A fairly long-established property for Santa Barbara with a focus on the Rhône varieties. The exception to the Rhône theme is a Chardonnay very much in the tropical-fruit style. It has the malolactic blocked for freshness and gains some complexity from the addition of a touch of Viognier and Roussanne. The varietal Viognier offers simple, […]
Larry Schaffer is the oenologist at Fess PARKER Vineyards but finds a little time to do his own thing as well. Specialising in Rhône red and white varietals, he also produces a notable Gewürztraminer, The Outlier. With typical lychee aromas, one would expect a much sweeter wine than the full, unctuous dry style produced here. […]
Although a native Californian, Dave Potter spent his formative winemaking years in Australia, graduating at Curtin University in Margaret River and working for Fosters on a number of their leading brands, as well as stints at HENSCHKE in the Barossa Valley, Ch. de Montfaucon in the Rhône Valley and Fess PARKER in his native Santa […]
Doug Margerum had been in the wine business for 20 years before establishing his own small volume boutique winery operation. He operates out of a small space just behind the BRANDER winery, outside Los Olivos. His is a garage sized operation and like many newly established producers he is creating handcrafted wines from a range […]
Pinot Noir, in various vineyard guises, is the main wine made by Brian Loring at his Lompoc warehouse winery, and very impressive it is too. Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre, branded Not Pinot, are also made as well as a series of Chardonnays, most of which are single vineyard wines. Fruit for the Pinots comes […]
Bill Foley established this operation in 1996 where he produces wines from mainly Santa Maria and Santa Ynez fruit sources. More recently he has also established his own vineyard property Rancho Santa Rosa from where he produces estate grown Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir and Chardonnay under his FOLEY winery label. Both Santa Maria and […]
Well-priced Syrah, Viognier and red and white blends are all made at this small Santa Maria winery as well as Sauvignon Blanc from the Happy Canyon area. The regular Santa Barbara Syrah accounts for just over 1,000 cases a year and is marked by its rich, fleshy, forward fruit. Aged in a mix of French […]
An impressive small range of Rhône styles is made at Craig Jaffurs climate-controlled winery in Santa Barbara. The first vintage here was 1994 and production is still small and quality high. Syrah is the main focus and is sourced from the Ampelos, Thompson, Larner, Kimsey, Verna’s and Bien Nacido vineyards. Roussanne comes from the Stolpman […]
Restaurateur Frank Ostini’s Hitching Post II in Buellton was featured in the film Sideways. He and friend Gray Hartley also produce a number of fine small-lot reds from Pinot Noir, Syrah and the red Bordeaux varieties, drawing on a range of Santa Barbara County vineyard sources. The wines were originally vinified at the AU BON […]
Small, recently established Rhône-style specialist based in Santa Maria but sourcing fruit under a long term leasing arrangement from the high altitude Alta Mesa vineyard in Santa Barbara County. Planted at an altitude of 3,200 feet (just under 1,000 metres) to Mourvèdre and Grenache the site provides fruit for wines that have both of impressive […]
The late Michael Bonaccorsi was of one of America’s top sommeliers. With his wife Jenne Lee he founded Bonaccorsi to produce top-quality wines from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and the Rhône varieties. She continues their work. Grapes are sourced from some of the cooler sites in the Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills. The Pinot […]
Peter Hunken was originally part of the Holus Bolus partnership with Sashi Moorman of PIEDRASASSI. A range of wines is now made under the Black Sheep Finds banner and they are very fairly priced. As well as the Holus Bolus Syrah, there are three single vineyard examples from the Watch Hill Vineyard in Santa Ynez, […]
