5 minute read
The Soul of the Rosa
Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards offers a taste of the Sta. Rita Hills from their historic ranch and vineyard
Sunshine, wine, and friends: is there anything more lovely on a Saturday? As we round the corner along Santa Rosa Road, passing rolling hills of vineyards, we sigh with relief that the encroaching gloom off the coast is nowhere to be found within this stretch of the Santa Ynez Valley—it couldn’t be a more perfect day in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. Even more exciting is that shortly we will be enjoying said sunshine while sipping wine amongst the vines at Alma Rosa’s estate vineyard, El Jabalí.
We pull into the dirt driveway and find our guide for the day, David, waiting in a large white truck. Save for the small Alma Rosa Vineyards sign near the gate, it’d be easy to drive right past the entrance, not knowing it was home to the area’s first certified organic vineyard—planted in 1983 by Alma Rosa founder, Richard Sanford.
David welcomes us with a smile and directs us to follow him up to the historic ranch house, where our tasting will be held. We pass by an open field of dirt—the future site of new Chardonnay and Pinot Noir plantings, we come to find out—then take in the picturesque views of the surrounding hills covered in grapevines before veering off to the left.
Tucked behind majestic trees in a shaded part of the estate is the ranch house, a historic building that has been renovated to offer visitors a glimpse of the ranch. I’ve visited the ranch house a few times before, but my friends are eager first-timers. As we head toward the door of the house, its dark green siding naturally fitting in with the surroundings, they ask David about its history. He tells us it was built in the early 1900s after the land that we’re on was subdivided—land which was originally part of the Rancho Santa Rosa Land Grant of 1839, for which Alma Rosa was named. “Alma” means the “soul” of the Rosa, he shares, before explaining that the house was renovated in April 2017 and that they just recently started hosting tastings here. We pass a statue of a wild boar beside the front door before stepping inside, where the décor tastefully blends ranch style with contemporary details.
Inside, a simple wooden table with glasses sits in the center of the room in front of a fireplace, above which an old grape vine is displayed like art under the peaked ceiling. The space is cozy, rustic, and relaxed—certainly a fitting “tasting room” for a ranch.
My friends and I take a seat while David joins us at the head of the table, welcoming us with a casual, friendly demeanor to make us feel at home. David explains that Alma Rosa was founded in 2005 by pioneer grower and winemaker, Richard Sanford, who still lives on the ranch, and how they’re committed to farming all 45 acres of the estate vines organically. They also source from neighboring vineyards to craft vineyard designated wines from within the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other coolclimate grapes like Syrah.
It’s early, about 11 a.m., so David starts our tasting with an easy choice to prep the palate: the 2015 Sparkling Brut. My friend makes a joke she needs a little “hair of the dog” after her late night the evening before. David smirks and pours a splash more bubbly for her, and we all take our first sips, savoring the citrus and brioche notes that tingle on the tongue. It’s perfect, we all agree. Next, David pours the 2016 Chardonnay, mentioning that Alma Rosa’s goal with Chardonnay isn’t to make it a “buttery oak bomb” like the style that is commonly found throughout other parts of California. Thank goodness, as no one at this table cares for overly oaked Chardonnay, anyway, all preferring a more acid-driven style.
We take a sip of our next wine, the 2018 Vin Gris—a rosé of Pinot Noir that shines a brilliant light salmon color, begging to be enjoyed on a sunny day. Aromas of wild strawberries and watermelon practically leap from the glass, but despite its sweet red fruit notes that carry through to the palate, the wine isn’t sweet; rather, it’s dry with lively acidity and a welcome dose of minerality that is refreshing and delicious. Upon hearing there are only a few cases left of this wine, you can almost see the mental note we’re all making, as a reminder to purchase a few bottles to enjoy this summer before it’s gone.
Next, we taste through the 2017 Grenache and two 2016 Pinot Noirs (the Barrel Select and El Jabalí), remarking that the Pinots each do a nice job of showing the unique nuances of the Sta. Rita Hills, yet are distinct from each other. David explains that we’re spot on, as Winemaker Nick de Luca, who carries on Richard Sanford’s legacy, aims to produce distinctive wines that showcase purity of fruit while reflecting the unique terroir found throughout the Sta. Rita Hills.
Before finishing our last taste, David mentions that our tasting experience isn’t quite over yet, then asks us to choose a wine to take with us on our excursion up to the vineyards, where we can get a better vantage point of the property. While some of us are leaning toward bubbly and some Pinot Noir, we all decide that the Vin Gris is the right choice on a day like today, so we hop in his truck and venture up the road. Passing vines and century-old oak trees covered in moss, we twist and turn up the hill until we reach a clearing with a picnic table near the vines at the highest elevation of the property.
We quickly hop out of the car, just as eager to enjoy a splash of rosé as we are to take in the stunning views of the vineyards and oak-dotted mountains in the distance. “I bet you can see the stars so well from up here,” says one of my friends. “Actually, Alma Rosa has hosted a ‘Pinot and Planets’ event here,” David responds with a laugh. Go figure! With nothing but the sounds of nature, a gentle breeze and the sunlight reflecting off our glasses, it’s impossible not to appreciate the serenity of the wild, natural surroundings. What a spectacular place to grow and produce wines in Santa Barbara County. *
almarosawinery.com
Photographed by Silas Fallstich | Written by Hana-Lee Sedgwick
