santa ynez valley
apps
paul wellman
Food &drink
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MENUS TO U: SBMenus.com founders Bryan Brand (right) and Dusty Stutsman now offer an app to make food delivery easier.
Vincent Vineyards Aims for Upscale PROMISE MADE GOOD: It was back in 2006 when Tony Vincent promised to hire Lee Lauthowers (pictured) to manage his Vincent Vineyards winery if it ever got built — and Lathouwers was indeed in charge when it opened doors on August 22, quite pleased that Vincent’s word was his bond.
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sBMenus.coM GETS FOOd TO Your Y door Ordering food online has never been simpler, as SB Menus.com continues to improve the way people in Santa Barbara find and enjoy restaurants. Founders Bryan Brand and Dusty Stutsman took their site a step further by launching a mobile app that lets you order your favorite food with a single click. The new app, available for free on your iPhone, iPad, or Android, offers menus from more than 80 different restaurants for both delivery and takeout. The delivery feature has expanded in the past year to now reach all parts of Goleta and as far south as Montecito. “We set out to create a convenient way for people to order food delivery and takeout from their favorite restaurants, said Brand. “Now with the new app, we’re making it easier than ever to do so from their personal devices.” A key feature of the app allows you to constantly track your order to see where your food is at all times, a major advancement for the site that has been feeding Santa Barbara residents since 2008. The two founders met at SBCC in 2004, and their shared penchant for entrepreneurship has been instrumental in their site’s success, as has their familiarity with the area. “We knew how awesome Santa Barbara is as a community, and it turned out to be a great market for our model,” said Stutsman, who reports using the app several times a week due to the wide selection of cuisines available. New restaurants are encouraged to join SBMenus. com to spread the word about their menus and special deals. “The barrier to entry is nonexistent,” said Brand. “Aside from a small setup fee, our goal is to help grow all businesses.” See SBMenus.com. — Austin Murphy
bout eight years ago, when Lee Lathouwers high ceilings, sparklingly sleek but classic design notes, was managing Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos, he and sprawling patios whose walls are covered with got to know a customer named Tony Vincent. wine-country frescoes, quite a contrast to the rural barn Vincent took a liking to the smooth, efficient motif that rules the region. “It’s not really like a tasting style of the Chicago-born, Santa Barbara–raised Lathouwers room—it’s like a high-end lounge,” said Lathouwers. and divulged that he was planting grapevines and building a “No expense was spared.” winery down the road.“I give you my word,” said Vincent to A considerable expense was battling for years with Lathouwers.“If this project gets done, and you’re still around, the County of Santa Barbara, which is clamping down you’re the guy.” on winery development—particularly of tasting rooms and parties—due to the concern of some In 2014, with Vincent Vineyards about to leap the last of countless permitting hurdles, neighbors. To get approved, Vincent Vineyards, whose first proposal was Lathouwers — then semiretired after submitted in December 2009, four decades in the hospitality busigave up grander special-event ness—answered the phone to find Vincent offering him that job. “For dreams but became one of the how many guys in the world today first approved to do basic food is their word still their bond?” service.“We do little bites and , , Lathouwers asked me in May, when appetizers,” said LathouwI visited the almost-done winery. ers, whose large but legally “There’s nothing he can’t do, but he limited kitchen can also host licensed caterers. “With only held my hand, made me a promise, wine, that’s just 50 percent of and made good on it. People like that by Matt KettMann the experience.” still do exist in the world.” That guy’s full name is Anthony The benefit of the long road Vincent Zehenni, a Lebanese octogenartraveled is wine that’s enjoyed ample ian who’s built a fortune developing everything aging time. The 15-acre estate vineyard was from Hawaiian hotels and Lake Arrowhead resorts planted in 2007 on a former walnut orchard by to Los Angeles freeways and Nigerian bridges through his renowned grape expert Bill Kesselring, who opted for Aladdin Developers, Inc. Though turning 83 on September Bordeaux varietals of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cab19,Vincent is still reportedly as vital as ever, whether showing ernet franc, petit verdot, sauvignon blanc, and a little bit of “That is great for us.” Production of more than a half-dozen off the collection of vintage cars he keeps under his Sunset the RhÔne grape syrah. The first harvest was in 2010, and bottlings—including the Vincent Black Shadow project, Strip high-rise office or reminiscing about the days he hung those wines—which were showing quite fantastic the day which Lathouwers said will be “our Screaming Eagle”—is in Las Vegas with the Rat Pack. “Those were his regular I tasted them, despite such young vine age—were made by expected to hover in the 5,000- to 7,000-case range once all running-around buddies,” said Lathouwers, pointing to a Etienne Terlinden of Summerland Winery and Cordon. He pistons are firing. hanging picture of Sinatra, Sammy, and Dean on the wall of also made the 2011 and 2012 vintages before Mike Roth, of Lathouwers said that Vincent is very hands-on, as is his wife, Tanya, who was sweeping the floors the day I visited. He the winery’s VIP room. Lo-Fi Wines, stepped in for 2013 and 2014. Though Vincent remains a humble, private fellow—“he’s Then just recently, right in time for this year’s harvest and credits this to their respect for old-school family values and Old World,” said Lathouwers—he wanted to make his mark the August 22 opening of the tasting room, Roxie Ward was hard work, explaining, “They treat people like people.” And on the Santa Ynez Valley wine-tasting scene by creating an appointed as winemaker. She comes from the Terravant cus- he still can’t get over what’s transpired since that handshake. upscale experience on an impressive spread, starting with tom crush facility in Buellton, which is where Vincent wines “It’s the most fascinating thing that’s happened in my life,” the ornate gates that drivers approaching Los Olivos along were made until this year.“She has been with Terravant as the said Lathouwers.“We are standing in what was just a promise Highway 154 have noticed for years.“When you drive up to winemaker since our first harvest in 2010,” said Lathouwers. eight years ago.” those gates, your aesthetic meter peaks,” said Lathouwers. “You have to keep it up inside.” That translates to Now open to the public, Vincent Vineyards is located at 2370 North Refugio Road, Santa Ynez, off Highway 154.
Newest
estate winery
opens doors impresses eyes and entertains paLates
OFF HIGHWaY 154
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See vincentvineyards.com. The winery’s exclusive tour partner is Stagecoach Wine Tours, so call 686-8347 or see winetourssantaynez.com to arrange for an even more unique visit. independent.com
september 3, 2015
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