CleverRoot

f a l l 2 0 1 7 | 8 7 Ballard is one of the valley's most bucolic towns. The main business is The Ballard Inn, a bed and breakfast sur- rounded by a neighborhood of country cottages, orchards and vineyards. Indonesian-born Budi Kazali and his wife, Chris, bought the inn 13 years ago. "It was in good shape, so I didn't have to do much with it," he said as we sat over coffee. "But this past year I decided I wanted to do something to impact our style, making the dining room a focal point, then change the feeling of the entire downstairs." The remodel required the inn to close for 17 days in January. The reopening revealed a timelessness to the décor. "We wanted to create a friendly, casual atmosphere, so we placed a long, communal table in the middle of the restaurant, and that's why we named it The Gathering Place," Budi explained. "Before, there was more of a formal feeling to the place. But we don't dress up here in the valley, and I want to make my guests comfortable." Budi's cuisine reflects the basics. "This is an abundant valley," he offered. "We have access to wonderful ingredients, and the theme here is shareable dishes. You can come up with your own menu based on the selections––maybe five or six small plates." The menu lines up the dishes from lightest to heaviest: oysters on the half shell to lamb lollipops. "I don't want to overcomplicate anything or bring too much spice in," Budi noted. "After all, it's also about pairing each dish with wine." Budi ensures that every part of every dish is inspirational, from the look of the food to the ingredients, spices and sauc- es. "I plan it so that the vegetables and sauce characterize the rest of the dish," he stated. Chef de Cuisine Amy Trujillo has worked alongside Chef Budi for the past 20 years. At The Gathering Table, they have created a spectacular space for sharing and pairing. Hitching Post Wines: A Project Close to Home Specializing in Pinot Noir, Hitching Post wines are a nod to the locale. "We originally just wanted to make wine for the restaurant," explained Ostini. "But we discovered the Pi- not potential here in the valley and found the Sierra Madre Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills. We knew there was something special." Pinot Noir was a hard sell in the early '80s. "Our first vintage was 1984," offered Hartley. "It was our house wine selling for $8 a bottle, or $2 a glass. There was no Syrah in the valley back then, so we had to make it work." And they did. "Pinot Noir goes with ev- erything," Hartley insisted, pointing out that in Burgundy, meat and Pinot are a regular match. "Our wines have structure and acid- ity. And there are several expressions with varying sites in the mix. We bring voices of the vineyards together with varying clones, barrel regimens. Pinot Noir can play so many different notes." The Hitching Post 2014 Highliner Pinot Noir ($42) is a combination of fruit sourced from two iconic sites in Santa Barbara County: Santa Maria (Bien Nacido Vineyard) and the Sta. Rita Hills (Sanford & Benedict Vineyard). Big, expressive notes of coffee and graphite––meaty notes––are dotted with white pepper. Raspberry turns into an Earth Mother, going deeper than ripe, with added flavors of brown rice. The Hitching Post 2014 The Cork Dancer Pinot Noir ($29) begins with a coffee-cinna- mon perfume, backed up by black cherry. Its juicy core is spiced with rhubarb and earthy strawberry. It tastes alive and fresh. (The 2015 vintage comes out in September.) The Hartley-Ostini Hitch- ing Post 2016 Pinks ($17) is a Central Coast rosé made from 80% Valdaguié and 20% Pinot Noir. The free-run Pinot Noir juice turns salmon pink in the glass, with a golden edge. A chalky texture allows you to taste a mineral quality. Raspberry and peach tones are laid back but confident in their charm. Winemaker Gray Hartley is a fisherman, and the "Pinks" make reference to salmon. Budi Kazali is the owner of The Ballard Inn and its newest dining spot, The Gathering Table. A communal table is the focal point of The Gathering Table. Dishes such as local black cod with miso beurre blanc are share- able at The Gathering Table, the new dining spot at The Ballard Inn. Maitake mushrooms accent the filet mignon. PHOTO BY TENLY FOHL PHOTO BY TENLY FOHL PHOTO: LEN WOOD/SANTA YNEZ VALLEY NEWS PHOTO BY TENLY FOHL The Gathering Table: The Ballard Inn's Comfort Fine Dining ■cr

• Cover