A Day Trip to OJAI | Sat, Nov 15 in Ojai, CA

Ojai's name comes from a Chumash word meaning "moon," and the town is famous for its "Pink Moment" when the sunset hits the mountains, creating a pastel sky. It's also home to the world's largest outdoor bookstore, Bart's Books, founded in 1964.

Ojai also has a spiritual history, attracting thinkers like Aldous Huxley, and is known for its Ojai Pixie Tangerines. We are big fans of the wines from OJAI and have some friends with great restaurants.

TWO TYPES OF TICKETS:

TYPE 1: Meet us there Ticket (ALL IN):
$325 Early Bird
$400 Nov 1st

You drive and come and go as you please.
Arrive at first stop (OJAI VINEYARDS) at 10:30 sharp (don’t be late)
Day includes: Meet and greet, tour and tasting with Legend Adam Tomach at Ojai Winery.
Ojai Rotie picnic Lunch in town
Exclusive appointment at OJAI Mountain Winery - this is a wow place… you have to see.

TYPE 2: The Comfy Luxury Bus ALL DAY: (ALL IN)
$475 Early Bird
$550 Nov 1st

Arrive downtown LA for prompt 8:30 departure.
Get some rest on the 1.30 minute to 2 hour ride to OJAI - We plan to play Sideways on the bus - you can rest.
Arrive to OJAI and exit at the doors of OJAI Winery - Legendary Adam Tolmach
Ojai Rotie picnic Lunch in town
Exclusive appointment at OJAI Mountain Winery - this is a wow place… you have to see.
Departure planned for 5:30PM - we are not going to be in a hurry. Return to LA around 8pm.

"I continue to love the wines from Adam Tolmach and Fabien Castel. These lean firmly toward the fresher, elegant end of the spectrum, yet I always find the wines to have wonderful depth of fruit, terrific balance, and singular characters.” Antonio Galloni

"Adam Tolmach continues to turn out gorgeous wines that speak to the true reflection of place...For those who want to understand the essence of classicism in Santa Barbara, Ojai is a great place to start.” JEB Dunnuck

The wines we make today are a culmination of four decades pursuing excellence with the fruit grown in our region. We believe that a history like ours is an asset only insofar as it is defined by evolution. Craft is not an overnight sensation; it is the step by step progress that only comes from intuition and experience.
We’ve remained wholly independent and painstakingly dedicated to refining the myriad decisions we make each year to produce world-class wine.
Adam pursued his vision of making natural wines that spoke of the place that they were grown, taking risks to produce wines where, as much as possible, nothing is added and nothing taken away.

Adam Tolmach went to UC Davis and studied viticulture and enology, and after graduating in 1976 he settled down on the property his grandfather bought in the Ojai Valley in 1933 to farm sweet corn and melons, selling them at a roadside stand. After two years of this satisfying, yet difficult and nearly profitless work he sought employment in his field of study.

With degree in hand he found work at Zaca Mesa in Santa Barbara County. Before long he decided to follow his own vision and started a winery with fellow employee Jim Clendenen in 1982. The winery, Au Bon Climat, was an overnight success, but after nine years together Jim and Adam realized they had to follow separate paths. Jim bought the business in 1991 and went on to further glories.

Simultaneous to all this, Adam had planted a vineyard in Ojai to syrah and sauvignon blanc and had begun producing wine from that fruit in 1983. When the collaboration with Clendenen ended he concentrated all his attention on The Ojai Vineyard to further explore the infinite details of his craft.

Looking back over the last 25 years, one can see the development of The Ojai Vineyard came in three distinct phases. In the beginning it was lots of fun discovering the budding Santa Barbara County, experimenting with new plantings, new areas, and a wide selection of varietals; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and other Rhone varietals. Back in 1983 the vines were grown without much care in what was called a California sprawl. It took years to get growers to move towards progressive practices like drip irrigation and vertical trellising to improved wine grape quality.

Nestled in the center of Ojai’s historic downtown, Ojai Rôtie is a chef/farmer-driven, fast casual patio-restaurant offering extraordinary French-Lebanese style rotisserie chicken, freshly-baked, handmade sourdough, an array of innovative side dishes plus a wine and beer list highlighting Ojai Valley agriculture, viniculture and the “Ojai Appellation”.
The feel is fun, energetic, and evokes a perfect picnic. Everything from the simply crafted food and exhilarating local wine selections to the the shaded landmark patio is suggestive of relaxed living and unfussy pleasure – more or less what people have come to think of as an Ojai state of mind.

*Lunch menu will be provided. All dietary needs will be met with advanced notice.

Our goal is to produce exceptional wines that pay tribute to the distinct flavors of high altitude grapes, while minimizing intervention to allow our unique terroir to truly shine.

For centuries, high-altitudes have held a powerful allure for humans, especially winemakers. These lofty elevations are responsible for the lion's share of exceptional wines worldwide, thanks to a unique combination of factors. Longer, more even ripening periods, heightened acidity from temperature fluctuations, thicker skins due to winds, and more intense flavors from smaller clusters all contribute to extraordinary results that attract wine lovers. At the heart of it all lies the grape, the foundation of all great wine. Without exceptional grapes, it is impossible to produce high-quality wines.

