Beautiful winery. Mostly Pinot Noirs in tasting. Service a bit slow but gorgeous setting.

The wine is excellent! The Ambience is storybook and the ATV tour was a blast! Kiana was our amazing guide and she was knowledgeable, kind and fun! Thanks for an awesome day! read more

Anytime I'm visiting Santa Barbara (home), this is a MUST. Some of the best Pinots in the world, and it just happens to be at a place with some of the greatest views- enjoy a charcuterie board, walk among the vineyards, and get a bit of a wine education on this world-class Santa Rita Hills winery. Even though I live more than 300 miles away, I joined the wine club. It's *that good.* Cheers! read more

We weren't planning on joining the wine club, but we did. We live in San Francisco, why would we join a wine club so far away? Well, Jason was a wonderful host and the wine is absolutely delicious, and also look at that view! We needed a reason to make the trek back down south. The pinots are just incredible, each sip was a WOW. And then the Chardonnays.... only recently have I really started enjoying chards and these are top notch. If you're in the area definitely stop by for a tasting at Sanford, but be warned you might leave with a new wine club. read more

Sanford Winery - View from the tasting patio, with wine in hand - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

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meh. In our opinion Sanford is overrated and overpriced. Or maybe I just have a poor palate. Funny that I can find some delicious comparable wines that don't cost this much. The tasting room is lovely and there is a great deal more outside seating than I would expect. We also found the staff to be somewhat knowledgeable and welcoming. But we found the very expensive tasting to move quite slowly as the hosts were constantly going into a back room to a fridge or something and their descriptions were very skimpy. We tasted lots of wines, 5 or 6, but that was too many to do justice to the wine. Big reputation, not a good value. read more

I was a member here for over 8 years, always very nice wines but now they are out of control. $$$100 for a tasting? For maybe 7 ounces of wine? lol. $200 for 2 people? And they don't even show you the cost in a easy to find place on the menu. Ridiculous! Yes they have a minor tasting for 40 which was 20 a year ago. And now members get the low, cheaper wine tastings? Sorry. Never again. It's a $50 pinot for $100 a bottle. Again, sorry, it is just not worth it. Buy a bottle and drink it there and take the remaining home., if you want to attend the winery. Very pretty setting just not worth high end Napa pricing for a tasting. They are 300 miles away from a $100 tasting. You can go to a place like Vincent and get really good cabs for a 25 tasting fee and take a whole bottle home to boot. read more

We had not been to Sanford for some time, but smoke from the Lake Fire made us think it would be a good plan to head west from Ballard for the day. As it turned out, this was a brilliant choice for the simple reason that we had a first rate experience at Sanford. We know the wines are good, but many wineries offer good wine without much of a tasting experience. For us, a great experience beyond excellent wine is defined by a knowledgeable wine educator who explains the differences in soil, elevation, year, casks, etc., and really engages in a conversation about the wine, the history, etc.. Lynne was superb. She offered so much information and answered every question. As we progressed through the flight she also paid attention to what characteristics we liked and offered a taste of a different year for comparison. This was an experience of really tasting wine for nuances and appreciation rather than just a pleasant afternoon sipping excellent wines. which it also was. We sat inside because the heat outside would not do the wine in the glass any favors, and it was very comfortable. The music was mellow and not loud, the staff all seemed to be enjoying their work and every other table was well seen to. read more

Kiana was fabulous! She led our tour with such enthusiasm and had such a great energy! We traveled all the way from NY and she made it all worth it!! read more

our group of four arrived at Sanford vineyard after a very picturesque bike ride through the Santa Rosa mountains and were greeted warmly By the staff. We arrived A bit hungry and asked if they served any food --from which they replied yes, we have a charcuterie plate. Great! They suggested for our group to buy a bottle instead of separate tastings. We opted for the The Rinconada Pinot Noir. The bottle was brought and we poured our own glasses. The charcuterie was also brought and to our dismay it was small and packaged in a plastic clam shell. We all joked that it reminded us of lunchables! We leisurely finished our wine and snacks and asked for the bill. The bill came-- Sticker Shock! OK our fault- we didn't ask for prices. I guess its a don't ask don't tell. I had been to Sanford before and don't remember being as shocked as we all were by the price of the bottle--90.00. I've had $45.09 bottles of Pinot Noir from the area that were as good. The worst gouge I think, $35 for the for the small plastic clam shell container of charcuterie. it is too bad because earlier on, before the sticker shock, we were talking about maybe bringing our cycling group to visit Sanford because the ride and scenery was so lovely. So sorry Not at these prices!! read more

