All Articles
The Best West Coast Wineries for Sipping Sauvignon Blanc
Whether you’re strolling through Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone or taking a self-led wine-tasting tour through Los Olivos in Santa Ynez, Margerum Wine Company is a must-visit. With tasting rooms both along the coast and in the valley, each of these spaces has a special charm and design-forward interior that invites guests to kick back and relax while exploring hand-crafted wines. The 2022 Margerum McGinley Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is a $45 bottle that has a vibrant, clear color with a rich, concentrated and mineral-forward palate. Sourced from a rare selection of old vines, this is the ideal bottle to bring to your next outdoor gathering or beachside picnic. Continue »
Jul 12, 2024 at 5:05 PM
Permalink
Museum of Natural History Hosts Splendid Wine + Food Festival
On June 29, more than 1,300 people enjoyed the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s annual Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival, where 91 winery, other beverage, and food purveyors offered tastings. As always, winemakers, chefs, and proprietors were on hand to personally serve their fine creations and chat with guests in the idyllic setting of the museum’s oak woodland. The $166,000 net proceeds will support the museum’s education programs and exhibits. Continue »
Jul 8, 2024 at 4:06 PM
Permalink
The Best Rosés and White Wines to Order Online This Summer
This renowned sybarite’s latest venture is a second tasting room in Los Olivos where you can enjoy his appropriately branded Sybarite sauvignon blanc alongside oysters and/or a bento box with such delicacies as Buri sashimi yellowtail with yuzu kosho and Dungeness crab baked with vanilla bean sauce in what is one of the most exceptional wine pairing offerings in Santa Ynez Valley. Continue »
Jun 20, 2024 at 8:07 AM
Permalink
Three days in Santa Barbara - the ultimate holiday stopover
Why waste your time in an airport stopover hotel when you can have a holiday-inside-a-holiday, just a short hop from LA? Continue »
Jun 1, 2024 at 12:03 PM
Permalink
Margerum Wines: The Wine Dude
Hey Winos....I was in the Funk Zone and I met up with Owner & "Wine Director" Doug Margerum of Margerum Wines....Beautiful Tasting Room 1 Block from the Beach in amazing Santa Barbara....They are Located at 19 E Mason St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 - Show is about 25 Mins long so Grab a Glass of Wine and Kick Back - And Join Me, The Wine Dude as we talk with Doug of the Margerum Wine Company.... Continue »
Mar 14, 2024 at 10:14 AM
Permalink
A Trip to Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara California not only has a stunning coastal location, beautiful Mediterranean style architecture, amazing restaurants and shopping – it also has its share of wineries! More than 280 wineries are located among the seven AVAs in Santa Barbara County... https://johnswinecellar.com/2024/01/16/santa-barbara-trip/ Continue »
Jan 16, 2024 at 3:13 PM
Permalink
"Santa Barbara's charms are plenty": Vancouver Sun Printed Feature
The American Riviera offers a grand ocean view, local wine and more. Continue »
Jan 9, 2024 at 9:44 AM
Permalink
Margerum M5 Red Earns Prestigious Recognition as #17 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List
Margerum Wine Company is proud to announce that our Margerum M5 Red has secured the remarkable position of #17 in Wine Spectator’s highly acclaimed Top 100 List for the 2023 edition. Continue »
Jan 7, 2024 at 7:24 PM
Permalink
California Dreaming: Cruising The Pacific Coast Highway, From San Francisco To Los Angeles - Travel+Leisure
California is best explored by road along the Pacific Coast Highway. On a summer holiday, the author discovers the state’s surreal landscapes. Continue »
Jan 4, 2024 at 9:42 AM
Permalink
Travel + Leisure Margerum Feature
In this Travel + Leisure article from December 2023, Margerum is proudly featured as one of the must-stop locations. Continue »
Jan 2, 2024 at 9:31 AM
Permalink
Rob Raede: Seven Nights of Sips and Bites to Get Your New Year Started Right - Noozhawk
Thinking about the great restaurants we’ve reviewed this year leads to a constant discussion at Team Let’s Go Eat HQ: Where should we eat tonight? Finally it occurred to us: Why limit ourselves to one? Why not combine two or more into some fun evenings strolling from place to place? Continue »
Dec 31, 2023 at 9:27 AM
Permalink
Laurie Jervis: Winning Tasting, Dining Experiences That Showcase Food and Wines - Noozhawk
When I caught up with Doug Margerum in late October for a sushi pairing with his namesake wines at the newer Los Olivos tasting room, I didn’t know how sushi might enhance wine, or vice versa. But the sushi rolls, sashimi, eel and pork hit the ball out of the park, especially the pairings featuring sparkling and white wines. Continue »
Dec 27, 2023 at 1:51 PM
Permalink
Sparklers That Shine - 805 Living
