Fiddlehead Cellars - in the press

In the Press

In the early years Kathy frequently submitted her wines for review. It was a necessity as a new kid on the block, but it was disheartening to see the inconsistency of reviews of the same wine – rave commentary by one and mediocre reception by another. After judging years of wine competitions, Kathy knows first hand that “blind” tastings are a matter of interpretation and there is an amazing amount of bargaining that drives awards. It is difficult for us to embrace solo opinions and negotiated reviews, often awarded by unqualified judges and skewed rules.

So in reaction, today Kathy encourages you to be the judge. She hopes you will experiment with your palate and discover new and exciting flavors without the influence of slanted press. We present you with a challenge – to indulge in our wines and enjoy the beauty of their textures and ageability. Our best reviews are testimonials from wine drinkers who have discovered our wines and tell us about their experience rather than just rating them with number. Check out our testimonials page and leave your own!

Of course, we appreciate the reviews below.

Fiddlehead 2012 Seven Twenty Eight Fiddlestix Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)
91POINTS
Rose petals, iron, turned earth, slate, hot dirt and black plums show on the nose of this bottling by Kathy Joseph. Thick flavors of black cherry paste, rose hips, rose water and a floral potpourri blend into turned soil, black tea and juniper notes. Firm tannins indicate this will age well, but still needs a little time to reach full potential. -M.K.

LA Zoo pairs wine and wildlife in returning dinner series

By SANDRA BARRERA | sbarrera@scng.com | Daily News
March 15, 2018 at 1:01 pm

People went wild for the Los Angeles Zoo’s Sustainable Wine and Dinner Series last year.
So the zoo is bringing it back. This year’s wine dinner series keeps the focus on sustainable agriculture, food and wine production and wildlife conservation through educational talks, up-close animal encounters and four seasonal farm-fresh courses paired with tastings from four wineries whose work inspires the theme of each event. For the kick-off “Dinner Digest” – at Ludden Plaza inside the Australia habitat Thursday, March 22 – the zoo is partnering with Lompoc-based Fiddlehead Cellars. Founder Kathy Joseph’s background in microbiology and biochemistry plays a significant role in her “Sustainability in Practice”-certified winemaking operation. Microbiology and biochemistry also make it possible for koalas to survive on tough eucalyptus leaves, as the leaves are toxic to most animals. Joseph, who established Fiddlehead Cellars in 1989, is tickled how the zoo marries those two things into an intimate sit-down dinner for about 50 people. “When it was pointed out to me that koalas evolved to have a special diet that ensured their survival, I so get that,” Joseph said. “The bottom line is that sustainability is a survival mechanism in a competitive market, but also in preserving the future environment. And it’s the same for the zoo.”
The Thursday night series continues with “Raptors and Reptiles” with Ramona Ranch Vineyard and Winery on April 26, “Native and Natural” with Robert Hall Winery from Paso Robles on May 31, and “For the Generations” with Ancient Peaks Winery from Santa Margarita on June 28.

GETTING DOWN TO SEEDS AND STEMS AT 2018 WORLD OF PINOT NOIR

Blog: CULINARY WINE & FOOD ADVENTURES March 13, 2018
2013 Fiddlehead Cellars, Seven Twenty Eight – Fiddlestix Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills – In recent years Fiddlehead releases have evolved towards more disciplined, tightly wound profiles; a deliberate move away from the voluminous, perfumed styles of today, and even from what Fiddleheads were known for just 10, 15 years ago. In this cuvée, the feel is still broad and full-ish, yet compact, fluid, zippy, layered; ripe toned red berry/cherry cola fruit superimposed in faintly mineral tones, quiet as opposed to chirpy. The more she has come to know her renowned vineyard (85% of which is sold to other vintners), the less owner/grower Kathy Joseph seems willing to resort to cellar manipulation that possibly “overshadows the taste of place... (and) living on the property, the insight into short window ripening trends is a huge benefit... We want our layered spices and black cherry cola to project... allowing the wine to self-extract... Basically no stems, minimal punch-downs, no filtering since this wine settles clean – and no fining, because we really try to pick ‘on point.’” by Randy Caparoso

