Meet Brit Zotovich | Winemaker, spearfisher, heirloom garden hobbyist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brit Zotovich and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brit, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment” – Thoreau

I love to be busy and always have about 20 plates spinning in the air. I find this HDR quote grounding I envision the perfect sunny day and curling sunlit wave, clear water like light-light blue jello. For me, I’m a diver, a spearfisher. I’m more interested in taking shots beneath the waves than I am in riding them. But this is a quote that any busy bee Californian can appreciate. We all work so hard, rushing from place to place. Breathe deep, unclench your jaw. As a new mom, my New Year’s resolution is to BE present with my daughter June. All she wants is to start into my eyes, babble and to be held close. Those moments are fleeting and while I cannot wait to take her into the water diving when she’s old enough to safely dive with me, I need to stare into those little wide-open eyes and really drink her in. She’s growing like a weed.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started working in wine at the age of 19. I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and in an Agribusiness 101 class was asked to ‘shadow someone in the industry’ to help inform my career path – a great project! I met up with Harold Osborne at Kelsey See Canyon Winery, an old apple orchard and vineyard-winery near Avila Beach, CA. Harold met me at the locked gates that morning and asked me if I knew how to shovel. I quickly succumbed to an acute attack of Imposter Syndrome thinking – what if I don’t know how to shovel??? So silly, but it happens to all of us. I did FFA, raised pigs in high school, and had always been an avid gardener. I KNEW HOW TO SHOVEL. Harold put me to work shoveling apple pomace. He and I were a great team. From Harold, I learned the absolute wonders of experimentation and something known as co-fermentation, the fermentation of multiple fruits or varietals of grapes. Harold split pomegranates and fermented pineapple juice alongside apple-vinifera co-fermentations. The cellar smelled amazing. Needless to say, I was hooked. Today, Harold is making wine alongside iguanas in Todos Santos at his La Fuente winery. True story. Iguanas run the roofline of his cellar.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Santa Barbara South to North County Trip Itinerary from LA by Brit Zotovich

Planned Stay: Alisal, An authentic, western/Santa Ynez style adventure with horseback riding, pool, spa, western serenity now.

Day 1: Leave LA early, beat the traffic, take the 1, gaze at the sparkling ocean as you head to a paradise or book it up on the 101

Breakfast: Luckys in Montecito. Always a celebrity hotspot. Great for dinner, equally fabulous for breakfast/brunch/lunch.
Lunch: Bettina, SB. A cozy neighborhood ‘pizza spot’ honoring Italian roots with Santa Barbaran seasonal flair.
Dinner: Lark, SB. This former fish market is located in the Funk Zone arts district, a stone’s throw from the oceanfront. Specialties highlight Santa Barbara fish & seasonal veggies.

Day 2: Los Olivos / Solvang
Breakfast: Mattei’s Tavern (Auberge). Formerly a stagecoach stop, Mattei’s is now home to fresh brunch offerings like their crispy green rice with Chinese sausage.
Lunch: Peasants Feast. A must visit for satisfying, upscale comfort food like the Solvang hot chicken sandwich! Deliciously crispy.
Dinner: SY Kitchen. Situated in the heart of Santa Ynez (pron: Ines), grab a seat in this old farmhouse for a seasonal cocktail and if you are lucky, truffle-anything or the wild mushroom pappardelle. The yellow beet salad is also a must.
Tasting Rooms on the East Side of Los Olivos (AKA: Gamay Row). Plan on 2-3 tasting rooms spread out during the day. Storm, Donnachadh, Story of Soil all have Gamay and are walking distance from each other on the east side of LO.
Scene: The Maverick. Dollar bills hang from the ceiling in this SYV western bar. At 10pm the line-dancing stops and the dj comes on.

Day 3: Pack it up and move on out
Breakfast: Alisal, Slowly rise at the Alisal and treat yourself to room service on your patio.
One last tasting room! Future Perfect for a glass of bubbles.
Lunch: Walk to Nella, located alongside the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn in Los Olivos for the most beautiful Hokkaido scallop crudo or Nonnas meatballs with fresh tomato sauce & pecorino.
Farmstand: Finley Farms (On Refugio, see Google Maps). Voted best farm stand in the valley 2023. Pick up the freshest, organic seasonal vegetables on your way out of town – stocked multiple times daily.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are more female winemakers in Santa Barbara County than in any other region in the world! This amazing group of women bands together to mentor, encourage and highlight each other while promoting the Santa Barbara County wine region. https://www.facebook.com/WomenWinemakersCelebration/

Due to it’s east-west wind tunnel (AKA: transverse mountain range), Santa Barbara is a maritime Garden of Eden, allowing the cultivation of more grape varietals than anywhere in the United States. Come taste with us.

Website: https://dreamcotewines.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamcotewineco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dreamcotewines

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dreamc%C3%B4te-wine-co-los-olivos