Sanford Winery, Sta. Rita Hills, California

Few wineries can claim to have helped create an entire wine region. Sanford Winery is one of them. In 1971, Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict planted the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, the first vineyard in what would later become the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Their belief that this cool, windswept corner of Santa Barbara County could produce world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay proved revolutionary. Today, the region is considered one of California’s greatest cool-climate terroirs for Burgundian varieties.

At the heart of the estate are the historic Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada vineyards, where ocean breezes from the nearby Pacific create a long growing season and wines of remarkable freshness and precision. The style here is defined by balance rather than power, Chardonnay with mineral tension and Pinot Noir with perfume, structure and elegance. These are wines that capture the unique character of the Sta. Rita Hills is a place where California sunshine meets coastal cool and the result is something truly special.