Barden 2020 Blanc de Blancs, Sta. Rita Hills ($72, margerumwines. com/barden-wines) Just released, this bubbly from winemaker Doug Margerum—the label is a nod to his middle name—is more proof that the Sta. Rita Hills AVA can give rise to phenomenal sparkling wine. All chardonnay, the wine features fruit from two of the area’s premier vineyards: La Rinconada and Sanford & Benedict. Primary and secondary fermentation, including full malolactic, were done entirely in barrel for a year, with an additional fermentation done in bottle, giving this wine a delightful creaminess—hints of mousse, even—all buoyed by an energetic rush of bubbles. Puff pastry and citrus on the nose give way to rounded flavors of lemon and almond extract. This is a perfect sparkler with great aging potential. Continue »
Dec 4, 2023 at 12:30 PM
Permalink
Natural wines with individual characteristics and personality Doug Margerum- WineSoundtrack.com
Doug Margerum has been intimately involved in the Santa Barbara food and wine scene for over 40 years and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers promoting the uniqueness and quality of the region’s food and wine. Founded in 2001, Margerum produces limited quantities of wines made from grapes grown at their Estate Vineyard in District and at top vineyards from around Santa Barbara County. 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. Margerum strives to make natural wines that have individual characteristics and personality. Continue »
Nov 15, 2023 at 11:38 AM
Permalink
2023 Best Urban Tasting Room- The Independent
“We are thrilled to have won for Best Urban Tasting Room,” said Doug Margerum, whose elegant space in the Hotel Californian is not to be missed. “It’s a tasting room like no other in Santa Barbara,” he said. “A fabulous menu for dining all day and night, extensive outdoor seating, space for private parties for tastings, lunches, and dinners, and an enthusiastic and well-trained staff to educate and illuminate. With two brands to taste — Barden and Margerum — it is an experience like no other.” Readers were also happy with their hours that spill into the evening — noon to 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Runner-Up: Grassini Family Vineyards Continue »
Oct 19, 2023 at 8:46 AM
Permalink
A bit of a twist at Margerum’s new tasting spot in Los Olivos - Food + Home
Doug Margerum is at it again, this time with a gem of a new tasting room in Santa Barbara Wine Country’s charming Los Olivos. The spot offers a new twist on wine-pairing: a bento box with your vino tasting. Margerum has been raising his glass to customers and friends for over 40 years in Santa Barbara’s hospitality trade, as a restaurateur and winemaker. Known for impeccable wines that he fashions for his own label, as well as consulting gigs to budding and wannabe winemakers, his talents have consistently set a high bar and earned respect for his Santa Ynez Valley estate wines. Continue »
Oct 17, 2023 at 2:46 PM
Permalink
How To Spend A Day in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone 2023 - Adventures of a Carry-on
Margerum Wines: Great news, Margerum Wines has now opened a tasting room just steps from the Santa Barbara Funk Zone–across the street from the Hotel Californian. Doug Margerum has been a key player in the Santa Barbara wine scene for over 35 years and he makes really good juice. Continue »
Oct 13, 2023 at 11:19 AM
Permalink
The Best Rosés and White Wines to Order Online This Fall - Hollywood Reporter
Doug Margerum has always been at the forefront of spectacular wine and food. From launching Santa Barbara’s Wine Cask restaurant in 1981 and establishing it as the region’s epicenter of culinary mastery while helping build global awareness for Central Coast winemakers, to the 2001 debut of Margerum Wine Company and a downtown Santa Barbara tasting room perched in the Funk Zone. Continue »
Oct 2, 2023 at 9:04 AM
Permalink
Leisurely Vibes - Santa Barbara Magazine
When the pangs of hunger call, the newly unveiled MARGERUM offers a delicious reprieve. The space is charmingly quaint, stocking an array of wines crafted by owner and winemaker Doug Margerum that span his eponymous Rhône-focused label and the Burgundian varietals of his second label, Barden. Continue »
Sep 25, 2023 at 1:33 PM
Permalink
We Live in Paradise- Santa Barbara Magazine
When pangs of hunger call, the newly unveiled Margerum offers a delicious reprieve. The space is charmingly quaint, stocking an array of wines crafted by owner and winemaker Doug Margerum that span his eponymous Rhône- focused label and the Burgundian varietals of his second label, Barden. Continue »
Sep 13, 2023 at 9:20 AM
Permalink
Falling In Love with Autumn - Santa Barbara Life & Style Magazine
A NEW BITE Chopsticks at the ready? Roll up to Margerum for the delectable combo of sushi and wine. The Funk Zone favorite recently opened a Los Olivos tasting room with a menu unlike any other. Margerum's newest space on Alamo Pintado Avenue brings not only the wines Santa Barbara knows and loves, but a delightful food menu. Slurp some Kumamoto oysters alongside sparkling wine pairings or dive into a bento box of hand crafted sushi (reservation necessary). Of course, the classic cheese and charcuterie board isn't going anywhere. Don't leave without trying their Rori's collaboration-amaro ice cream! Continue »
Sep 5, 2023 at 8:58 AM
Permalink
Please the Palate: Bento Box Tasting in Los Olivos
