vogelzang vines make award-winning wines

If you'll excuse the rhyming title, we want to take a moment to announce some exciting news. One of our vineyard listings, the phenomenal Vogelzang vineyard property in Happy Canyon, has recently received some widespread recognition for its world-famous wines.

- Their 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve was selected to be poured for the leaders of the Free World last weekend at the NATO G-8 Summit intimate leaders only banquet in Chicago's Soldier Field.

- Their 2010 Birdsong Sauvignon Blanc was rated 91 by Wine Spectator in their advanced issue coming public in June.

- Their 2010 Viognier Reserve was selected in January 2012, by Tony Asnault, Executive Chef at Patina in LA (Four Michelin Stars) and served with his creations at The James Beard Foundation, NYC.

- Their 2010 Birdsong Viognier was chosen this week to represent California Viognier at the Court of Master Sommeliers at the Bellagio in Las Vegas May 29-31.

We love that there's so much more to this property than looks alone; and, as we're sure you can see, it has no lack of aesthetic beauty.  Click on any of the photos to see the property's page on our site.

beautiful kitchens: eat your heart out (part two)

As promised, today we bring you part two of our kitchens feature. We briefly spoke about the importance of a well-appointed kitchen these days, especially with a cultural shift in how Americans use their kitchens. In other words, increasingly more people are using their kitchens as a central social zone in their homes, foregoing separate dining rooms in favor of enjoying meals directly within the kitchen itself. Here are some more of our favorite kitchens from various Montecito real estate listings-- ones we definitely want to spend time in.

1. We love how this kitchen places bright, white marble with dark cabinetry and hardware; it creates a sleek, yet prominent contrast.

2. Country style kitchens tend to feel the most inviting and easy to spend time in. The use of open spaces and an immediate eat-in area makes this one feel particularly social.

3. Another lovely country-style kitchen, this more charmingly-sized space uses lots of bright white, light countertops, and a bit of sheen to maximize cheerfulness. This creates a perfect balance between refreshing and cozy.

4. Country kitchens can take on a Mediterranean flair, like this one, which has a touch of Tuscan villa and looks out over the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez mountain range.

5. Kitchens with less space can still be spectacular, with beautiful beamed ceilings, gleaming granite counter tops,  stainless steel appliances, and stone tile back splashes.