The bromance that’s brewing between experienced Southern California restaurateur Demetrios “Jimmy” Loizides and veteran Santa Barbara County vintner Steve Clifton may be the most valuable asset in the ongoing quest to bring Vega Vineyard & Farm back to its legendary 19th-century prominence. But it’s far from the only gas fueling the drive to revive this old property alongside Highway 101 just south of Buellton, which was owned and operated by Mosby Winery for nearly five decades.
There’s the rich history of Rancho de la Vega, which involves the Cuesta and Cota families, features the 13-room adobe that they built in 1853, and was home to one of the Santa Ynez Valley’s first doctors, known for treating good guys as well as banditos. That lore conveys serious Zorro vibes, at least according to Clifton, referring to Don Diego de la Vega, which is the true identity of the fictional masked man from the romanticized Californio era. “This is the place where that whole thing started,” claimed Clifton, with a smirk.
There are 21 acres of existing grapevines, including what’s believed to be the oldest existent vineyard roots in the county, first planted back in 1966. (Those 1964 vines at Nielson Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley were recently ripped out.) There’s a bustling kitchen, helmed by Chef Erik Thurman, who’s highlighting produce grown both on-site and at the Loizides home farm nearby. And there’s nothing but room for growth, as the property’s various structures and settings open up countless hospitality possibilities — and the pre-winery ordinance deed came with some of the grandfathered-in permits that may be required to do so.