Pasaente Noir at The Ojai Vineyard / Photo by Kim Baile
Losing a vineyard to disease is “extremely painful,” says Adam Tolmach, cofounder of The Ojai Vineyard. In 1981, he planted more than five acres of mostly Syrah on Ventura County land that his grandfather purchased a half-century earlier. His last vintage was in 1995.
“You put your heart and soul into it,” says Tolmach. “I planted every one of the vines and nurtured them. It was like my baby that I was working on. It was very heartbreaking to have it slowly die off.”
The culprit was Pierce’s disease (PD), which is spread by insects known as glassy-winged sharpshooters. It’s one of the few scourges that actually kills vines, rather than just hamper them. A problem in California since the dawn of commercial grape-growing in the 1880s, PD is more prevalent in Southern California. But it’s also known to hammer vines in the north, especially along riparian corridors like those near the Napa River.
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At The Tavern in Buellton, Cullen hopes to showcase both his old-world French and Italian influences, and focus on signature dishes such as crispy duck with crêpes, date duck sauce and pickled mustard seeds; or beef heart tartare with shallot vinaigrette, golden raisins and celery salad. He looks forward to inspiration by wines sourced from the vineyards that surround the restaurant in the greater Santa Ynez Valley.
Cullen’s spring menus at The Tavern at Zaca Creek launched this month.
Cullen Campbell is the new executive chef for Buellton’s The Tavern at Zaca Creek restaurant. (Jill Richards photo)