Women Who Crush &Progressive Pinot

https://www.independent.com/news/2018/mar/01/women-who-crush-progressive-pinot/
Celebrating Female Vintners, Tasting Fresh Pinot Noir Ahead of World of Pinot Noir, and Happy Sauv Blanc
Thursday, March 1, 2018
by MATT KETTMANN (CONTACT)
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Share ArticleThough hard evidence is elusive, anecdotally, it does seem that Santa Barbara County boasts more women winemakers per capita than anywhere else in the state, if not the world. It’s a long tradition here, harking way back to Doña Marcelina Dominguez and her 1800s La Parra Grande grapevine in Montecito, and then reenergizing in the modern movement with Lane Tanner, Kris Curran, Kathy Joseph, and so forth.
One of the newer faces on that scene in Gretchen Voelcker, who grew up on a family farm in Philadelphia but found wine while living in Brussels during high school. School at Georgetown and then UC Santa Cruz delivered her into the wine business. “I really saw wine as an opportunity to express my creative side and still be in touch with the sciences,” said Voelcker, who started at Rideau in 2012 and is now assistant winemaker.
She also worked with Ryan Roark, who taught her the garagiste side of small-batch winemaking and encouraged her to start her own brand. First called Moon Unit Wines (a childhood nickname) — until Moon Unit Zappa sent a cease-and-desist letter — the brand is now called Luna Hart, a reference to both the moon and a stag. “I wanted something that was both masculine and feminine representing the energy that I put into my work,” explained Voelcker, who’s now making about 250 cases a year with hopes to grow to 1,000. She’s making cabernet franc, sauvignon blanc, and a white blend. “I like to tinker a lot, so that was an opportunity to tinker with white wines and challenge to see what would pair well with spicy and Asian foods,” she explained. She’s also excited to be adding gruner veltliner from Kathy Joseph’s Fiddlestix Vineyard.
Voelcker knows that young women winemakers often face unfair challenges but believes it’s different here. “Luckily, in Santa Barbara County, we have such a great support network of women winemakers,” she said. “I’ve always been very fortunate to never feel those pressures.”
Along with Joseph and nearly two dozen other female vintners, Voelcker is taking part in the second annual Women Winemakers Dinner on Thursday, March 8, 5:30-9 p.m., at K’Syrah Catering &Events in Solvang. The event, which coincides with International Women’s Day, is a fundraiser for the Women’s Fund of Northern Santa Barbara County. Tix are $50 for wine and apps, or $125 for the four-course sit-down dinner. See womenswine makerdinner.eventbrite.com.
Pushing Proper PinotA few Mondays ago, South African–raised winemaker Ernst Storm of Storm Wines gathered a group of “progressive” pinot noir makers to Presqu’ile Winery east of Orcutt to taste wines and talk shop. By “progressive,” Storm meant colleagues who focused on the less-extracted, fresher side of the grape, usually without much new oak usage (which could mask the fruit flavors) but with a certain amount of whole-cluster fermentation (which can add earthy spice) in the mix.
Each winemaker brought two single-vineyard wines from their brands, which included Tatomer, Presqu’ile, LaBarge, Piro, Chanin/Lutum, Scar of the Sea, Whitcraft, Bien Nacido/Solomon Hills, Dragonette, Dierberg, and Storm. I’d blind-tasted almost all of the wines before, and scored them all quite highly — the combination of bright fruit, zesty acidity, and herbal intrigue is fascinating and refreshing, so much that I have a hard time keeping these brands in my cellar.
Though these guys share a lot of similar thinking with the controversial In Pursuit of Balance movement that rose up a few years back, they aren’t so dogmatic about keeping alcohol exceedingly low. Rather, they’re letting the land do the talking and using a soft touch to showcase what the climate, soils, and farming techniques deliver. “I get the cleanest fruit coming in and the cleanest wines going out,” said Drake Whitcraft, who makes wine just like his pioneering dad, Chris, but picks slightly less ripe. “I’m not an enologist, so I don’t know how to manipulate the wines.”
Our county’s cool climate allows a convergence of positive traits to accumulate at the same time, whereas other celebrated regions sometimes must sacrifice certain elements. “To get the concentration and color, I had to pick much riper at Donelan,” said Tyler Thomas of Dierberg, referring to a past Sonoma job. Explained Gavin Chanin, who makes his eponymous brand as well as Lutum, which sources from Sonoma as well, “That’s what’s amazing about the area: We’re so cold, yet there’s so much sunshine.”
Search out these wines and more at World of Pinot Noir this weekend at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara. I’m hosting a panel of some Central Coast favorites on Friday, including Dierberg along with Big Basin from the Santa Cruz Mountains, Stephen Ross from Edna Valley, and our own legend Ken Brown, among others. See wopn.com for tickets, including the truly iconic dinners.
Bottle to Buy
Courtesy Photo
Coming back to women winemakers with vision, Karen Steinwachs at Buttonwood broke new enological ground in 2016 when she combined pungent hops with her zesty sauvignon blanc to create Hop On. The latest vintage is out now, and this one features hops grown by Pacific Valley Hops near Lompoc. It’s even more hoppy than the last and even hoppier than most beers, as the still-white-wine base really captures the purity of the piney buds while also conveying their tropical, pineapple-ish characteristics. So it’s perfect for hopheads who crave that bite but maybe just worth a sip for those who prefer their wines straight. See buttonwoodwinery.com.

