“Really, it’s almost magical,” Capo continues. “It can be grown in warm inland valleys, or on cool and windy coastal hillsides. Winemakers can block the malolactic fermentation to keep the acids brighter or stir the lees to develop creaminess. Oak, stainless, concrete egg—there are just so many options.”

On the whole, California Chard offers an “enticing balance of mouthwatering freshness with abundant flavor,” adds Writer-at-Large Elaine Chukan Brown, who reviews wines from Napa. “The combination can be so satisfying, and I’m excited to see it becoming more and more common in these wines.”

But despite Chardonnay’s ascendance in California, there are still under-the-radar bottlings to be found. “The Santa Cruz Mountains remain somewhat of a Chardonnay gem hiding in plain sight, surrounded by the millions of people in Silicon Valley and the greater Bay Area who live less than an hour away,” notes Writer-at-Large Matt Kettmann, who reviews wines from California.

He points to Storrs Winery, a veteran of the region with 35 vintages in bottle, which consistently offers wines with ample fruit and salty minerality. A newer property, Mindego Ridge, has vines planted just 15 years ago, “but its mountainside site, surrounded by redwoods and constantly chilled by the Pacific influence, shows a stunning citrus purity.”

In other words, California Chardonnay is an exciting category worth exploring. These top-reviewed bottles, selected by our Tasting Department, are a great place to start.

“Maybe you love it when it’s fresh, citrus-scented and floral, or decadent and rich, or somewhere in the middle,” Capo says. “No matter your preference, there’s a Chard for every palate.”

Alpha Omega 2021 Toyon Vineyard Chardonnay (Carneros-Napa Valley)

Toasted and buttered baguette aromas waft from the glass as this creamy-textured yet lively wine brings poached pears, candied pineapple, vanilla and white pepper nuances to the palate. Complex and layered, the wine beautifully matches richness with finesse. Best 2025–2032. 97 Points  — Jim Gordon

$160 Alpha Omega Winery

Sangiacomo 2022 Four Siblings Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

The captivating nose of this wine expresses aromas of Anjou pear, honeycomb, marzipan and white flower. On the palate, a kaleidoscope of fresh Golden Delicious apple, pear and Rainier cherry flavors come with a subtle kiss of fresh sage and thyme. A very long finish dances between plush acidity and aromatic intensity. Editor’s Choice. 96 Points  — Tom Capo

$70 Sangiacomo Wines

Storrs 2021 Christie Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains)

The delicate yet intensely mineral nose of this bottling pairs a chalky base with blanched almond, lime peel and grapefruit zest aromas. The palate is zippy and firm, showing a yuzu-driven acidity alongside the unique kick of white pepper as it sails across the palate. 96 Points  — Matt Kettmann

$29 K&L Wines

Three Sticks 2022 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

Bright, focused apple and lemon aromas anchor the nose of this Chardonnay. The palate is clean and lively, displaying flavors of Honeycrisp apple, with tangerine and lemon winding up the intensity. A long, complex and mouthwatering finish comes in a framework of beautifully integrated French oak. Cellar Selection. 96 Points  — T.C.

$59 Wine.com

Flowers 2022 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

This native-yeast-fermented Chardonnay is a swirl of golden sunshine in the glass, with aromas of tangy tangerine, orange blossom and sweet cinnamon on the nose. Bright and balanced, the palate has lovely precision and freshness. Enjoy now–2040. Cellar Selection. 95 Points  — T.C.

$45 Wine.com

Auteur Wines 2022 Green Acres Chardonnay (Carneros)

Freshly linen, orange blossom, zested lemon, and nectarine aromas swirl from the glass of this vibrant and acid-driven Chardonnay. The palate is flush with pineapple and green apple freshness while extended sur-lie ageing with bâtonnage brings texture. Lovers of Chablis and Puligny-Montrachet will be entranced by this style. Editor’s Choice. 95 Points  — T.C.

$65 Auteur Wines

Dutton-Goldfield 2021 Dutton Ranch Walker Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

This elegant wine from Dan Goldfield smells subtle and spicy, tastes creamy and complex and feels bracing and light in texture. The harmony among fresh, crisp apples and pears, light toast and butter nuances and restrained oak toastiness is superb. Editor’s Choice. 96 Points  — J.G.

$55 Dutton-Goldfield

Mindego Ridge 2021 Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains)

This bottling begins with a fantastically dynamic nose, offering shiso, lemongrass, water chestnut and white flower aromas on a tightly woven frame. The palate pops with a minty sense of yuzu and more lemongrass, leaving a sensation in the mouth as flavors of crisp, white-fleshed fruit shine. 96 Points  — M.K.

$48 Mindego Ridge

Cuvaison 2021 Small Lot Hedon Estate Chardonnay (Carneros-Napa Valley)

A classic reserve-style wine, this poached pear and butterscotch-scented beauty reveals toasted almonds, peach nectar, honey and vanilla flavors that expand with each sip and linger nicely on the finish. The wine shows excellent concentration, layering and length. Pair it with filet of sole sauteed in butter. Editor’s Choice. 96 Points  — J.G.

$70 Cuvaison

A truncated version of this list originally appeared in the June/July 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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“Wineries and winemakers get too hung up on vintage-dated and vineyard-designated wines,” says John Falcone, a veteran of Napa and Santa Barbara wine regions who makes Falcone Family Vineyards with his wife, Helen Falcone, from their small estate in Paso Robles. About 15 years ago, the couple launched their multivintage Annaté, inspired by pre-1980s California bottlings that embraced the nonvintage (NV) model.

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Their current release blends Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from 2019, 2020 and 2021. “Not being limited to a single vintage is a great advantage because the texture, aromas, flavors and color can be quite distinct from one year to another with most red grape varieties,” says Falcone. “This allows us to select barrels with more texture and structure from older vintage barrels, and fill the remaining blend with higher tone fruit or varietals from younger barrels to craft a particular style of wine.”

Gary Robinson of Left Bend Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains started his solera-style Mashup in 2010. He was inspired by Sherry as well as the proof-of-concept success of nonvintage Abacus by ZD Wines, which fetches up to $800 a bottle. “Consumers often don’t have the space or patience to age wine,” says Robinson, whose Mashup 7 features five grapes from nine different vineyards across 10 vintages. “Mashup lets our customers experience an aged wine when it’s released. We are committed to a winemaking process that takes time, and you can’t manufacture time.”

Smith Devereux is one of the few Napa brands on board, making the Setta blend as a collaboration with Cedric the Entertainer. “You get to make the best wine from the grapes you grow without the constraints of a number,” says Ian Devereux White, whose current release blends Cab, Merlot and Syrah from 2018 and 2019. “That’s an open door to creativity and a sweet taste of freedom!”

The Sierra Foothills are a nonvintage hotbed. For Lava Cap Winery, it was innovation by necessity. “Our neighborhood bear’s favorite food is our Mourvèdre, and just the Mourvèdre,” says winemaker Nolan Jones, who races the bear each harvest. “Most years, the bear is on the winning side of the battle, and the result has been consistently small yields.”

Recalling his experience at Bollinger in Champagne, Jones combined multiple vintages into a blend. They were initially worried, but everyone loved it, so they kept making the NV Mourvèdre and have since added a Tempranillo and the American River Red blend to their NV portfolio. “It might take breaking some long held traditions, but there is an untapped opportunity for producers across the industry to craft spectacular wines through the use of multiple vintages,” says Jones. “This opportunity will only become more important as the industry grapples with the increasing environmental pressures associated with global warming—fires, frost, drought, flooding … and hungry bears.”

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About 25 minutes south, Miraflores Winery produces Rojo Red; the most recent release is a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Primitivo and Syrah from the 2018 and 2019 vintages. “There is something simplistic and refreshing, yet still challenging, in the winemaking process, by creating a nonvintage wine,” says general manager Ashlee Cuneo. “It is also an incredibly efficient, sustainable and economical way to utilize any extra wine that we have leftover from a previous vintage, which prevents waste along with being able to produce a quality wine that will always be affordable for our customers.”

Nonvintage Wines to Try

Falcone NV Annate XIII Red (Paso Robles)

This is a blend of mostly Petite Sirah plus Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon from across three vintages, making for a unique and exquisitely layered wine. Intensely dark in the glass, the bottling offers stewed and roasted blackberry, black olive and purple-flower aromas. The black fruits of the palate are heavy and impactful yet balanced by graphite, fine tannins and just enough acidity. Editor’s Choice. 93 Points  — Matt Kettmann

$65 Falcone Family Vineyards

Smith Devereux NV Setta Red (Napa Valley)

Opening with toasted oak and graphite aromas, this big, Merlot-dominant blend is deep in dark chocolate, black currants, cedar and oak-char flavors that show good concentration. It boasts a full body, moderate to full tannins and will develop with age. Best from 2027–2033. 93 Points — Jim Gordon

$84 Smith Devereux

Lava Cap NV American River Red Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

A big structure and powerful oak and black-fruit flavors give this full-bodied wine a lot of presence. Aromas of cedar, tobacco and black cherry are followed by punchy berry and cassis flavors wrapped in firm tannins. Best after 2022. 90 Points  — J.G.

$18 Wine.com

This article originally appeared in the June/July 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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There’s no wrong way to do it, and a perfect day just might combine all three. To best navigate this ever-evolving landscape, we sought the advice of wine professionals from across Santa Barbara County who are even more up-to-date on the latest tasting room trends than me.

Given the expansive landscape, we’ve separated our Santa Barbara County suggestions into two guides. One roundup is all about the seaside sips of Santa Barbara proper. This one is focused on the Santa Ynez Valley, its small towns and, to the north, Los Alamos and the Santa Maria Valley. Let’s start our tour in the north and then explore the Sta. Rita Hills before moving deeper east into the Santa Ynez Valley.

Santa Maria Valley & Los Alamos

Los Alamos, a tiny western town that’s recently been dubbed “Little L.A.” due to an influx of hot restaurants, accommodations and shops, lies between the Santa Ynez Valley and the City of Santa Maria, about 20 miles north. Extending east from that city is the Santa Maria Valley, the Central Coast’s first official American Viticultural Area (AVA), which is influenced by the fog and wind of the nearby Pacific Ocean.

