MARCIA BURTT GALLERY

517 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 805 962-5588 www.artlacuna.com

Young is not a word that is often used positively in the world of wine, but perhaps it should be. At the tender age of twenty-one, Emma West started the Santa Barbara restaurant Julienne with her husband, Chef Justin West. Seven years later, she is managing their amazing wine program, providing some of the most tantalizing pairings in Santa Barbara. This young mother of two excels at anticipating the seasonal ingredients from the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market and local fishing boats and sourcing wines that will play well with those flavors.

While she takes into account soil quality, weather, and temperatures, her main criteria for wine is refreshingly down-to-Earth. “I like what I like,” she says emphatically, encouraging everyone to develop “palate mileage.” Emma recommends being fearless in opening bottles and taste testing while discovering which wines resonate with the particular dishes you like to eat. That is the philosophy behind their tasting menu, which provides a different glass of wine with each course.

The ever-changing menu at Julienne follows the seasons, so winter brings root vegetables, legumes, and hearty game. For their braised lamb with root vegetables and herb-infused jus, Emma recommends the 2012 Transcen-