John D. Finley: Ahi tuna avocado, chickpea salad with Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc

Feb 17, 2018

Tuna, avocado and chickpeas?
At first glance it’s just not something you would think might go together, but I saw it in a buffet line and had to try it. Immediately, I fell in love! This is a feast of protein; and yes, avocados do grow in Southeast Asia. With a local white wine from the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, an often-overlooked production area in Santa Barbara County, this pairing should lift off like a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, soaring above all expectations and sending you around the world with exotic cuisine.
Ahi Tuna Avocado and Chickpea Salad1 lb. sushi-grade 1-inch-thick ahi tuna steaks
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. mustard
15-oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 avocado, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ red onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. capers

Dressing
Zest from 1 lime
Juice from 1 lime
2 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
Salt and pepper
⅓ c. fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Meanwhile, combine sesame and peanut oil in a medium mixing bowl and the 5 spices in a small cup. Coat tuna steaks with the oil, and then rub in combined spices. Wipe cast iron skillet with a thin layer of the remaining oil. Add tuna steaks to the hot cooking surface and sear for 1 minute on each side. Remove tuna from heat. Meanwhile, slice avocado in half carefully scooping out the inside and dice the avocado into ½-inch cubes. Combine in a large bowl with chickpeas, onion, garlic and capers. In a small mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the salad dressing and whisk until well combined. Slice tuna into 1-by-¼-inch-thick strips and then add to the large bowl and toss gently with salad dressing. If needed, season with salt and pepper to taste, and then garnish with chopped cilantro. Chill until ready to serve. Pair this dish with winemaker Kathy Joseph’s Fiddlehead 2013 Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc, their signature, Loire-styled sauvignon blanc. This silky textured wine illustrates the beauty of the blend and tames this varietal into amazing elegance: one-third fermented in stainless steel for bright aromatics and zinginess, one-third fermented in new French oak barrels for layered textures and persistent flavors and the final third fermented in neutral French oak barrels to achieve marriage and grace. A chic, less herbal style with little hints of cloves, this wine is intentionally given a few years of bottle age prior to release to assure a seamless entrance onto your palate. Named for both its style and its AVA source, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, I hope you enjoy this very versatile crowd pleaser. John David Finley is a freelance writer and author of the cookbook "Sacred Meals from our Family Table," which features Santa Barbara County wines. He can be reached at sacredmeals@comcast.net.