Presqu’ile Winery

Conveniently located close to Highway 101, Presqu’ile delivers epic vistas and the cuisine of chef Julie Simon’s cuisine alongside cool-climate wines. “It’s maybe the only tasting room in Santa Barbara County with a direct view of the ocean,” says freelance wine writer Sean Magruder, who touts the operation’s live music performances, horseback rides, bocce ball court and wine cave tour. “That alone offers context to the unique wines and intense marine influence.”

Jonathan Lynn, the wine director at Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe, is more blunt: “Presqu’ile has everything you’ve ever wanted when visiting a winery.”

Foxen Vineyard & Winery

One of Santa Barbara’s pioneering brands, this operation boasts two tasting rooms—one a wooden shack, the other solar-powered and modern with four EV charging stations. It’s located on Foxen Canyon Road, making it an ideal stop when traveling between Santa Maria and Santa Ynez. Photographer Heather Daenitz of wine marketing company Craft & Cluster likes to visit on weekdays to see the team in action.

“Bumping into co-founder/winemaker Billy Wathen and his two border terrier dogs is a very real and hilarious possibility,” says Daenitz. “If consumers are looking for a brand that really walks the talk when it comes to the three pillars of sustainability—environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and, most importantly, social equity—Foxen is it.”

Dovecote Estate Winery

Just south of Santa Maria between Foxen Canyon and Highway 101 is the Alisos Canyon appellation, whose 2020 creation was spearheaded by Noah Rowles of Dovecote Estate Winery. A decade ago, he purchased the renowned Thompson Vineyard, which was planted in 1989, and took its stewardship seriously.

“He had to nurture the incredible history that takes place at this ranch,” says Kace Sarvis, the wine and hospitality director at Pico in nearby Los Alamos. “He’s done an incredible job with the property and has made some exceptional wines.” Tastings are held in a pond-side cabana, totally relaxed and unpretentious. “I bring friends and family here all the time to walk around the pond, enjoy the rich history and taste while relaxing at my own pace,” Sarvis says.

Casa Dumetz Wines

Sonja Magdevski’s Casa Dumetz tasting room, which also serves her brands Clementine Carter and The Feminist Party, helped make Los Alamos the haute-casual capital of tiny-town America. “Clementine Carter is attached to her beer bar, Babi’s Beer Emporium, so if guests are traveling with someone who isn’t a wine drinker, they have something for them as well,” notes Daenitz. “The pop-up Dim Sama located inside is also a great place to get a bite for lunch or as an appetizer before dinner on the weekends.”

A Tribute to Grace

Right down the street from Casa Dumetz, New Zealand native Angela Osborne shares her studies of Grenache at A Tribute to Grace. “To experience a deep dive in a single variety is a rare treat—and even more rare for a grape like Grenache,” says Emily Blackman, the wine director at the Michelin-starred Bell’s in Los Alamos and its sister “seafood tavern” Bar le Cote in Los Olivos. “Not a fan of red wine? No problem, she also makes Grenache Rosé and Grenache Blanc.” If you’re lucky, she’ll crack a bottle of Gracias Madres, a blanc de noir of Grenache.

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Where to Eat: Located in the heart of Los Alamos, Bell’s Restaurant is the blossoming flower atop the entire Santa Barbara County food scene, having won one of the Central Coast’s first Michelin stars. Owners Greg and Daisy Ryan simultaneously lead the charge on social equity and food access initiatives while mentoring others at sister projects like Bar Le Cote in Los Olivos, Na Na Thai in Buellton and Priedite Barbecue, now serving weekends in the bodega across Bell Street.

But the roots of Los Alamos were laid 20 years ago by Clark Staub’s Full of Life Flatbread, which brought regional farmers and ranchers to the table in meaningful ways. It’s still the best place to spot a winemaker chowing down with their family. For breakfast, brave the lines at Bob’s Well Bread for egg-in-a-jar or that mushroom toast.

Where to Stay: Perched over the 101 atop a hill as if it were the Bates Motel—which gets a nod via the onsite restaurant/bar named Norman—the Skyview Los Alamos sports 33 rooms recently redone in a “rustic chic” style. Down on Bell Street, the Alamo Motel plays up the country vibes, too, but only steps from the tiny town’s top restaurants and tasting rooms.

Sta. Rita Hills

As the birthplace of Santa Barbara’s beloved Pinot Noir—and the focus of that wine-loving flick Sideways—the Sta. Rita Hills remains a superstar appellation.

The Hilt Estate

On the far western edge of the appellation is The Hilt Estate, which Magruder says, “flirts with opulence to the sound of the Grateful Dead.” He explains that “with the comfy-yet-rustic barn vibe down pat, they offer a private tasting of library wines to accompany rock hits and distressed leather chairs aging just as gracefully. It’s kind of like the glamping of wine tasting, so it works.”

Meanwhile, the photographer Daenitz and her friends call The Hilt the “Vibes Palace.”

Peake Ranch

At Peake Ranch on the eastern edge of the appellation, Pico’s Sarvis appreciates the area’s sunnier skies and the operation’s sleek design and no-appointments-needed policy. But it’s the controversial take on farming that matters most. “They really rely on science,” says Sarvis. “That may be why these seem to be the cleanest wines that I have come across.”

It’s also a favorite of Tristan Pitre, the wine collections and restaurant manager at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito. “They have a vintage Hummer on property from the Gulf War, which is a fun way to get see the vineyard if you get the chance,” he says.

The Mae Estate

In the middle of the appellation is The Mae Estate, owned by Tyler Winery. Lynn from the Los Olivos Cafe enjoys “sitting down in their private estate with stunning views of their vineyards with some of the best Burgundian varieties Sta. Rita Hills has to offer.” The one-on-one tasting experience, sometimes with renowned winemaker Justin Willett, really helps understand his Old-World approach to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

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Where to Eat: Every winemaker’s go-to ever since opening in 2014, Industrial Eats pairs downhome, shared table vibes with wood-fired cuisine, plus plenty of local wine on tap.

The more classic steakhouse option is Hitching Post II, where restaurateur and winemaker Frank Ostini lords over the red-oak firepits that cook everything from artichokes to quail.

Where to Stay: There are only six rooms at the Inn at Zaca Creek in Buellton, but they’re worth booking just so your walk home from the on-site tavern is short. There are plenty of rooms closer to the freeway at the conveniently located Sideways Inn, where the lounge serves Santa Ynez Sausage. Those seeking an upscale cabin experience—or with your own RVs—can bed down at Flying Flags, a popular spot for families.

Santa Ynez Valley Vineyards & Estates

The 1880s town of Santa Ynez lies in the heart of the valley. The old western town is a prime base for exploring the area’s rolling hillside vineyards and estate wineries, plus the nearby cluster of Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos and Happy Canyon sub AVAs.

Roblar Winery

Located right on Highway 154, Roblar Winery offers a wide range of wines, including the Refugio Ranch bottlings by Gleason Family Vineyards winemaker Max Marshak and cuisine by Chef Peter Cham, who sources ingredients from the on-site farm. “They offer a different food menu nearly every day,” says Daenitz. “Guests can stroll through the garden while sipping on their favorite Roblar wines before they sit down to a delicious meal.”

Amévive

A completely different “estate” experience is visiting winemakers right in the vineyard. “The ‘hip’ thing these days are tastings without tasting rooms,” says Lindsey Reed, a veteran of numerous restaurants who now teaches a wine class at U.C. Santa Barbara. “Small producers, intimate settings, a more educational and personal experience with the people actually making the wine—this is what the next generation of drinkers are drawn to.” Reed recommends setting up a visit at the historic Ibarra-Young Vineyard in the Los Olivos AVA with Amévive, where vigneron Alice Anderson is implementing regenerative techniques.

“She’s the muse of the ethical wine world,” says Reed. “These wines are beautiful, soulful, intentional, true to place without any additions or subtractions and not faulted.”

Piazza Family Wines

Anderson’s tastings are for her club members only, but the winemaker suggests heading to Piazza Family Wines at the top of Ballard Canyon for a similar experience that’s open to all, with an appointment. That tasting features both Piazza and Luna Hart wines, both made by winemaker Gretchen Voelcker, involves a tour of the vineyard and features sweeping views of the entire Ballard Canyon appellation.

Grimm’s Bluff

The easternmost region of Happy Canyon is home to warmer weather varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Both Sarvis and Lynn recommend Grimm’s Bluff, where an invisible edge pond overlooks Lake Cachuma. “This was an insanely stunning property that’s all farmed biodynamic with interesting geology and crazy-looking chickens,” says Sarvis. Lynn adds, “Schedule a tasting at their winery for a tour and take a stroll on their golf carts to see every inch of the breathtaking views of their estate. Let them teach you about biodynamic and organic practices on their estate. End the stroll with a charcuterie plate in their modern chic barn.”

Crown Point Vineyards

Deeper up the canyon is Crown Point Vineyards, where owner Roger Bower and French-born winemaker Simon Faury are repairing the long-ago wounded reputation of Santa Barbara-grown Cab. “They spared no expense when it comes to the winery,” says Lynn. “Take a walk through their scenic views of Happy Canyon, then taste with their estate host and be blown away by some mind-blowing Bordeaux varieties.”

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Where to Eat: Those in the know opt for shawarma and falafel made by the Syrian family who owns Santa Ynez Billiards, and you can follow up with a quick game of pool. The fancier fare of northern Italy, plus exquisite cocktails, are on full display a few blocks away at SY Kitchen. And anyone seeking upscale Mexican will be thoroughly pleased by Dos Carlitos.

Where to Stay: For a bed & breakfast vibe, try the very friendly ForFriends Inn in the middle of the township of Santa Ynez. On the other side of town, a couple blocks away, is The Genevieve, a Victorian-esque property with 20 rooms and The Victor Restaurant & Bar.

Los Olivos

Country hamlets don’t get more postcard-perfect than Los Olivos, a former stagecoach stop that now sports a stunning density of tasting rooms.

Donnachadh Family Wines

The newest kid on the block is Donnachadh Family Wines, which makes wine from an estate vineyard planted on precarious slopes in the Sta. Rita Hills in 2013. “Even in its youth, this site is showing so much promise and I think it will be an iconic Sta. Rita Hills vineyard in no time,” says Blackman. “The wines are made by Ernst Storm and to try these in comparison to his namesake wines at his tasting room just up the block, Storm Wines, is a fun back-to-back visit.”

