At a January 15 meeting of Lompoc-based wineries, there was a chilly reception to the Santa Barbara Vintners’ proposal to raise marketing funds by adding a 2 percent fee to every bottle sold. This would be achieved by implementing a BID, or business improvement district, across the entire county.
“Despite a full-court press by five folks from the leadership of the Vintners, all but two of the wineries in attendance stated they would not sign a petition for the Vintners’ Wine BID,” reported Stephen Pepe, owner of Clos Pepe Vineyards.
Santa Barbara County is the first region anywhere to attempt to apply the BID structure — more commonly used to spruce up retail neighborhoods and hotel hubs — to wine country. (Read more about it here .) Since last summer, the Santa Barbara County Vintners Association has been hosting information meetings to let vintners know about the proposal.