Appellation · United States
Sta. Rita Hills
A cold pocket in a transverse valley that opens directly to the Pacific — one of the coolest sites in California, at one of its most southerly latitudes.
Pinot Noir with dark cherry, spice and a savoury, sometimes stemmy edge, high acidity and real structure. Chardonnay that is citrussy and taut. Syrah that is peppery and cool-toned.
About Sta. Rita Hills
The Sta. Rita Hills sit in the Santa Ynez Valley, which — unusually for the west coast — runs east to west. That opens it straight to the Pacific, and cold marine air pours in daily.
The result is genuinely counterintuitive: at 34.6° north, further south than Los Angeles, this is one of the coolest wine climates in California, with a growing season that can run to the end of October.
It is a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay region, with a serious and growing line in cool-climate Syrah.
The 2004 film Sideways was set in the neighbouring Santa Ynez Valley and had a measurable effect on American Pinot Noir sales — and a matching negative one on Merlot.
What the name means
- Legal name
- Sta. Rita Hills AVA
- Type
- American Viticultural Area (AVA)
- Set by
- Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
- Recognised
- 2001
- Regulates
- Origin only. It sets no rules about varieties, yields, ageing or winemaking.
Only where the grapes were grown, plus the percentage that must come from the named area. An AVA sets no varietal, yield, ageing or winemaking rules whatsoever — the single most commonly misunderstood fact about US wine labels.
Abbreviated in the official name to avoid conflict with the Chilean producer Santa Rita.
Grapes
Wines from here
white
California Chardonnay
The style that defined "buttery Chardonnay" — ripe stone fruit, vanilla and cream — though the best modern examples are far more restrained.
red
California Pinot Noir
Riper and fuller than Burgundy, with dark cherry, cola and baking spice — but retaining real acidity in the coolest sites.
Climate
- Latitude
- 34.6° N
- Temperature
- Cool
Wind. Strong daily onshore wind funnelled up the valley, which shuts down photosynthesis in the afternoon and extends the growing season considerably.
The Santa Ynez and Santa Rita valleys run east–west rather than north–south, which is rare on the American west coast. That orientation opens them directly to Pacific air, and it is why one of the coolest AVAs in California sits at one of its lowest latitudes.
Sta. Rita Hills has a cool climate with maritime and fog-cooled influences, at roughly 34.6° of latitude. Wind: Strong daily onshore wind funnelled up the valley, which shuts down photosynthesis in the afternoon and extends the growing season considerably. The Santa Ynez and Santa Rita valleys run east–west rather than north–south, which is rare on the American west coast. That orientation opens them directly to Pacific air, and it is why one of the coolest AVAs in California sits at one of its lowest latitudes.
Vintage variation
Vintage matters somewhat
A dependable climate with occasional difficult years. Most vintages are broadly similar; the exceptions are the ones worth knowing about.
- Latitude. At around 35°, there is more heat available than the vine needs in most years.
- Maritime influence. Nearby water lengthens the growing season and brings cloud and rain with it. Ripening is slower and less certain, and the spread between years is wider.
- Growing-season temperature. Cool. There is little heat to spare, so a cloudy summer shows in the finished wine.
Derived from the climate above, not from anyone’s view of particular years. Why there are no vintage scores here.
These are influences on how a wine turns out, not determinants of it. Picking date, yield, vine age and every winemaking decision sit between the climate and the glass.
What to eat, and how to serve it
Derived from this region’s signature styles. Each is listed separately, because a region does not have one serving temperature.
California Pinot Noir
Serve at 14–16°C (cellar cool).
Try with fillet steak, grilled chicken or turkey.
California Chardonnay
Serve at 10–13°C (lightly chilled).
Try with fillet steak, grilled chicken or asparagus.
Where to go next
Places worth trying if you like this one — neighbours, rivals, and the obvious step across.
- Santa Barbara County — Central Coast California, with transverse valleys that channel ocean air directly inland — including the Sta. Rita Hills.
- Paso Robles — A warm Central Coast AVA with a very large diurnal swing, known for Zinfandel and Rhône varieties.
- Santa Cruz Mountains — A scattered, high-elevation AVA above Silicon Valley, defined by altitude rather than by valley, and home to Ridge Monte Bello.
Approximate centroid: 34.63°, -120.40°. WineHQ stores coordinates only where it has them, and does not estimate boundaries it has not sourced.
Sources
Sources consulted
- American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) — Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), US Department of the Treasury