True Bliss at this winery. This winery is on one of the most beautiful properties overlooking the hills of vineyards. If you need a place to completely relax, this is it. Of all of the wineries I have been to this is by far my favorite. The wine is very high quality and tastes amazing. As a club member These folk really take good care of you. Thanks Rachelle for another amazing experience! read more

Sanford Winery - Off of the back porch at Sanford Winery - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

The wines were enjoyable, especially the Pinots and the staff was friendly. What turned this into a horrible experience was the wildlife deterrent equipment installed throughout the vineyard that sounds like constant gunshots. It was like wine tasting at a shooting range. People come to wine country for the serenity and tranquillity, not to be assaulted by gun noises. If every winery were to adopt this practice it would turn this lovely quiet valley into a dystopian army base. How awful! Grapes have been grown quietly for thousands of years, there's no reason to start with the noise pollution now. I won't be returning and won't support this horrendous practice. read more

Me and the Mrs. stopped here for a few hours on our road trip up the California coast and are glad we did. The ambiance is charming and serene and perfectly complements the pinot selection which is exquisite. Not to be outdone, our host Neal possessed a professorial knowledge and refined wine-side manner that outshined the finest pinot. 10/10 surveyed would get a smidge wine-tipsy here again. read more

If I could give this place NO stars, I WOULD. I went there for my friend's bachelorette weekend last weekend and Sanford was our third winery of the day. One of my friends took a quick little power nap during the 3rd tasting of 4, and was up by the time the 4th pour came around. When she told our server, CHELSEY JONES, that she would like to have the 3rd one that she missed, she was extremely rude and condescending and told her no she couldn't have it. A little backstory here, this friend of mine was in the hospital all night with her child who has been battling a life-threatening condition for most of her life,(which we informed CHELSEY of) but she is a great friend and did not want to miss our other friends bachelorette day. When CHELSEY came around with the 4th tasting, our friend politely asked for her 3rd sample again, but she still refused. WE ARE APPALLED AT THE POOR TREATMENT WE RECIEVED FROM THIS PLACE AND WILL NOT BE COMING BACK. We all purchased bottles at the end of our tastings at the two other places we went to before this one, but made the conscious decision NOT to purchase any here for this mistreatment our friend received. CHELSEY, you most definitely should not be in the service industry because you are rude, condescending, and have zero empathy. SHAME ON YOU CHELSEY. read more

Our first stop wine tasting. Walking in, I was quite impressed with the intimacy of the room. Our friend is a member, so we were able to get the most out of his membership. The staff were great, they are very personable and spend time talking to their guests. I wasn't too impressed with their wine tasting selection, but it's not to say it's not good. The outdoor patio seating is real nice, especially for larger parties. The location and building is a perfect spot and their fireplace area is nice and intimate. Sanford has their own parking lot just outside their winery. I'd definitely come back. read more

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This winery is set in a beautiful location and picturesque to visit. The tasting room has a warm and home-like atmosphere. The staff are all friendly and attentive. We were given an ATV tour by Melissa, who was very professional and knowledgeable of the winery's history, grounds, and wines. How nice it is to make the connection between the wine and where the vines grow, ultimately affecting the tastes! We will definitely be revisiting this winery regularly! read more