Many wineries offer food and wine pairing experiences at their tasting rooms. A successful food and wine pairing can be symbiotic. Not only can flavors be enhanced in the food and/or the wines, but food can really enhance the wine, showing it in its best light. I experienced that with a unique experience at Margerum Wine Company and that is why the Bento Box Tasting and Wine Pairing at Margerum Wine Company in Los Olivos is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Continue »
Aug 21, 2023 at 9:23 AM
Permalink
Pairing Margerum Wines with Bento Boxes - Santa Barbara Independent
Given the tremendous range of flavors available in Japanese cuisine, from fresh to funky, savory to sweet, spicy to delicate, it’s confounding that sushi and its culinary counterparts are not already a regular part of pairing menus in wine country. Counteracting that unfortunate oversight is Margerum Wine Company’s new tasting room in Los Olivos, where customers can pre-order bento boxes that have been developed to match with Doug Margerum’s bottlings. Continue »
Aug 14, 2023 at 10:14 AM
Permalink
Noozhawk: Margerum’s Food Gaining Popularity Among Wine Fans
Cleverly camouflaged as a simple wine room, Margerum Wine Company at the Hotel Californian in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone is gaining quite a following for its food as well. Combine that with some of the best wine in Santa Barbara County, and it’s a brilliant pairing. “A lot of people don’t even know we serve food here,” said Doug Margerum, owner and wine maker. “Friends from France were recently here, and they told me we have the best food in Santa Barbara.” Continue »
Aug 14, 2023 at 8:59 AM
Permalink
Santa Maria Sun: Margerum teams up with BB Sushi
There’s a black and white portrait in the Margerum Wine Company’s new tasting room in Los Olivos that leads some guests to assume its subject is no longer with us. “I’m still alive,” Santa Barbara County-based vintner Doug Margerum said with a laugh, before shifting his gaze to another framed piece in the venue, among a row of landscape paintings. Continue »
Aug 1, 2023 at 8:50 AM
Permalink
Margerum Wine Company brings a new tasting experience to Los Olivos- keyt.com
LOS OLIVOS, Calif. -- Margerum Wine Company is bringing a new food and wine pairing experience to Los Olivos. There are 51 tasting rooms in the Los Olivos Valley and Margerum is the only one with sushi and Oysters on the menu. Continue »
Aug 1, 2023 at 8:31 AM
Permalink
15 Best Wine Tasting Rooms In Santa Barbara - Tasting Table
Another Funk Zone favorite, Margerum Tasting Room in the Hotel Californian is a bright and airy tasting room that serves plenty of great food and wine. Margerum actually offers five different tasting flights. From the pinot noir flight to the syrah flight, having a few different options allows guests to curate an experience that fits their palate best. However, if you're looking to go all out while visiting Margerum, book the private M5 blending seminar tasting. This interactive experience is both memorable and educational, and it runs for $150 per person. Continue »
Jul 27, 2023 at 12:07 PM
Permalink
A trip to the SCENIC SANTA BARBARA- The Sunday Guardian
My favourite is located at the Hotel Californian at the crook of Mason Street and Helena Avenue in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone quarter, this boutique, family-run winery is dedicated to making handmade little production wines that have distinctive characteristics and character. Margerum opened its tasting room in the summer of 2019. Continue »
Jul 17, 2023 at 8:35 AM
Permalink
Summertime Drinks: Whites and Pinks - california101guide.com
Margerum Winery Tasting Room, in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, may be your first stop. Explore award-winning wines from iconic winemaker Doug Margerum. Single varietals include Sauvignon Blanc, Roussanne, Riesling, and Viognier. Then try some blends, like M5 — a Rhône blend consisting of five different grapes — and Trois Blondes, a three-varietal blend. And let’s not forget their delicate Rosé, a perfect summertime sipper. Continue »
Jul 8, 2023 at 1:24 PM
Permalink
Museum of Natural History Hosts Lovely Food & Wine Festival - SB Independent
On June 24, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History held its annual S.B. Food & Wine Festival, an event beloved by winemakers, chefs, and patrons. The sold-out crowd of 1,100 enjoyed wine from about 80 wineries and food from about 20 purveyors, all of whom donated their offerings. The event raised $250,000 for the museum’s nature and science education programs. Continue »
Jul 6, 2023 at 1:23 PM
Permalink
Margerum Wine Company Debuts Elevated Wine & Food Experiences at a New Tasting Room in Los Olivos - winebusiness.com
Santa Barbara County's Margerum Wine Company and sister label, Barden, have unveiled a new tasting room in downtown Los Olivos, featuring a variety of curated wine and food tastings sure to delight foodies and oenophiles alike. Continue »
Jun 23, 2023 at 9:55 AM
Permalink
Rose: Summertime’s Perfect Wine - Los Angeles Magazine
A mostly Grenache Provençal-style rosé that hails all the way from the California “Riviera” of Santa Barbara County, it beckons with light pearlescent pink color, abundant fruit, and a clean, crisp finish—the perfect wine for a warm afternoon par excellence. Continue »
