2018 Sanford Rose of Pinot Noir

About 2018 Sanford Rose of Pinot Noir:

Sanford Winery & Vineyards, located in the Sta. Rita Hills region of Santa Barbara, presents a remarkable product that embodies the essence of its cool-climate terroir. They attribute their success to having followed a simple principle: put quality first, as quality endures. They have applied this principle to the vineyards and wine making at Sanford.

Tasting Notes:

A pleasantly pale shade of pink, juicy, lively, and bright, layering wild strawberry, tropical mango and guava, with subtle herbal notes, making it ideal with poultry of any kind.

Growing Notes:

The winery’s close proximity to the Pacific Ocean has a significant influence on the grapes, resulting in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines that are characterized by their freshness and acidity. The winery’s commitment to crafting wines that reflect the unique characteristics of the region is evident in every bottle.

Winemaking Notes:

World-class, cool climate vineyards are proving that they can produce serious bubbles in addition to classic Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.

About The Winery:

In the Sta. Rita Hills, it all began with Sanford. In 1971, the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard became the first vineyard in what would become a world-class, cool climate wine-growing region. Sanford Winery has been a pioneer in the Sta. Rita Hills from the beginning and the vineyards and winery continues to thrive, innovate and excel under the vision, guidance, stewardship, leadership, and hands-on participation of the Terlato family.

Botanist Michael Benedict and his friend Richard Sanford were committed to finding a cool climate region and location with just enough heat accumulation to ripen, but not over ripen, wine grapes. A location where they could plant and grow grapes and craft wines, where the quality might equal the best of the best in Europe.

Michael began researching and touring the cool coastal regions of California in search of a region and site that would suit this mission. After an incredible amount of research, observation, collection of data and analysis, Michael believed he had found the perfect location – one which possessed just the right combination of weather patterns, overall cool climate and varying soil conditions. His analysis took him to a unique part of the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County and right to the foot of the property that would ultimately become the Sanford & Benedict vineyard.  The first vines were planted in 1971, and soon the Pinot Noir from this remote vineyard created a buzz. Others soon followed, wanting to capture the magic of this place. It was the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard which would form the backbone of what is now the Sta. Rita Hills AVA and it was also this vineyard that supplied the cuttings for many of the surrounding vineyards.

The team of Michael Benedict and Richard Sanford would go separate ways after the 1980 vintage and the Sanford Winery continued its existence. Through the years, Sanford Winery remained notable in the region for its pioneering history and for producing wines of high quality from the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard.

In 2002, the Terlato family became partners in Sanford Winery. They realized that the vineyards and winery operations required additional investments, which they provided, and as a result they became majority owners and managing partners in 2005. The Terlatos were also responsible for re-uniting the estate when they purchased the Sanford & Benedict vineyard in 2007. This was a major initiative and milestone which formed the foundation of their vision, which was to reunite the properties and recreate the Grand Cru nature of the estate.

The Terlato family has been fortunate to have had enjoyed more than a half century of success in multiple facets of the luxury wine industry. They attribute their success to having followed a simple principle: put quality first, as quality endures. They have applied this principle to the vineyards and wine making at Sanford.