Santa Barbara: California’s Undiscovered Jewel

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | AUGUST 15, 2024

My tastings this year further confirmed what I have believed for a long time. Santa Barbara County is one of the most exciting and dynamic regions in the world. Despite dealing with the ups and downs of 2022, inspired winemakers found a way to deliver compelling wines that rank among the world’s finest. Readers who appreciate nuanced, cool-climate wines of place will find so much to discover in Santa Barbara.

Brandon Sparks-Gillis and John Dragonette presented a fabulous set of wines this year.

2022: Traversing the Valley of Death

Two thousand twenty-two will go down as one of the most challenging years on record. It is a highly variable vintage, although the top wines show plenty of site character, something that can often be lost in difficult vintages. Chardonnay and Syrah benefitted from thick skins and later ripening, making them the clear winners in 2022. Sauvignon Blanc, which ripens early, avoided the worst of the heat. Several producers noted that own-rooted vineyards fared much better overall. Unfortunately, Pinot Noir suffered quite a bit, yielding wines that are all over the map. 

The 2022 growing season is mostly remembered for an intense and sustained heat spike around Labor Day. Gaining a clear understanding of the vintage—if that is even possible in 2022—requires more in-depth analysis. Conditions were quite dry and cool for most of the year. Flowering and set were variable. Some producers noted a fairly normal set, while others saw potential yields affected significantly because of irregular weather. "We had 6.5 inches of rain instead of 12 in 2022. Contrast that to 30 the following year," winemaker Anthony Avila explained at the Bien Nacido Estate and Solomon Hills Estates. “Budbreak was early. We had a poor set, so yields were down 30-50%.” Elaine and Manfred Krankl reported losses of 50% on their Grenache crop. Much the same is true of disease pressure, which was high in some areas and less of an issue in others. Paul Lato and Graham Tatomer are among the producers who experienced elevated disease pressure and reduced yields.

When all was said and done, the Labor Day heat lasted 8-10 days, far longer than initially forecast, with elevated temperatures not seen before in Santa Barbara. That was followed by heavy rainfall on September 19 and 20. Some sites reported as much as 1-2 inches of rain during that storm, a very high level considering most vineyards see annual rainfall of around 14 inches. Temperatures then dipped for most of the fall until rain in October essentially brought harvest to a close. The Labor Day heat was so intense that it blocked ripening. In some places, ripening resumed as conditions returned to normal, but in other spots, the vines never fully recovered.