Jun 6, 2023 at 9:19 AM
Permalink
Barden Wines Wine Spectator Ratings are in! - WineSpectator.com
92 - $68 Barden Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2019 This has a nice core of kirsch and black cherry pâte de fruit flavors that are still coiled up, while a bright mineral note provides spine and dried rose petal, black tea and savory hints flicker throughout. Best from 2023 through 2028. 182 cases made. James Molesworth Senior Editor and Special Projects Director, New York Continue »
May 25, 2023 at 8:38 AM
Permalink
"I first left Europe aged 30 — here’s where I booked my big trip"- The Times
Next up is Santa Barbara, which for all its glamorously skinny, tufty-headed palms — the supermodels of trees — has the slightly melancholy air of an out-of-season British seaside resort. The melancholy is dissipated by a wine-tasting at the Margerum Wine Company. I have always enjoyed wine tastings because my very limited knowledge and understanding of matters oenological means I am unable to distinguish between good wine and bad wine. To me it’s all good. There’s never that disappointing moment that proper wine people must get where they sniff a brimming glass and are completely crushed to discover notes of fresh apple instead of astringent summer meadows or whatever. A couple of upscale American gentlemen pour us glass after glass and purringly hymn the virtues of the Californian climate and the excellence of its vineyards. There’s a charcuterie board. There’s a “herbally enhanced digestif”. There’s ice cream which tastes of “herbally enhanced digestif”. I get carried away and start telling people I’m getting notes of blackcurrant from everything. It’s marvellous. Continue »
Mar 31, 2023 at 8:44 AM
Permalink
Taste of Santa Barbara Wines
Join us for the annual Taste of Santa Barbara Wines at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park! Come explore, connect, and learn what makes Santa Barbara County’s wine scene unique. Continue »
Mar 20, 2023 at 8:01 AM
Permalink
The Magical Place Called Radian Vineyard- The Wine Write
"Terroir" is a term that's thrown around loosely at times, but you can't hear or read about Radian Vineyard and doubt that it applies to this site. Any uncertainty is tossed aside when you drink wines from the property. You can taste the Pacific in your glass and appreciate the struggle those grapes endured to get into the bottle. While this country does not formally classify our best vineyard sites as does France, Radian Vineyard would draw strong consideration for Grand Cru status if we did. Winemakers like Ken Brown, Bryan Babcock, Doug Margerum, John Dragonette, Brandon Sparks-Gillis, Matt Dees, Matt Brady, and others got into Radian Vineyard early on for a reason. The potential they saw in this site has been realized in their final products. Continue »
Feb 23, 2023 at 1:58 PM
Permalink
How Santa Barbara Became a Wine Town (and Where To Go Tasting)- Viator.com
Winemaker Doug Margerum takes us on a tour of the city’s best vinos. Continue »
Feb 7, 2023 at 12:46 PM
Permalink
Episode 9 - Rhône Red Blends with Doug Margerum - The Universe in a Glass
We welcome pioneering Santa Barbara winemaker, retailer, and restaurateur Doug Margerum to the studio for an episode all about Southern Rhône blends from beautiful, sun-drenched corners of the world. Doug shows off the latest vintage of his flagship red blend M5, while we answer with a stately Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Domaine Bois de Boursan. Continue »
Jan 16, 2023 at 9:25 AM
Permalink
John chats with Doug Margerum from Margerum Wines- Marquis Wine Cellars
"Margerum Wine Company produces limited quantities of wines made from grapes grown both our Estate Vineyard and grapes purchased from other top vineyards from in and around Santa Barbara County. The 18 acre Estate Vineyard is planted exclusively to Rhône grape varietals. The acreage is divided between limestone hillsides and gravelly alluvial flatlands along Alamo Pintado Creek. The wines are now made at their state-of-the-art winery located on Industrial Way in Buellton. Margerum carefully selects the vineyards with meticulous attention to detail in all factors influencing the ultimate quality of the wines, including pruning, soil, climate, and farming methods." Continue »
Dec 5, 2022 at 11:40 AM
Permalink
#40 ENTHUSIAST 100 - Margerum 2018 M5 Reserve Red
THE ENTHUSIAST 100: THE BEST WINES OF 2022 Our reviewers went on a hunt for discoveries this year and were not disappointed. Out of 21,000 blind-tasted wines reviewed and scored, thousands of bottles were outside the mainstream of wine retail offerings—and a good portion of those received high scores. Continue »
Nov 23, 2022 at 10:24 AM
Permalink
TIME FOR FUN IN THE FUNK ZONE - Monarch Wine
Margerum Wine Company is typical of many of the small, boutique winery tasting rooms that dot the Santa Barbara wine region. As a follow up to Santa Barbara being named Wine Region of the Year in 2021, Doug Margerum was recently designated as one of the finalists being considered by Wine Enthusiast Magazine as Winemaker of The Year for 2022. Continue »
Nov 18, 2022 at 3:31 PM
Permalink
EPISODE #9: RHÔNE BLENDS WITH DOUG MARGERUM - The Universe in a Glass
