This past weekend, Aug. 15-18, the Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance showcased its annual Wine & Fire Weekend, highlighting the rustic charm and ...

Blair Pence stands in front of his vineyard. Matt Kettmann. More than two years after vintner Blair Pence of Pence Ranch requested that the boundary of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation be shifted east ...

This isn’t the first time Sta. Rita Hills vintners have clashed with outsiders. Recognized as an AVA in 2001, the area was originally named “Santa Rita Hills," but was changed to “Sta. Rita Hills” to ...

Blair Pence stands in front of his vineyard, which sits just east of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. Matt Kettmann. For an industry built on relaxation, there’s a lot of angst right now in Santa ...

Most winemakers in Sta. Rita Hills are making their Chardonnay with the idea of avoiding what John Schwartz, CEO of Grands Joueurs Vignerons, calls “oaky, vanilla, buttery, homogenous-style ...

At an elevation of around 400 feet amid the Santa (Sta.) Rita Hills, Michael Benedict found a location he liked –about 10 miles inland – and took a chance, planting Pinot Noir along with ...

Located at the western end of the Santa Ynez Valley, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is well-known for its cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The area encompasses 30,720 acres, of which 2,700 acres ...

Located 30 miles north of Santa Barbara, the world class Sta. Rita Hills appellation consists of vineyards along Highway 246 and Santa Rosa Road, between Buellton and Lompoc. The east/west ...