TL;DR
Cute for pictures: 3.5/5 (tasting room is downtown but you can also visit their vineyard)
QPR: 5/5
Main varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot, Sparkling wine
Tasting fee: $50
Sandhi and Domaine de la Côte are two different brands founded by a sommelier Rajat Parr. Both focus on some of the most prestigious and distinctive vineyards in Santa Barbara County, particularly in the Sta. Rita Hills, known for its cool climate and coastal influence that favors Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Domaine de la Cote gained its fame when one of their wines was featured in Somm 3 during a blind tasting. Sandhi has an emphasis on old vines and dry-farming techniques and whole-cluster fermentation, enhancing the wines' structure and earthy aromatics.
The tasting room is located in downtown Lompoc along with other wine making facilities, close to the beautiful vineyards in Sta Rita Hills. We were welcomed with a traditional method sparkling wine, 2016 Blanc de noir, and it was delicious! We then drove 5 minutes and got to see the unique terroir and elevation of their vineyards.
Their Chardonnays and whole cluster Pinots were a treat and I enjoyed various bottles from both Sandhi and Domain de la Cote. I went back and forth revisiting and doing side by side tastings and ended up buying a bottle of 2020 Sandhi Sanford & Benedict Pinot, 2021 Romance Pinot, and 2016 Blanc de Noir.
If you like Champagne or cool climate Pinots, highly recommend trying their wines!
More about Sandhi and Domaine de la Cote