The natural beauty and winemaking traditions found in Santa Barbara County was the inspiration for the creation of Los Olivos Cafe and Los Olivos Wine Merchant in Santa Ynez Valley, tucked among the luscious vineyards and wineries of California's Central Coast.

With a passion for bicycling, the owner, Samuel Marmorstein, had cycled through the Santa Ynez Valley on numerous occasions. & #8220;I was always amazed at the beauty, serenity and peace that prevails here,” Sam reveals, & #8220;I decided that to own land, plant grapes and create wines crafted by hand made more sense to me than life in the big city.”

Creating Bernat Winery

In 1995, Sam Marmorstein purchased 10 prime acres in Los Olivos, California, and began planting Chardonnay and Syrah grapes. This initiated the birth of the Bernat Vineyard and Winery named after Sam's father).

In selecting a label for Bernat Wine, Sam Marmorstein chose to honor the owls that protect and watch over his namesake vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley.

In 1999, Bernat Winery, the smallest licensed producer, debuted its first estate-grown Chardonnay wine—24 cases. With the first grape harvest sold out in two months, Sam continued to use & #8220;old-world” methods of hand pruning, hand harvesting, and minimal processing of Chardonnay and Syrah grapes in making wine.

The 1999 Syrah wine was bottled in July 2001; all 173 cases featured a well-structured wine with an excellent acid balance and firm tannins. The careful, handcrafted production of these highly acclaimed vintages continue to be produced in limited cases.

Starting Los Olivos Cafe

In late 1995, when the former Almendinger’s Deli in downtown Los Olivos became for sale here in the Santa Ynez Valley, Sam seized the opportunity and created The Los Olivos Café. The Café has been successful since the crowded opening day December 30, 1995. Chef Nat Ely of Santa Barbara’s Emilio's Ristorante and the Birnham Wood Country Club is responsible for the creative and delicious menu. Open daily for lunch and dinner, the Los Olivos Café’s warm, inviting atmosphere, great service and excellent cuisine continues to win rave reviews.

Adding The Wine Merchant

In a perfect blend of food, wine and love, the Los Olivos Cafe and the Los Olivos Wine Merchant are family endeavors. Sam’s wife, Shawnda, brought her experience as a manager at Santa Barbara’s Café Au Lait to the family business. Their two toddlers Hannah and Jonah are the restaurants most discerning critics. Sam’s teenage son, Zev, assists in the vineyards and winemaking process and may sometimes be seen bussing tables.

Enjoying A One-Stop Wine Center

At the Los Olivos Wine Merchant, we carry the following wines from the most acclaimed international and California Central Coast Producers including the Red Wine:

Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Dessert Wine, Sparkling Wine and Italian Wine.

Our White Wines include: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot grigio, Riesling, Rhone whites, Champagnes, Dessert whites, and Other Whites. We specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Wine from the Santa Rita Hills appellation, as well as a delicious selection of wine from other California Wine Country appellations.

Contact us about the new wines you'd like us to carry!

Going Forward

Now with their vision of Los Olivos Café and Los Olivos Wine Merchant completed, Sam and Shawnda Marmorstein look forward to expanding the Los Olivos Café Wine Club and to marketing local vintages of Santa Barbara County and California’s Central Coast—as well as other high quality wines from the California Wine Country.

They are excited to present their new online wine central at http://www.buysantabarbarawine.com and will continue to develop the online wine store so that it is easy for you to buy wine online.

The award-winning Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Cafe will continue to expand the topic-based, Wine-Tasting Events presenting a selection of local and international wines by the glass. They now offer Wine-Tasting classes on Tuesday evenings.

We will continue to offer the rustic style banquet room - that seats up to 42- for special events; the banquet room is perfect for their intimate wine maker dinners. The Deli & Gift Shop offers picnic baskets, gourmet foods, cheeses, wine-related items and the Los Olivos Café’s signature bread dipping oil, mufaletta, and olive tappenade.

Click here for a video tour of The Wine Merchant and Cafe.