2019 Pinot Noir La Rinconada

Sanford is without question the most improved winery in Santa Barbara over the last few years. Winemaker Trey Fletcher has elevated these wines to the stratosphere since his arrival in 2019. The range is vast and includes a number of single-block offerings from both Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada that give readers a rare opportunity to explore the nuances of both sites. The wines are done in a style that prizes energy and a micro-expression of site. Fletcher gives the Chardonnays a very classic Burgundian élevage of 10-12 months in barrel followed by 4-6 months in tank. The Pinots see some whole cluster influence and spend about 16 months in French oak, 25-30% new.

How fast things can change. For years, Sanford Winery was an underachiever. The wines were overextracted, tough and not especially interesting, which is why they never appeared in my Santa Barbara reports. Judging by these six 2019 barrel samples, new winemaker Trey Fletcher, formerly of the Miller family's Bien Nacido and Solomon Hills Estates, has completely turned things around in his first vintage at the helm. Proprietor John Terlato appears to be taking a more active role as well, another positive sign. Sanford Winery and the Terlato family own Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada, so fruit sources are top notch. In 2019, the winery began to dry farm these sites. In the cellar, the approach is now focused on native fermentations, with gentler winemaking and more time on the skins. The 2019 Chardonnays will see about twelve months in barrel and six in steel, while the Pinots will spend 18 months in barrel. Bottling is scheduled for March 2021. These wines are absolutely brilliant.