LO-FI WINES PO Box 574 Los Alamos CA 93440 (877) 958-4480 lofi-wines.com PEOPLE Michael Roth and Craig Winchester, friends from college, head up the small, unique, and lively production at Lo-Fi Wines. The name, Lo-Fi, truly emphasizes the way this duo approach their winemaking endeavor. They employ no additions outside of a small amount …
PENCE 1909 CA-246 Buellton CA 93427 (805) 735-7000 pencevineyards.com PEOPLE Pence Ranch is overseen by Blair Pence, winegrower and proprietor, who set out to bring together the best team to oversee vineyard management and winemaking. Sashi Moorman is the tireless whirlwind behind the wines while the vineyards are managed by Francisco Ramirez. VINEYARDS 38 acres …
VERDAD 2963 Grand Ave. Los Olivos CA 93441 (805) 686-4200 verdadwine.com PEOPLE Despite its historic association with and climatic similarity to Spain, California hadn’t had a serious foray into Spanish grape growing or wines made thereof until 2000 when Louisa Sawyer Lindquist released her first vintage under the Verdad label. Much like her husband did …
BECKMEN VINEYARDS 2670 Ontiveros Rd. Los Olivos CA 93441 (805) 688-8664 beckmenvineyards.com Tom and Judy Beckmen and their son Steve, the winemaker, purchased their 40-acre estate in Santa Ynez in 1994 when the Santa Barbara County winemaking community was still in its youth. They have been growing the grapes and managing the vineyards there since …
AMPELOS CELLARS 312 N. 9th St. Lompoc CA 93436 (805) 736-9957 ampeloscellars.net PEOPLE Peter and Rebecca Work purchased their 82-acre estate in the Santa Rita hills of Santa Barbara county in 1999 and in 2001, they decided to devote themselves full-time to grape growing and winemaking. Vineyard manager Jeff Newton consults on growing …
FOLDED HILLS (SNAIL) 53 Industrial Way Buellton CA 93427 (805) 694-8086 foldedhills.com There couldn’t be a better estate to represent the marriage of sustainable viticulture and extreme value in the final product. Across the board, the wines from this estate impressed our tasting panel with their focus and approachability. PEOPLE Folded Hills is a …
PALMINA WINES (SNAIL) 1520 E Chestnut Ct. Lompoc CA 93436 (805) 735-2030 palminawines.com Palmina has led the way for producing high-quality, food-friendly wines entirely from Italian varieties. Since 1995, Palmina has brought together fresh and flavorful wines with a celebration of Italian food and culture. PEOPLE Steve Clifton founded Palmina inspired by Italian culture, …
Above: A view of the original Syrah vineyard as seen from David and Anna’s front porch. They started farming organically there in 2012 and are currently working toward biodynamic certification. SOLMINER (SNAIL) PO Box 935 Los Olivos CA 93441 (805) 691-9195 solminer.com For the deLaski family and the small farm where they live with …
Above: Domaine de la Côte’s top vineyard in Santa Barbara County, “la Côte” (the slope). A visit to their vineyards is a glimpse into why the Santa Ynez AVA is one of California’s most compelling. DOMAINE DE LA CÔTE (BOTTLE) Lompoc CA (805) 500-8337 domainedelacote.com PEOPLE Owners Steve Webster, Mark Stevenson, Sashi Moorman, and Rajat …