We welcome pioneering Santa Barbara winemaker, retailer, and restaurateur Doug Margerum to the studio for an episode all about Southern Rhône blends from beautiful, sun-drenched corners of the world. Doug shows off the latest vintage of his flagship red blend M5, while we answer with a stately Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Domaine Bois de Boursan. Continue »
Nov 9, 2022 at 11:38 AM
Permalink
Judy Foreman: Margerum Wine Club Pickup Party Is Just the Pairing I Need - Noozhawk
Day in the country in the Santa Ynez Valley an idyllic chance to reset, replenish, restock — and get some inspiration for Thanksgiving. Continue »
Oct 30, 2022 at 10:01 AM
Permalink
Mastering Margerum Wine Co.’s Tiny Kitchen on Santa Barbara Waterfront.- Santa Barbara Independent
A few years back, when Doug Margerum sold his interest in the Wine Cask — the Presidio Neighborhood restaurant, one-time bottle shop, and critical incubator of Central Coast vintners that he’d run since 1981 — he never intended to get back in the restaurant business. But upon hiring Carolyn Kope to captain the tiny kitchen inside of the Margerum Wine Company tasting room down on Mason Street in June 2020, he suddenly slipped back into the culinary scene, with their food becoming as much of an attraction as his wines. Continue »
Oct 13, 2022 at 8:48 AM
Permalink
Doug Margerum Nominated as Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine - Independent
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. Continue »
Sep 15, 2022 at 9:39 AM
Permalink
Doug Margerum Nominated as Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine - Wine Industry Advisor
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. Continue »
Sep 14, 2022 at 9:37 AM
Permalink
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. Continue »
Sep 14, 2022 at 7:59 AM
Permalink
"Best traditional logo with a twist" - Edible magazine
Margerum 2018 Mute-Age Design and illustration by Tom Adler and Evan Backes. Judges praised this logo for managing to be classy and whimsical at the same time. Continue »
Jul 13, 2022 at 11:17 AM
Permalink
2020 Margerum, Cinsault Grapelive: Wine of the Day
The Margerum Estate Cinsault, 2020, the first time I’ve had this wine, was very juicy fresh and spicy with plenty of zippy character, it shows a lighter framed palate of tangy red fruits, making it a wine that benefits from a good chill and Summer cuisine. Continue »
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:27 AM
Permalink
Full Belly Files | Sausage Wins My Global Food Crown - SB Independent
So when Doug Margerum emailed me to see if I’d like to check out a new sausage that he’s serving at his tasting room down by the beach on Mason Street, we found ourselves seated together for lunch four days later. Before even eating, though, I quickly realized how much food was now part of the Margerum Wine Company experience: Everyone sipping wine there that day was eating as well, enjoying the pizzas, paninis, salads, and small bites prepared by Chef Carolyn Kope. She’s mastered the location’s tiny kitchen so well that their monthly “Supper Club” dinners for wine club members are instantly sold-out affairs, with hefty waiting lists. Continue »
Jul 1, 2022 at 8:53 AM
Permalink
Collection-Worthy Wines With a Story- Barrons
n Santa Barbara County, few winemakers have proven to be more influential than Doug Margerum. His Margerum Wine Company, which has a long history of producing outstanding Rhone and Burgundian varietals, has brought well-deserved attention to Santa Barbara County, Wine Enthusiast’s reigning wine region of the year. Continue »
Jun 30, 2022 at 11:29 AM
Permalink
10 Central Coast Delights at 90+ Points - Wine Spectator
Explore the diversity of California's wine with these new reviews of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and more from Santa Barbara, Monterey and beyond. Continue »
May 23, 2022 at 1:51 PM
Permalink
Episode 33: Doug Margerum, Margerum Wine Company - Cork & Taylor Wine Podcast
This week, we sit down and chat with Doug Margerum of Margerum Wine Company. We talk a lot of food and wine with some funny stories. We also tasted two of his wine selections. Continue »
May 16, 2022 at 9:06 AM
Permalink
How To Beach & Wine Like A Pro In Santa Barbara - SLO Safe Ride
Right off of downtown and, of course, just about two blocks from the beach sits Margerum Tasting Room. They offer offers distinctive flights and wines by the glass from their premium wines produced at their state-of-the-art Buellton winery. Continue »
May 1, 2022 at 10:30 AM
Permalink
The Making of Netflix’s 'Uncorked,' the New Movie with Serious Wine Chops- Wine Specatator
Athie's pour du jour is the Margerum M5 Rhône blend from Santa Barbara. Continue »
Mar 26, 2022 at 8:06 AM
Permalink
‘Uncorked’ star Mamoudou Athie learned a lot about wine in Netflix movie- NY Post
The coronavirus pandemic has put that movie’s production on hold for now, but perhaps Athie can wait out the time with a bottle of his favorite wine that he discovered while shooting “Uncorked” — a Margerum M5, from Santa Barbara, Calif. “It has everything you want in a red wine. It’s just so smooth . . . Don’t get me started, man,” he says, laughing. “Don’t get me started on this wine!” Continue »
Mar 25, 2022 at 8:03 AM
Permalink
