If you know just one Santa Barbara winery, Sanford is where it all begins. They were among the very first to plant vines in the region – with the iconic Sanford and Benedict vineyard claiming a rightful place in the annals of California vineyard history – all the way back in 1971. Their pinot noirs and chardonnays are the stuff of legend, and whilst a traditional champagne-style sparkling wine is their newest endeavor… one sip and you’ll agree – the sky is the limit.

The cuvée stands at 68% pinot noir and 32% chardonnay, with the wine fermented in barrel for added depth and richness. In the glass, this golden hued, richly layered wine supports a delicate mousse with zesty and lively aromatics of pink grapefruit and ripe nectarine. On the fruity, expansive palate, taste more of the same with the additions of lime zest, lemon custard, Bartlett pear, and crushed hazelnuts. Almost Taittinger-esque stylistically, this is round and generous, with fruit harnessed by focused acidity that coaxes into a pleasingly dry finish. Top-notch sparkling wine that many will happily confuse with Champagne! If you got this before… you probably need to re-stock those coffers! And if this is your first chance with Stanford’s epic bubbly – definitely get more than you think!