Sanford Winery & Vineyards

Sanford Winery & Vineyards holds the most historically appellation-discovering significance of any wine estate in Santa Barbara County. Richard Sanford planted the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in the western Santa Barbara County wind corridor in 1971 — before any recognized wine growing appellation existed in the area, and before anyone in California wine paid serious attention to the region. His conviction that cool Pacific winds channeling through the Santa Rita Hills produced Pinot Noir of genuinely world-class quality transformed what was considered marginal agricultural land into California's most celebrated cool-climate Pinot Noir appellation.

The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard — the specific planting that Richard Sanford established with Michael Benedict in 1971 and that became the founding terroir source for the Sta. Rita Hills' international Pinot Noir reputation — remains one of the most critically acclaimed and most historically consequential single vineyard sites in California. Now owned by the Terlato Wine Group, the estate continues with Wine Advocate recognition at 92–96 points across the estate and La Rinconada single-vineyard expressions.

For wine lovers who want to experience the specific vineyard that essentially discovered and proved the Sta. Rita Hills as a world-class Pinot Noir growing environment, Sanford Winery provides the most historically resonant and appellation-founding-significance Santa Barbara County wine appointment available.