May 3, 2015

Mad Crush

Good Vibes from Mountain Drive

In writing The Mad Crush, I considered it an honor to contribute one more small layer to the legend of Santa Barbara’s Mountain Drive community, where communal wine was made once upon a time.

I also felt a tremendous duty to get the facts right, and to do justice to the spirit of the place. So while I was writing the book, I reached out via phone and email to the Neely and Peake families (both of whom have deep roots on Mountain Drive), as well as Elias Chiacos, author of the definitive book Mountain Drive: Santa Barbara’s Bohemian Community. They were all unfailingly gracious from the start, and generous with information, photos and insights that ultimately helped bring The Mad Crush to fruition

So imagine my surprise–and my thrill–when they all showed up to say hello at my book signing last Friday night at Oreana Winery in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone! Jeff Neely (below), son of the legendary Wild Bill Neely, came early and it was cool to meet him. He shared childhood memories of spending time at the Mountain Drive house of my own winemaking mentor, Bill Greenough, around whom the book revolves. Later, Elias (top, third from left) and his wife Donna stopped by, as did Michael Peake (top, second from left) and his son Ziggy (top left, wearing an awesome t-shirt), and it was a blast to connect with them as well.

The Mad Crush is a story about making wine, but it is also a story of history, mentorship, endurance and interconnectedness, as was evident on this special evening.

Sean_Jeff

 

 

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