Santa Rita Hills Tasting: Chablis-like Chards, Intense Pinots and That Pure Syrah Feeling
The Santa Rita Hills looks like many coastal wine regions of California, with its arid hilly farmland and close proximity to the cold Pacific Ocean, yet it produces minerally and fresh wines, both reds and whites. It received an AVA in 2001 (although its official name was changed from Santa Rita Hills AVA to Sta. Rita Hills AVA in 2006), and it’s located about 160 kilometers north of Los Angeles and approximately 40 minutes by car from Santa Barbara. It has gained a reputation for producing outstanding chardonnay and pinot noir wines due to its unique soils and climate, which are heavily influenced by the sea.
Marie and I were recently in Santa Rita Hills, and we visited a half a dozen of the best producers and tasted nearly 80 wines – mostly chardonnay, pinot noir and syrah. I was impressed with the minerality, freshness and energy of the wines. It was a small tasting focused on a handful of the top wineries.
“Santa Rita Hills is not a continental climate,” said Sashi Moorman, one of the owners of Domaine de la Cote, along with famous super sommelier Raj Parr. “It’s oceanic and gives us special character.” He said some consumers are surprised by the high acidic and crisp mouthfeel that drives so many of their wines, but that they have a strong following for those who love it.
READ MORE TOP 100 WINES OF THE USA 2022
While most wine lovers who know the region focus on the Chablis-like chardonnays, the pinots and syrahs are equally compelling. In fact, syrah could be the most impressive in the future with its Hermitage-like purity if more wineries focused on the grape.
Additionally, many outstanding quality wines sell for between $30 and $50, outshining many bottles from Sonoma County and Burgundy or the Rhone Valley.
My top six wines from Santa Rita Hills included the Domaine de la Côte Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Juliet 2021 (100 points), Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Sous le Chêne 2021 (99), Domaine de la Côte Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Juliet 2020 (99), Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Ten 2019 (98), The Hilt Estate Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Radian Vineyard 2020 (98), and The Hilt Estate Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Radian Vineyard 2020 (98). But there are many other excellent quality wines to seek out.
The Juliet 2021 is the first American chardonnay I have given a perfect score to outside of Napa Valley or Sonoma County. And its unique character is more akin to Burgundy’s grand crus from a cooler vintage. Unfortunately, only 75 cases were made but the bottle is an example of the pinnacle of quality Santa Rita Hills can reach.
“People who know wine are shaking their heads when they taste our wines, particularly those who know Burgundy,” said Brandon Sparks-Gillis of Dragonette Cellars. “It’s the acidity and structure of the wines.”
Added Matt Dees, the head of The Hilt and Jonata, “Our goal is to make the best Santa Barbara County pinot, but we do like to think about Burgundy once in a while!” His chardonnays have fantastic complexity from the combination of minerality, crisp acidity and hints of lees.
Santa Rita Hills is situated between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, which creates a unique microclimate in the region. The cool ocean breezes and foggy mornings provide a perfect environment for growing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes.
They thrive in cooler temperatures and require a longer growing season to develop their full potential. The coastal climate of Santa Rita Hills allows for this extended ripening period most years, resulting in grapes with exceptional flavor complexity and intensity.
The soils in Santa Rita Hills are also special and play a crucial role. The region is dominated by a mixture of marine-based sedimentary soils, which are rich in calcium, and ancient seabed soils high in diatomaceous earth, resembling quartz. These soils are well-draining and low in nutrients, which forces the grapevines to work harder to find the nutrients they need. The stress on the vines leads to smaller grape clusters and berries with more concentrated flavors, resulting in wines with exceptional depth and complexity. The days of strong winds also make the grape skins thicker.
“We have realized that the skins are so thick that you need to be very careful on the extraction and make the wines that need to be done here. It’s cliché to say to be gentle, but we are just that in the winemaking,” said Dees.
Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted grapes in Santa Rita Hills, and it remains the most famous grape there. The wines are typically unoaked or lightly oaked, allowing the natural flavors and characteristics of the grapes to shine through, especially the low pHs and strong acidities.
Santa Rita Hills also produces pinot noir wines with intense fruit flavors, silky tannins and a distinct earthiness. They are equally minerally as the chardonnays and most have special aromas and flavors of spices such as white and place pepper, coriander and clove.
“Santa Barbara is hard to get your head around for wine,” said winemaker Greg Brewer of Brewer-Clifton. He has been making fantastic wines in the region for almost three decades. “It’s so diverse. It’s complicated. When we mapped the appellation, we put the obvious two horses in the race, pinot and chardonnay. We have been unanimous. Santa Rita hills is chardonnay and pinot.”
Asked what he plans for the next 10 years, Brewer answers: “A lot more of the same, really, for five or 10 years. I have given my whole life to four miles of a road [with vines.]”
– James Suckling, Chairman/Editor
Note: You can sort the wines below by vintage, score and alphabetically by winery name. You can also search for specific wines in the search bar.
Tasting Notes
Domaine de la Côte Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Juliet 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Domaine de la Côte Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Juliet 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Sous le Chêne 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Radian 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills La Côte 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Black Label 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Ten 2019 |
|||||
| |||||
The Hilt Estate Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Radian Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
The Hilt Estate Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Radian Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Syrah Santa Rita Hills El Jabali 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills 3-D 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Hapgood 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Machado 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Bloom’s Field 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Memorious 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Black Label 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Radian Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Sandhi Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Bentrock 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Sandhi Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Romance 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Ten 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
The Hilt Estate Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Bentrock Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills La Viña 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Machado 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Rita’s Crown Vineyard 2016 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Fiddlestix Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Radian Vineyard 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Sanford & Benedict Vineyard 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Tyler Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Mae Estate 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Tyler Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills La Rinconada Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Caracol 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills El Jabali 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 3-D 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 459 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills DDLC 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Rita’s Crown Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Melville Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Block M 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Sandhi Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Patterson 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Sandhi Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Rinconada 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Sandhi Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Sanford & Benedict 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Southing 2019 |
|||||
| |||||
The Hilt Estate Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Bentrock Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
The Hilt Estate Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Estate 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Tyler Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills La Rinconada Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Tyler Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Mae Estate 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Tyler Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Sanford & Benedict Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills El Jabali 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Grenache Santa Rita Hills El Jabali 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Barrel Select 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills La Encantada 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Syrah Santa Rita Hills MJM 2019 |
|||||
| |||||
Dragonette Syrah Santa Rita Hills Seven 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Melville Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Melville Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Melville Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Terraces 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Melville Syrah Santa Rita Hills Donna's Block 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Sandhi Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Sandhi Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Romance 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Sandhi Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Sanford & Benedict 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Sea Smoke Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills 2019 |
|||||
| |||||
Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Southing 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Sea Smoke Santa Rita Hills Sea Spray 2016 |
|||||
| |||||
Sea Smoke Santa Rita Hills Sea Spray 2018 |
|||||
| |||||
The Hilt Estate Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Estate 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Tyler Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Sanford & Benedict Vineyard 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Tyler Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Pinot Gris Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
Alma Rosa Santa Rita Hills Red Wine 2021 |
|||||
| |||||
La Barge Albariño Santa Rita Hills 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Sea Smoke Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills 2020 |
|||||
| |||||
Melville Syrah Santa Rita Hills 2019 |
|||||
| |||||
Sandhi Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2021 |
|||||
| |||||