The Wine Road Less Traveled

Stop 2: Peake Ranch Winery (7290 Santa Rosa Rd, Buellton, CA 93427)

The next stop is 5.3 miles away at Peake Ranch. Peake Ranch is a 105-acre property with 50 acres planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Grenache. John and Gillian Wagner purchased the property in 2012. They also own the John Sebastiano Vineyard on the eastern edge of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA and the Sierra Madre Vineyard on the western side of the Santa Maria Valley. 

The grounds of Peake Ranch Winery are a stunning place to taste wine. Head indoors for the modern, elegant, and sophisticated tasting room, or take a seat outside with views of the vast landscape. If time permits, make a reservation to hike through the vineyard for more beautiful views.  

Next door to Peake Ranch Winery is stop 3 of the trip: Alma Rosa Ranch House & Vineyard. Alma Rosa was started by wine pioneer Richard Sanford in 2005. He planted the estate El Jabali Vineyard in 1983.

Alma Rosa was purchased by Bob and Barb Zorich in 2014. In 2019 Samra Morris, the first female Bosnian winemaker, joined the team and is responsible for the elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Rhone-varietal wines.  

At Alma Rosa, they love to take you into the vineyard. Of course, you can do a seated tasting at the estate, but you can also book one of their hikes through the estate vineyard and get close to the vines while enjoying the views. Or you can sit back for a fully guided, two-hour driving tour and tasting experience at the winery’s historic El Jabali, followed by a tasting accompanied by a cheese plate. 

1.4 miles down the road is Lafond Winery & Vineyards. Pierre Lafond began as a wine and cheese retailer in Santa Barbara. In 1962, at thirty-two years old, he founded the first post-prohibition commercial winery in Santa Barbara County. One of the first to plant in what is now the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, Lafond planted the Lafond Vineyard in 1971.

The tasting room opened in 2001, the same year the Sta. Rita Hills was declared an AVA.

Enjoy a tasting of five wines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah, either inside the tasting room or outdoors in the idyllic picnicking area. A VIP Tasting & Tour includes a tour, tasting, and cheese spread to enjoy with your wines. 

Stop 5: Sanford Winery (5010 Santa Rosa Rd, Lompoc, CA 93436)

Before Richard Sanford founded Alma Rosa Winery, he planted the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in 1971. His pioneering vineyard established what would become the renowned cool-climate Sta. Rita Hills AVA and garnered Richard Sanford the name “Father of Central Coast Pinot Noir”. Planted more than 40 years ago, this iconic vineyard is home to the oldest Pinot Noir vines in the country.

Taste wines at this historic vineyard, located 4.2 miles from Lafond Winery & Vineyards. Enjoy single-vineyard and single-block wines that truly exemplify the Sta. Rita Hills.

To see the vineyard up close, venture out of the winery and into the vineyards on the Sanford Winery All-Terrain Vineyard (ATV) Experience & Tasting to view some of the most picturesque and coveted estate vineyard blocks.