Carhartt Family Wines

Carhartt Family Wines started in a tiny wood cabin on the main drag of Los Olivos before moving into a slightly larger but still rustic space across the street. “The whole valley has watched as Carhartt has grown from an almost literal hole-in-the-wall winery to what it is today,” says Daenitz, who likes their balance of traditional bottlings with funky, playful wines aimed at Gen Z. “They are one of the best examples of what it takes to create an experience that is welcoming and desirable to the younger generations.”

Liquid Farm

Liquid Farm is the top spot for Sarvis. “What used to be the only bank in Los Olivos is now a swanky and comfortable hangout,” he said. “These wines need no introduction, but their new Sta. Rita sparkling cuvée was my favorite wine at Pico’s recent wine festival, Bubble Bash.”

Stolpman Vineyards

Journalist and social media influencer Vanessa Vin recommends Stolpman Vineyards, whose tasting room acts as a two-for-one spot. “You have a second-generation estate winery making hard-to-find, single-variety Rhône wines done in a traditional way, and a very cool Stolpman Garage right next door serving delicious, carbonic fermented bottling, fresher takes on the classics,” she explains.

Solminer Wine Co.

She’s also partial to Solminer Wine Co. a few doors down, where David and Anna deLaski produce wines inspired by Anna’s European heritage made with grapes grown on their biodynamic, regenerative farm just five minutes away. “Funky Austrian varieties give this downtown Los Olivos tasting room a distinction among the sea of Pinot and Chard,” says Vin.

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Where to Eat: A sister restaurant to SY Kitchen is Nella Kitchen, where Roman-style pizza called pinsa is served alongside rustic Italian cuisine. Across the street is the longstanding Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe, where the bottle list goes deep.

Where to Stay: The biggest hospitality news in recent years was the opening of The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, an Auberge property with all of the culinary bells and whistles promised by the resort company. Just down the block is the 19-room Fess Parker Wine Country Inn, home to Nella.

Solvang

Solvang was founded by Danish immigrants a century ago, and the city’s architecture reflects that heritage, right down to the windmills. There are about a dozen tasting rooms within walking distance of the central park.

Crawford Family Wines

Crawford Family Wines is where Mark and Wendy Horvath serve Pinot Noir, Rhône reds and a variety of whites on their sunny patio as the tourist hordes wander past. Try their recently launched Low Tide Wine Co., which is focused on crisp, coastally influenced whites and pinks like Albariño, Chenin Blanc and rosé of Grenache.

Alma Rosa Winery

Just down the road in a newer indoor-outdoor complex is Alma Rosa Winery, which was founded almost 20 years ago by Richard Sanford, the Pinot Noir pioneer of Santa Barbara County. Sanford passed the reins years ago to winemaker Samra Morris, the first female Bosnian winemaker in the United States. Her takes on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and cool-climate Rhônes are world-class.

Kings Carey

On the outskirts of town is Kings Carey, where the winemaker James Sparks meets visitors by appointment. “Committed to sourcing only organic grapes, these wines are far from ‘natty,’” says Blackman of its Semillon, Grenache, Chardonnay and Syrah bottlings. “And as a die-hard Champagne fan, James has dedicated himself to make some of the best sparkling in the valley.”

Kaena at the Ranch

Further down Highway 246 on the way toward Buellton is Kaena at the Ranch, where Hawaiian-raised Michael Sigouin shares his bold Grenaches on a grassy, picnic-friendly plot along Highway 246. Sigouin says that he makes his wine to pair with Hawaii’s bold flavors, and the ranch’s outdoor spread just adds to the aloha.

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Where to Eat: The classic steakhouse formula is fully stylized at Coast Range, where a super-team of chefs and somms craft menus to appease both the old-school meat eaters and nuanced nouveau palates alike.

Michael and Sarah Cherney’s lunch and dinner menus venture into more creative territories at Peasants Feast. But you can get a taste of their passion squeezed between slices of bread as well: order The Godfather at Peasants Deli & Market, then hit the arcade while you wait.

Where to Stay: There are countless small inns scattered around Solvang, most with Danish facades. But The Landsby most incorporates the “New Nordic” design aesthetic, complete with Scandinavian-influenced dishes on the Mad & Vin menu in the lobby.

The post The Best Wineries (and More) to Visit in the Santa Ynez Valley Right Now appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

But when I was asked to recommend just a dozen tasting rooms out of the more than 100 worthy destinations that I could fire off at a moment’s notice, I froze.

Should I suggest the meet-the-legendary-winemaker place, like Eberle or J. Lohr? Or do visitors want a fancy, full-service affair, a la Daou or Justin? Maybe they want to connect with the region’s history in a stylish setting, through places like Hope Family Wines, or get a deep dive into all the styles that Paso can produce, via spots like Tooth & Nail? Or would the younger, urban vibe be more appealing, which would require a trip to Field Recordings or Union Sacre in Tin City?

Perplexed with how to hone such selections, I gave up and turned to experts who live there and are even more in tune with the latest and greatest spots than myself. From sprawling estates and trendy hangouts to full-service wineries with restaurants and hotels, here are the best places to eat, taste and stay in Paso Robles.

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TOP Winery

Everyone I spoke to for this story suggested TOP Winery. Stanley Barrios and Elena Martinez spent years working double shifts between Los Angeles and Paso to bring their dream to life, are an inspiration to so many people, from aspiring winemakers who hail from underrepresented communities to anyone who appreciates a bootstrap story.

“Stanley is as talented in the cellar as he is humble,” says Alex Wolfe, the general manager and wine director of the popular downtown restaurant Les Petites Canailles. “Rhône blends relays his style consistently in every vintage. Stanley’s red blends stand up to some of the best in the world, but it’s his Roussanne with the moniker ‘Poise’ that steals the show for me. There is no better domestic example of the varietal.”

Stay: Get lost in art and architecture at Inn Paradiso. “It’s the most interesting and unique place,” says Ian Addamo, chef and owner at the tasting menu hotspot Somm’s Kitchen. “It’s two miles from town, but when you’re there, you don’t even know you’re in Paso.”

Eat: Just down the street from TOP is Bronco Burger, a hidden-gem hamburger joint beloved by locals, and just across town is La Reyna Market, home to some of the best burritos in town. Or go fancier by taking your TOP purchases downtown to see Wolfe at LCP.

LXV

Downtown Paso’s tasting rooms can find it hard to compete with visitors seeking estate experiences. Not so at LXV Winery, where Neeta and Kunal Mittal tap their Indian heritage to offer a “Flavor Flight” alongside their wines.

“They make a downtown tasting room work because of the spice tastings,” says Addamo. “I never hear people walk out of that experience unhappy.” He believes that is because the couple truly understands how exotic flavors can be enhanced by the wines. “It’s not the land of make believe,” he adds.

Stay: There’s no shortage of hotels for all price points downtown. Those seeking luxury should opt for Hotel Cheval and The Piccolo, while the Stables Inn offers cowboy chic vibes for less money.

Eat: Book one of the tasting menu experience at Somm’s Kitchen, or sip award-winning cocktails while chowing down on chicken at The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar.

Cass Winery

Located on the rolling golden hills of the Geneseo District, Cass Winery is one of the few places to offer wine tasting, dining and overnight accommodations on one property. Winemaker Sterling Kragten produces wines of various styles across multiple price points, chef Charlie Paladin Wayne keeps the cafe’s menu vibrant, and the Cass Camp’s small group experiences, from ax throwing and archery to olive oil tasting and sommelier training, keeps the crowds coming.

Stay: Set atop the 145-acre Cass Vineyard, The Geneseo Inn transformed shipping containers into stylish hotel rooms, giving guests front-row wine country seats. Want something more traditional? Try the bed & breakfast-style High Ridge Manor.

Eat: The on-site Cass Cafe puts out starters, sandwiches, salads, and wood-fired pizzas at a quick but quality clip.

Le Cuvier

The food and wine pairing protocol at Le Cuvier is revelatory. Chef Rachael Zollo and winemaker Clay Selkirk inspect the cellar, often pulling deeper vintage bottles, and then craft new menus every week. “We want our visiting members and guests to feel like they are coming into our home and give them an idea of how they can share and show off their newfound knowledge in their own kitchens and homes when hosting family or friends,” says Selkirk.

Stay: Just five miles away on Highway 46, the Allegretto Vineyard Resort is a full-service situation with spacious suites, the owner’s global art collection on the walls, a swimming pool and onsite Cello Ristorante & Bar.

Eat: The food hall-ish Paso Market Walk is home to numerous eateries, including the Sonoran-style Mexican cuisine of Finca and the Michelin-recognized, upscale-but-casual restaurant In Bloom, run by longtime Chicago hospitality professionals Chris & Nicole Haisma.

Caelesta Vineyard

Caelesta Vineyard sits on steep hillsides at the end of the Templeton Gap’s cool wind tunnel, imbuing the Farrell family’s Rhône varieties with tremendous depth. But Caelesta may be more famous for its truffles, first harvested in 2021. “A vineyard and truffière tour is a must!” says Cindy Lowe Rynning, a freelance writer and voice behind Grape-Experiences.com. Tours are followed by a tasting and lunch, which features truffles from December to February. “Who needs to travel to the Rhône Valley or Piemonte for a truffle hunt?” she asks.

Stay: A one-minute drive from Caelesta’s estate is Hollyhock Vineyards, where couples can rent a cottage and larger groups can fit into the farm house, all on a working vineyard.

Eat: Finish your truffle tasting off with a juicy steak dinner at The Loading Chute Restaurant & Barn, the heart and soul of the one-block town of Creston.

High Camp Wines

High Camp sits in the dusty wilds of San Miguel, just north of Paso proper, where owners Megan Mouren and Spencer Rawles offer e-bike tours, live music, and family-friendly events like pumpkin carving. “They’re a young couple, so everything they’re doing is very hip and fresh,” says Julie Fischer, who co-founded Paso Robles Wine Merchant in 2020 and will be opening a restaurant next year. “Because it’s San Miguel, you feel like you’re getting this more authentic, Western, cowboy version of Paso, but with a fun energy. They have this synergy.”

Plus, the prices are right, set around the mid-$20s, and they serve 375mLs of almost every wine. “They’re meant for camping, picnicking, and hiking — wine for more casual occasions,” says Fischer. “They’re just cute.”

