Sanford Winery is a renowned pioneer of cool-climate wine from the Sta. Rita Hills, north of Santa Barbera. The legendary Sanford & Benedict vineyard was planted in 1971 by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict, and from the very first vintages they produced highly acclaimed wines of great complexity.
The grapes come exclusively from the two estate vineyards in the cool-climate area of Sta. Rita Hills AVA: the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and the La Rinconada Vineyard. The 100% estate fruit was hand-harvested. Each block was vinified separately, to reflect the personality of the vineyard. The grapes were whole bunch pressed into French oak where the juice underwent barrel fermentation. The wine spent eight and a half months maturing in 225 litre French oak barrels, of which 20% was new, to ensure the essence of the fruit and the nuances of the terroir were preserved, while obtaining a soft texture balanced by vibrant acidity.
Sanford Winery, Sta. Rita Hills, Chardonnay is a luxurious and elegant Chardonnay with enticing notes of grilled peach, lemon and toasted hazelnuts. The palate of bright fruit and honeycomb is beautifully framed by crisp acidity and has a rich oak texture that carries through to the long, clean finish.
