Housed in a charming, red old west style building, in southeastern Santa Barbara County’s beautiful Cuyama Valley, Sagebrush Annie’s is more than just a tasting room. It is owned by Larry Hogan and his wife, Karina. Larry, a pioneer in the region for planting the valley’s first commercial vineyard in 1982, produced his first wine in 1985. He crafts wines under two labels: Sagebrush Annie’s wines, made from grapes grown in Santa Barbara County, and Stone Pine Estate wines, made from grapes grown in neighboring Ventura County.
Two things make the Sagebrush Annie’s tasting room stand apart. First, it’s o fficially part of the Santa Barbara County East Wine Trail, located in a pristine spot that is removed from main roads, construction, and tra ffic of any kind. The setting is nothing short of serene. Sagebrush Annie’s is not easy to reach, but the drive through this rustic territory is part of the adventure. The second—and most amazing— thing about Sagebrush Annie’s is the wines.
The Hogans’ wines have earned 106 Gold—or higher—ratings since 2005 at major judging events including the San Francisco International Wine Competition where their 2004 Cabernet won best Cabernet Sauvignon in its class of 450 wines.
Every wine they have produced under both labels has won multiple Gold medals. Besides Cabernet, the Hogans also produce Merlot and Zinfandel. The wines are fruit forward, complex, and well-balanced, handcrafted to pair perfectly with a juicy grilled steak or roast duck.
For several years the tasting room served as a cozy destination restaurant on weekends. Karina is the consummate chef and Larry is an expert with red oak barbecue, so the establishment was always teeming with hungry guests. Today, Larry and Karina reserve their culinary talents for exclusive Sagebrush Annie’s wine club dinners, giving lovers of great food and exceptional award-winning wine the best reason in the world to become wine club members.