Stay: Experience agritourism by staying in the glamping trailers at Almond Springs, where you can see the owners work their hayfields and tend to cattle and African Boer goats.

Eat: For a hearty meal, follow long-haul truckers to Jose’s Country Kitchen for pork chops, chicken-fried steaks and more classic diner fare.

Tablas Creek

For an educational experience, head through the oak-lined twists of Adelaida Road to Tablas Creek Vineyard. Founded in the 1990s by wine importer Robert Haas, who worked with the Perrin family of Chateau Beaucastel to identify the best place for Rhône varieties in California, Tablas is “the epitome of Paso,” says Addamo. “You go to that tasting room to learn something.”

Stay: Keep the Rhône rhythm flowing at The Trailer Pond, the collection of vintage campers rented out by Alta Colina, whose Rhône wines also happen to be fantastic.

Eat: The neighboring vineyard Halter Ranch now serves lunch at Le Jardin, including a burger, fish tacos, fried green tomato sandwich and steak frites.

Booker

Whereas Tablas offers a studious wine experience, Booker is a basically the opposite. “It’s like spring break—everyone is young and good-looking,” says Addamo, who credits Eric Jensen for living in a trailer for years to develop the property into one of Paso’s finest. “They did it their way.” The modern architecture conveys a stylish vibe, and the property features numerous “nooks and crannies” for the experience you seek, whether that’s spinning vinyl, playing bocce or just staring at the vineyard.

Stay: Around the corner is SummerWood Winery & Inn, home to nine suites right in between dozens of estate wineries.

Eat: One of the region’s first wineries to regularly serve food, Niner Wine Estates serves a seasonally shifting lunch menu that can be paired with wines from vineyards in both Paso and the Edna Valley.

Copia Vineyards & Winery

In the Adelaida District, Copia Vineyards proprietors Anita and Varinder Sahi pair flights with intriguing dishes that highlight a cacophony of ingredients, textures and flavors. “Often I’ve had pairings with influences from the East, a nod to their Indian heritage,” says Rynning, who explains that the seasonal menu changes at least four times per year. “I can’t wait to return.”

Stay: Stay in the western hills by at The Canyon Villa, where the Playboy Mansion’s former chef and his wife host happy hour every day for guests of their four suites. They also do breakfast and a four-course dinner.

Eat: Occupying a quaint patio in the heart of downtown, Thomas Hill Organics was serving farm-to-table fare before it was a trend, and its menu remains an epicurean north star.

Hawk’s Hill Ranch

Though a newer property, Hawk’s Hill Ranch is located in a critical corner of the Westside, across from Tablas Creek and Halter Ranch. “They take you on four-wheelers throughout the vineyard, where you taste wine in all the different blocks,” says Fischer of Paso Robles Wine Merchant. “They have this manzanita grove where they bring a picnic to end the tour. Their wines are beautiful and they’re made by Anthony Yount and Don Burns, some of the best winemakers in Paso.”

Stay & Eat: A bit deeper into the oak forest is Justin Vineyards & Winery, whose Michelin star-winning restaurant is open for dinner Thursday to Sunday. Complete the evening by staying at the Just INN, their on-site hotel.

Torrin

A veteran consultant for countless brands and mentor to an entire generation of younger winemakers, Scott Hawley puts his heart into Torrin Wines, the personal label he started in 2006. “Scott has been a pillar of our community, and brings everyone around him up while he rises in recognition,” says Wolfe of LCP. “The tasting experience at Torrin is limited to four persons at a time, which makes the visit intimate and informative.” Expect to taste both the Torrin wines as well as the Lagom label, which are tiny batches of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Stay: The lodging this deep in wine country tends to be small properties offering suites, such as the Inn at Opolo that also makes a robust range of wines and the Creekside Inn.

Eat: Head into the quaint town of Templeton for creative brunching at Kitchenette or the classic steakhouse setting of McPhee’s Grill.

Benom

The warehouse district known as Tin City is now home to dozens of producers, but LCP’s Wolfe likes Benom best. “Benom is the product of two brothers, Arnaud and Guillaume Fabre, unifying their French heritage, love for Spanish wine, and the adventurous spirit of Paso,” he says. Wolfe suggests the Contrast blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and says that the “Origin” Cab delivers vintage after vintage.

Stay: Across the 101 freeway is La Bellasera Hotel & Suites, a family-run hotel whose Enoteca Restaurant & Lounge is known as “the wine library.”

Eat: Two of the entire Central Coast’s best eating experiences hide in Tin City: the molecular gastronomy of Six Test Kitchen and the handmade Italian delicacies of Etto Pasta Bar.

The post The Best Wineries (and More) to Visit in Paso Robles Right Now appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

“There’s just a ton of access to seafood,” explains Scar’s proprietor Mikey Giugni, listing off the oysters, clams, scallops, mussels, sea bass, urchins, halibut and rockfish that are reliably plucked from the nearby waters. “All of those things are just like having an epic garden. Really good seafood and caring about what we eat is really the draw for so many of us who live here on the coast.”

Either on his 20-foot boat Camel or from the deck of his winemaker friends’ vessels, Giugni goes fishing out of Morro Bay or around the Channel Islands off of Santa Barbara a few times a month, even weekly st times. Aequorea’s Aaron Jackson, who spearheaded the SLO Coast AVA creation, and Halliotide’s Lucas Pope, who farms many of the region’s vineyards, are also avid fishermen, and seafood culture is infused in almost every wine tasting and meal.

At the Sinor-LaVallee tasting room in Avila Beach, for instance, visitors slurp oysters in the backyard with the sound of waves crashing, enjoying Pinot Noir-based bubbles and crisp Chardonnay grown just a mile away at Bassi Ranch. Nightly specials at Giuseppe’s Cucina Italiana in Pismo Beach—a winemakers’ favorite—may include chopped clam and ’nduja pizza (pair with Dunites’ Albariño), piccata of abalone farmed nearby (Halliotide’s bubbles), frutta di mare with local lobster (Outward’s sparkling Pinot Gris) and soyglazed black cod (an aged Syrah from SinorLaVallee). And down at Center of Effort in the Edna Valley, a special meal from Chef Lindsey Morin may showcase spicy mussels in marinara, or bluefin tuna crudo with estate-grown cucumber, avocado, sweet basil, shaved onion, and heirloom radish. “This is SLO County on a plate,” she says.

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The wines—whether racy Sauvignon Blanc by Cadre, mineral-driven Chardonnay by Tolosa or punchy Pinot Noir by Stephen Ross—connect directly to those dishes, showing savory, briny and acid-driven qualities that recall sea spray and ocean breeze. “The SLO Coast resembles more of a European palate,” says Giugni, who embraces that more deeply with each vintage. “There’s a newer generation of wine professionals who are focused on natural wine, organic farming and minimal intervention. Those things, when combined, make fresher, saltier wines.”

While other California appellations use “Coast” in their names, the SLO Coast is one of the few places where vineyards truly enjoy ocean views. About a dozen properties are either within view of the waves or so close that the maritime influence is constant, including Raj Parr’s Phelan Farm, the wind-battered Derbyshire Vineyard near San Simeon and Stolo Vineyards just behind Cambria.

“A lot of these vineyards are pocket vineyards,” says Giugni, of properties that range between 2 and 7 acres. “That’s very special. They’re being farmed by us, small farmers doing it in-house, not big vineyard management companies. There’s a difference in care because of the size.”

Only approved by the federal government as an official American Viticultural Area, or AVA, in 2022, the SLO Coast is still very much under the radar, even though it includes the long-established Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley appellations. That keeps fruit costs a little bit lower than Paso Robles to the north and Santa Barbara to the south, which means the cost of entry is lower.

“It’s an unrecognized appellation, and that makes good terroir accessible,” notes Giugni, who, with his wife, Gina Giugni, of Lady of the Sunshine Wines, recently took over the Mountain Meadow Vineyard just a few turns before that Highway 46 West turnout. “That means that more adventurous winemakers are able to play with and even farm the fruit. So we’re able to make the wines that inspire us.”

This article originally appeared in the December 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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These chapters in the ongoing saga of San Benito County directly reflect the long arc of California viticulture, a twisting tale of trials, trends, booms and busts whose pages continue to turn today. Underlying it all is the belief that San Benito’s location between the cooling breezes of the Monterey Bay to the west, the blaring sunshine of the San Joaquin Valley to the east and the eccentric soils unearthed by the San Andreas Fault present a world-class location for wine grapes.

That’s what the first people to make wine there bet on more than 150 years ago when they planted vines even before contemporaries who made Sonoma and Napa much more famous. That these lands south of Hollister and east of Salinas have not yet fallen to overdevelopment only sweetens the setting, even if that otherwise idyllic isolation provides plenty of challenges to widespread popularity.

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I’ve known the region since childhood, golfing past rattlesnakes with my dad and exploring bat caves in the Pinnacles, long before it became a national park. My more recent visits, as WE’s reviewer for this part of California, were usually squeezed between appointments in Santa Cruz or Monterey. But this spring, with a steady streak of fascinating San Benito wines showing up in my blind tastings, I dedicated the better part of a week to getting better acquainted with the people driving this latest chapter of San Benito’s story.

As the green grasses of a wet winter faded into toasty yellow landscapes, I shook hands with dusty farmers who’ve tended their own vines for decades and clinked glasses with bigger city-based winemakers whose excitement about grapes like Cabernet Pfeffer, Négrette and Schiava was infectious. My visit culminated with a dinner at Eden Rift, the estate recreated seven years ago on land where a Frenchman named Théophile Vaché planted vines in 1849. Vaché’s dream would become a centerpiece of the 20th century jug-wine juggernaut Almaden Vineyards, and now Eden Rift is investing more than anyone else to elevate San Benito’s reputation for fine wine and hospitality.

Eden Rift’s founder Christian Pillsbury reminded the 20 of us at the table that this was where, in many ways, California wine began, and yet, like so many, he never knew that until very recently.

“It took me by surprise,” he said. “I’d never heard of the place, and I’ve been studying California wine my whole career.” When he described the experience as “being found by a place,” not the other way around, I looked around the table. Everyone was nodding.

Rooted

That sense of wonder and opportunity is luring the next generation of winemakers to San Benito.

