what it’s like to craft pinot noir depending where you are in your winemaking career — made all the more stellar thanks to the Old Country gravitas of the historic Presidio setting.
