cover story quite well but requires continued diligence.” Then came the plagues of pests both microscopic (mildew, fixed with farming techniques) and massive (bison, fixed with fencing) and the extra expenses required to fly products and personnel to and from Catalina’s mountaintop airport. “There has been an amazing amount of dialing in, but we have figured out how to deal with each individual thing,” said Geoff, adding, as he knocked on the wood table inside the rancho’s modest adobe,“We’ve had challenges across the board, but as we move forward, there aren’t that many more things that can hit us.” With that confidence, the Rusacks doubled down on their dream in 2012 by pursuing a revamp of the ranch —“This is 70 years of deferred maintenance,” said Geoff — with the addition of a working winery and tasting room, which has required permits and review from Los Angeles County, the Coastal Commission, the Catalina Island Conservancy, the fire department, electric and water utilities, and more, not to mention the need to import a “megaton” rock crusher that required the costly rental of dozens of steel plates. Altogether, the project will wind up costing many millions, with hopes to be done within three to five more years, at which point tourists will be able to ride a bus to the property and sip some wine.
‘ We’d be kicking ourselves if we didn’t try this … We’d always wonder if it would have worked. I have Geoff to thank for that adventurous spirit, and I try to keep up with him.’
ENCORE SEASON - ON SALE NOW Jan 17 An Evening with
SHAWN COLVIN Three-time GRAMMY-winner Shawn Colvin has a unique frankness tempered by humor and sensuality and a gift for finding strong, simple melodies. Colvin is bracingly honest about her own travails (and triumphs) and it is this transparency that resonates with her listeners.
“Shawn Colvin is a contemporary folk legend.” - National Public Radio
Jan 18
COLIN QUINN UNCONSTITUTIONAL
— Alison Wrigley Rusack
Fresh off the hit Broadway show, Long Story Short, the “Saturday Night Live” comedian returns to the stage in UNCONSTITUTIONAL to tackle 226 years of American Constitutional calamities.
So How’s It Taste? Though the historical ties and unique nature of an island vineyard seem enough of a selling point, the Rusacks’ Catalina Island project is intently focused on producing quality wine, a goal that was established under former winemaker John Falcone and one that continues under current winemaker Steve Gerbac. Said Geoff,“We want these grapes and this wine to be nothing short of world-class.” They are off to a good start: The chardonnay boasts a touch of pleasant salinity that Geoff calls “coastal freshness”; the pinot, said Gerbac, is heavier bodied than what comes out of Santa Maria Valley and the Sta. Rita Hills despite being made in similar ways; and the zin delivers intriguing spices not usually found on the mainland. They aren’t cheap — $65 for the chard and zin, $75 for the pinot — and there is some consumer resistance despite the saga behind the bottle and the limited supplies: They hope to eventually get as many as 600 cases from the vineyard each year, but the 2011 harvest only resulted in the current release of 145 cases of chard, 118 cases of pinot, and 62 of zinfandel. But those prices are miniscule compared to what each bottle really cost: Geoff once told me it was probably about $500 a bottle, but later clarified that it “would be almost impossible” to calculate. The Catalina vineyard is much more than just wine, though, and even California’s preeminent historian agrees.“The whole story is a case study in our efforts to recover California, and not in a purely antiquated way, but to recover a usable, useful past, in this case making wine,” said Kevin Starr, prolific author and professor at University of Southern California. “It is a luxury project, energized by very wealthy people, but that’s okay — it fits into the pattern of recovering California.” Despite the challenges past, present, and future, the Rusacks remain enthused over the ordeal.“When I get over there and I can take a deep breath and look out and see those vines, I am pretty much blown away,” said Geoff.“I can’t believe we did this.”
4·1·1
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Visit Rusack Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley at 1819 Ballard Canyon Road, call 688-1278, or see rusack.com.
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“A pleasingly funny amble through American history.” - The New York Times An Encore: Lobero Celebration
An Evening with
Feb 15
JIM MESSINA & RICHIE FURAY Feb 18
presents
JACK DEJOHNETTE, JOE LOVANO, ESPERANZA SPALDING, LEO GENOVESE The Spring Quartet PAT METHENY UNITY GROUP
Feb 26
Featuring Chris Potter, Antonio Sanchez, Ben Williams, Guilio Carmassi LOBERO THEATRE ENDOWMENT FOR AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC
Box Office open 10-5 Mon-Fri, 12-5 Sat | 805.963.0761 | Lobero.com jaNuary 2, 2014
THE INDEPENDENT
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