Vintners from the Sta. Rita Hills built their reputations on the back of pinot noir, and today’s generation is equally, if not even more, excited by the region’s thrilling chardonnays. Meanwhile, the geekier winemakers and their fans realize this foggy, windswept stretch between Buellton and Lompoc is an epic place to grow incredibly distinctive Rhônes like grenache and syrah, and a few are even tuning into small plantings of gamay and grüner veltliner.
So, is this Santa Barbara County growing region between Buellton and Lompoc ready for a new star to grace its stage?
“There is currently no Chenin blanc grown anywhere else in the Sta. Rita Hills,” said Aaron Walker, the winemaker at Pali Wine Co. who converted one acre of pinot noir vines to this white grape variety on their estate vineyard in 2022. “That’s one of the reasons that it was compelling. No one else was doing it.”