It was a beautiful drive to get here. This was a nice winery on a lovely property. I would love to revisit Santa Barbara Co. when the grapes are lush and in bloom. The winery tasting room has two tasting bars, with wooden stools. It's an intimate area so I can imagine when they are busy it's probably a wait for a tasting. We shared a classic flight here for $20 a pop. The wines were decent and I enjoyed the Pinot Noir. read more

Wow - what a disappointment. Overpriced wines and inattentive service. I'm glad we paid for our tastings in advance when I made my reservation as we were able to throw a tip on the table and walk out because we waited 10 min and no one came back. Definitely not worth the drive. read more

Took one more chance on this winery that is supposed to be iconic for the region, specializing in pinots. In the past I was disappointed in the tasting room management, Jason. Extremely in appropriate in his conversation and overall lack of professionalism with customers and staff. Although the wines are good, they are a bit pricey and with the experience with Jason was so fowl I didn't purchase anything. We went back in December and had a wonderful experience with Debbie. She was fun, knowledgeable and professional. The wines are good, but still a little over priced. Thank you Debbie for a great new experience! read more

Kiana was amazing. She was so enthusiastic and informative during the tour that i actually learned so much and enjoyed it. She made the experience that much better. read more

Came here with my friend really thinking the barn was the tasting room lol. It's just so cool looking. The winery is beautiful the wine is one of the top wines I had. Their reds are good and their Chardonnay is crisp and perfect for a hot summer day. They have plenty of games outside and areas to sit. The views are priceless and their service is exceptional. The staff is so friendly, they even offered to take a picture of my friend and I. We shared a tasting because we were heading to another event $30 for their top flights. read more

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Out of the 4 wineries we visited this weekend, Sanford was head and shoulders above the rest. Both for the fact that the huge weekend crowds in the tasting rooms were mostly absent here as well as the friendly, knowledgeable Robert, the tasting room manager, who went out of his way to educate our group on what makes Sanford different in all the best possible ways. Thank you Robert for a great experience, incredible wine, and the most salivating recipe recommendations to pair with your wines. We took your advice and made some beef/pork burgers with gruyere and pinot noir carmelized red onions to go with your Block 5 Pinot Noir and it was out of this world! read more

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Sanford is my favorite winery in the area, and number one on my list since they tore down the Alma Rosa tasting room, which had the coolest ambiance with the grounds etc. What Sanford does right is service, which is consistently the best I've experienced, every time I visit the trail. The soms give a healthy tasting, and offer things not on the tasting list. "Would you like to try this too? I just opened this one normally for members only." Would you like to revisit this one?" I love all of those questions. They go into great detail as to how their wines got their names, what lots or combinations are used and why, and give you a map of the vineyard pointing out why grapes here taste the way they do, and why they do or don't blend them. Such a joyous place to spend a couple of hours talking about and tasting fantastic area pinots. As for the tastings, they offer two. One is more red heavy, and is the one I preferred. Lots of very, very good pinots. Bottles can easily cost $70 or more, but they sure are worth it if you enjoy pinots from this area as I do. Join the wine club and they waive the tasting fee, and you get to drink their wine all year long. My subzero wine fridge is enjoying the company, and looks forward to more very temporary friends. read more

A must go too if you in Lompoc. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff. The guy helping us was able to really explain everything , plenty of seating in the shade or in the sun. They even have games to play outside. Great views. The wine was good. read more

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Thank you, Ben, for our fantastic tasting yesterday at Sanford! We heard Sanford had great wines, but were off the beaten path. And it is, we drove about 10-15 minutes on Santa Rosa Road before we found their winery--it is definitely tempting to assume you missed it. Ben was the perfect host. He was knowledgeable, friendly and genuinely made you feel welcome. After going to many wine tastings with great wines and bad service, Sanford was refreshing. Their wines are a bit on the expensive side and the tastings are $20-30, but the experience was five star. You get five decent size tastings of their wines. Beautiful grounds and tasting room. read more

If you can't recognize that this is maybe the best Pinot Noir in California, and on par with the Grand Crus of Burgundy, then you have no palate. Exceptional wines, beautiful setting and a staff that can educate at all levels. read more

