Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards
Buellton, CA 93427 (805) 688-9090
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
8 Reviews for Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards
The "new" Sanford. They still have an amazing Chard and the La Encnatada Pinot is a throw back to their old label. Both are excellent. The rest of the wines, I personally didn't like.
What pushes Alma Rosa ahead of the pact of SB wineries is twofold:
1. The winery is gorgeous. Down a long drive through the vineyard, over a creek, and next to a redwood grove lies the tasting room and patios. It's gorgeous here, nestled into a hilside. Very charming and very pretty. Unpretentious pourers who love to chat and get to know the customers.
2. Sustainable growth vineyards and also organic. NICE.
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Two stars for a suck-ass experience at Alma Rosa yesterday.
I've been a fan of Alma Rosa ever since Richard Sanford "split from corporate," and opened Camp Alma Rosa in the industrial section of Buellton. So when I found out that Sanford opened a new winery in Lompoc and Alma Rosa moved back to its old location, I was happy for them.
The reason for the two stars is this: it's a hot, humid day in Santa Ynez, and you chill the white selections, but leave both pouring bottles of pinot noir out in the heat on the countertop so that the wine served tastes like warm, nasty plonk. Drinking warm pinot noir is the equivalent of drinking warm champagne, or flat, stale Coke. It's like drinking a warm, melted sour grape popsicle in 80-degree weather. This was the same for both pouring stations.
Both the Santa Rita Hills and the Encantada pinots are pretty good wines, and I actually like them. I've tasted them any number of times; I've bought quite a few bottles from Alma Rosa. Yesterday, I bought nada.
Yes, I realize that I could just say "whatever," comforted by the fact that I can buy however many bottles, take them home, and appreciate them at a temperature I find appropriate. I also realize that Alma Rosa could invest in a few small temperature-controlled cellars to better showcase their wine on hot days. Warm-ass pinot does nothing but heighten my sour disposition.
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Blasphemy, but I preferred Camp Alma Rosa, their temporary tasting room (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). At the Camp, I felt like I was supporting the little guy, and I had a clear sense of what Alma Rosa was all about, with their sustainable agriculture practices. The pourers at the Camp were people who had been with Sanford for many years, knew the wines and the winery inside and out, and were able to make intelligent conversation about the wine and how it was made. Most importantly, they had better temperature control in the tasting room. I was really looking forward to finally being able to visit their new tasting room back in the old Sanford space. The setup is pretty similar to when it was Sanford, with a tasting station inside and a tasting station on their outdoor patio. While information about their sustainable practices is still there if you look for it, it wasn't really as noticeable, and no one was talking about it. Overall the pourers didn't come across as either friendly or knowledgeable on the day that we visited. Things started off well, with their pinot gris, pinot blanc, chardonnay, and vin gris; I especially enjoyed the pinot blanc, which was crisp and refreshing considering it was a pretty hot day. I was looking forward to their 2 pinots, which I normally enjoy, but when we were poured our Santa Rita Hills pinot, it had had been sitting outside in the 90 degree weather and was just warm and nasty. We couldn't drink it, so we dumped and went to the indoor tasting station to see if it was any cooler in there, but no luck. Same thing with the Encantada pinot, which was really a shame. We are talking about a $50/bottle pinot of very good quality, which is very representative of the Santa Rita Hills AVA; it really deserved better. I've bought this wine many times, so it was a shame to have to dump this as well. I think most people would agree that a pinot should be served at about 55-65 degrees at the most. If you are the producer of one of the region's best pinots, wouldn't you want to showcase it properly? I still enjoy Alma Rosa's wine in principle and will continue to buy it from time to time at my wine shop and recommend it to others; however, as far as an experience goes, I do not plan to return to their tasting room any time soon.
Note: Tasting is $10 for 6 wines and does not include a glass.
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What a neat little place! Things that impress me:
1. 07 Chardonnay SBA - I'm not a Chardonnay fan but this one is very light and crisp. No time in oak. Would pair well with typical foods, or drink by itself. I think this one is better than the 05 Chard El Jabali (which is more complex and aromatic, but just not my style)
2. 06 Pinot La Encatada - This needs to lay down for another year or two, then I'm expecting great things.
3. Sustainable focus, screwtops, etc. All the vineyards are organic, and they may be going biodynamic on a few in the future.
