Zaca Mesa Winery made a big splash at Socalo.

Socalo’s new Executive Chef Enrique Soltero and Zaca Mesa’s wines both shined throughout the night

Zaca Mesa Winery’s owner Stewart Cushman joined us for a fantastic night of wine and food.  We enjoyed 5 different wines paired with the unique and creative cuisine of Socalo’s talented culinary maestro.  It was truly a celebration as Zaca Mesa has logged 50 years in Santa Barbara County and continues to produce excellent , food-friendly wines year in and year out.  This outstanding winery was founded by and has been operated by the Cushman family since it opened in 1973 when you could literally count the number of wineries in the area on 2 hands!

Best Wine

Most popular wine of the evening was the 2021 Zaca Mesa Viognier.  It had great balance, mild acidity and did a great job to kick off the evening.

Wine and Food Pairing highlights

The best pairing of the night was the first one: Geoduck Tiradito and the ’21 Viognier.  The dish was like a very unique ceviche but had so many different flavors that you thought it was 5 different dishes rolled up in 1.  The wine was multifaceted as well and the pairing worked just as we had hoped it would.  The texture of the wine and food was almost the exact same which made it a delight.  Some guests said they would have been happy with a large plate of the Tiradito and the Viognier…but I am sure they enjoyed the other 4 wines as well.  Chef Enrique hit a home run in his first at bat.  Question is- how does he top that?!  We will be back at Socalo in early 2024 so please join us to find out.

Join us for our next wine dinner.  Check our calendar for a list of coming events.  And, please fill in your name and email below and we’ll keep you informed with an occasional email