Fabulous and world class Pinot noirs and Chardonnays. This place flight fee is pretty standard and bottles a little high but it's for a reason. Service was not bad either. They're pretty casual and adjust to your style of wine tasting. This is my second visit and I always get something special for my small wine collection. They have lots of outside seating and a standard wine bar. Inside seating not as good lately. read more

Sanford Winery - Syrah in the sun at Sanford - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

We've been wine club members for a while but the beautiful outdoor tasting area and setting never fail to disappoint. Rochelle really went out of her way to introduce us to some off-the-tasting-menu varietals. She worked very hard to give us a great tasting experience. Very much appreciated. We live in Sonoma and have wine club memberships in several CA AVAs, including Napa and Sonoma. Rochelle really delivered. Look forward to our next visit. read more

Our experience at Sanford was top notch! Rochelle was knowledgeable and friendly! Beautiful winery that welcomed our dog, Archie. Amazing Pinots and Chardonnay! So relaxing! Sanford is always our first stop in Santa Ynez! read more

Rochelle and Laurie were amazing. The energy was perfect for a fun Wednesday (birthday celebration). Knowledgeable about their wine and great customer service! Definitely will be back even though we live in Los Angeles! read more

Wonderful day and Kiana was a incredible tour guide!!! She made the day perfect!!!. We look forward to visiting again

Although the rain caused a change in plans, and my boyfriend and I would not go on a tour of the winery, Frank made sure our experience was still a memorable one! He was very talkative, fun, understanding and funny. The experience was also educational, and frank was very knowledgeable about the wines and the process of making the wine. The scenery from what we were able to see, is beautiful, the wine is very good, and the food was very tasty! 10/10 would recommend this lovely paradise. Looking forward to visiting again when it is nice and sunny! read more

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We looooveeeddd the ATV tour with Kiana! It was soo much fun and the wine is amazing!!

This was our first stop on our wine tasting trip. I have to admit after driving the long and windy road I was feeling a bit ill. But stepping out into the fresh, clear air and seeing the rows upon rows of grapes, I felt much better much faster. The tasting room itself looks like it has just been built so the inside is a little sparse which why does that matter anyway when you are here to taste some wine, am I right? For five dollars you get a tasting of four different wines and a free glass. I did like one Chardonnay (05 mix of three vineyards) and a couple of the Pinots were nice, (05 Sanford&Benedict/La Rinconada) but nothing outstanding. What was outstanding was the view - you can walk out onto the porch and sit outside with your tasting. When its a beautiful, mild, sunshine-y day you can't ask for much more. The staff was also very friendly and relaxed. They spoke briefly about each wine but you never felt they were trying to sell you. Overall this one of my favorite stops of the day. Between the staff, the tasting room and the view I felt like I had been transported to another country. read more

Sanford Winery - Tasting Room - Wineries Near Me - Lompoc, California

We visited this beautiful winery for my husband's 30th birthday, it was a surprise for him and we really enjoyed it. Frank was our host and he was awesome, we had some wine on the tasting room and then he showed us around the facility before heading down to the vineyard to sample even more wine and have an amazing picnic, they even gave us a cupcake to celebrate my husband's birthday. Frank was very knowledgeable, instructive, funny, warm, and very informative about the wines on the tasting list. The wines were really good, we both loved them. The best part for us was that initially we had a small issue, but they were really kind and nice, they tried really hard to solve it and we really appreciate it, both Frank and Chris, thank you! Would definitely go back, I would highly recommend the winery. read more

Oh my gosh! An incredibly beautiful location, delicious Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. I can't say enough about Angela our Estate Sommelier. Very knowledgeable and personable. She gave great recommendations about the area. She was really fun. The tasting room has a terrific feel. Thank you Angela and Sanford for such a wonderful experience. We'll be back. read more

Attended their annual wine blending and lobster event today. This is held every year for wine club members. This was the first time I attended. All attendees blend their own pinot noir and design their own label and they cork and seal it for you to-go. They did as a good a job hosting the event as they do crafting their wines. Oh yea the lobster was amazing too. read more

