The family history behind Folded Hills Winery Photographed by Silas Fallstich Written by Kim Hashemi Recipe & Food Styling by Becky Sue Wilberding, Denisse Salinas & Robin Deem Recipe & Wine Pairings by Hana-Lee Sedgwick Linens & Styling by Viktoriya Filippova
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family legacy deeply rooted in beer coupled with a passion for hospitality has led the Busch family on a new venture: wine.
It all began while Andy was serving as Captain for the USA Polo team at the World Cup and Kim and Andy Busch (of Anheuser-Busch) became enamored with the Santa Barbara lifestyle. So in 2004 they uprooted from St. Louis, Missouri to raise their children on the California coast. With the desire to stay close to the land to share the joys and hard work that accompany ranch life with their children, the bucolic Folded Hills Ranch made for the ideal place for the family to settle. The unique microclimate and well-preserved organic land at Folded Hills made growing wine an obvious decision. Kim and Andy hired winemaker Angela Osbourne who shares a kindred passion and vision for creating organic wines while maintaining the natural beauty and health of the property. From grape to
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bottle to glass, Kim and Andy are involved in every detail of the process, and their youngest son, Nick, is also working on the ranch. In 2011 the team discovered that the land was previously a pre-prohibition vineyard, right where the grapes now grow. Further, the original farmhouse, which currently houses the newly opened estate tasting room, is where the wines used to be made. Seems fitting, right? The estate tasting room has been restored to boast a cozy, homely feel while persevering its history and allure. It’s furnished with leather and wood accents, beamed ceilings, an indoor fireplace, and my favorite piece, a lamp created with one of Andy’s polo boots. If the view of the vineyards and surrounding mountains draws you outside after (or during) your tasting, a seat on the patio will provide a panoramic outlook on the property. Whether you choose indoors or out, the intimate, rustic decor makes for the ideal setting to recharge and connect with loved ones.