The descendant of Chinese immigrants who came to build California in the 1850s, Nat Wong left his career as an ornithologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium—yes, he wrangled penguins—to give the wine life a try five years ago. Though he worked for a Carmel Valley winery, he was struggling to find anyone to sell him fruit to launch his own label, Blade & Talon. He told me, “No one would give me the time of day except Ron Siletto.”

Revered as a saint of the region, Siletto— who was raised by Italian immigrants in Boston and died in 2020 at age 86— discovered San Benito while president of Almaden Vineyards. When that company sold in 1986, he stuck around, buying up properties and becoming a farmer. As large winery buyers got ever bigger through consolidation, Siletto cultivated boutique clients.

“Dad retained this eclectic customer base of a few growers,” John Siletto told me soon after his father died. That included Ken Volk and Bryan Harrington, who both worked with Siletto to celebrate old vines, cheerlead historic varieties like Cab Pfeffer and Négrette (historically known as Pinot St. George) and plant new ones, particularly Italian grapes like Frappato and Corvina that aligned with Ron’s roots.

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“When I met Ron, I was immediately attracted to his inquisitive spirit, and the fact that he saved these vines from oblivion was very endearing,” said Harrington. “We felt like brothers from that moment.”

This past January, Nat Wong became the general manager of Siletto Family Vineyards, overseeing four organically farmed properties whose 100 combined acres feature 30 different grape varieties. “For me, it’s all about the relationships,” said Wong, whose more than 35 clients include Ian Brand, Scott and Jenny Schultz at Jolie-Laide, Rajat Parr and Tank Garage Winery.

The latter’s South African-born winemaker Bertus van Zyl joined Wong and me for a tour of the four vineyards: Three of them— Tres Pinos, Calleri and Wheeler—lie close together along hills that surround a dusty creek, while the fourth, Siletto, is perched high on a windswept ridge looking back at it all. As we took in the view, I wondered why a rising star like Wong—who grew up in Danville, just on the edge of the East Bay’s steady sprawl—would want to relocate to the middle of nowhere. He was quick to reply: “This is the only place in California that reminds me of home.”

Families Tied

“I was born on the vineyard,” says Pat Wirz, his ancient tractor idling nearby as shredded, grease-streaked blue jeans barely hide his legs. “I started pruning vines at five years old with my dad. I probably was in his way.” A stout man of 70 years old whose fabulously bushy mustache is set against a buffed leather skin—“I am like the mountains,” he’d later quip—Wirz proudly reports that his grandson, Cody Wirz, is the fourth generation to be working this property.

The 60-acre Wirz Vineyard features a 1903—or “nineteen-three” in Pat speak— field blend block of Mourvèdre, Zinfandel and Cab Pfeffer (recently identified as Mourtaou, though some believe it’s Gros Verdot), among possibly Palomino and Mission. There are also six acres of Carignan and 45 acres of head-trained Riesling that Pat’s father started planting in the early 1960s.

Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon fame— who’s developing his vanguard Popelouchum estate in nearby San Juan Bautista—built his Pacific Rim Riesling on these vines, and now much is consumed by Ryan Stirm, whose Rieslings are some of the most compelling wines I’ve tasted all year. Other clients include Big Basin, Ser and Birichino in Santa Cruz, Maidenstoen in San Luis Obispo and Kobza Wines in nearby Salinas, which produces a field blend of that old mixed block. Many of these can be found on the shelves of Crave Wine Company in downtown Hollister, which wine industry veterans Mike Kohne and Maura Cooper just opened in January to provide a retail showcase for the county’s producers.

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When asked whether he hires farming companies to handle the vines at all, as most growers do, Wirz, who also ranches about 100 cattle on 1,800 surrounding acres, shook his head matter-of-factly, replying, “I’ve just taken care of it.”

Down the road, as longhorns and horses meandered by, Gillian Enz and her dad, Bob Enz, grilled up some sausages for lunch while discussing how he went from being a Tokyo- and New York-raised tunnel engineer to buying one of the oldest existing vineyards anywhere near here. “I didn’t know anything,” he said of becoming the farmer of what’s now known as the Enz Vineyard in 1967, “but I got my nose dirty real quick.” He’s still moving earth, too, in the form of a granite mine just past the historic ruins of Lime Kiln Valley, the once-thriving limestone-mining town that fueled the building of San Francisco and Santa Clara County.

After we tried some Zinfandels made by Hubba and Rexford from Gillian’s own vineyard as well as a surprisingly alive 1979 Zin from the old vines, Bob showed me his favorite bushes. “These are the oldest orange muscat vines in California,” said Enz, who believes they date back to 1886. “They still thrive here.” Like so many San Benito properties, the head-trained old vines of the Enz and Wirz vineyards don’t need watering to survive, yet another reason vintners like Ian Brand and Ken Volk worked so hard over the years to bring winemaker attention to the properties.

The 350-acre Gimelli Vineyards includes what’s likely the largest block of Cab Pfeffer in the world, about a half-dozen acres. Those vines, which date back to at least 1908, didn’t show any stress during the driest days of recent droughts, according to Ken Gimelli.

Gimelli bought the first of his now sprawling holdings in 1995, six years after his brother Joseph Gimelli started Pietra Santa Winery on the old Almaden property. (Eden Rift bought Pietra Santa in 2016.) The brothers, whose ancestors peddled fruit and flowers in San Jose, built their fortunes in waste management before heading south to reinvigorate old vineyards.

Ken is enthralled by his property’s history, which began more than 120 years ago as El Gabilan Vineyard. It provided many of the cuttings for the rest of the old San Benito planting, said Gimelli, as well as rootstock for the redevelopment of phylloxera-scourged France. He doesn’t have any children to inherit his legacy, but doesn’t plan to stop working anytime soon. He’s still plotting what to do with the 19th-century church bells that he’s got stowed in a 1906 barn.

While the region’s formerly thriving Blenheim apricot industry is mostly gone— you can get a peek at the San Benito County Historical Park—the grapes appear here to stay. Said Wong, who’s in San Benito for the long haul, “People here are proud of the land that they’ve farmed for generations.”

Future Present

San Benito’s sustainability push is sharpest at Paicines Ranch, where owner Sallie Calhoun is turning her software fortune into a 7,600-acre model of regenerative farming. After buying the land in 2001, Calhoun found a regenerative leader in Kelly Mulville, whose life found direction at a young age in El Paso when he was given a hawk to raise.

“That experience of the bird made me interested in the natural world,” said Mulville. “Then I read Silent Spring and have been depressed ever since.”

Mulville raised chilies in West Texas, and then worked on an organic farm in Colorado, where he went wine tasting one day. “Within two years, I was putting in a vineyard,” he said. “Bouncing between livestock and crops and wine grapes allowed me to combine them all at once.”

At Paicines, he’s creating a vineyard that’s both enologically and ecologically in tune, opting to plant the 25-acre vineyard with grapes like Grenache, Assyrtiko and Verdelho that thrive in warming climates. “Let’s create something from the get-go that uses the intelligence of nature,” said Mulville, who lifted the trellis system nearly overhead in order to run about 1,700 sheep in the vineyard year-round. “They don’t cost money,” he said of the sheep, which are also sold for meat. “They make money.”

The native plant, insect and bird populations—which were hammered by conventional vineyard management on the same lands from 1965 to 1995—are booming, including a super-rare tri-colored blackbird that attracted birdwatchers from all over. Also flocking are winemakers like James Jelks of Florèz Wines, Angela Osborne of A Tribute to Grace, and Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo of Camins 2 Dreams, eager to bottle the grapes that Mulville finished planting in 2020.

Megan Bell uses them in her Margins Wines, which she crafts in a former apple warehouse near Watsonville. “This works great for everybody, including the planet,” said Bell, who’s successfully encouraging other growers to adopt increasingly sustainable means.

Are customers willing to try grapes like Assyrtiko or Verdelho that they may only know from trips to Greece and Portugal? Bell said the next generation of wine lovers isn’t fazed, explaining, “They’re just interested in new things.”

Both Bell and Mulville joined us for dinner that night at Eden Rift, where we met Josh Hammerling, who makes vivacious bubbles for his eponymous brand in a Berkeley warehouse, and Tracey Rogers Brandt of Donkey & Goat, whose Cab Pfeffer, Négrette and Falanghina are downright thrilling. Familiar faces had gathered too: longtime Central Coast champion Ian Brand; somm-turned-vintner Chris Miller of Seabold Cellars; Calera winemaker and Hollister native Mike Waller, who was hired by the late Josh Jensen in 2007; and Riley Hubbard, who traveled north from Paso Robles to show her Hubba Wines.

On the table, alongside Paicines Ranch lamb and locally grown produce, were dozens of bottles, including some from DeRose, the former Almaden property next door, Bryan Harrington (also in attendance), and Ken Volk, who passed me some bottles at his home in San Luis Obispo on my drive north. We tasted and toasted the legacies, but the dinner felt far more about the future than the past, like we were all looking into the verge.

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The next morning, Christian Pillsbury toured me around Eden Rift, through the terraced blocks, past an area being ripped for more vines, and toward the mounds of white dust from an active limestone quarry to the south. “We’ve got young wood on top,” said Pillsbury of recent regrafts, “and a root system that’s sucking that limestone.”

Our last stop was the barely visible hole of a quicksilver mine hand-cut by homesteaders back in the 1800s, which was also where Jensen aged his first-ever barrel of Calera wine a half-century ago. We ducked in and wandered back, literally traveling through the dreams of San Benito history, some that died, others that thrived. Then we turned back toward the entrance, where a bright, piercing light guided us back into the present.

This article originally appeared in the October 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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Today, there are about 90 acres of mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards being grown on these exposed slopes, which are less than 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean and just outside of the northwest boundary of the Carmel Valley AVA. With another dozen acres in the works and the potential to more than double that acreage in the future, a small community of vintners—led by the owners of Pelio, Messier and Albatross Ridge vineyards—are now advocating for their own appellation to showcase this distinct terroir. In October, they submitted an application to the federal government to create the Carmel Coast AVA, which would encompass more than 4,100 total acres.