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Fiddlehead Pink Fiddle

Written by Allison Levine on February 17, 2018

#releasetherose should be the new hashtag as Rosé season is here! This past week, Fiddlehead Cellars in Santa Ynez released the Fiddlehead Cellars 2017 Pink Fiddle, Fiddlestix Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills, their first wine released in 2018 and is the Please The Palate pick of the week.I had the pleasure to taste the wine at Fiddlehead’s annual Pink Dinner Party, an event I look forward to each year as it falls within a few days of my birthday. We were dressed in pink, the winery was decorated in pink and we drink a lot of pink wine. I have been a fan of the Fiddlehead’s Rosé but the 2017 is a real standout!

Fiddlehead’s Rosé, called “Pink Fiddle”, is a Rosé of Pinot Noir with all of the fruit coming from the Fiddlestix Vineyard, located in Sta.Rita Hills. The wine is a vibrant pink color but do not let the color fool you to think it is sweet. The wine is dry with many of the typical characteristics of Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. The wine has classic notes of strawberry but on the palate there is a both the bright fresh fruit flavor as well as spice.

The Fiddlehead 2017 Pink Fiddle is a fun and flirty wine but it also has nuance and texture that makes it a great wine to pair with food. Enjoy with cheese and charcuterie and then move on to a green salad and finish with fish, chicken or even a simple dish of grilled lamb and this wine can be enjoyed throughout.

No matter the temperature outside, I am ready for Rosé season and happy to start it off with the Fiddlehead 2017 Pink Fiddle because #pinkwinemakesmehappy!

WINE OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST 2017 -FIDDLEHEAD CELLARS PINOT NOIR 2012 SEVEN TWENTY EIGHT FIDDLESTIX VINEYARD STA. RITA HILLS

Due to overwhelming popular demand, we are repeating Fiddlehead Cellars Pinot Noir as the wine of the month for August, 2017.
Kathy Joseph, the dynamic, owner/winemaker of Fiddlehead Cellars, lives in Davis, CA, and makes outstanding Pinot Noir from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation within Santa Barbara County. She also makes Pinot Noir from Oregon. Kathy is a hands-on person. She is meticulous about vineyard management and a perfectionist in her winemaking endeavors. Her Pinot Noir is always top notch, and her wines age beautifully. What more can we ask?
The Fiddlehead Cellars Pinot Noir 2012 is a delicious wine. The Seven Twenty Eight refers to the mile marker 7.28 on Santa Rosa Road within the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. It is dark in color and yet soft, smooth, and satisfying on the palate, with a deft touch of acidity on the finish. Definitely a very, food-friendly wine. I must confess, I am looking forward to a glass of the 2012 Pinot Noir with dinner tonight. This is Pinot Noir at its best.
For the entire month of August 2017 we are offering the Fiddlehead Cellars Pinot Noir 2012 at the reduced price of $60 per 750 ml bottle or $15 per glass. Don’t miss this opportunity to taste a world class Pinot Noir.
Fiddlehead Cellars Winery is located in the “Wine Ghetto” in Lompoc, CA at 1597 East Chestnut Avenue. The tasting room is open only Friday through Sunday. Check with the winery web site for exact hours of operation. If you are in the Santa Barbara County wine region, a visit to the “Wine Ghetto” is a must.
The winery web site is: www.fiddleheadcellars.com

Santa Barbara Wine Country: Appellations And Region’s Layout

American Wine by Charine Tan - August 26, 2017

Sta. Rita Hills AVACreated in 2001, this AVA was known as Santa Rita Hills up until 2006, when the name was changed to Sta. Rita Hills because a Chilean wine producer called Viña Santa Rita objected to the original spelling. This is the westernmost AVA and has direct access to the cool ocean breeze. The hills act as narrow corridors and the breeze shoots through them, creating a cool climate in this wine-growing area.