California wine: 2020 Margerum Wine Company Grenache
If you live in Santa Barbara or plan a trip there, make a point to stop by Margerum Wine Company. With a hip tasting room down near the beach, just off State Street, the winery offers a wide variety of wines, all made with local fruit. Beyond the Margerum wines, you’ll find Doug Margerum’s second label called Barden, made exclusively with grapes grown in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Continue »
Feb 18, 2022 at 9:08 AM
Permalink
The 10 Best Wine Values of 2021 - Wine Spectator
“Producers fall into one of two camps: Those who take less conventional paths, and those who take the purist route of blessing Rhône grape varieties. Both options can yield decisions results. Margerum’s M5 is a white Rhône-style blend, similar to Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, offering a mix of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Viognier, Roussanne and Picpoul Blanc grapes. Proprietor Doug Margerum prefers cold fermentations, which preserves the freshness of the fruit flavors” Continue »
Feb 3, 2022 at 2:14 PM
Permalink
Aromas del Terruño Margerum Wines
Doug Margerum has been involved in the Santa Barbara food and wine scene for over 35 years. In 2001, Margerum Wine Company started in a small 240-square-foot cold room behind Brander Vineyards. The philosophy: return winemaking to its previous form of production: handmade and personal. Continue »
Jan 31, 2022 at 8:44 AM
Permalink
Treat your valentine to something sweet (and bitter) - FOOD + HOME
Margerum Amaro & chocolate article featured in the new issue of Food & Home. Continue »
Jan 24, 2022 at 12:54 PM
Permalink
Wine Enthusiast Region of the Year Video Release: Our Region
A 2-minute video describing our region. Impossible! We have too much to offer! Still, we created the richest two minutes we could, knowing there is always more. Continue »
Jan 17, 2022 at 10:34 AM
Permalink
Best Santa Barbara Wineries Tasting Guide- thedeliciouslife.com
Tastings are on the patio, and spill out onto tables and chairs along the sidewalk. There is an indoor space with a bar that makes Margerum feel like an actual wine bar. Availability inside depends on current local covid restrictions. The Margerum tasting room is one of a few tasting rooms on the Urban Wine Trail that offers its own full food menu. Continue »
Nov 22, 2021 at 9:04 AM
Permalink
Episode 33: Doug Margerum, Margerum Wine Company- Cork & Taylor Wine Podcast
This week, we sit down and chat with Doug Margerum of Margerum Wine Company. We talk alot of food and wine with some funny stories. We also tasted two of his wine selections. Continue »
Nov 18, 2021 at 9:17 AM
Permalink
Two Decades of Margerum Wine’s M5
Doug Margerum Shares 18 Vintages of His Signature Red Rhône Blend Continue »
Nov 16, 2021 at 1:37 PM
Permalink
Celebrate #GrenacheDay Friday, September 17 with A Toast to Its Founder, The Late Steven Spurrier
This year the Grenache Association is asking all wine lovers to raise a glass of Grenache and toast wine savant and entrepreneur Steven Spurrier who passed on March 9, 2021. Continue »
Sep 16, 2021 at 9:59 AM
Permalink
Hop on Bard - A Daily Journal of Fruit, Structure, Varietal honesty, and Balance.
An unmistakable blue-purple clear Syrah crimson in the glass. Toasty and roasty in the nose, glazed shish-ka-bob vegetables, a shrill young pepper storming through cinnamon and ginger-glazed licorice, carrying angelic darling boysenberry and rose-hips SO saline, SO petrichor, SO gratingly gorgeous–I haven’t tasted anything like this South of Sonoma Coast. Continue »
Jun 18, 2021 at 9:05 AM
Permalink
Safari Magazine July 2021 issue: Santa Barbara
May 26, 2021 at 9:21 AM
Permalink
20 Questions with… Doug Margerum - Edible Homefront
This week we are kicking off a new series called ’20 Questions with…’—where we ask light-hearted yet thought-provoking questions to some of the most fascinating people in the food and wine world. Continue »
Apr 13, 2021 at 11:33 AM
Permalink
California Dreaming
A LOOK AT HOW THE CULINARY SCENE IN THE SANTA BARBARA REGION HAS EVOLVED SINCE JULIA’S TIME THERE. Continue »
Apr 13, 2021 at 8:22 AM
Permalink
Natural History of Wine: Entomology & Margerum- Santa Barbara Independent
How could a tiny, enigmatic insect change the way that nearly all winemaking grapes are grown across the globe? Continue »
Mar 15, 2021 at 2:18 PM
Permalink
Welcome Back to Santa Barbara Wine Country with Doug Margerum- Santa Barbara Wine Country
Join us in a virtual wine tasting with Doug Margerum of Margerum Wine Company for an inside look into Santa Barbara Wine Country and learn more about Margerum Wine Company! Watch now! Continue »
Feb 26, 2021 at 1:59 PM
Permalink
COVID Does Not Affect the Grapes by UCSB Alumni Milestones
Winemaker Doug Margerum, ’81, will go to great lengths to create some of the finest wines in the world. Continue »
Feb 1, 2021 at 9:34 AM
Permalink
Year In Review: Best Wine 2020 by The Written Palette
Barden Wines Fonte White Blend, Sta. Rita Hills 2018: The wine combines Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris to form a wine with lots of structure, depth, and nice acidity. Continue »
Jan 7, 2021 at 3:08 PM
Permalink
Winemaker Doug Margerum promotes other businesses as well as his own.
