Today is....

December 1, 2022
Open Bottle Thursday

2017
Santa Barbara, Central Coast, California

100% Estate Grown fruit
from Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada Vineyards!

Drinking perfectly right now!

92 Points! Wine Enthusiast
"Mellow aromas of pear, butter-fried apple and a bit of roasted pear show on the nose of this appellation blend. The compelling aspect is the grippy palate, which is taut in a chalky tension that presents

flavors of sea salt, Pink Lady apple and red Bosc pear."

90 Points! Robert Parker"s Wine Advocate
"The 2017 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills was barrel fermented and aged eight months in about 20% new oak.
It has a very toasty nose with gunflint hints over baked yellow apple, white peach, pastry crust, lemon meringue and banana chip. Medium to full-bodied, it has a good core of toasty/savory fruits, with juicy acidity and a long finish."

Our Thoughts on this wine.....

This 2017 Chardonnay is whole cluster pressed and barrel fermented in French Oak.
It offers a terrific bouquet of peachy stone fruits, melon, honeysuckle, and spice with just a hint of minerality. It"s full to medium-bodied, with a balanced, elegant style that has a nicely integrated acidity.
A classic chardonnay that fattens up nicely on the finish.

Pair with Seafood with butter and brown-butter sauces, Halibut, Polenta, Chicken, especially baked chicken, fried chicken, grilled chicken, or chicken with a cream sauce, Grilled and roasted salmon, Shellfish that you might put butter on, like crab, lobster or shrimp and Veal.

Our Regular Price $36.99
Special Sale Price

$26.00 a bottle

$132.00 for six! ($22.00)

Click Here To Order
or Call us at

703-668-WINE(9463)

In the Santa Rita Hills, it all began with Sanford....

Botanist Michael Benedict and his friend Richard Sanford were committed to finding a cool climate region and location with just enough heat accumulation to ripen, but not over ripen, wine grapes. A location where they could plant and grow grapes and craft wines, where the quality might equal the best of the best in Europe.

Michael began researching and touring the cool coastal regions of California in search of a region and site that would suit this mission. After an incredible amount of research, observation, collection of data and analysis, Michael believed he had found the perfect location - one which possessed just the right combination of weather patterns, overall cool climate and varying soil conditions. His analysis took him to a unique part of the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County and right to the foot of the property that would ultimately become the Sanford & Benedict vineyard. The first vines were planted in 1971, and soon the Pinot Noir from this remote vineyard created a buzz. Others soon followed, wanting to capture the magic of this place. It was the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard which would form the backbone of what is now the Sta. Rita Hills AVA and it was also this vineyard that supplied the cuttings for many of the surrounding vineyards.

The team of Michael Benedict and Richard Sanford would go separate ways after the 1980 vintage and the Sanford Winery continued its existence. Through the years, Sanford Winery remained notable in the region for its pioneering history and for producing wines of high quality from the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard.

In 1997, La Rinconada Vineyard was planted adjacent to the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and this site would also become home to the winery building and tasting room. This vineyard shares many of the same ideal characteristics that have made the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard famous while also possessing its own unique and idiosyncratic characteristics. The unique nature of the two vineyards can be identified in the single vineyard wines.

Upcoming Event!!

Holiday Austrian Wine FestivalSunday, December 11, 2022
1:00 - 5:00 pm

3 Tables of Fabulous Austrian Wines!!

Best Values on the shelf!!

Some of this weekend"s Tasting Table wines are listed below,
click the links to see more information.

Thank you for supporting our little shop, we know you have a lot of choices out there.

Kate, Natalie, Carrie, Susie, Heidi, SaraBeth, Melanie, Beth, Bill, Steve, Rande and Mike

Better wines, at Better prices;
at
The Wine Cabinet!