Santa Barbara County Women Winemakers & Culinarians Celebration Donates $20,000 in Annual Event Proceeds to the New “She Raised Her Hand” Women Veterans Initiative

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Charitable Wine Industry Event Helps to Kickstart Efforts for the New Organization’s Mission to Provide Opportunities for Women to Find Community, Purpose and Strength in their Identity as Veterans

May 1, 2024 – Santa Ynez, CA – Wednesday through Sunday, March 6 through 10, 2024, more than 30 women winemakers and nearly twenty female food-world counterparts gathered for good during the seventh annual, newly-renamed, Santa Barbara County Women Winemakers & Culinarians Celebration (www.SBWomenWinemakers.com), held in the Santa Ynez Valley wine country towns of Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Solvang, and Los Alamos, California.

The 2024 event stretch spanned five days and consisted of multiple winemaker dinners and wine tasting receptions; the new “Sips and She-nanigans – A Sassy Soirée” event at Fess Parker Winery; a sparkling Sunday brunch at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection; and the main wine and food showcase, a grand tasting held this year at private event venue, 27 Vines, in Santa Ynez. Portions of ticket proceeds from each of the ancillary events, as well as event proceeds from the Saturday, March 9, grand tasting at 27 Vines, raised $20,000 in charitable event proceeds for this year’s beneficiary, the new She Raised Her Hand initiative (www.sheraisedherhand.com), whose mission is to provide opportunities for women to find community, purpose and strength in their identity as veterans.

“We have a higher percentage of women winemakers here in Santa Barbara County than anywhere else, and along with our women chefs and food crafters, we have built a strong network in support of each other and others in our community. Each year, we use our annual celebration to raise funds for a charitable organization that all of the participating women elect,” commented Karen Steinwachs, co-founder of the annual Women Winemakers & Culinarians Celebration and owner/winemaker, Seagrape Wine Company.

The Women Winemakers & Culinarians Celebration, held each year on or near International Women’s Day (annually, March 8), has for the past seven celebrations donated event proceeds to a variety of Santa Barbara County non-profits, all aimed at aiding underserved groups within the region’s communities.

“This year, the new She Raised Her Hand initiative was overwhelmingly selected by the group. We are honored to help them get off the ground in their beginning stages,” Steinwachs continued.

The annual Women Winemakers & Culinarians Celebration brings together a varied sampling of Santa Barbara County’s female winemakers and culinarians in a show of support for each other, and other working women. Each year’s March event series features a growing count of women winemakers alongside some of the County’s leading culinary ladies. The March 9, 2024, grand tasting event at 27 Vines featured the highest number of participating women culinarians to date who, along with this year’s 30 women winemakers, entertained approximately 250 guests. Each year’s Women Winemakers Celebration grand tasting has sold out prior to that year’s respective event date.

The March 2024 events were heavily sponsored by a number of regional entities, the support from which allowed the Women Winemakers & Culinarians to donate the $20,000 sum to She Raised Her Hand. Along with donations from the event’s winemakers and culinarians, and a dedicated bevy of event volunteers, other notable 2024 event sponsors were: 27 Vines, Jump On The School Bus, Visit the Santa Ynez Valley, Allan Hancock College, Debbie Douglas Designs, Nick’s Production Services, Deborah Chadsey Photography, Craft & Cluster, Pacific HR, Inc, ForFriends Inn & Village, Melanie Davis Design, Inklings Printing Co., El Rancho Market, Santa Ynez Valley Elite Events, and Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café and Café Farm.

Tickets for the 2025 Santa Barbara County Women Winemakers & Culinarians Celebration will start to be available in December 2024, for the event dates of March 6-9, 2025. All details TBA; please visit www.SBWomenWinemakers.com for updates. For more information about the March 2024 Women Winemakers & Culinarians Celebration, please contact Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing, at 1.877.327.2656 or info@stilettomarketing.com.

Women Winemakers & Culinarians Celebration 2024 participating winemakers and wineries:

  • Karen Steinwachs, Seagrape Wine Company
  • Lane Tanner, Lumen Wines
  • Brit Zotovich, Dreamcôte Wine Co.
  • Alison Thomson, Lepiane Wines
  • Sonja Magdevski, Casa Dumetz Wines, Clementine Carter, The Feminist Party
  • Mireia Taribó & Tara Gomez, Camins 2 Dreams
  • Gretchen Voelcker, Piazza Family Wines and Luna Hart Wines
  • Laura Hughes, Loubud Wines
  • Dana Volk, Dana V. Wines and Happy Mommy Wines
  • Jessica Gasca, Story of Soil
  • Angela Osborne, A Tribute To Grace Wine Company
  • Samra Morris, Alma Rosa Winery
  • Alice Anderson, âmevive
  • Magan Eng, Kunin Wines
  • Megan McGrath Gates, Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards and Toccata
  • Kristin Bryden, Zaca Mesa Winery
  • Amy Christine, Holus Bolus and The Joy Fantastic
  • Claire Wilson, Provignage
  • Sunny Doench Stricker, Future Perfect Wine
  • Allyson Bycraft, Babcock Winery & Vineyards
  • Anna deLaski, Solminer Wine Co.
  • Clarissa Nagy, Riverbench Vineyard and Winery
  • Amber Hogan, Amber Rose Wines
  • Kristin Harris Luis, Cote of Paint Wine
  • Brittany Rice, Sunstone Winery
  • Jill DelaRiva Russell, Cambria Winery
  • Adrienne Rule, Rideau Vineyard
  • Alisa Jacobson, Turning Tide Wines
  • Angela Soleno, Turiya Wines
  • Sarah Suput, Rock 12 Distillery
  • Christi Heck, Lavender Oak Vineyard

Women Winemakers & Culinarians Celebration 2024 participating chefs, bakers, and female food crafters:

  • Brooke Stockwell, Executive Chef, Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café
  • Erica Velazquez, co-chef/co-owner of Solvang’s Ramen Kotori
  • Taylor Tate, executive pastry chef, peasants FEAST
  • Joy Reinhardt, chef/owner, Ellie’s Tap & Vine
  • Sarah Price, owner/operator of Lompoc-based Sassafras Mobile Food Truck and Restaurant
  • Vilay Saikeo, chef/owner of Lompoc’s Savory & Sweet Eats
  • Janelle Norman, owner and cheesemonger at Solvang’s Cailloux Cheese Shop
  • Melissa Scrymgeour, chef/co-owner, Clean Slate Wine Bar
  • Laura Newman, co-owner of Los Olivos’ Lefty’s Coffee Co.
  • Amy Dixon, owner/baker, The Baker’s Table
  • Kimberly Zimmerman, owner, The Juicy Life
  • Lisa Thompson, chef at Global Gardens
  • Louise Smith, chef/owner of Louise’s Kitchen Table
  • Shanté Norwood, owner/baker at Té’Stees Cupcakes
  • Jessica Foster of Jessica Foster Confections
  • Shannon Casey, owner of Rancho Olivos
  • Jane Darrah, Good Witch Farm
  • Anna Vocino, Eat Happy Kitchen
  • Rhoda Magbitang, Executive Chef, The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern