A Vertical and Horizontal Journey to Creating Wine in Santa Barbara County
The following text and photos are contributed by Flying Goat Cellars Ambassador Faye Walker:
Make Grapes, Not Wrath
If grapes are anything like people, they are sure to thrive in lush and lovely landscapes. Here in the Lompoc valley, vineyards share space with walnut trees and strawberry fields. The rural roads that run through our windswept hills hold a relaxed beauty. The transverse Purisima Hills and Santa Rosa Hills that define the appellation of the Sta. Rita Hills admit a morning marine layer and cool afternoon winds for a temperate climate. The distinct atmosphere is ideal for growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Rhone-style grapes.
Surprisingly, Lompoc's proximity to mountains and the Pacific Ocean was not always a boon in the establishment of a wine trade. The wine industry here in California's Central Coast was forced to overcome a number of geographical disadvantages to evolve into being heralded as one of the most well-reputed producers in the state.
The early quest for California wine began at the end of the 19th century. At the time, Santa Barbara County contained an estimated 45 vineyards that spanned five thousand acres. Their relative inaccessibility, reached only through an ocean steamer service or the San Marcos stagecoach road, kept recognition of the region's wine at a minimum.
The journey to building a wine industry faced setbacks from Prohibition in the 1920s and policy disputes in the 1930s. Fortunately, the demand for premium grapes reached a fevered pitch in America during the 1960s. The opportunity had arisen for the cool climate of the Central Coast to expand into winegrape growing.
Gaining Ground
A new era for Santa Barbara County arose in the early 1960s. Geographer and naval veteran Richard Sanford was one of the first to see the vinous potential of Santa Barbara's Sta. Rita Hills. At the time, the Nielson Vineyard on the Tepesquet Mesa in the Santa Maria Valley was one of the few coastal locations producing grapes. Sanford made it his mission to create a Burgundian-style wine with a structure of velvet and a taste of the world above. He established the 120-acre Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in 1971 with the aim of producing top-quality Pinot Noir. Other viticulturists and enologists began to follow, including notable female pioneers in the wine scene. There was Lane Tanner at Firestone Vineyards (the first female winemaker in Santa Barbara County), Kathy Joseph at Fiddlehead Cellars, and Kris Curran at Sea Smoke. All recognized that Pinot Noir was a primary grape for the terroir for the region west of the Santa Ynez Valley.
However, the 1970s brought unrest over whether the premium wine grapes of the Central Coast were being appropriately utilized. Corporate winemakers would blend Santa Barbara County grapes with those from lesser-quality vineyards in the Central Valley and northern regions of the state. Many began to realize that a local wine industry would be the long-term solution.
Earthshakers and Winemakers
As a result, the viticultural regions within Santa Barbara Country follow a wine-by-design type of approach: mixing sustainable agriculture with modern science and independent winery ownership, they have bolstered a special wine culture. Local growers worked to gain approval of AVAs (American Viticultural Areas). They rallied to uphold the name of the Sta. Rita Hills in the face of international disputes. And they took ownership in creating organizations like the Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance and the Santa Barbara Vintners Association.
Their efforts paid off as Santa Barbara County garnered national awards and recognition for their wines. By the mid-1980s, the area was home to acclaimed wineries, such as Au Bon Climat, Babcock Winery, and Sanford Winery.
Home to roughly 50 wine producers in 2000, Santa Barbara County now features more than 400 distinct wineries. Vineyards are planted with nearly 18,000 acres of 60 different winegrape varietals. Visitors flock to industrial spaces in the Wine Ghetto of Lompoc or the Funk Zone of Santa Barbara to see the operations of winemaking first-hand with vintners. The boutique approach has preserved the high quality of local grapes, giving customers firsthand access to the best that the County, Coast, and state of California have to offer.
Sources and Further Reading
Ausmus, William A. Wines and Wineries of California's Central Coast: A Complete Guide from Monterey to Santa Barbara; University of California Press, 2008.
Dale, Judith. San Marcos Pass - A Historic Gateway to Santa Barbara County. https://syvnews.com/lifestyles/columns/judith-dale-san-marcos-pass-a-historic-gateway-to-santa-barbara-county/article_617c8526-0c1d-5607-be39-78fda0e6ce90.html
Geraci, Victor W. Wine by Design: Santa Barbara's Quest for Terroir; University of Nevada Press, 2020.
Magdevski, Sonja. The Pursuit of an Ideal: The Pioneering Spirit that Defined the Sta. Rita Hills. https://ediblesantabarbara.com/features/the-pursuit-of-an-ideal/