Central Coast Home Vintners upcoming events

Santa Barbara County Fair Homemade Wine competition (June 28, 2026)

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Central Coast Home Vintners’ Association will be providing the judges, record keeping, and awards determination for this third year of the event. The wine judging will be the morning of the event, from about 9:30 a.m. to about 12:30 p.m.

Please contact Rhona Cardinal (jcardinal@msn.com) or John Larson (chemdem@sbcglobal.net) if you are interested in helping with this event.

Wine Blending Seminar – “Play Mad Scientist” (July 18, 2026)

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Wine Blending Seminar

"Play Mad Scientist"

Date: Saturday, July 18

Hosted by Fred Carbone

Back by popular demand, Fred is hosting a wine blending seminar where members can experiment and refine their wines.

Participants are encouraged to bring:

Extra carboys
Topper wines or unused batches
Bottles and corks (optional, for taking blends home)

During the session, members will work on creating balanced blends by adjusting:

Acidity
Fruit expression
Oak influence
Mouthfeel and structure
Finish

This interactive session is designed to help winemakers better understand how components come together to create a finished wine.

Additional details will be shared as the event approaches.

Crush Equipment Demonstration (August 01, 2026)

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Crush Equipment Demonstration

Timing: Late August or Early September (TBD)
Hosted by Fred Carbone

If the crush pad is relocated to Fred’s property this year, he will host a hands-on demonstration of the equipment available for member use.

This session will cover:

How to properly use shared crush equipment
Best practices during harvest processing
Practical tips based on real harvest workflows

Fred’s home winery setup, including vineyard, cellar, and equipment, provides a comprehensive environment to learn the full winemaking process from grape to glass.

Final details will be confirmed once harvest logistics are finalized.

Grill Master Volunteers needed for Summer BBQ (August 22, 2026)

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Looking for Volunteers to support the Summer BBQ Event!

Volunteers Needed: BBQ Team, Servers, Set-Up, and Clean-Up crews.

Please let us know how you can help!

Volunteer help for Summer BBQ (August 22, 2026)

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Looking for Volunteers to support the Summer BBQ Event!

Volunteers Needed: Servers, Set-Up, and Clean-Up crews.

Please let us know how you can help!

CCHVA Summer Picnic @ Los Alamos Park (August 22, 2026)

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 19:00:00 GMT

CCHVA Summer BBQ Picnic!

Saturday, August 22 @ Los Alamos Park
12-4pm

Every August, CCHVA members and guests come together for a fun afternoon of barbecue, friendship, wine, and summer fun. This year, we’re bringing back all the favorites, and we’d love to see you there.

Justin will be on the grill serving your choice of:

Tri-tip
Chicken
Fish

We’ll spend the day enjoying:

The CCHVA Wine Competition: Taste, Savor, and Vote
Yard games like cornhole, Connect 4, Giant Jenga, and more
Music and announcements throughout the event
Sides and desserts shared by CCHVA members

Members should bring either an appetizer or a dessert to share, based on the first letter of their last name:

A-L: Appetizer
M-Z: Dessert

We also suggest bringing 2-3 bottles of wine:

One for the share table
One for your dinner table
One of your best wines, if you’d like to enter the “You Be the Judge” wine competition

Please place contest wines on the table by noon so members and guests can taste and vote for their favorites.

We’ll award medals in two categories:

Best Red/Red Blend
Best White/Rose

All Santa Barbara County Fair Wine Medal winners: we will distribute your medals at the picnic. If you can’t attend, we will deliver them to you.

If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, text Justin at 805-345-5931.

Registration Details
Register online and choose your meal when you sign up. Members may add and pay for as many guests as they want, so bring your friends and family and join the fun.

Meal choices: Tri tip, chicken, or fish
Guests: Members may register and pay for unlimited guests
Online payment: Yes
Price: $25
Food will be ready to eat by 1pm

Pizza Party @ Bentivegna's (September 11, 2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

CCHVA Pizza Party Alert!

Mark your calendars, wine friends. Jim and Noris Bentivegna are opening their home for a fun CCHVA pizza party on Friday, September 11th.

Expect good pizza, good wine, good people, and the kind of excellent judgment that only comes from pairing carbs with Cabernet. Naturally.

Hosted by: Jim & Noris Bentivegna
3540 Pinewood Road, Santa Maria
Date: Thursday, September 11th

Cost: $20 per person

Guest limit: 50 people

This event will be capped at 50 guests, so once registration opens, don’t treat it like your unread emails. Jump on it.

$20 per person. Please register