There are 20 cool-climate wine grapes planted here. The majority of the plantings are Pinot Noir and a good portion is Chardonnay. The sites in Sta. Rita Hills make a distinct difference in the flavor profiles of these two grapes. In Chardonnay, expect to find mineral, smoke, or flint characteristic. For Pinot Noir wines, most are rich and concentrated with red fruit accent. There tends to be more stem inclusion used in the vinification of Pinot Noir here, which can lend interesting flavors and tannins to the wines. Pinot Noirs, especially the single-vineyard bottlings, that bear this appellation are said to perform better after five years of barrel and bottle aging.
Total Area: Over 30,000 acres
Planted Area: ~2,700 acres
Notable Vineyards: Acin, Ampelos, Babcock, Cargasacchi, Clos Pepe, El Jabali, Fe Ciega, Fiddlestix, Hapgood, John Sebastiano, Kessler-Haak, La Encantada, La Rinconada, Lafond, Machado, Melville, Mt. Carmel, Rita’s Crown, Sanford and Benedict, Sea Smoke, Sweeney Canyon, Zotovich

10 Wines To Try In Santa Barbara County
American Wine by Charine Tan - May 5, 2017

Check out our wine travel guide to Santa Barbara Wine Country.

At 3,729 square miles in size, Santa Barbara County offers unique topography and climatic diversity that give birth to six AVAs (American Viticultural Areas): Ballard Canyon, Happy Canyon, Los Olivos District, Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, and Santa Ynez Valley. The distance between the grape-growing area and the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean is a key factor that shapes the characteristics of each AVA. The western areas are cooler, while the eastern reaches are warmer. The Santa Maria Valley lies to the north and the Santa Ynez Valley is further south. The grapes also show considerable vineyard-to-vineyard variation within each AVA.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are two varieties that are synonymous with Santa Barbara County. However, the county is not all about that. Santa Barbara County is among the world’s most versatile grape-growing regions with a wide array of microclimates. Rhône varieties have taken hold of the land, and the climate in Santa Barbara may be the best place for Syrah in California. The warmer area of Happy Canyon is a proving ground that Bordeaux varieties can flourish in this region. Italian and Spanish varieties such as Cortese, Barbera, Malvasia, Mourvèdre, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and Tempranillo can also be found in the county.
In this article, we spotlight 10 excellent examples of non-Chardonnay and non-Pinot Noir wines that are coming out of Santa Barbara County.

Fiddlehead Cellars, Sauvignon Blanc, Hunnysuckle, 2010
Appellation: Happy Canyon
Price: $42
Only 164 cases are produced. Barrel fermented with blocked malolactic fermentation. Aged in new French oak for 10 months on the less. Additional four years of bottle aging before release. This Sauvignon Blanc is rich, loud, and eclectic, yet with enough restraint to appease most wine lovers. White peach, pear, lemon, toast, and a host of savory notes give this wine its unique personality, but it is the mouthfeel that stands out the most—rich and smooth to the point of being custard-like, with the perfect acidity to provide freshness. This is a good interpretation of Bordeaux-styled Sauvignon Blanc and a real treat.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 2012

2009 Pinot Noir Seven Twenty Eight Fiddlestix Sta. Rita Hills - 92pts
2009 Pinot Noir Lollapalooza Fiddlestix Sta. Rita Hills - 92pts
2008 Pinot Noir Seven Twenty Eight Fiddlestix Sta. Rita Hills - 91pts
2010 Sauvignon Blanc Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara - 91pts
2009 Sauvignon Blanc Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara - 91pts
2006 Pinot Noir Seven Twenty Eight Fiddlestix Sta. Rita Hills - 90pts
2011 Sauvignon Blanc Goosebury Santa Ynez Valley - 90pts
2007 Sauvignon Blanc Hunnysuckle Santa Ynez Valley - 90pts

