Tucked deep into a long, lonely corridor of Happy Canyon and framed by the towering peaks of Figueroa Mountain, Star Lane Vineyard is the most visually striking slice of agriculture in Santa Barbara County. About 200 acres of vines meander from beneath windmills on the valley floor into steep foothills studded with knobby old oaks and wispy grey pines, then cling to cliffs above the hidden turrets and underground caves of a castle-like winery.
The severe topography bodes well for the resulting wine grapes, which are believed to grow more distinctive and delicious when forced to survive in such challenging conditions. But more than a decade since the first vintage bearing the Star Lane name hit the market, there remains a sense that this should-be-iconic vineyard isn’t quite showing its full potential, that the magic so obvious to the eye has yet to shine in each sip.
Tyler Thomas expects to change that. Hired in the summer of 2013 by Star Lane’s owners Jim and Mary Dierberg — a humble couple from St. Louis, Missouri, who grew First Bank from a regional rural lender to a national institution — the 37-year-old winemaker is meticulously analyzing each corner of the vineyard. It was planted in 1998, devoted mostly to cabernet sauvignon, with small sections of sauvignon blanc, merlot, cabernet franc, syrah, petit verdot, and malbec, as well.