On December 1, the Wineries of the Presidio Neighborhood held their 2nd annual Presidio Holiday Stroll, which was a perfectly delightful afternoon that raised more than $10,000 for an amazing nonprofit. For $50 each, about 175 guests got to enjoy tastings at eight winery tasting rooms along with gourmet food. All the proceeds went to Food from the Heart (FFH), which provides tasty and nourishing food to homebound, ill individuals in Santa Barbara and Goleta.
Every tasting room and the lovely El Paseo courtyard were full of merry people, many of them wine club members and FFH supporters. The event was hosted by the Wineries of the Presidio Neighborhood, an informal group of eight wineries that is part of a larger informal group, the Presidio Neighborhood, both spearheaded by Hugh Margerum, Margerum Wine Company’s wine club/brand promotion manager. Margerum shared how the neighborhood has long been home to cultural and architectural treasures and in recent years, there has been a growth in tasting rooms, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and boutiques. He formed the Presidio Neighborhood group to fund a branding campaign touting the neighborhood as a destination. Now there’s a website, brochure with map, mobile app, and this annual event raising funds for a worthy nonprofit.
Participating wineries were Au Bon Climat, Cebada, Frequency Wine Company, Grassini Family Vineyards, Happy Canyon Vineyard, Jamie Slone Wines, Margerum Wine Company, and Silver Wines. FFH’s Executive Chef Aaron Casale prepared gourmet food and C’est Cheese generously provided nibbles too.