SANTA BARBARA, CA—Carr Vineyards & Winery will celebrate its 20th anniversary this fall, commemorating the milestone with an anniversary party in the winery’s downtown Santa Barbara tasting room on September 14th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
The anniversary marks 20 years since owner and winemaker Ryan Carr’s first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1999—a homemade, 10-case-production wine from the Santa Ynez Valley which lay the groundwork for Carr’s professional winemaking career.
By 2005, Carr Vineyards & Winery had grown into a 1,000-case project operating out of the shared-space winemaking facility, Cellar 205. Around the same time, Carr introduced its first white wine—a Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Gris—and Carr Pinot Noirs began earning early recognition, too, scoring 94 points in Wine Enthusiast magazine.
In 2007, having outgrown Cellar 205, Ryan and wife Jessica Carr moved the winery from the Funk Zone to its present-day location: a World War II-era quonset hut on Salsipuedes Street, which also serves as the winery’s Santa Barbara tasting room. In the years that followed, the Carrs would go on to grow the winery further, opening a second tasting room in downtown Santa Ynez. They also established a second winery, CrossHatch, where Ryan is the winemaker. Expansion of the Santa Barbara space was completed in 2018 with the unveiling of an outdoor patio and adjoining wine storage facility called the Wine Collector’s Room.
Today, Carr Winery produces 4,500 cases annually, specializing in Pinot Noirs, Cabernet Francs, Syrahs, and Sauvignon Blancs made from premium Santa Barbara County fruit sourced from local vineyards. Ryan Carr continues to oversee the process from start to finish, ensuring that Carr wines continue to exemplify and set the standard for Santa Barbara’s diverse array of microclimates and terroirs. Along with his vineyard management company, Carr has also spearheaded the planting, installation, and harvesting of over 200 acres of vineyards throughout the Santa Ynez Valley and surrounding AVAs.
The winery’s 20-year existence marks an early and ongoing contribution to the Santa Barbara wine industry. The 20th Anniversary Party will raise a glass to past, present, and future endeavors, acknowledging the countless bottles opened and lasting connections made over the years. The celebration will feature:
- wine tastings of library selections, current releases, and wine futures
- live music from the Jason Campbell Band
- bites from local wood-fired pizza truck
- open to the 21+ public; $30 admission per person / $15 admission for wine club members
Join Carr Winery this September 14th at the winery, located at 414 N. Salsipuedes Street in Santa Barbara, CA. Additional details about the event can be found at www.carrwinery.com.
