Saturday, March 14, 2020

6:30pm

The Lark, 131 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara

$275

Join award winning Executive Chef Jason Paluska of The Lark and acclaimed Winemaker Matt Dees of sister wineries Jonata & The Hilt for a quintessential Santa Barbara food and wine experience. Jonata first came as a Bordeaux & Rhone varietal project, and The Hilt closely followed, focusing exclusively on Santa Rita Hills’ best known Burgundian varietals, chardonnay and pinot noir. Armed with a degree in Soil Science from the University of Vermont and vintages at Staglin in Napa, and Craggy Range in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, Matt has an intrinsic feel for wine, from dirt to glass. Curious, earthy and experimental by nature, Matt’s approach to winemaking is grounded in the vineyard first and foremost: attuned to the vines, the weather, the soil. With his use of polyface farming, as introduced to America by Michael Pollan in his book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”, Jonata, a 586-acre estate that includes 84 acres of vineyards, integrates and revolves livestock (chickens, turkeys, goats, pigs and sheep) in their farming model which naturally enhances the soil and health of their land and community. Farmworkers are given a large garden plot to grow food for their families. Water is used judiciously and with precision. Herbicides and pesticides don’t even enter the conversation. Stan Kroenke, the owner of the two wineries as well as Screaming Eagle in Napa and Bonneau du Martray in Burgundy, has provided a no holds barred approach to the highest level of vineyard management and winemaking in pursuit of excellence in the bottle. Chef Paluska will expertly pair his locally sourced and seasonally driven four-course menu for a unique and memorable evening.