About Lavender Oak Vineyards
Lavender Oak Vineyards (LOV Wines) is a small family estate on Santa Rosa Road in the Santa Ynez Valley, founded by Christi Heck and her husband Dean as a shared second act. Christi, a retired professor of neurology with a PhD in cell biology, took over full winemaking responsibility in the 2022-2023 seasons after a decade of learning the craft, and today oversees roughly 800 to 1,000 cases a year of estate-grown wine.
The 16-acre property was planted in 2011 under the guidance of the late Michael Benedict, the legendary grower behind the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard, whose soil analysis steered the estate toward a Right Bank Bordeaux vision. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines were propagated from Sanford and Benedict cuttings, and the flagship Estate Red Blend follows the Saint-Emilion model at roughly 60 percent Merlot, 30 percent Cabernet Franc, and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, an intentional case for Merlot as a leading grape of the valley.
Farming is regenerative and dry-farmed, and the wines are deliberately lower in alcohol, built for the table rather than the tasting bar. Everything is grown, harvested, made, and bottled on the estate. Tastings are private and by appointment, hosted personally by the owners in a setting that reflects the project’s origins: a place for sharing food, wine, and conversation. Visit lovwines.com to arrange a visit.
An oak-shaded Buellton ranch farmed by Michael Benedict, visited by reservation only.
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Farmed by a Santa Barbara pioneer,the vineyard is managed by Michael Benedict, who planted the first vineyard on Santa Rosa Road in 1971 with Richard Sanford and helped prove the valley could grow Pinot Noir.
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A right-bank ambition,soil and climate study pointed the Hecks toward a Pomerol and Saint-Emilion style, and the estate red blend is grown, produced and bottled on the property.
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It was a lavender farm,Dean and Christi Heck bought the ranch in 2010, planted vines, sold their first commercial wine in 2013 and made their first estate-fruit vintage in 2014.
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Hosted by the owners,this is the family home rather than a public tasting room, so visits are by reservation and guests are usually poured for by the Hecks themselves.
"An oak-shaded Buellton ranch farmed by Michael Benedict, visited by reservation only."
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Current Releases
Wines change with each vintage
For an accurate list of current-release wines and library bottlings from Lavender Oak Vineyards, please check the winery's official website or contact the tasting room directly. Santa Ynez Valley producers typically rotate vintages and offerings seasonally.
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Lavender Oak Vineyards Appointment
Taste the wines at Lavender Oak Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley. By appointment only, reservations required.
From $30
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