We believe we have found the most beautiful mountain in the world and are committed to producing the best possible grapes in harmony with biodynamic practices. Our winemaking process is rooted in minimum intervention, allowing the unique terroir to shine in the finished product. We believe wine is best enjoyed in the company of others and paired with food, and we strive to enhance these experiences. Our wines are crafted with passion, immense care for nature, and a deep sense of pride, and we invite you to enjoy them with us.

If you ask him, Phil Coturri might quote a Levon Helm song and describe himself as a “poor old dirt farmer.” However, after 35 years pioneering organic and biodynamic winegrowing in California, descriptions range from “famed organic viticulturist” by the Hollywood Reporter to “the ubiquitous wizard of sustainable winemaking” by Sonoma Magazine. He was born with the cultural palate of Italian immigrants, weaned on the music and ethos of San Francisco in the 1960’s and planted deep into the rocky hillsides of Sonoma Valley. We are honored to be working with and learning from such an accomplished and humble man.

Erich Bradley, the talented winemaker behind Ojai Mountain's exciting new venture, brings a wealth of experience and a unique philosophy to our high-elevation vineyard. With a career spanning over 25 vintages, Erich's journey in winemaking is a testament to his passion, skill, and commitment to creating wines that truly express their origin.

ABOUT IAN BLACKBURN, WINE EDUCATOR - 25 YEARS OF INDUSTRY SERVICE

Ian discovered the wine industry at the ripe age of 21 while working for famous chefs such as Thomas Keller and Joachim Splichal in the top dining rooms of Los Angeles. The discovery of wine and his endless need for knowledge quickly engulfed Ian’s life. His passion would eventually redirect his career from restaurants and hotels to vineyards and education. In 1995 LearnAboutWine.com was born, becoming the first website dedicated to wine education.

With over 25-years of experience traveling the wine world, Ian is a published author (Wiley Publications, 2002), has 10 vintages of top level winemaking on his resume at Beekeeper Cellars, and is considered one of the region's best wine educators. Ian’s push to evolve and his ability to pivot has produced a strata of new concepts such as, ZoomIntoWine.com (virtual education), MerchantofWine.com (the family’s online wine store), and now the return of in-person gatherings with LearnAboutWine.com. Ian maintains high levels of entertainment and enthusiasm at his events by using all the great gathering spots in LA as potential venues. All while making a name for himself in the wine industry, Ian has never forgotten to give back to the community. Over the last few years he has raised over $650,000 for the T.J. Martell Foundation, which donates to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to help fund research to cure cancer in children. The combined charity efforts of LearnAboutWine have raised over a million dollars for a variety of causes throughout Los Angeles and beyond. | merchantofwine.com | beekeepercellars.com | learnaboutwine.com

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Our Policy

All tickets are non-refundable. We can adjust your menu for dietary needs up to 72 hours prior without any additional cost. Wines can change without notice, failure or corked wine at the dinner does not result in any type of credit or refund. We open one bottle minimum per paying guest, and can reduce the total number of bottles being opened so that the dinner does not have to cancel should ticket sales not reach the minimum. Fewer bottles equals larger pours - you will get the same quantity of wine and we always open the best wines for the quality of the event. Cancellation due to illness is not allowed, you may however take food to go - or assign your seat to someone else without fee. The perishable nature of our product requires no cancellation, no credit, no refunds for any reason - this is like an airline flight or Dodger game… once it goes, its gone.

NOTICE REGARDING ALLERGIES, FOOD RESTRICTIONS + LIMITATIONS INCLUDING BEVERAGES BUT NOT LIMITED TO WINE

*Please carefully review any programs you may be interested involving food/refreshment/beverages.

No refunds, cancellations, or date swaps allowed.

Unfortunately, refreshments and food & beverage substitutions are politely declined. We try our best to accommodate food limitations/restrictions, however, it is our policy is to inform you that we make no promises or guarantees of any particular food/ beverage accommodation, regardless of whether learnaboutwine or our third-party venue is providing refreshments/ food and/or beverages. We make no promises guarantees that if/ any refreshments/food and/or beverages are free of any allergens and/or health restricting products/elements. We will not be held responsible/liable for/if any illness that may occur while consuming at his/her/their own free will and at his/her/their own discretion.

*Please be advised, outside food and beverage is not permitted at any of our events.

*Adult Participants must be 21 and over. Valid government issued ID required to attend this event. The entirety of the experience is important and vital for the enjoyment of all adult participants. Our private events are created for adults 21-years of age and older and unable to accommodate minors. Minors are not allowed into any of our events.

*ALL/ANY TICKET SALE IS FINAL. WE DO NOT OFFER REFUNDS/EXCHANGES/CREDITS/TRANSFERS BETWEEN OUR PROGRAMS.

Email us - [email protected]

PROPOSITION 65 WARNING: Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine, and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects.

Email us: [email protected]

LearnAboutWine.com Office | 10am-4pm PST Tuesday-Friday | 310-451-7600

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