A friend was giving me a hard time the other day. She said I write so much about Santa Barbara wineries for magazines and cover them on my Instagram, but rarely ever include them on my blog. And you know what? It’s true. I admit that as I’ve gotten busier and busier over the years, my blog has taken a back seat. Oops. Taking that to heart, it’s about time I write a piece on a Santa Barbara County winery, don’t you think? One that stood out recently is Pence Vineyards & Winery.
Not too long ago, I co-hosted a visit to Santa Barbara Wine Country for a small group of wine bloggers. One of the wineries on our list was Pence Vineyards & Winery. I’d been meaning to visit, so finally I had the perfect excuse. Turns out it’s as beautiful as I had heard it was. (Apologies in advance for my iPhone photos — they don’t do this place justice).
Pence Vineyards & Winery
Established by Blair Pence, Pence Vineyards & Winery is a 200-acre working ranch and farm located in the eastern portion of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. As one of the coolest appellations in Santa Barbara, this AVA is highly suited to growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. These are, not coincidentally, the wines that Pence focuses on. After falling in love with Burgundy wines, Pence looked for the perfect place to plant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and soon found this ranch. Though they work with Burgundian varieties, Pence and Winemaker Sashi Moorman affirm they’re not trying to recreate Burgundy wines (or any Old World wines) here. Rather, the goal is to produce quality, site-driven wines that show the unique characteristics of this very diverse land.
The Vineyards
Pence farms their vineyards organically and takes an overall holistic, hands-off approach as much as possible. On the ranch are over 38 acres of vineyards, planted to mostly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Gamay. Meticulous planning and research went into planting the vines, taking into account the various slopes, aspects and terrain to create the most complex wines. The result is a patchwork of irregularly shaped blocks with distinct terroir, and clones chosen to best express the nuances of each parcel. They also utilize different trellising systems, like the A-frame trellising (as seen in Côte-Rôtie) for their hillside Syrah. Soon, they’ll be experimenting with Grenache and small amounts of Aligoté, which have both been planted on the ranch.
The Ranch
While Pence Vineyards & Winery has become known for wine, the ranch is dedicated to much more than growing grapes. On the ranch is a 45,000 square foot equestrian center, where some 40 horses reside. They also have chickens (for eggs), dogs and peacocks — yes, peacocks. When we arrived, the sleepy dogs were lounging around while a peacock was waddling nearby. It made for quite the welcoming committee!
Photo credit: Pence Ranch
In Pence’s attempt to diversify the land, and pay tribute to the fact that wine and food should be celebrated together, the team started the Pence Ranch Farm in 2014. On the farm, there are fruit and olive trees (600 different trees and 7 species from France, Italy, Greece and Spain) and they produce their own olive oil. They also grow vegetables, Marcona almonds and grains. Some of what they grow is for jams, pickled items and bread, and some is sold directly to restaurants.
Tasting room at Pence
Tastings
Tastings at Pence are by appointment only. While the tasting room makes for a rustic, casual place to sip, the best way to experience Pence is to book one of the tastings held elsewhere on the property. If you have more than an hour to spare, I’d suggest opting for a private tasting experience at the pond, dock or in the vineyard. You’ll not only taste Pence’s estate wines with a dedicated host, but you’ll also get to enjoy the beauty of the natural surroundings. Win, win.
Our tour started with a visit to the vineyards, to learn more about how the vines were planted and understand the lay of the land. We then drove down to a peaceful spot next to the pond. Our seated tasting was held under the shade of the gazebo. Hard to beat this setting!
We tasted seven current releases, both 2016s and 2017s. There were three Pinots on the list, including the 2017 Unum Estate Pinot Noir ($60) and 2017 Fugio ($60). Sourced from vines planted in 2006, the Unum sees 14 months in 33% new French oak with 20% whole cluster. It was a nice contrast to the more subtle Fugio, which had similar barrel aging and fermentation techniques, but revealed more gamey, forest floor notes.
Also on the list were two Chardonnays. If you know me, I am extra picky about New World Chardonnay. The two we tasted had a nice balance of citrus and minerality, with an overall elegance to the mouthfeel. Though I wouldn’t reach for them first, these will no doubt shine with food.
We also tried the 2016 Sebastiano Syrah ($56), a lovely expression of cool-climate Syrah. Showcasing notes of briary red fruit, roasted strawberries, violets and olive tapenade, this 100% whole cluster Syrah had refined tannins and a pleasing mouthfeel that contributed to its elegance and approachability. Very nice.
Thoughts overall? I am a fan of wineries that offer varied tasting experiences, to provide a more unique and intimate tasting than a standard tasting room. And this place definitely delivered that. Pence is worthy of a stop, whether looking for quality wine or simply a lovely setting from which to sip. Cheers!
*Pence Vineyards & Winery*
Website
Location: 1909 CA-246, Buellton, CA 93427
Phone: 805-735-7000
Tasting Fees: $20 – $125
Main varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah
2 comments
The Wine tasting looked fabulous! Definitely want to check out Pence Vineyards next time I come to Santa Barbara.
You should! It’s a beautiful place.