Winemaker Notes
Planted in 1971, Sanford & Benedict is the most storied vineyard we work with. Its unique combination of rocky soils and cool climate makes dark and brooding wines that still have elegance and minerality.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
From a site on the other (southern) side of the appellation, the 2020 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir saw quite a bit more stems and was fermented with 40% stems and brought up in 20% new oak. It has a wonderful nose of ripe red and black currants as well as subtle woodsmoke, dried herbs, and forest floor. This carries to a pure, medium-bodied, balanced Pinot Noir with ripe tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. Rating: 94+
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Wine Enthusiast
The ethereal earthiness of this historic vineyard is on full display in this bottling, which offers aromas of crushed rock, dust, dried meat and a hint of berry. Soil and stone flavors make for a mineral-driven palate as well, meeting with hibiscus, red fruit and hard spice, which should sing even louder in the years to come. Drink now–2040.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is soft, inviting and easy to drink. Pale ruby, it is scented of raspberry, blueberry, violet and bergamot with touches of earth and aniseed. Made with about 35% whole clusters, the light-bodied palate offers a whisper of chalky tannins, bright acidity and lingering floral character on the uplifted finish. Best after 2022.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.