The 30th best wine of 2020 in the nation came straight out of Santa Barbara County. In wine vocabulary, and according to a senior editor of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, the Margerum M5 White Rhône Blend “sizzles the palate with acidity and ashy, chalky tension, delivering flavors of kiwi, lychee and more stone fruit.” Continue »
Dec 17, 2020 at 11:19 AM
Permalink
SANTA BARBARA WINEMAKER Doug Margerum never fails to impress us with his innovative approaches.- Entree News
SANTA BARBARA WINEMAKER Doug Margerum, whose long-time reputation for Burgundian sensibilities in his Rhône varietal winemaking, never fails to impress us with his innovative approaches. Doug’s latest creation is Mute-Age, a Grenache-based Vin Doux Natural fortified with barrel-aged brandy and aged on his winey roof for 2 years in 34-liter glass demi-johns. Continue »
Nov 11, 2020 at 2:20 PM
Permalink
Road Tripping, Santa Barbara–Style- San Diego Magazine
Where to stay and activities to enjoy in this quaint seaside town. Continue »
Oct 10, 2020 at 8:39 AM
Permalink
Margerum Wine Company’s Mute-Age - Santa Barbara Independent
Taking Cues from Banyuls, Douglas Margerum Makes a Chocolate-Friendly Dessert Wine. Continue »
Oct 9, 2020 at 10:53 AM
Permalink
Margerum Wine Company: A taste of Santa Barbara- The Written Palette
A trip to Santa Barbara must include wine tasting, and a must-stop tasting room in the Santa Barbara wine scene is Margerum Wine Company and Barden Wines. Doug Margerum has been a fixture in Santa Barbara from his days of owning the Wine Cask, but the inviting ambiance of the tasting room in its modern Spanish building also draws you to this location—located across from the Hotel Californian in the center of the Funk Zone. Nearby are great restaurants, the pier, and the coastline. Continue »
Oct 3, 2020 at 3:02 PM
Permalink
MARGERUM WINES INTERNATIONAL GRENACHE WEEKEND - Life Bites
Among the many Santa Barbara area winemakers striving to reinvent themselves with a huge outdoor presence in California is Margerum Wines, and Doug, Hugh and Marni Margerum hosted a unique International Grenache weekend Celebration in September where guests reveled in warm weather and outdoor comfort at its best while savoring gourmet bites and sips of Margerum fine wines. Each guest sampled 2 oz. pours of five wines to accompany prepared unique small bites served attractively on a wooden platter for $35. Continue »
Oct 2, 2020 at 12:50 PM
Permalink
Judy Foreman: ‘Mute-Age’ Pairing of Wine, Chocolate a Pleasing Alternative to Pandemic- Noozhawk
For Margerum Wine Company and Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolate, it’s all in good taste at innovative Hotel Californian reception. Continue »
Sep 28, 2020 at 2:26 PM
Permalink
"Vintners Association proposes Santa Barbara County Wine Preserve, local wineries oppose"- Santa Barbara News-Press
Doug Margerum owns Margerum Wine Company and supports the proposed Santa Barbara County Wine Preserve proposed by the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Vintners Association. He believes the county’s wine story needs to be told. Continue »
Sep 25, 2020 at 3:02 PM
Permalink
Santa Barbara is the Greatest (and Safest) Escape - Two Dads with Baggage
Margerum Winery: Right at the entrance to the Funk Zone, the Margerum tasting room offers wine flights, light meals and an extensive list of tasting opportunities. We fell in love with several of their wines and may have brought home a bottle or two. Continue »
Sep 11, 2020 at 8:19 AM
Permalink
"Rosé Partay"- Scottsdale Airpark
"2019 Margerum Riviera Rosé: Full bodied and dry, this is the perfect pairing with any summer barbecue dish. The watermelon to the taste is particularly refreshing for when the temperatures exceed 100, so every day for us. Continue »
Jul 7, 2020 at 9:14 AM
Permalink
"MARGERUM: Boars and Beaches Won’t Stop Santa Barbara’s Wine Scene" - The Vinters Project
Margerum has been at the forefront of a bustling wine industry in Santa Barbara as the region has evolved from a low-key beach town to a wine destination. “The Santa Barbara wine scene has always been very congenial. All the winemakers are friends and we are helping each other in promoting Santa Barbara County and the quality of its wines,” said Margerum. Continue »
Jun 28, 2020 at 11:28 AM
Permalink
"Tasting Notes with Belmond El Encanto Executive Chef Johan Denizot"- Montecito Journal
I have always admired Margerum Wine Company for its dedication to the region and Doug Margerum’s trailblazing spirit that has practically put Santa Barbara wines on the global map. Continue »
Jun 4, 2020 at 3:40 PM
Permalink
"For Farmers of Wine Grapes, the Pandemic Sows Doubts" - The New York Times
