Sanford Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir is an elegant red wine with bright aromas of cherry, strawberry, and spice cake, complemented by white pepper and rose. On the palate, it is supple, serious, and wonderfully fresh, with a beautiful finish. The deep and vibrant red fruits and baking spice aromas create a rich, focused flavour that will pair well with light and heartier dishes alike. Enjoy its delightful flavour today or cellar for several years for even more complexity.

Critic Review

Decanter Magazine: 91Pts
Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030

"Tight and compact, youthful with intense dark fruits and tomato leaves on the nose. Plums and blood orange flavours, with mineral, salty tannins. Red-fruited concentration with a savoury twist."
Anne Krebiehl MW, Justin Knock MW, Dirceu Vianna Junior MW

About the Producer

Sanford Winery is a renowned pioneer of cool-climate wine from the Santa Rita Hills, north of Santa Barbera. The legendary Sanford & Benedict vineyard was planted in 1971 by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict, and from the very first vintages they produced highly acclaimed wines of great complexity. In 1980, the team of Michael Benedict and Richard Sanford would go their separate ways. Richard Sanford continued to make the wines, and subsequently planted the La Rinconada vineyard adjacent to the original vineyard. In 2002, the Terlato family became partners, by 2007 they bought the entire vineyard and have been making exceptional wines from these two sustainably cultivated Cru vineyards ever since. The vineyards and winery are certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. This is a stunning Californian estate, and we are proud to have them on our shelves.

Vineyard and Winery

The grapes come exclusively from the two estate vineyards in the cool-climate area of Sta. Rita Hills AVA: the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and the La Rinconada Vineyard. The unusual east-west orientation of the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains allows the cooling maritime breezes from the Pacific Ocean- just seven miles away- to flow over the vineyards, bringing with them cooling morning fog. Afternoon breezes dry out any residual moisture and reduce disease pressure. Temperatures rarely exceed 27°C, which suits the delicate Pinot Noir vines. The vineyard is split into 52 blocks and each block has an individual soil composition. Broadly, the marine based soil in the ‘Sanford & Benedict Vineyard’ is a mixture of clay, loam, fractured shale and chert (a rocky soil), which forces the vine’s roots to dig deep for nutrients and hydration. The result is naturally low yields of small-berried, concentrated fruit delivering excellent minerality and acidity. The ‘La Rinconada Vineyard’ is made up of sandy, gravelly soil which imparts precise minerality to the wine. There are 33 different Pinot Noir clones planted across the vineyard and 40% of the vines are from the original 1972 ungrafted plantings.

A blend of vineyards: 44% from the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and 56% from La Rinconada. Each block was vinified separately, to reflect the personality of the vineyard. The wine went through 100% malolactic conversion and was matured for 11 months in French oak, of which 25% was new.