Wine & Spirits, April 2012
93 points awarded for The Year's Best Pinot Noir to
2008 "Seven Twenty Eight" Pinot Noir
2008 "Oldsville Reserve" Pinot Noir

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

2008 Sauvignon Blanc Happy Canyon Santa Ynez Valley Green-tinged yellow. Expressive aromas of pear, lemon pith and melon, with lively notes of chalk and white pepper. Vibrant citrus and pit fruit flavors are given spine by zesty minerality and pick up honeysuckle and baking spice notes with air. Pure, racy sauvignon with very good finishing clarity and tangy persistence. 90 points

2010 Sauvignon Blanc Goosebury Santa Ynez Valley Light yellow. High-pitched aromas of lime zest, jasmine and spices. Sappy, floral-accented citrus and pear flavors show very good depth and a refreshingly bitter quality on the back half. This dry, bright sauvignon finishes clean and taut, with a spicy edge. 90 points

2007 Pinot Noir Seven Twenty Eight Fiddlestix Sta. Rita Hills Bright red. Intensely perfumed scents of strawberry, black raspberry and potpourri, with a touch of smokiness. Bright, incisive red fruit flavors show very good depth, with a note of candied flowers emerging with air. Finishes silky and very long, with repeating raspberry and floral notes. This is delicious right now but has the depth and structure to age. 92 points

The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Foundation's Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards aim to recognize the contributions of outstanding women entrepreneurs in Santa Barbara County.

In May 2014, Kathy won the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award for Agriculture and Wineries.

Click HERE to read the whole article
Click HERE to learn more about the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Foundation

Santa Barbara SEASONS magazine journeyed to our very own Fiddlestix Vineyard to highlight
6 female Santa Barbara County winemakers in their video and article "Women of WIne".

To learn more about Kathy's role as a female pioneer in the wine industry,
click HERE to watch the video clip
click HERE to read the article by K. Reka Badger

The Prince of Pinot, Rusty Gaffney, joined us for FiddleFest this year and wrote an in-depth review of Fiddlestix Vineyard and the wines that are produced from its grapes. Visit the PinotFile website and read the full article - you can enter the website for free and read everything ever written about Fiddlestix including all wine reviews.

NBC’s In Wine Country made a visit to Santa Barbara County, with a feature on “The Wine Ghetto”. Also see if you can recognize Fiddlestix in this clip! Click HERE.

The California Wine Institute and the California Travel & Tourism Commission partnered to promote the state's wine & cuisine offerings. Kathy Joseph was invited to make a debut as one of a select few wine representatives for this National campaign. Watch the video HERE!

The Ten Things Kathy Joseph Can’t Live Without
Destination Wine Country magazine came to visit Kathy and asked her to list the 10 things she simply cannot live without. Read them HERE.

The Santa Barbara News Press recently profiled Kathy, Fiddlestix, FiddleFest and Fiddlehead wines in their article “Creating Music for the Palate – Kathy Joseph makes Fiddlehead a world-class wine.”

"If there's anyone in the Santa Ynez Valley with well-aligned left and right brains, it's Kathy Joseph. The founder, proprietor and self-proclaimed "grape-herder" of Fiddlehead Cellars exhibits a rare balance of free-spirited creativity and analytical zest…"
Click HERE to read the entire article.

Wine Enthusiast had the following to say about the 2005 Lollapalooza Pinot Noir.
“This is beautiful, dark and powerful, but refined and elegant. Packed with red and and dark cherry stone fruit flavors, it has an excitingly smooth, silky texture, and finishes with an explosion of spice." - S.H. Wine Enthusiast, Editor's Choice

Matt Kramer, in the October 15 edition of Wine Spectator, used Fiddlehead as an example of "Euro-beautiful" wine - the sort of wine that "give you a sense of not just goodness, but of a producer's commitment to his or her land" .