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Enjoyed a tasting visit. Did the pinot noir $20 tasting flight. Wines, all of them, are supple, fruit forward, low in acid, smooth as silk. I visited 12 wineries during my 3 day stay in the Santa Rita wine region. Sanford had my favorite wines. Delicious. read more

Meet the new boss...not the same as the old boss.* Sanford's winery is now located way, way, way out in the boonies (the old room was tiny and was only way, way out in the boonies). Architecturally, it's located in a spanking new, beautiful tasting room but in all honesty, it has an absolutely sterile feel and quality to it. And I know many of these wineries want to make a buck by slapping their name on corkscrews and tampons and what not, but I really can't stand having that merchandise all around me while I'm tasting. The place just feels very corporate. The wines were ok. Frankly, Sanford's reds used to be excellent but almost everything tasted the same to me. The folks at Sanford also don't want to talk about the real Sanford who now owns Alma Rosa Winery--located where the old Sanford used to be. He's definitely persona non grata here. Mediocre wines and a way too corporate feel equal no return visit for me. But to be fair, the view out back is extraordinary. Set yourself on a picnic table and soak in the 180 degree, majestic, panorama view of the mountains. It's simply unbelievable and breathtaking and not enough of the dorks in the tasting room even bothered to step outside once. *Apologies to The Who. read more

Sanford has a nice wine room and caters to a high end clientele... and they match their prices accordingly. The wine, in my opinion, is not really good until you get to the $60 to $80 bottles... which are probably worth about half that price. But if you are able to get your hands on one of their free tasting coupons, it's worth a stop to check out the spot and get your free taste. Just don't expect to be bringing any wine home. What WAS outstanding was the vodka sauce that we bought and had for dinner the other night.. but that was also very overpriced at $12. It looks like they have some fun events, though. read more

It seems that when Sanford Winery allowed itself to be purchased by Terlato Wines International, it had consigned itself to making Stepford wines -- that is, wines that are pleasant, easy to like, and completely innocuous. In other words, while well-crafted and reliable, these wines seem to lack a soul. Not surprisingly, I pretty much gave all the wines (with the exception of one) the same score. 2006 Sanford Sauvignon Blanc - Barrel fermented and aged for 5 months in French Oak (5% new). Possesses notes of lemongrass, melon, and citrus. Bright and zesty on the palate. (88 pts.) 2005 Sanford Chardonnay - Fermented in both oak and stainless steel. A bright, well-balanced chard with notes of white peach, guava, mineral, and oyster shell. I can see this Chablis-style wine pairing very well with food. (88 pts.) 2005 Sanford Chardonnay La Rinconada - Wente and Clone 15. Made in a more Burgundian style, this wine sees between 14-20 months of French oak. Full bodied and intense, with notes of creamy lemon curd, guava, and other tropical fruits. While I love the use of the Wente clone in this wine, I think it is currently showing too much oak, especially at this young stage. (86-87 pts.) 2005 Sanford Pinot Noir - A blend of estate, La Rinconada, and Sanford and Benedict vineyards. Aged for 10 months in French Oak (20% new). 2005 was a much more even year in the SRH and the wine shows a more elegant style. Exhibits notes of wild strawberries, clove, leather, and earth. Finishes rather thin, but I can see this wine working really well with food. (88 pts.) 2006 Sanford Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills - A blend of estate, La Rinconada, and Sanford and Benedict vineyards. Aged for 10 months in French Oak (30% new). Not showing a lot of complexity at this early stage, but still a very charming wine with vibrant notes of strawberries, raspberry jam, vanilla, and just a hint of clove on the finish. (88-89 pts.) The new tasting room -- just down the road from the old winery, now Alma Rosa -- is bright, airy, and kind of impersonal, as are the tasting room attendants. Not a bad stop for a tourist with no knowledge of wine, but wines with more character and personality can be found elsewhere. This is a safe, corporate winery. read more

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