As wineries face disruptions in sales and cash flow, growers seek creative solutions to help their customers and themselves. Continue »
May 15, 2020 at 9:39 AM
Permalink
Business Matters: Local Gyms, Shops, Salons All Ready to Reopen But Need the Word ‘Go’ - Noozhawk
Doug Margerum and his Margerum Wine Co. took a hard hit when their tasting room had to close in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. He’s confident it can reopen as a safe environment for both our guests and employees. Continue »
May 12, 2020 at 7:42 AM
Permalink
Why Netflix's Wine Movie 'Uncorked' Is Worth Savoring- Thirllist
'Uncorked' is best of showing the transportive nature of wine when you're stuck in landlocked non-wine country. By Julia Coney Continue »
Apr 15, 2020 at 3:25 PM
Permalink
"Two Glasses In." (ep. 3) with Doug Margerum- SantaBarbaraCA.com
“An American winemaker with Francophile taste, Doug Margerum of Margerum Wine Company and Barden Wines, relishes in capturing the essence of Santa Barbara terroir in the bottle with style and finesse using old-world methods. And, because he is allergic to sulfur, Doug has cleverly adapted his cellar and altered protocols to produce wines with the least amount of sulfur necessary. You’ll have to tune in to learn his dirty and gassy little secrets!” – Bion Rice, host and co-creator of “Two Glasses In” Continue »
Apr 9, 2020 at 10:52 AM
Permalink
"Sauvignon Blanc Gets Serious on California’s Central Coast"- Wine Enthusiast
“Sauvignon Blanc is one of the more sensitive-to-climate grapes that exists,” says Doug Margerum, who’s dabbled in Sauvignon Blanc in Santa Barbara County since the 1980s. He now sees it as the primary wine for Margerum Wine Company. “The grape has so much flavor and so many expressions, depending on the style a winemaker desires.” Continue »
Apr 3, 2020 at 8:18 AM
Permalink
SoCal Restaurant Show podcast featuring Doug Margerum as part of the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience
Show 364, March 14, 2020: Winemaker Douglas Barden Margerum, Margerum Wine Company, Santa Barbara Leading the Margerum Wine Company team (with a new tasting room at Hotel Californian in the State Building) is creator and namesake, Douglas Barden Margerum, a long- term Santa Barbara resident who has been a fixture in the Santa Barbara food and wine scene for over 35 years. Doug is also is a member of the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience Advisory Committee. Continue »
Mar 17, 2020 at 12:00 PM
Permalink
Santa Barbara Has Officially Gotten Its Groove Back - Travel + Leisure
Margerum tasting room is part of the groove! Continue »
Dec 31, 2019 at 12:39 PM
Permalink
Nine of the Best Sauvignon Blancs We Drank in 2019 - Margerum Sybarite is #3!
From the Wine Enthusiast - Nine of the Best Sauvignon Blancs We Drank in 2019 Continue »
Dec 31, 2019 at 11:00 AM
Permalink
Doug Margerum on Wine Wednesday - The Magnificent Margerum
You have heard Randy and Carrie pontificate on their love of Margerum M5. Today meet the man behind the bottle, Doug Margerum of Margerum and Barden wines. Tasted in this Episode: Margerum M5 Red 2017 Margerum M5 White 2018 Barden Vin Gris 2018 Barden Pinot Noir 2017 Continue »
Dec 23, 2019 at 4:27 PM
Permalink
Wine Enthusiast names Margerum Sybarite Sauvignon Blanc to their Top 100 list
The Sybarite Sauvignon Blanc comes in at number 60 on this prestigious list. Continue »
Dec 16, 2019 at 8:05 AM
Permalink
Margerum and Barden get nice mentions in Virtuoso Traveler
If you’re lucky, as I was, you’ll meet award-winning winemaker Doug Margerum, a well-known name in Santa Barbara’s wine and food circles, and a perfect example of the affable people who define the region’s wine culture. Continue »
Nov 22, 2019 at 11:44 AM
Permalink
Santa Barbara News-Press writeup: Bob’s Well Bread Bakery in Los Alamos sells locally made Well Bread wine made by Margerum
The Buellton-based Margerum Wine Co. has created 2018 Well Bread Pink (grenache rose), 2017 Well Bread White (sauvignon blanc) and 2018 Well Bread Red (grenache). They’re sold exclusively at Bob’s Well Bread Bakery, which Mr. Oswaks, 63, owns and operates at 550 Bell St., Los Alamos. Continue »
Nov 20, 2019 at 3:05 PM
Permalink
Margerum gets a mention from the UK's Evening Standard
What to eat, drink and do in Santa Barbara's Funk Zone Continue »
Oct 22, 2019 at 10:41 AM
Permalink
Bob's Well Bread in Los Alamos now features private label by Margerum
Bob’s Well Bread Bakery, the iconic bakery and restaurant at 550 Bell St. in Los Alamos, has released Well Bread Wines, a private label also created by Doug Margerum. The three wines — a sauvignon blanc, grenache rosé and grenache — are available to bakery guests by either the glass or bottle. Continue »
Oct 9, 2019 at 4:20 PM
Permalink