Doug Margerum Nominated as Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Santa Barbara, California, September 14, 2022 – Doug Margerum and the Margerum Wine
Company announce Doug’s nomination as Winemaker of the Year for the 23rd anniversary of
Wine Enthusiast’s coveted Annual Wine Star Awards, which honors individuals and companies
that make outstanding contributions to the wine and alcohol beverage world. Winners will be
announced in the magazine’s Best of Year Issue in December 2022.
This is a terrific personal recognition and professional acknowledgement for Doug and the
decades of contributions he has made to the Santa Barbara culinary and wine scene. Since his
1981 opening of the legendary Wine Cask restaurant, to his launching of the infamous Wine
Cask Futures program in 1984, to his partnership with Bob Lindquist (Qupé) and Jim Clendenen
(Au Bon Climat) in 1986 for Vita Nova Winery, or to his starting of Margerum Wine Company in
2001 and Barden Winery in 2012, Doug has been an instrumental part of Santa Barbara’s success
as a global food and wine destination. This point was further cemented last year by The Wine
Enthusiast as they named Santa Barbara Wine Country as the Region of the Year for the same
Annual Wine Star Awards for 2021.
About Margerum Wine Company
Doug Margerum’s winemaking philosophy is to return to winemaking’s previous form of
production – handcrafted and personal – and produces limited quantities of wines made from
grapes grown at the Estate Vineyard in the Los Olivos District and at top vineyards from
around Santa Barbara County. The wines are made at their state-of-the-art winery located in
Buellton. Margerum primarily produces the M5 wines (Rhône varietal white and red blends); a
co-fermented Syrah called Über; Sybarite Sauvignon Blanc; Riviera Rosé and other single
varietal Rhône wines. In 2014, Doug released the Barden wines, which focuses exclusively on
the terroir of the Sta. Rita Hills, sourcing fruit from top vineyards in the appellation and makes
limited amounts of world-class, cuisine-friendly and age-worthy wines.
Margerum sells a significant portion of their small production wines Direct to Consumer via
their beautiful Santa Barbara Tasting Room at the Hotel Californian, which offers an array of
curated wine flights, private wine experiences, dinners and cuisine. The upstairs in the
Mezzanine is also available for private bookings and events.
Doug also consults and produces wines for several local Santa Barbara wineries including
Happy Canyon Vineyards and Paradise Springs Winery. Additionally, he has created several
vibrant Private Label programs for restaurants and retail groups all over the country along with
the negociant labels Valle de Inez, Riviera Wine Company and Diseño Wine Company.