But this time of year, after bud break, the plant is extremely vulnerable to frost, and vineyardists like Joe Carrari are out in the early hours of the morning spraying water on the new leafy growth. This process is called frost protection. When the water freezes, heat is generated which protects the plant. The book was written by the Graduate Program in Public Historical Studies at UCSB, produced by Cachuma Press of Los Olivos, with some pretty fine photography from Kirk Irwin. I must confess, it's quite flattering to see my name, the name of this column, and the name of this newspaper footnoted in the book, along with my good friend Mark van de Kamp from the Santa Barbara News-press.
Newspapers are source material for historians.
I guess those of us who do this sort of thing are involved in the legacy of history for the future generations of wine drinkers. The room is open daily from 11 to 6. Next month, Rick Longoria will be opening a tasting room up the street. Members of the association will be hosting special events at their wineries. For more information, call 541-5868.