 Firestone Vineyard
Firestone Vineyard was founded in 1972 as Santa Barbara County’s first estate winery and belongs to an entrepreneurial and adventurous family tradition that dates back more than century to legendary tire innovator Harvey Firestone. In the early 1970s, Harvey’s son Leonard, a former United States Ambassador to Belgium, established a family ranch in Santa Barbara County’s rugged Santa Ynez Valley. At the time, Santa Barbara County barely registered on California’s winegrowing radar, but Leonard saw immense potential in the region’s coastal climate and amenable soils. He decided to plant a vineyard, with the initial intent of selling the grapes to North Coast wineries.
Soon thereafter, Leonard was joined by his son Brooks and Brooks’ wife Kate, and together they decided to take their winegrowing adventure to the next level by establishing Santa Barbara County’s first estate winery. In 1987, Los Angeles Times Magazine noted: “Brooks Firestone’s importance to the California wine industry is first of all historical. He was a pioneer, an inspirer, and expander of possibilities; he took a chance on an untried wine area, then stuck with and made it pay…”
Today, Firestone Vineyard advances its record of acclaim under the guidance of vintner Bill Foley, who acquired the winery in September 2007. As the Firestone’s identified earlier on, Bill too recognized Santa Barbara County as the ideal location for the production of world class wines. Bill has vowed to continue the Firestone tradition in striving for the very best in vineyard management and cutting edge winemaking discipline. The vineyard focuses on optimal physiological balance in the vines yielding wines that are brightly flavored, crisp and delicious. Estate Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah vineyards are located on a series of mesas that have gravelly, sub-soils, ideally oriented for perfect exposure.
The sleek and timeless design of the winery was conceived by Richard Keith & Associates, the famed winery architects who also designed such benchmarks as Robert Mondavi, Heitz Cellars and Chateau Souverain. The winery is located in the heart of the rural Santa Ynez Valley, near the town of Los Olivos. It includes a barrel cellar, fermentation cellar, crush pad and bottling line for full production from the vine to the bottle. A recently remodeled and expanded tasting room features an island bar and picture windows that overlook the estate vineyards and the Santa Ynez Valley. The winery is surrounded by 500 acres of estate vineyards.
Principal varietals: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah
Winemaker: Paul Warson
Firestone Vineyard
(Foxen Canyon)
5000 Zaca Station Road, Los Olivos
(805) 688-3940
daily 10am - 5pm
www.FirestoneWine.com
TastingRoom@FirestoneWine.com
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