Wow! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and personal connection with the operation, Blake!
It is at moments like these that I wish there was a “Bio” to the profiles of Wine Berserkers!
It’s crazy to read people’s tasting notes, comments, etc, and suddenly glean that a fellow WB’er has been intimately involved in a specific element of the winemaking culture we collectively celebrate.
The diversity of this group truly is its strength!
I still have an empty bottle of 1986 SBC PN that I remember drinking in Long Beach with my family. For some reason, I saved that empty bottle and I cherish that thing, as it has such great memories. I also fondly remember Richard greeting me many years in a row at the SBC Vintner’s Festival events every April. We’d get a crew together, drive up to the area and do the winery gauntlet over the weekend. We didn’t spit a thing and I was 20 years younger then too, I handled the booze better! Those were the days when the Sanford winery was on Santa Rosa Road, and we’d turn off and head up the dirt road west to the winery. On those weekends, the winery had a tradition of serving sausages off the bbq, as well as chocolate dipped strawberries. Richard, in his kind and gentle way, would shake my hand and welcome me back. I’m sure he didn’t know me except for perhaps my face from the annual Vintner’s visits but he treated me with a kindness and warmth that was beautiful. I still remember what I believe were the Barrel Select cuvees during that time, with what I recall was a star logo that was on the label. I remember the Sanford and Benedict too. I did not appreciate wine like I do now, as it was about the drinking and the winery gauntlet back in those days but the experience and imprint that Richard left on me is something I will never forget. He took great care of his workers, he cared for his land in a way that I now appreciate deeply, those methods and philosophy that brings this hobby back to the basics, a purity of treating the land and the people who work it like gold.
Hey Counselor Seiber, if you still have any of the old era Sanford wines hanging in your cellar, let’s get one open soon. Blake, if you have any old era still, pick one of them and bring on your next visit. I’d love to taste the memory of what was some wonderful years.
Beautiful, heartfelt post Frank. You brought back more fond memories including the events at the tasting room. I went to almost all of them, so we had to be there at the same time. Re the barrel selects, look at the label on the 88 I included above. The "star" is partially shown on the left of Chardonnay. I do not have any more in my cellar, but Ill put out a search with many of my local buddies to see if I can come up with something and bring it when we all get together at the end of the month. I can always bring my empty bottle.
The old Sanford open house during Vintners Festival weekends was one of my favorite visits during those weekends (along with the ABC/Qupé open house). I also remember the sausages and the strawberries, and especially the great musicians that Richard brought in every year, playing in the Son Jarocho style. The music was so wonderful, and I always asked one of them, Francisco Gonzalez, whether they would ever record a CD of their songs but as far as I know they never did.
Anyone here remember the amazing event that Richard Sanford put together shortly after the new winery at La Rinconada was completed? There was a tasting of SRH Pinots at the old Sanford & Benedict barn, after which we all walked over to the new winery for lunch. Richard gave a great talk to all of us before lunch, telling us about many of the ups and downs of his life’s journey to that point, and of course he’s had several more ups and downs since then. Seems like things are in a good place for him these days.
Here’s a photo from that lunch, in May 2004. Richard is standing at the left, next to the wood post. I see Bruno (and that might be Kris with her back to the camera), Rick Longoria, Chris Burroughs, and Bob Senn, plus a few other folks I know (Al Osterheld among others).
Nice shot, Al. I have a similar one that includes Brian Loring as well. Can’t recall the name of the guy with red hair who’s behind Wes Hagen - he had (still has?) his own label but can’t remember what it was.
Thanks, Al. La Vie Vineyards is his label. Not sure who has his back turned, next to Brad Harrington. And can’t quite place the guy behind Ariel Lavie. I can identify everyone else in the photo.
The guy next to Brad is Pat O’Bannon. The guy behind Ariel is Sam Leone who sadly passed away a couple of years ago. Their trip to HdR that year was the only time I met him, but he seemed a very fine man.
Sam Leone was a good guy. I met him in person a few times and at several wine events in Paso and Las Vegas. He was living in Utah, St. George I think, which is a place many Vegas retirees gravitate to. He was very active on the old wine boards but got tired of the nasty tone and disappeared.