Something Different in the Air—and the Soil

“As far as Monterey County goes, this is the most exciting area that I get fruit from,” proclaims winemaker Greg Vita, who’s been consulting for wineries in the Carmel Valley and throughout Monterey since 1994. He first started working on these hillsides about 15 years ago at Holman Ranch, which sits just outside of the proposed appellation, but enjoys similar coastal influence. In 2014, Vita took over farming at Pelio and has been involved with the Messier project since it started in 2018.

While the temperature differences are quite obvious compared to the existing Carmel Valley appellation, Vita believes the Carmel Coast is also distinct from Monterey’s other maritime-influenced star: the Santa Lucia Highlands.

“The difference between the fruit is night and day,” says Vita. “The Santa Lucia Highlands has more cherry Lifesaver flavors and lighter tannins. You go to Pelio, which has really small berries and small clusters, and there’s a lot more tannin. The Chardonnays are much more Chablis-like—not a lot of fruit, but with more minerally, wet-granite characteristics that come through. Both the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are extremely long-lasting, where I feel like the Santa Lucia Highlands wines tend to reach maturity much quicker.”

Garrett Bowlus stumbled into the region on a family vacation about 15 years ago, around the time he and his father were thinking of planting vines in Oregon. They learned that Pinot wasn’t picked there until late October, sometimes November, even with budbreak in March. “That was a good sign to us,” says Bowlus. “The hangtime is just crazy.”

He was further entranced by the soils, a chalky mix of sedimentary rocks, much of it uplifted ancient seabed full of diatomaceous earth. “When you walk up there, it’s all stone, just everywhere,” he says. “The project took on a bigger scale because it was so exciting.”

Winemakers Bet Big on the Carmel Coast

Instead of planting a handful of acres in Oregon, Bowlus and his father went all in, developing 25 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on windswept hilltops. They called the vineyard Albatross Ridge—a nod to a great-grandfather who flew sailplanes off these same ridges in the 1930s—and became the most public proponents for the region, even putting “Carmel Coast” on their labels.

The Montreal-born, Texas-residing engineering executive Luc Messier was also drawn to the region from afar. With the help of Etienne Grivot of Domaine Jean Grivot in Burgundy, Messier was looking from France to Oregon to Sonoma for a promising place to plant grapes.

“We love the terroir and the climate,” says Messier, who believes that the Carmel Coast will be less affected by global warming than other wine regions because of the deep, cold waters of the nearby Monterey Bay. They planted about 20 acres, split between Pinot and Chardonnay, and imported equipment from Burgundy to make the wines. “We’re doing it with New World fruit and Old World recipes,” says Messier, who was impressed with his vineyard’s inaugural fruit. “We are very happy with the first harvest. We think it will be very interesting.”

In addition to estate bottlings, these Carmel Coast vineyards sell fruit to winemakers such as Samuel Louis Smith, who uses both Pelio and Albatross Ridge in his eponymous brand.

“The combination of white shale and clay in this cool climate seems to achieve the perfect balance for what I’m trying to achieve: wines that are a bit leaner and more structure-driven, without being too bony,” says Smith, who’s also the winemaker at Morgan Winery in the Santa Lucia Highlands. “Regardless of winemaking style, this zone tends to promote wines with a bit more earthiness in the foreground, while the fruitiness plays more of a supporting role.”

Though the Carmel Coast buzz is relatively new, the Talbott family planted Diamond T Vineyard on these same slopes back in the 1980s.

“I was a trailblazer, for sure, because I was told by a lot of people that it was the wrong varietals and I was too close to the ocean and I wouldn’t be able to get my brix,” recalls Robb Talbott, who planted Chardonnay at Diamond T in 1982 and added Pinot Noir in the late 1990s. “I proved them wrong.”

The older vintages of those wines were riper than the styles made today, but they still carry the maritime hallmarks of the region. “You can taste the location, that natural freshness, the minerality and the saline quality of the wines,” says Bowlus. “They’re very unique and they speak to the soils and the closeness of the coast.”

Making the Case for a New AVA

To prove that the Carmel Coast deserves its own appellation, the vintners hired geographic consultant Patrick Shabram, who’s worked on numerous other AVA proposals across California, from the Sta. Rita Hills to the West Sonoma Coast. Though he lives in Colorado, his family moved to Carmel Valley when he was a senior in high school, so he knows the area well.

He found that Monterey shale and other sedimentary rocks dominate the landscape on the region’s ridges, making them distinct from the granitic soils found further down the valley. “The soil was a clear delineator, more than I was expecting to be honest,” explains Shabram.

He was even more surprised to discover how much cooler the Carmel Coast vineyards are, even compared to the western edges of the Carmel Valley appellation. He made those temperatures the primary argument in the application, which also includes two older, small vineyards closer to the valley floor at Folktale and Carmel Valley Ranch.

“You can actually see the waves crashing from Albatross Ridge,” said Shabram. “There’s nothing disrupting that movement of marine air.”

With the application submitted, the vintners must now patiently await the AVA approval process, which can take years even without any opposition or amendments. When it happens, Vita believes it will help the entire concept of Carmel wine.

“We’re dividing Carmel Valley like it should be,” says the veteran. “Most of the people in Carmel Valley proper are growing heavier reds, and this area is more for cool varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The intensity we get is tremendous because of the slow ripening. It’s just a totally different than anything else in Monterey County.”

The post Is the Carmel Coast California’s Next Pinot Noir Star? appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

There’s no shortage of such properties on California’s Central Coast. From Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara, towering mountains drop directly into the frigid ocean. The topography opens valleys to steady sea breezes that moderate long growing seasons and unleash unique soil combinations, from sandy to chalky to volcanic, each creating distinctive flavors and textures in finished wines. While some of these are monopole estates used by just one winery, most of the region’s vineyards grow grapes for multiple brands, opening windows into the defining characteristics of each property.

To celebrate this shared experience, we’re showcasing four of the most important Central Coast vineyards, from Monterey County’s Santa Lucia Highlands down to the Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County. Together, they exemplify the wide range of wine styles that can be made along this increasingly important stretch of coastline.

Santa Barbara’s Historic Home of Pinot Noir

Sanford & Benedict Vineyard

In 1971, when Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict scoured the western reaches of the Santa Ynez Valley for an ideal place to grow Pinot Noir, their initial motivation was climatic, chasing the temperature as it dropped closer to the coast. They came upon a bean farm that was properly chilled but also slightly protected from the persistent wind. It was completely distinct geologically, due to a landslide that had spilled a rare mix of chert, shale and diatomaceous earth.

“Sanford & Benedict was definitely about two guys on a mission, looking for this spot, knowing that they had something, and keeping their fingers crossed for a few years that it was true—and it was,” says Trey Fletcher, senior winemaker for Sanford Winery, which owns Sanford & Benedict Vineyard. “That landslide unearthed a diversity of deep soils that have incredible water-holding capacity. It’s incredibly rare to find that combination.”

As such, Sanford & Benedict is “very much a vineyard that looks to the earth for its influence,” says Fletcher, who likes to hunt for chanterelles and other mushrooms in the hills behind the vineyard. “There’s a sweet earthiness, a sweet forest-floor character aromatically that’s very unique.” He also believes the “tremendously silky and satiny” texture is a hallmark.

The vineyard’s lauded 1976 vintage proved that Pinot Noir can work as far south as Santa Barbara County and sparked a planting revolution in the nearby hills, eventually leading to the creation of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation in 2001.

Of the 150 acres planted—a quarter to Chardonnay, the rest to Pinot Noir—there remain 58 acres of own-rooted old vines from the early 1970s that are in “very good shape,” says Fletcher. He makes about 10 different wines from this vineyard alone, including three sparklers, an old-vine bottling and a handful of block designates. But more than a dozen clients also buy fruit from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, including Chanin, Sandhi, Margerum, The Hilt and Fess Parker.

“Over the years I have been lucky to work with many of California’s great vineyards in Carneros, Russian River, Sonoma Coast and, of course, Santa Barbara,” says Gavin Chanin, who’s bought Sanford & Benedict fruit for his eponymous brand since 2012. “I have also spent time walking and talking to people who work many of the great vineyards around the world. To me it is undeniable that S&B is one of the best vineyards not only just in Santa Barbara, but in the world.”

Quality and Quantity in Paso Robles

French Camp Vineyard

About 35 miles southeast of Paso Robles, seemingly endless golden hills of dry grass are suddenly interrupted by an oasis of emerald green.

This is the French Camp Vineyard, more than 1,200 acres that were planted back in 1972. It remains a critical grape source for wineries both large, such as WX, Duckhorn and Fetzer, and small, such as Herman Story and Giornata. It’s one of three vineyards planted by the Miller family, which also owns two other critical Central Coast properties in the Santa Maria Valley: Bien Nacido Vineyard, which is called the “most vineyard-designated vineyard in the world,” and Solomon Hills Vineyard, which rides that appellation’s westernmost edge.

The largest property in the Paso Robles Highlands appellation, French Camp is a masterclass in viticulture, showcasing both modernized machine harvesting for value-minded wines as well as hands-on organic farming for boutique bottlings. The property’s 23 different varieties enjoy massive shifts of about 50 degrees from day to night, says Greg O’Quest, longtime vineyard manager.

“As the crow flies, we’re only about 30 miles from the rock in Morro Bay,” he says.

Jonathan Nagy is the top winemaker for the Miller Family Wine Company, in charge of brands such as J. Wilkes, which sources Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Viognier and Cabernet Franc from French Camp. After years working with Santa Barbara’s cool-climate sites, he was initially skeptical about the quality of these remote grapes.

“But I was surprised in a good way—it holds acidity really well,” he says, noticing significant differences compared to other appellations.

“Tasting Cab from here versus the rest of Paso, it’s like, ‘Wow, I see why there is an appellation here.’” – Jonathan Nagy, Miller Family Wine 

There’s a lot of excitement surrounding grapes from the smaller blocks, like the hilltop Petite Sirah used by Herman Story, or the Lagrein sourced by Alapay Cellars. Stephy Terrizzi of Giornata Wines, which buys Aglianico from the property, is continually amazed by French Camp, which is so remote that it sells gas to employees.

“There is no cell service, and I really feel like I am in the Wild West when I am there,” she says. “It’s remarkable that such a wild vineyard so far off the beaten path can consistently produce such high-quality grapes. The resulting wine is floral, spicy and balanced yet very complete on the palate. It’s…complex, crowd-pleasing and consistent year after year.”

