Where to taste Pinot Noir in the Sta. Rita Hills

The Sta. Rita Hills is one of the American Viticultural Areas inside the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, on the western side of the county between Buellton and Lompoc. Here is what the federal record says about it, and where you can taste Pinot Noir made there.

What the AVA is

The federal government recognized the area as an AVA in 2001, under the name Santa Rita Hills. Its legal boundary sits in the Code of Federal Regulations at 27 CFR 9.162. In 2006 the name was shortened to Sta. Rita Hills, and in 2016 the boundary was expanded by 2,296 acres.

The petition record describes why the place is distinct. A corridor of hills opens toward Lompoc and the ocean, and lets sea air and fog reach the vines at night and in the morning. That makes it cooler than the valley east of Highway 101. The soils are mostly loams with a high share of sand of marine and river origin.

That is the whole of what we state about it. For the boundary on a map, the rule history and the listings, see the Sta. Rita Hills page.

Inside the AVA, pouring Pinot Noir

We list 12 places with an address inside the Sta. Rita Hills that welcome visitors and list Pinot Noir among their wines. Hours below are as each place posts them; check the listing before you set out.

Open every day

• Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, Santa Rosa Road, Buellton: daily 10am–4pm. A reservation is recommended; walk-ins are welcome.
• Dierberg Vineyard, Drum Canyon Road, Lompoc: daily 11am–5pm, closed on four holidays. A reservation is recommended.
• Peake Ranch, Santa Rosa Road, Buellton: daily 11am–5pm. A reservation is recommended.
• Sanford Winery, Santa Rosa Road, Lompoc: daily 10am–4pm. A reservation is recommended.
• Babcock Winery & Vineyards, Highway 246, Lompoc: Sunday to Thursday 11am–5pm, Friday and Saturday to 5:30pm. Walk-ins welcome.
• Melville Winery, Highway 246, Lompoc: Sunday to Thursday 11am–4pm, Friday and Saturday to 5pm.

Some days

• Lafond Winery & Vineyards, Santa Rosa Road, Buellton: Thursday to Sunday 11am–4pm. Walk-ins welcome.
• Spear Vineyards & Winery, Highway 246, Lompoc: Thursday to Monday 10am–5pm, by appointment.
• Kessler-Haak Vineyard and Wines, Gypsy Canyon, Lompoc: Friday and Saturday 2pm–5pm, by reservation.

By appointment only

• LaBarge Winery, Lompoc: by appointment, Monday to Saturday.
• D'Alfonso-Curran Wines, Santa Rosa Road, Lompoc: reservation required.
• Tyler Winery, Highway 246, Lompoc: reservation required.

Most of these addresses are on one of two roads, Santa Rosa Road or Highway 246, which makes a loop practical. Our ready-made "Sta. Rita Hills loop" in My day strings four of them together, from Buellton out Santa Rosa Road and back along 246, and checks each stop against its hours for the date you pick.

Outside the AVA, pouring its wine

You do not have to drive out to the vineyards. Beyond the 12 above, we list 52 more places that pour wine from the Sta. Rita Hills and list Pinot Noir. Many are tasting rooms in Lompoc, Los Olivos, Solvang and Santa Barbara.

Pinot Noir in the Sta. Rita Hills shows both groups on one page, so you can pick by town, hours or whether walk-ins are welcome.

A few practical notes

• Several estates ask for a booking. If you only have one afternoon, start with the walk-in rooms (Babcock, Lafond and Alma Rosa) and book the rest ahead.
• Dogs are welcome at Babcock, Dierberg, Kessler-Haak, Melville, Peake Ranch and Sanford, by their own listings.
• Some vineyards in the AVA do not open to the public. We list them for the record but leave them off this plan and off the map.

Every hour and policy above comes from the source linked on each listing.