Is that Rod Schiffman over Wes Hagen’s right shoulder? Another Utah person, an IT guru who helped on West Coast Wine.
Sanford is a must visit in SRH for me. Nice tasting room, great place to eat your lunch, and they serve all the good stuff. The whites are good too. Pinot is very nice and expensive.
Is Richard involved with Alma Rosa? Kind of got the feeling he wasn’t when I was quizzing the gal in the tasting room. He’s definitely not the owner. They have a new fancy tasting room next to Industrial Eats. PN were OK.
2014 Alma Rosa Pinot Gris La Encantada Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (2/12/2018)
Very nice nectarines and strong acid / citrus with salinity. Very good but $30? Maybe…
2014 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir 44th Anniversary- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (2/12/2018)
12 months in new oak and then racked off and aged another 12 months in new oak? That doesn’t sound like a great idea… What do I know, they actually pulled this off. Intense floral and berry nose. Concentrated. Creamy Raspberry and vanilla flavors with a slick mouthfeel. While not my preferred style, it was the gangs favorite of the lineup.
2015 Alma Rosa Chardonnay El Jabali Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (2/12/2018)
Well done. Flinty nose. Peach and pear flavors. Very good complexity and mouthfeel. Mid palate came across a bit thin.
2015 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Barrel Select Sta. Rita Hills- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (2/12/2018)
Definitely darker than the other PN in the Alma Rosa lineup. Beautiful nose. Strawberry driven flavors with a Raspberry finish. Real nice. Not a great QPR.
2007 Sanford Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/8/2017)
They’re blowing this out on sale in the tasting room. It’s obviously headed downhill so drink now if you purchase or own. Dark gold color and looking oxidized. Nose has a hint of oxidation and a nuttiness to it. Low acidity, this is the problem. Toasty finish with caramel
2011 Sanford Pinot Noir La Rinconada Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/8/2017)
Wow, how did they make this wine in ‘11? It’ s very dark, super concentrated. Nose has an interesting mossy element. Very sweet and light tannins.
2013 Sanford Brut Cuvée- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/8/2017)
25% Chardonnay and 75% Pinot Noir. Aromatic anise with green apple and bright acidity. This is really good stuff. Definitely taste like a Brut as it’s fairly dry.
2013 Sanford Chardonnay La Entrada- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/8/2017)
Aromas are muted but there’s a spicy jalapeño, yellow fruit, and vanilla flavors. Lightly oak on the backend.
2013 Sanford Fleur du Domaine- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/8/2017)
Rousanne, Marssan, and viognier so a true Rhone white blend. Very good with nice mineral reflection combined with tree fruit. Good complexity.
2013 Sanford Pinot Blanc Sierra Madre Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (8/8/2017)
Pretty yellow color. Good mineralized palate with tangy tropical fruit. Aged in neutral oak barrels. Good.
2013 Sanford Viognier Sanford & Benedict Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/8/2017)
Lightly colored yellow and a tropical nose. High acidity and citrus with yellow apple flavors. Very interesting.
2014 Sanford Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/8/2017)
Crimson colored and an attractive nose. Spicy and black pepper wrapped with cherry and red berries. Gentle tannins. Drinking well now. Not excited about the $70 tariff.
2014 Sanford Sauvignon Blanc- USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (8/8/2017)
Nose of wet hay, freshly mowed. Yellow pear flavors and light acidity, very light, which leads to a heavier mouthfeel than something high in acid. Not enough for me.
2015 Liquid Farm Pinot Noir SRH Radian & Sanford & Benedict- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/8/2017)
Crimson colored. Ripe berry nose. Cherry and some cola with a jolly rancher quality. A bit of heat on the backend and jalapeño. Not as good as the SMV.
2016 Sanford Pinot Noir- USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8/8/2017)
Nose comes across as fruit cocktail. It’s sweet in style, waste of good Pinot noir IMHO. Short finish. Easy pass, get something for Trader Joe’s for $7 instead.