Consistency in the Santa Lucia Highlands

Garys’ Vineyard

At first glance, the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation extends across a monotonous bench above the Salinas River and beneath the dark, craggy mountains that eventually reach Big Sur. But on the ground, each vineyard shows considerable differences in aspect, soil, clone and personality—as in, the people who are behind each property.

For Garys’ Vineyard, that would be the two Garys: Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni, who both hail from the region’s multigenerational Swiss-Italian farming families.

Though Garys’ Vineyard did not exist until 1997, its origins go back to 1982, when Pisoni established his family vineyard a few miles south. “Dad was one of the first dudes up here planting wine grapes with a focus on quality and a focus on Pinot Noir,” says Mark Pisoni, who’s in charge of farming for the family today.

In 1996, Franscioni planted his first vineyard, named Rosella’s after his wife, and the next year, the two Garys teamed up, planting about 50 acres of the Pisoni clone of Pinot Noir, which has long been rumored to be from La Tache in Burgundy. (They’ve since added Clone 23 and Mount Eden.)

“The combination of that clone planted on the sloping, wind-whipped and well-drained benchland around the mid-Santa Lucia Highlands gives a wine with a unique style all its own,” says Dean De Korth, winemaker for Bernardus, who first worked with Garys’ when he was at Morgan Winery in the late 1990s. “It typically has an amazing depth of complex flavors with expressive red fruits and notes of mineral and spice.”

Franscioni believes the vineyard’s 250-foot elevation differential is part of what makes the site special.

“The bottom area is often picked two weeks before the top of the vineyard,” he says. “This has a lot to do with the flavor profiles.”

Today, they sell the grapes to more than a dozen producers, including Kosta Browne, Red Stitch, Testarossa and Twomey. Siduri founder Adam Lee started with Garys’ on the first vintage of 1999 and even has a block named after his son Christian, who was born that year. He still uses Garys’ for his Clarice Wine Company and loves the rocky soils, which are rare on this side of the appellation.

“I think this leads to a wine with more structure and overall grip,” says Lee. “These are not shy wines when it comes to fruit, but that is balanced out by that mineral-like structure that comes from the soils.

Capturing Coastal Crispness

Spanish Springs Vineyard

Just two miles from the clam chowder shacks and surf shops of Pismo Beach in San Luis Obispo County, Spanish Springs Vineyard occupies the east-facing flanks of Price Canyon atop sandy, acid-retaining soils, with occasional piles of fractured shale visible beneath the vines.

Planted in 2007, the 92-acre vineyard, which is owned by developer Henry Warshaw and farmed by Pacific Coast Farming, now sells to three dozen wineries, making it one of the most popular vineyards anywhere.

“You’re far enough away from the ocean where you’re not sitting in the fog, but you’re close enough to the ocean that it’s emanating those cool climate aspects,” says Coby Parker-Garcia, who’s been making wines in the nearby Edna Valley since 2002 and started his own brand called El Lugar Wines in 2013. “I think of the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley as very coastal AVAs. Spanish Springs trumps that. It’s twice as close to the ocean, if not closer.”

Though most of the property is Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, there’s also Syrah, Grenache, Albariño, Pinot Gris, Viognier and Barbera. Steve Dooley of Stephen Ross Cellars, which makes a flinty Albariño from the property, believes that the long hang times make for pronounced varietal fruit expressions.

“The Albariño has great acidity and displays a coastal energy, which is consistent across all the varieties grown there,” says Dooley.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay remain the workhorse varieties and are the sole bottlings for Oceano Wines. Co-owner Rachel Martin, who also makes wine in Virginia, was so smitten upon first visiting in 2016 that she signed up for six tons of Chardonnay on the spot. Oceano Winemaker Marbue Marke believes, alongside the property’s clonal diversity, “multiple exposures and hillside slopes” create microclimates that enhance complexity.

“Probably most significantly,” he says, “it brings brightness and balance with its low pH at maximum ripeness, thanks to the soil and cooling ocean breeze.”

For Parker-Garcia of El Lugar, Spanish Springs “just makes wines that truly show a sense of place.” While his Pinot Noir is savory, his Syrah is especially characteristic, offering plenty of iodine and kelp notes.

“You do get that salinity, that nori character in the wines,” he says.

The post Golden State Terroir: Four Central Coast Vineyards to Know appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Given the appellation’s more than 90,000 vineyard acres planted across nearly 300 miles, from the San Francisco Bay to the Santa Barbara coast, the variety shouldn’t surprise.  

But recent interest in more transparent wines unleashed a wave of winemakers eager to explore such austere styles. Melville Winery packs fruit with herbs like few others, while Scar of the Sea, Soquel Vineyards and Tread, the new Zaca Mesa brand, combine energy with elegance.  

Cool-climate vineyards are key to this style, according to Cole Thomas of Madson Wines, which sources from the Santa Cruz Mountains then uses native yeasts and mostly neutral oak in the cellar. Due to old politics, the Santa Cruz Mountains are technically not in the Central Coast AVA, but they’re grouped together for this analysis. “Ultimately, we do these things to make a wine that is expressive and youthful upon release,” says Thomas. “The goal is to produce wines that will do better decanted or with time, aging in the cellar.” 

However, there’s no shortage of rich Pinot Noir from the Central Coast. Loring Wine Company makes powerful wines from across the region, with a particularly opulent Santa Lucia Highlands bottling. Fess Parker and Landmark in the Sta. Rita Hills aren’t afraid of oak, and wineries in Paso Robles, such as Sculpterra and Asuncion Ridge, go bold as well.  

As a brand built on richer wine, Kosta Browne is scaling back a bit, but the recent wines remain full of plump fruit. “Over the years, we’ve fine-tuned our style by focusing on balancing California’s natural gorgeous fruit profile in a slightly more elegant tone, while remaining true to our bold identity,” says Winemaker Julien Howsepian, who credits the Central Coast’s aging vineyards for producing more nuanced grapes today. 

Explore the many styles of Central Coast Pinot Noir with these 12 recently reviewed wines. 

Melville 2019 Sandy’s Block Estate Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills); $50, 97 points. This wine starts with aromas of pine needle and tarragon, with joyous bowlfuls of ripe yet snappy raspberry and cherry chiming in. Herbal elegance shines throughout the sip, giving eucalyptus-like depth to the juicy red-fruit flavors. 

Kosta Browne 2018 Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands); $165, 96 points. Dark cherry, sweet sage, light cardamom cream and a steely minerality are expertly integrated on the nose of this bottling from an iconic vineyard. It’s a hearty wine on the palate, loaded with both roasted cherry and taut raspberry, but it’s the array of chaparral herbs, from wild thyme to juniper and bay leaf, that provide the most intrigue. 

Madson 2019 Ascona Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Cruz Mountains); $50, 96 points. Quite light in the glass, this exciting bottling offers pronounced aromas of thyme, juniper and green peppercorn, with just the right amount of crisp red fruit. The taut and fresh flavors of cranberry and pomegranate are wrapped in tea leaves and pine needles on the engaging palate. 

Scar of the Sea 2019 Bassi Vineyard Pinot Noir (San Luis Obispo County); $36, 94 points. The epitome of zestiness in a red wine, this lightly colored bottling begins with tart cranberry, orange zest, peppercorn and a hint of eucalyptus oil on the nose. Sichuan pepper and green-peppercorn flavors spice up the palate, where pomegranate and fresh acidity would pair well even with delicate fish. Editors’ Choice. 

Soquel Vineyards 2019 Coast Grade Vineyard Partners’ Reserve Pinot Noir (Ben Lomond Mountain); $50, 94 points. Fresh and perfectly ripe aromas of strawberry and black raspberry meet with forest notes of juniper and bay plus a rusty minerality on the nose of this bottling. Grippy tannins frame the layered sip, where pomegranate and dark-plum flavors are woven through lavender, tea-leaf, cardamom and even coriander elements. 

Tread 2019 Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County); $40, 94 points. This new brand from Zaca Mesa focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and this countywide Pinot blend is a stunner. Aromas of rainy slate, pomegranate and hibiscus roll into a palate of sumac, red fruit and light game that sizzles with acidity. Editors’ Choice. 

Fess Parker 2018 Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills); $60, 93 points. Fairly dark in the glass, this bottling from a historic vineyard offers the telltale hints of wet earth and light game as well as dark-fruit elements of cherry and even blueberry, with a strong wood-spice scent. The palate is hearty with baked red currant and orange-rind flavors, made more complex by the dried sage, intriguing game and grippy tannins. 

Loring Wine Company 2019 Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County); $29, 93 points. All the hallmarks of Brian Loring’s style are in this countywide blend, from beautifully ripe aromas of baked boysenberry to fresh lavender florals to warm notes of buttery pastry. Tension and freshness frame the sip, giving structure and vibrancy to the baked berry and vanilla flavors. Editors’ Choice. 

Scott Family 2018 Dijon Clone Pinot Noir (Arroyo Secco); $45, 93 points. Light in the glass, this bottling offers herbal and fresh aromas of pine needle as well as iron and sour cherry on the nose. The herbal tones prove even more delicious on the high-acid palate, where juniper and moss add depth to a snappy and fresh raspberry flavor. 

Calera 2018 Pinot Noir (Central Coast); $30, 92 points. Fresh boysenberry and cranberry aromas are wrapped in a rusty iron note on the nose of this bottling. There’s a tarry tone to the sip, which is firm in tension and offers flavors of black plum, lavender and cracked pepper. 

Sculpterra 2018 Estate Pinot Noir (Paso Robles); $36, 90 points. There’s no wonder that the warmer climates of Paso Robles produce riper styles of Pinot Noir, but that’s perfectly pleasant for those craving fruit. This bottling begins with cherry compote, cola candy and vanilla on the nose, leading into a full palate of generous spice-cake flavors that weave through the richer cherry and orange rind elements. 

Golden 2018 Pinot Noir (Monterey County); $13, 89 points. Dried cherry, earth and dried mushroom aromas show on the nose of this well-priced bottling. Tart cranberry flavors meet with crumpled thyme and sage on the palate, as well as some loamy earth. Best Buy. 

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As much of that history slips away with the march of time, a number of the region’s wineries embrace these chapters with pride. But the best of these brands aren’t content to remind us of yesteryear. They’re also focused on the future, evolving constantly to compete with the best wines in the world.

