In 1971 Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict took a chance on a spring fed farm on the north facing slopes of the east west traversing Santa Ynez River on California’s Central Coast and planted what became Sanford & Benedict Vineyards to Pinot Noir. The success of this site depends on the maritime influences of the Pacific Ocean. The movement of fog and cooling winds up valley and the soil, a living medium of minerals and organic material, is quite unique to this growing region. A byproduct of receding seas, river-deposited particles, landslides and the slow weathering of ancient stone, which in the Sta.Rita Hills AVA includes shale, serpentine, and sandstone. The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is the cornerstone of this iconic AVA and continues to produce exceptional fruit.

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