20% off for wine club members, free tastings for 4 whenever you want. Great servers, nice quaint feel. Check it out, you won't be dissapointed.
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We had heard that the Sanford family no longer owned their namesake winery but had started Alma Rosa. The second place we visited on our most recent trip, we were very happy we stopped by.
A beautiful winery with a quaint tasting room serving excellent Pinot Noirs and (thank heavens!) only lightly oaked, not super buttery Chardonnays. The staff knows a great deal about their wines, far beyond the small blurb written on the tasting list for the tourists.
But that's not why they get a high rating from me. It's instead due to their sustainable focus. They no longer use cork not due to high prices but because cork is no longer a sustainable product. They farm their grapes organically and take great care to ensure every part of their business is as eco-friendly as possible. And this isn't just a marketing ploy, it was mentioned by every employee we encountered with a pride no PR firm can fake.
We'll most certainly be back.
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It was great to see them move in to their family cabin from Camp Alma Rosa. I have to admit that I liked the tent and all but finally, it's good to know that their legal issues has been worked out. I was worried that perhaps with the break from their partners/old wine makers the wines would suffer. I'm not really quiet sure, only time will tell.
Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay is great here. I also love the drive up to the tasting room and the laid back atmosphere. It's a great place to pack a picnic and enjoy it with a glass of your favorite wine from your tasting.
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Believe it or not, Central Coast Pinot Noir did not begin with the movie Sideways.
If you are at all familiar with Pinot Noir from this region, then you will know that this is where it all began. In 1970, armed with a degree in geography and a passion for Burgundy, Richard Sanford planted the first vineyard in what is now the Sta. Rita Hills. In 1981, he founded his eponymous winery where he hand-crafted cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Burgundian tradition.
However, in 2005, because of disagreements with Terlato Wines International, which owns the Sanford label, Sanford departed from the winery he created and founded Alma Rosa. And now that Sanford Winery has moved to their own new winery just down the road, Richard Sanford has finally come back home to where it all began.
A visit to Alma Rosa gives a glimpse of what it might have been like back in the early years, way before Sideways and the touristic commercialization of wine, back when California wine seemed pretty much limited to Napa Cabernet. In this rustic and laid-back setting, set off far from the road and tour buses, you can enjoy an interesting range of wines, some of which -- namely Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc -- can only be found here.
While I did not find all the wines thrilling and exciting, they did seem to have a sense of character and distinctiveness about them. Their new winemaker, Christian Roguenant (from Burgundy no less), seems quite intent on producing wines that express their terroir more so than the personality of the winemaker.
Some notes from my visit:
2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Gris - Clean and precise with notes of flint, lemon, lime, minerals, and sea spray. Begs for oysters. 89 pts.
2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc - Notes of flint, ash, and white peaches. A bit clumsy on the palate, with a zucchini-like bitterness on the finish. 85-86 pts.
2005 Alma Rosa Chardonnay El Jabali Vineyard - A round and lush style of Chardonnay with notes of toasted almonds, lemon rind, and vanilla cream. Well made, but not really my cup of tea. 87 pts.
2005 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Vin Gris El Jabali Vineyard - Inviting aromas of almonds, unripe strawberries, and lemon are followed by an austere palate. Wonderful to smell, not so much to drink. 85 pts.
2005 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir - A precocious youngster with notes of maraschino cherries, wood smoke, caramel, and earth. A big departure stylistically from the 2004 (which was made by Bruno D'Alfonso). 88 pts.
2005 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard - This has really come around since the last time I tasted it. Reminds me of a young red Burgundy with notes of dark cherries, raspberries, wild strawberries, and crushed rocks. Zesty acidity. Cellar this one for a few more years; it's got the structure to last until at least 2010. 90-91 pts.
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LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their wines but my ultimate fave is their 2005 Pinot Noir La Encantada. It's made with two types of grapes and the grapes speaks volumes!
I was a fan when they were then Sanford Winery (due to different business theories/philosophies on wine making) and followed suit when Richard and Thekla Sanford left to establish the Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards.
The husband and wife duo continue to make their wines with the same practices since the 70's. I applaud their methods of organic farming and understanding of the land they cultivate. All of this, is why their wines continue to impress me with their wonderful bouquet and flavor.
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