Few projects represent this better than Eden Rift in San Benito County, which has breathed new life into a bucolic property first planted in 1849.

Just to the southwest in the Carmel Valley, Massa Estate has revived the old Durney Vineyard, planted in 1968. Down in Paso Robles, meanwhile, the Dusi family continues a Zinfandel heritage that’s a century old.

In southern San Luis Obispo County, Center of Effort has turned a faded Edna Valley facility into a hotbed of high-quality production. And in the Sta.Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County, Peake Ranch pays homage to a former owner, the late artist Channing Peake, and the wine industry itself. It highlights the very spot where regional pioneers first plotted a new appellation more than two decades ago.

All together, these producers teach strong lessons in how respect for the past can be a key strategy for a thriving future.

More than 170 Years of History

Eden Rift Vineyards

After trying for nearly two years to find a historic California vineyard to purchase, preserve and promote, wine industry veteran Christian Pillsbury learned of a ranch in the Cienega Valley of San Benito County.

“I could immediately see that this was the right thing,” he says. “It had everything that we wanted to accomplish. It had lost its way and was at risk of being lost forever.”

Frenchman Theophile Vache planted the original vines here in 1849 and was one of the first people to plant Pinot Noir in California back in 1860. The property, which would later be renamed Eden Rift, featured a marvelous mansion and Zinfandel vines, both dating back to 1906 and the joint ownership of Captain Jules Jacques St. Hubert, a winemaker, and a Chicago grain broker named John Dickinson. It endured many peaks and valleys, from widespread renown under Dickinson as well as proprietors named Palmtag and Valliant.

When he bought the property at the end of 2016, Pillsbury began research that may never end.

“What we’ve done is peel the paint off of this property and just understand what was here and when,” he says. “To find something that is a fount of authentic American and Californian viticultural history, it gets my heart racing.”

In 2017, he and Cory Waller, the winemaker, began to replant much of the vineyard, now about 65% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. They added terraced blocks of Pinot Gris, some Rhône grapes and a new block of Trousseau, which Vache had also planted. Wines made from those, along with that historic Zin, are sold worldwide.

“If you’re from San Benito County, there is a swelling of pride,” says Pills bury, who’s from San Francisco. “And if you’re from New York or Chicago or Tokyo, discovering something new that has been lost in the mists of time is fantastic.”

Caring for Coastal Mountain Cabernet

Massa Estate

“For a vineyard of this age to be in the coastal mountains and be relatively unknown, but still capable of this quality, is just plain unheard of,” says Ian Brand, winemaker for Massa Estate. He’s helping longtime Monterey County farmers Bill and Laurie Massa, who bought this ranch in 2018, rejuvenate half-century-old vines and reopen a long-shuttered winery.

In the remote Cachagua area of the Carmel Valley, the property was planted with seven acres of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1968. It was known as the Durney Vineyard, and more acres of Cab, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir would follow. The own-rooted cuttings, which came from the historic Mirassou Winery vineyards of the Santa Clara Valley, still thrive today.

“The Durney wines have long been the stuff of legend locally,” says Brand, who points to 1978 as a particularly compelling vintage. “But only whispers of that fame extended beyond the region.”

Over time, the vineyard has grown to about 85 acres, with a switch to organic farming in 1996, when it was known as the Heller Estate. When the Massas bought the property, the first tasks were to improve vine health and connect grape buyers with the right winemakers. That’s so far included Megan Bell of Margins Wine, Joshua Hammerling of Blue Ox, Matt Nagy of Benevolent Neglect, Jaime Motley and Rajat Parr.

Plans call to remodel existing structures, which include a small chapel, into a retreat and event space, and to also make the winery functional.

“It’s outfitted with all the latest technology from 1980,” says Brand. “The idea is to move all the production back up there.”

He says that several younger winemakers are interested in the fulltime gig when that’s available.

“People want to make it sing again,” says Brand, who’s as excited about the potential at Massa as he is at the many old-vine properties he’s discovered across the region.

“The fact that we can grow in these rugged areas a few miles from the coast and capture the cooling influence of that refracted sunlight and licks of fog, and do it all at elevation is something absolutely unique to California, and unique to this section of the Central Coast,” he says.

“It’s a story that needs to be told and reflected more.”

Generational Zinfandel

J. Dusi Wines

“Growing up, this was our life,” says Janelle Dusi, minutes after she finished a morning pick of Zinfandel from her family’s Paso Robles ranch on the east edge of Highway 101, planted in 1926.

“We were expected to do everything,” says her brother Matt Dusi. “You’d get shamed if you didn’t show up.”

In 1907, Sylvester Dusi left the Northern Italian village of Ono Degno, near Lake Garda, to work the coal mines of Pennsylvania. He then headed west, where he opened a hotel in Paso Robles in 1921.

The next year, he married Caterina Gazzaroli, who’d come to work in the hotel from Casto, Italy, and they planted vines four years later. Their sons, Guido, Dante and Benito, carried on the family’s hospitality and vineyard pursuits. They planted more Zinfandel in 1945, just west of Highway 101.

Though they mostly sold grapes, the Dusis made commercial wine when grape prices fell in the 1950s. They sold it through a small tasting room on their ranch, the first ever along 101. The structure still stands, its shelves loaded with 50-year-old bottles. The family focused on farming for the next 50 years, and it remains a major chunk of their business, with grapes sold to Ridge Vineyards, Turley Wine Cellars, Tobin James Cellars and other Zinfandel stars.

But in 2005, fourth-generation vintner Janelle, who crafted her first homemade wine at age 13, launched J. Dusi Wines, which returned the family name to a brand. Seven years later, her father, Mike Dusi, bought 360 rugged acres in the Willow Creek District, after a prolonged search for a new vineyard site. He planted nearly 110 acres to 11 varieties across four ridges. Called the Paper Street Vineyard, it quickly became a coveted source of grapes for wineries across Paso Robles.

Janelle, Matt and their brother, Michael Dusi, all work in the family business, with those original Zinfandel vines still at its core. They garner deeper attention, as the family works with Cal Poly to better understand older vines versus new ones.

“A lot of sorting isn’t really true to the variety,” says Janelle. “The small berries are too intense, and the big ones are too watery. You need them both to make a complex wine.”

Honing a Historic Facility

Center of Effort

When it was founded as a quarter-million-case facility in 1979, the ambitious Lawrence Winery put the Edna Valley on California’s wine map.

Two years later, it was renamed Corbett Canyon Winery, which The Wine Group acquired in 1988. It became one of the country’s most popular brands, thanks to affordable prices and catchy advertisements that echo in people’s ears today.

As Corbett Canyon grew, The Wine Group consolidated production elsewhere. In 2008, longtime Raytheon chairman Bill Swanson and developer/vintner Rob Rossi acquired the massive facility, which Rossi helped design, as well as the surrounding vineyards, which had been planted in 1997. They called their brand Center of Effort.

Swanson took full ownership in 2016, and with the guidance from the general manager/winemaker, Nathan Carlson, the vineyards have been replanted and expanded to nearly 80 acres. The winery is a hub of both boutique and larger batch production, and sustainability is centerstage. This year, Center of Effort was declared Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certified in both the vineyard and winery, only the fourth brand to achieve that dual designation, and the first that includes custom crush clients.

The focus for Center of Effort remains estate-grown, luxury-level Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but Carlson returned once-common Chenin Blanc back to the Edna Valley and also experiments with Rhône grapes. In 2019, the property underwent a multimillion dollar remodel centered around hospitality, with a new demonstration kitchen and outdoor entertainment areas.

“It’s about having a place to really tell the Center of Effort story very clearly,” says Carlson, who has grown the wine club steadily, even during the pandemic. “We provide a special place where our members can feel safe and cared for as well.”

While he processes fruit for large clients in the refurbished facility, Carlson rents winemaking space to small brands like Coby Parker Garcia’s El Lugar Wines and John Niven’s Cadre Wines. Niven’s family was the first to plant grapes in the Edna Valley, back in 1973.

“We don’t make a lot of money having Coby and John in here, but they are people we want to support and brands that have integrity,” says Carlson. “We want to see them succeed, and it’s just good for our winemaking to be surrounded by people with good and different ideas.”

Cowboy Country

Peake Ranch

“We’re certainly very keen to maintain the spirit of the place as an artistic, agrarian mecca,” says John Wagner, who purchased 107 acres of the southeastern Sta. Rita Hills in 2009. He christened it Peake Ranch, in honor of the late cowboy-artist Channing Peake.

Developed in the late 1800s by a Danish dairy farmer, whose stone water cisterns still stand on the hilltops, Peake bought what was then a 1,600-acre ranch in 1938. He spent the next two decades at what he called Rancho El Jabali.

“He would get up in the morning, do cowboy stuff and then, in the afternoon, retire to that studio, which was the old cow-milking barn, and paint,” says Wagner. “Hence, all of the Channing Peake paintings that are floating around Santa Barbara County.” A handful are displayed in Peake Ranch’s tasting room, which opened along with the new winery in 2019.

The old structures were also headquarters for Pinot Noir pioneer Richard Sanford from the 1980s to the early 2000s, where he and others plotted the creation of a new America Viticultural Area (AVA).

“That hay bale barn that Richard built 40 years ago is where everyone met to plan the Sta. Rita Hills AVA,” says Wagner. “We wanted to preserve that because it’s part of our region’s heritage.”

Drawing from his experience as owner of the nearby John Sebastiano Vineyard as well as Sierra Madre Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, Wagner planted the property with 43.5 acres of wine grapes. They’re overseen by vineyard manager Mike Anderson, who for decades ran Oakville Station, a research vineyard for the University of California, Davis, and the winemaker, Wynne Solomon, who grew up in Sonoma County before she moved south.

John’s wife, Jill, guided the winery and tasting room design.

“She was super-committed to building a winery that wasn’t going to be the center of attention,” says Wagner, who prefers to emphasize the vineyard, creek, mountains and old buildings. “We’ve always had the attitude that we wanted the winery to blend in as much as a 15,000-square-foot building can.”

The best evidence they succeeded? Peake’s fifth and last wife, Cherie Peake, visits often. “The history of the place is part of what’s so enchanting,” says Wagner. “For 150 years, people tried to do something in this canyon.”

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